Category: Psalms

God loves when His people praise Him. He especially loves when we worship Him not out of obligation but out of a fresh desire to come into His presence with a song of praise. This chapter celebrates just that! It begins with a call for the people of God to worship His name, then grows to all nations praising God, and ends with the command for creation itself to cry out in adoration of God. The entire earth proclaims “the Lord reigns” (v. 10).

Some Christians resign to only worship God on Sunday mornings at church, but what the psalmist says in this chapter is that we are to praise His name “day after day” (v. 2). No matter what is going on in our lives, we must not lose sight of the One who is above all things and who created all things. God is all powerful and worthy of our praise everyday, not just on Sunday mornings. 

Our perfect, all powerful God doesn’t need us to accomplish His will. However, as a response to His power, the psalmist writes that we are to “give to the Lord” (v. 7-8). This phrase, proclaimed three times in this passage, means that we are to recognize God’s glory and strength and boast in Him. 

The world was not created carelessly; it was firmly established by the hands of God. And as His creation, we get to enjoy what He has created. We also get to rejoice in our Creator because of who He is⏤a righteous judge who will make all things right one day. Therefore, let us be people of praise who actively worship God daily and press on towards justice and love for all people. 

This anonymously written psalm is known as an enthronement psalm because it proclaims God is the great King above all gods (v. 3). It begins with verses of worship and ends with warnings. In the first 7 verses, we see names for God, such as Rock of our salvation, great God, great King, our Maker and Creator. He has power over all things. Therefore, He is worthy of our praise. We worship Him not only because He has created all things, but also for how He provided “our salvation” (v. 1) and cares for us (v. 7). The ability to know personally the one true God, who cares deeply for His people, should cause us to overflow with song, thanksgiving and move us to worship.

 In verse 7, however, we see a shift from worship to strong warning. Let us learn from Israel’s refusal to trust in God (Numbers 13:30-14:32). What are the character qualities of Israel that we should guard ourselves against? They have hardened hearts, who tested God and went astray. We all have sinful hearts, shortcomings, doubts and questions, but our willingness to lay down our will, disobedience and pride in our works is what the Lord is after. A true worshipper of God comes to Him with a soft and surrendered heart.

 In Hebrews, this psalm is quoted 3 times (Hebrews 3:7, 15 & 4:7). Hebrews 3:12-13 gives us good instruction on how to prevent a hardened heart. Not only are we to lay aside our sinful and unbelieving hearts but encourage each other! We need to surround ourselves with believers who point us towards godliness and are willing to call out things that are affecting our walk with Jesus.

Does it ever seem as though the evil around you is winning? Do you ever think, even for a second, that God must not be seeing the things you’re seeing? Do you ever wonder how much more He can care for a world that so obviously doesn’t care for Him? If so, you’re not alone. The psalmist in today’s reading seems to have had similar questions and confusion. When all we see is such wickedness, where is God in the world around us?

The psalmist cries out in verse 3, “How long, LORD, will the wicked, how long will the wicked be jubilant?” He sees the wicked running around acting as though there is no God; they are crushing God’s people and hurting the helpless, the foreigner, and the fatherless. Worst of all, they brag that they’re getting away with it. They claim that God doesn’t see their actions. Or does He? Almost as soon as the psalmist wonders where God is, he reminds himself that, of course, God sees it all. More than that, He knows it all and is at work in it, too.

When it seems like God is silent, listen harder. When it looks as though God is not moving, look closer. The psalmist stops his spiral of dejection and disbelief by doing two things. First, he reminds himself of God’s never-changing truth (v. 8-16). Then, he reminds himself of God’s track record of faithfulness in his life (v. 17-19, 22). With a renewed perspective, he waits patiently for God to work. 

When our thoughts run away with us, our fears overtake us and our doubts creep in, we need to follow this psalmist’s example. By reminding ourselves of God’s eternal truth and how He has proven Himself faithful to us before, we will have eyes to see Him at work in our lives once more.

Although a short chapter, Psalm 93 is a case for trusting God and for building our lives upon His authority. Meditating on this passage can convict us, but it can also bolster our confidence in God.

We live in a very dynamic culture. Our sense of morality has changed drastically in the past decade, and it will continue to change with time. Our modern culture attempts to tell us that truth is relative, or that only parts of the Bible are true, and that modern concepts of morality are so much more advanced than anything in the Bible. Oftentimes, we can begin to buy into what culture is telling us without even realizing that it is slowly chipping away at our relationship with God. We can start to care more about what culture or society says about us, rather than what God says about us. We can disregard parts of the Bible that modern culture condemns, instead of asking God for His revelation and understanding of His Word. We can make our decisions based on worldly counsel, rather than consulting God first. Again, Psalm 93 makes a case for trusting God and for placing our lives under His authority, rather than under the authority of culture.

The first few verses describe who God is. He is robed in majesty—the embodiment of integrity, uprightness, and dignity. His belt is of strength—he does not waver or change. This is particularly important for the next verses, which clarify that God’s throne is established and eternal. His character is unchanging. His words are irrevocable. Floods may rise up, and our culture may change like waves in the sea (v. 3), but our God is mighty and His word is established (v. 4). This chapter concludes with the line, “Your decrees are very trustworthy.” Even though everything around us changes, God’s character and rule are unchanging and will never be outdated or irrelevant. 

If we truly believe that God has not changed throughout history, and that He is mightier than any storm or whim, we must approach our lives differently. In Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus tells a story about people who build their houses on the rock or on the sand. When the waves and storms come, the house built on sand is washed away, while the house built on the rock remains. If we live under God’s rule and His alone, we can live confidently, boldly, and with clarity and purpose. If we choose to listen to culture, we build our lives on the sand. Popular opinion will then shape our concept of morality and our lives, leading to anxiety, emptiness, and the meaningless pursuit of some undefined end. Abandon the rule of culture—seek refuge, security, and purpose in our Father, who cares for us and will never change.

Sabbath is a time of rest, a time to take a break from our work, and a time to worship and be in the presence of God. Psalm 92 gives us a look into sabbath rest and worship. In fact, the psalm is entitled “A Song for the Sabbath Day.” It begins with praising the Lord and making music in His name. Worship music is a way to connect with God, honor Him, and feel His presence. Sabbath is more than singing worship music – it’s a call for physical rest and a day to connect with our Lord and Savior. Psalm 92 reminds us to start the day proclaiming God’s love and end the day thanking Him for His faithfulness.  

The psalmist sings for joy and praises God for His great works and profound thoughts. We know God is always at work around us (John 5:17). Yet, there are times when the craziness and busyness of everyday life prevents us from seeing and recognizing His works. Sabbath helps us set aside time to reflect on who God is and what He is doing, while recognizing any misaligned priorities and recommitting to seeking opportunities to be used by Him. As Paul writes, “for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Phil 2:13). Sabbath reminds us of our call to live for His glory and spread the good news of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:1-10).  

Unfortunately, there are many who think God’s work and blessings are of their own doing; that they are in control. That’s a dangerous place to go. The psalmist tells us that while senseless and foolish people may prosper and succeed here on earth, their forever is very different from believers’ eternity in heaven. As we keep our eyes on Jesus, we flourish and grow. A day of sabbath provides us a chance to slow down and connect with our Savior. Couldn’t we all use a little more of that?

Who God is will protect you: He is faithful. Remember God. The author of this psalm is unknown, but many people presume it is either written by Moses, due to its similar themes to Psalm 90, or that David wrote it, as it is similar to Psalms 27 and 31. Regardless of who the author is, the message of this chapter stays the same: it exists as an encouragement to continue on in faith and a reminder of who our God is.

The chapter opens by emphasizing that those who believe in the Lord will find protection with Him. Shelter, shadow, refuge, and fortress all create this idea of safety found in Christ. It then goes on to explain the trials this protection is from – the fowler’s snare and deadly pestilence – are the devil trying to separate us from who God is. But he is no match for who our God is. It is clearly stated here that our protection is not because we have a weak enemy, but a powerful God. The bold declaration of assurance that our God is our protector comes from having a clear understanding of who God is. He is able to remain confident because he knows who his God is.

So often our problem comes from where we think too little of God and too big of ourselves. When trials come we may lose sight of who God is and instead try to take matters into our own hands. But nearness to the Father expands our vision of who He is. Proverbs 3:5 instructs us to “trust in the Lord your God with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” When we spend time getting to know God – either through learning who Scripture says He is, by praying and seeking a relationship with Him, or by remembering who we have known God to be in the past – we begin to have a full understanding of the powerful protector whom we can call our friend.

Hebrews 10:23 says “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” This psalm is meant to challenge us to expand our view of who our God is and to remain faithful. It’s a reminder for us to not stray because of fear when hardship comes, but to lean on God because we know who He is.

Today’s reading is the first in Book Four of the Psalms, a group of passages focused on remembering our place and remembering who God is. It is also written by Moses, making it the oldest psalm in the Bible! 

The fourth verse of this chapter helps us to see the main focus of today: “For you, a thousand years are a passing day, as brief as a few night hours.” A thousand years is a long time, but let’s take a moment to think about how long that actually is. A thousand years ago, in the year 1021, the city we live in wasn’t even an idea in someone’s mind. The United States did not even exist yet. In America today, the average lifespan is 79 years. We would have to live our entire lives thirteen times to be alive for 1,000 years. Yet to God, 1,000 years is “a passing day, as brief as a few night hours.” God is eternal, all-knowing, all-present, and all-powerful, and we are far from that. 

So how should we respond to this? Ephesians 5:15-16 gives us some insight: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (ESV). Read that again. “Look carefully then how you walk…making the best use of the time.” We don’t know how long we will live; only God does. Instead of wasting the time we do have, we should be intentional with it. Instead of saying we’ll get serious about God or start serving sometime in the future, we should do it today. Our life could end in a moment, and even if it doesn’t, our life is still short. We should be on fire for God while we can, storing up treasures in heaven that don’t fade when we die (Luke 12:33). 

Ephesians 2:10 says that “we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Even though God is eternal and so much bigger than us, we are still His workmanship, created for good works that God has laid out for us. Instead of waiting, let’s pick up our cross daily and follow Him.

Today we wrap up the third book of the Psalms, which may come as a welcome relief to some. Some of these psalms that have been quite dark (especially yesterday’s reading). You may see that this psalm was written by someone named “Ethan the Ezrahite.” He was a wise Levite musician (see 1 King 4:31; 1 Chr. 15:17-18) and this is the only psalm written by him.

The two major themes that stand out in this passage are the steadfast love of the Lord and His faithfulness. Those are two truths that we can hold fast to in dark times. Even when we don’t see it, He’s working (go listen to “Way Maker” if you need a reminder). This serves as a comfort to us when we are in seasons where God feels far. These two attributes are foundational to our faith. 

We see Ethan build his psalm on those attributes of God as he focuses on God’s character (v. 5-18), His promises (v. 19-37), and then he appeals to God (v. 38-52). It is not unbiblical to appeal to God when you feel the dark clouds roll in. Don’t miss that! Because God desires a relationship with us, we can bring our burdens to Him and find rest (Matthew 11:28-30). However, we must not lose sight of who holds the universe in His mighty hand. Ethan demonstrates a posture that rightly recognizes God’s faithfulness, yet can still bring his questions to the Lord and even call Him to His promises. It is important to remember in those moments “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness,” (2 Peter 3:9a).

Another point to note is that Ethan was interceding on behalf of King David. Ethan saw the darkness that David was experiencing and he came to God in order to appeal to Him. We too can and should intercede for others when we see the dark clouds rolling in. This is just another reason why it is so important for believers to live in community with other believers. We are able to intercede on behalf of our brothers and sisters and come alongside them.

God welcomes our grief. We can acknowledge His goodness while still mourning the broken world we live in and plead with the creator of this universe for mercy and clarity. In this psalm we see a raw cry of despair that lays out the author’s sorrow and sin in the form of a desperate prayer to a God that is bigger than our pain. Written by Heman the Ezrahite, who was known as a wise and talented man, this dark song is evidence that even the faithful experience doubt and angst. 

In the midst of confusion, the writer acknowledges God’s power and goodness from the very first line. “Oh God of my salvation.” Before anything else, he recognizes God has already delivered him and then he can proceed to wrestle with his own agony. He attributes his troubles to the power and acts of God:

“You have put me in the lowest pit” (v. 6).

“Your wrath lies heavily on me” (v. 7).

“Your terrors have destroyed me” (v. 16).

By doing this, he acknowledges his own sin and wrestles with the righteous wrath and justice of God. He feels alone and weak, but his greatest despair is in verse 14 when he feels God has left him. “Why, Lord, do you reject me and hide your face from me?” The greatest consequence of our own sin and sorrows is that God feels far from us in them. This psalm isn’t a plea to change his circumstance, but just to be near to the presence of God again. 

Doubt doesn’t disqualify or distance us from God, but it’s an opportunity to lean in and seek His face above all else. Our prayer, along with the psalmist, is to be near to God and to know He is constant when our situation is not.