Blog

The book of 1 Samuel first introduces us to Saul, the first Israelite king. In sharp contrast to Saul’s life, we see the true king extolled in Psalm 98. Although it may be short, it is packed with beautiful images of praise to the Lord. Verse 1 opens with “sing a new song to the Lord, for He has performed wonders; His right hand and holy arm have won Him victory.” The occasion in which the psalm was written is unknown, but clearly it contains a triumphant tribute to the Lord. Notice it instructs participants to sing a new song; God is continually at work which should inspire fresh and dynamic worship to Him. The psalmist recounts how the victory has revealed God’s righteousness, love, and faithfulness in plain sight of the nations. Nothing has been hidden but is visible to all Israel and to the ends of the earth as the unfolding work of redemption is displayed.

What should the response be to His marvelous works? The verbs imply a celebration of all the earth with shouts of joy and jubilation, singing, and blasts of the ram’s horn in the presence of the Lord. The sea, rivers, and mountains are also invited into the worship and praise before the Lord. If you have ever watched ocean waves crash on shore, it’s easy to embrace this element of praise. All creation was made for God’s glory and to declare His praises. He inhabits the praises of His people as the enemy is rendered powerless.

The praise described in this psalm is not only for the marvelous things the Lord has done, but also for the work He will do in the  future. The last verse states, “He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.” What a consolation for all creation that has suffered under the sin and rebellion of mankind! In the ancient world, justice was rare – and this is still true sometimes. Judges were bribed or turned by ideology and prejudice. The idea of a coming judgment with equity was a great relief to those who were often oppressed and denied justice (Guzman).

“The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad.” Why is the earth to be glad? Because the Lord reigns, of course! Many Christians would agree with this statement, but many couldn’t say why. Psalm 97 serves as a reflection on the power and majesty of the Lord our God. It shows His ultimate power and authority over all of creation, the insurmountable gap between Him and anything humans may place as an idol, and it shows His loving protection for His people, using that power for their good and His glory.

In verses 2-6, we see the illustrations of His power. We see His throne, with the foundation of righteousness and justice, surrounded by thick darkness. We see fire going before Him, His lightning lighting up the world, and mountains melting like wax in His presence. All of these things seem terrifying to many readers, and surely they would be to see in person. Scripture actually holds an example of human reactions to this very sight. It is found in Exodus chapters 19-20.

“On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast…Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended in fire…” (Exodus 19:16-18).

In this scene, Moses is serving as a middle-man between God and the Israelites. The depictions of God’s power are strikingly similar, are they not? He appears with fire, dark clouds, and lightning, so it’s understandable when, in chapter 20, the Israelites tremble in fear rather than interacting with God. Instead, they have Moses handle all of the interaction, and Exodus 20:21 says Moses “approached the thick darkness where God was,” while the rest of the people stayed at a distance.

This isn’t something merely hidden in the Old Testament, however. Christians still act like this today! Instead of meeting God where He calls, many shrink back, willing to only meet with Him from a distance, whether from the base of a mountain or the foot of a stage. Psalm 97, though, promises us that, while the Lord is powerful, He is also good. His power should be absolutely respected, but His love and goodness will cover all. Rest in this, Christian. The Lord God “guards the lives of His faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked” (v. 10).

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.