Psalms

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord” (v. 1, NLT). Jerusalem is 2,474 feet above the Mediterranean Sea, which is to the west of Jerusalem, and 2,818 feet above the Dead Sea, which is to the east. And yes, the Dead Sea is below sea […]

The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice (Psalm 97:1, ESV). A magnificent theme of the Bible is the sovereignty of God. As Psalm 103:19 reads… The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all (NASB1995). If God is in charge, we have nothing to fear—world events, natural disasters, people who oppose us, money troubles, and injustice. The

There will be silence before You, and praise in Zion, God (v. 1, NASB1995). What mighty praise, O God, belongs to you in Zion (v. 1, NLT). Some translations open Psalm 65 with, “There will be silence before you,” while others say, “Mighty praise belongs to you.” The Hebrew word for “silence” is like the word translated as

Today we are considering the Ziphites.  Think Judas and Benedict Arnold when thinking of the Ziphites. They were from the tribe of Judah, David’s kinsmen, and they betrayed him to King Saul. Have we ever been betrayed by family or close friends? This is the backstory of Psalm 54. As David writes… For strangers are

If we follow God, sooner or later, we will think this thought… Rise up, Judge of the earth; pay back to the proud what they deserve. How long, Lord, will the wicked, how long will the wicked be jubilant? (Psalm 94:2-3, NIV) The wicked prospering while the righteous suffer, is front and center today. What the Bible/God considers vile

The righteous shall be lifted up (Psalm 75:10, ESV). Psalm 75 has a clear focus—we can trust God or self. The phrase “lifted up” is used five times in Psalm 75. In Hebrew, it is associated with arrogance that leads to trouble or with humility that elevates God and leads to blessing. I say to

Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!” (Psalm 66:3, ESV) The overarching lesson of the Psalms can be summarized in just a few words, “Lord, how awesome are your deeds!”  Can you say this phrase right now? Are there difficulties in your life that make it hard to rejoice in the Lord? I consider Psalm

They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them (Psalm 112:7, NLT). Do we fear bad news? Is it hard for us to enjoy good times because there’s a foreboding shadow of “when will the other shoe drop?” Psalms 112 talks about two types of fear.   One type of fear will

For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked (Psalm 73:3, NIV). Have you ever wondered, “Why do the wicked prosper?” Psalm 73 asks this question, too. Even the prophet Jeremiah challenges God in one of his prayers… Why are the wicked so prosperous? Why are evil people so happy? (Jeremiah 12:1,

To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, in You I trust (Psalm 25:1, NASB1995). For Interruptions, I usually blog a Psalm on Saturday. Today is Saturday, and I’m writing about Psalm 25. I call Psalm 25 “My Psalm.” Why? Though I’ve written an Interruption on 115 of the 150 Psalms, Psalm 25 was