Category: Psalms

“In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. Deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue. What shall be given to you, and what more shall be done to you, you deceitful tongue? A warrior’s sharp arrows, with glowing coals of the broom tree! Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar! Too long…

“Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me. My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law. You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness and in all faithfulness. My zeal consumes me, because my foes forget your words. Salvation is far from the…

“My soul longs for your salvation; I hope in your word. My eyes long for your promise; I ask, ‘When will you comfort me?’ I am yours; save me, for I have sought your precepts. Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. I have more understanding than all…

“Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord, your salvation according to your promise; I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes. Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, that…

Due to its length, I’ll be breaking this psalm out over four days (it’s the longest chapter in the Bible at 176 verses). First, an overview. It contains an acrostic style different from some of the other psalms we’ve looked at. Those acrostic psalms had 22 lines, each starting with a letter of the Hebrew…

This celebratory Psalm speaks of shelter from trials, triumph over enemies, and ultimately deliverance into God’s presence. Many songs draw inspiration from this Psalm. Scholars believe it speaks preeminently of the Christ’s triumph as the ideal Servant and Chief Priest. “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It…

his two-verse Psalm proves longer isn’t always better. “Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!” (v1-2) What I like about this Psalm is the author doesn’t leave any room for interpretation (or misinterpretation). They…

“Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; our God is merciful. The Lord preserves the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me. Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling; I…

There are two things that jump out at me in this Psalm. “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet,…

“When Israel went out from Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his dominion. The sea looked and fled; Jordan turned back. The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs. What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back? O…