“Abandon all hope, ye who enter here,” is inscribed above the gates of hell in Dante’s Inferno. I’ve been thinking about this phrase as part of my reflections on hope this Advent. It seems I’m in another situation that calls me to abandon hope. What does this mean? Is it even possible? Levels of Hell […]
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Psalm 105 – proclaim his name, tells us to call upon the name of God and glory in his name. Does it matter what name we use for God? Psalm 105 Psalm 105 – proclaim his name, is another psalm of praise to God for all God has done. Attributed by some to David because the first 15 verses […]
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In Psalm 104 – wrapped in light, God comes to the earth clothed in splendor and wrapped in light. It is a love story – the love of God for creation. What does it mean to be wrapped in light? Psalm 104 Psalm 104 is another psalm of praise. It begins with a familiar verse, one […]
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This holiday season I’m grieving the loss of a good friend. No, not an individual, but a link to all my friends and loved ones, my cell phone. This occurred at a terrible time, while out of the country on an extended trip, making it impossible to get a replacement until we returned. I know cell phones can be replaced, contacts and other […]
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Psalm 103 – my inmost being, is another psalm of praise. It calls the reader to praise God using all that is within us. What is this inmost being? Psalm 103 Psalm 103 – my inmost being, begins with the writer, David, calling upon his soul to bless the Lord. “David called upon his soul to bless Yahweh. It was as if […]
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Are you in distress? The writer of Psalm 102 – day of distress, is facing his own day of distress. What can we learn from this psalm about those days? Psalm 102 Psalm 102 – day of distress is considered one of the seven penitential psalms (along with Psalm 6, 32, 38, 51, 130, 143). It begins with a cry for […]
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Psalm 101 – integrity, speaks of the way of integrity and integrity of heart. But what does it mean to be a person of integrity? Psalm 101 – NASB The superscript for Psalm 101 is simply, “a Psalm of David.” In it, David shares his views about how rulers should conduct themselves. “In Europe the […]
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When Paul says he is being poured out like a libation, we writers know what he is talking about. For me, writing is a libation What is a Libation? Paul in 2 Timothy 4:6 says, “For I am already being poured out like a libation, and the time of my departure is at hand.” (NAB) […]
Read More In Psalm 100 – serve the Lord, we are called to worship the Lord with gladness. What is the connection between service and worship? Psalm 100 Psalm 100 is listed simply as a Psalm for Thanksgiving. It begins with a call to worship (NASB translation): “Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with jubilation; […]
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In Psalm 99 – nations tremble, the nations tremble and the earth shakes because the Lord reigns. Why? Why do the nations tremble? Psalm 99 Psalm 99 is a triple proclamation of God’s holiness. Three times the writer states God is holy, vs. 3, 5, and 9. The proper response to holiness? To fall on […]
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