Crying is one of the first forms of communication. Babies, in need of a bottle or a diaper change, will cry to alert their caregiver that something is amiss. They are not able to say exactly what is bothering them, but their cry is a signal that something is wrong. Sometimes we need to cry […]
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Is it possible to completely know ourselves or others? Much less God? In Psalm 76 – known, we hear how God is great, known throughout Judah. But what does that mean? Psalm 76 Another psalm of Asaph, Psalm 76 (NIV) begins by saying God is renowned in Judah. Other translations, including the King James, the […]
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In Psalm 75 God chooses, but what does he choose? What do we learn about God from Psalm 75 – I choose? Psalm 75 Psalm 75 is another psalm of Asaph, the musician. He begins by praising God: “We praise you, God, we praise you, for your Name is near; people tell of your wonderful deeds.” (1) […]
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In Psalm 74 – rejected, the writer asks why God has cast him off. Chances are you have experienced rejection at some point in your life. Never a pleasant experience. But what of the rejection felt by someone who has lost their church, their foundation? Who feel God has rejected them? Such is the situation […]
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While Psalm 73 – pure of heart, begins by mentioning the pure of heart, the psalm says more about the wicked. Why? What do we learn about the pure of heart from the wicked? Psalm 73 Psalm 73 – pure of heart, is attributed to Asaph, a musician. He struggles with the question why the […]
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In Psalm 72 – the king’s son, the writer praises the king’s son. Who is this son? And why is he deserving of praise? Psalm 72 Psalm 72 is a prayer for the king’s son. The psalm’s superscript says, “Of Solomon”, referencing David’s son and successor, Solomon. Was it a prayer by Solomon, for himself, […]
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Reflecting on the first line of psalm 71, the word shame struck me. Why might the writer experience shame? What does Psalm 71 – shame, have to teach us? Psalm 71 Psalm 71 – no shame, begins with a cry to God to not let him be put to shame. “In you, Lord, I have taken […]
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When we are troubled and suffering, we want to be rescued immediately, as is the case in Psalm 70 – come quickly. Psalm 70 Psalm 70 is also found in Psalm 40:13-17. Because of this, many commentaries skip over it, referring us to Psalm 40. However, Psalm 70, the second shortest psalm in the book […]
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Have you ever felt like you were drowning or mired in mud and unable to move forward. That is the situation of David in Psalm 69 – drowning. He is in desperate straits. Let’s see why. Psalm 69 Psalm 69 – Drowning, is a psalm of disorientation. The writer, David, is in deep despair. As […]
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In Psalm 68 – God Arise, the psalmist issues a call to action. He wants God to arise to the occasion, to defeat the enemies of Israel. It is both an appeal to God and statement of confidence in what God is doing. Psalm 68 Psalm 68, another psalm attributed to David, begins with David […]
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