What are the requirements to be blessed by God? Psalm 41 – Blessed are those, addresses this question, while raising other questions. Psalm 41 In this lament, the answer to the question, who is blessed by God, would seem very simple. We are told in Psalm 41 – blessed are those who have regard for […]
Read More
Hurry up and wait. That’s life. As the saying goes, life happens while you are waiting. For all of the waiting we do are any of us good at it. The writer of Psalm 40 says he waited patiently, but did he? What can we learn about waiting from Psalm 40 – I waited patiently? […]
Read More
Psalm 39 – I will watch, the psalm begins. But what is the writer watching? And why? Psalm 39 – I Will Watch my Ways Psalm 39 is another lament psalm, attributed to David. The first line of Psalm 39 – “I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a […]
Read More
Psalm 38 – do not punish me in your anger. So begins Psalm 38. What does this psalm have to teach us about prayer? And what does it teach us about God? Psalm 38 – For Remembrance Psalm 38 is a penitential psalm, attributed to David. The superscription for Psalm 38 is for remembrance, or […]
Read More
Does it sometimes feel like evil is prevailing, the wicked prosper and the good suffer? If so, read Psalm 37 – do not fret – and you will find an antidote to all of the pessimism and negativity in our world. Psalm 37 Psalm 37 is an acrostic wisdom poem. We hear a series of […]
Read More
In Psalm 36 – Sin directs the heart of the wicked, the writer declares. The psalm contrasts the ways of the sinner with the ways of God. Psalm 36 – the Wicked Psalm 36 begins with an oracle from God, according to some translations. God is speaking to David’s heart: “I have a message from […]
Read More
In Psalm 35 – Oppose those who oppose me, the psalmist cries out to God. Who are those people and what are they doing? And what does the writer want God to do? Psalm 35 Psalm 35 – oppose those who oppose me – is a plea for help that joins three lament section. It […]
Read More
The Hebrew community was a blessed nation, a people chosen by God and blessed by God. We are blessed as well. As blessed, we are called to bless our God in return, as indicated by the first line of Psalm 34 – I will bless the Lord at all times. Historical Context of Psalm 34 […]
Read More
I love to sing. I sing out my sorrows and my joys. Psalm 33 – Sing joyfully to the Lord, reminds us of the importance and the joy found in singing God’s praise. Psalm 33 This week’s psalm begins with the admonition to sing joyfully to the Lord. “Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is […]
Read More
Jesus tells us we are to forgive our brothers (and sisters) seven times seven. Each time we pray the Lord’s Prayer we tell God to forgive us as we forgive others. But what is it to be forgiven? What do we learn about forgiveness from Psalm 32 – forgiven? Psalm 32 Psalm 32 – forgiven, […]
Read More
