There are a multitude of reasons to praise our God. Psalm 30 lists just a few of these. What can we learn about praise from Psalm 30 – I praise you? What do we learn about God? Psalm 30 Psalm 30 begins with words of praise to our God who rescued the psalmist from foes, […]
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Today I join with the psalmist in praying Psalm 9 – I will give thanks! Thank you, God, for blessings bestowed, for your love and mercy, for you. What is the writer of Psalm thanking God for? Psalm 9 The writer of Psalm 9 begins with words of praise and thanksgiving: “I will give thanks […]
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God’s mercy is vast and deep, surpassing our human capacity to understand. One need only read the Psalms to recognize this. What else can we learn about mercy in the Psalms? Mercy in Scripture The word mercy and forms of the word such as mercies and merciful, occurs over 200 times in Scripture. The majority […]
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Who doesn’t love a mystery? I know I do. I enjoy pondering questions, seeking answers. The Biblical word, Selah, is one such mystery. What does it mean? And why is it in the Bible? Selah in the Old Testament Selah is found 74 times in the Bible, 71 times in the Psalms and three times […]
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There is a moment after watching a wonderful fireworks display or hearing a magnificent symphony or concert, or seeing a phenomenal performance, that you just want to sit in the afterglow of the experience and bask in the memory. After the four great Alleluia psalms we just read, especially Psalms 147 and 148 that explode […]
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Psalm 148, the third of the alleluia psalms that end the psalter, is a simple song of praise to God found in creation, paralleling the creation story of Genesis. All creation is called upon to praise God, starting with the heavens, sun & moon, then moving to the earth, the animals, and finally humans. Psalm […]
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Psalm 147 is the second of the Alleluia psalms that bring the book of the Psalms to a close. It enumerates many reasons to praise our God, any one of which is sufficient reason unto itself. Put together into one psalm, it resonates and resounds so that only the most closed of mind could refrain […]
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I’m looking for a few good women or men, people who are more concerned with helping others than promoting themselves. No sense in looking in congress for such persons. If they are there, they are pretty much invisible. These public servants are too busy trying to ensure they are re-elected, doing insider trading, and protecting […]
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Every created being has an end. The book of Psalms has an end, and so does our study of this book. (Until we start again!) With Psalm 145, we are at the beginning of the end. Psalm 145 is the preface to a series of five psalms of praise that end the psalter. It is […]
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Spiritual giants have long known the importance of examining their life on a daily basis to see where they have strayed. This tradition is a long standing one, going back to Ignatius in the 1500’s, however we see a hint of it in Psalm 141. Psalm 141 Psalm 141 is a spiritual gem. It is […]
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