Posts Tagged ‘Psalms’
A Matter of Trust
The nature and object of your trust determines the direction of your life. This simple principle seems obvious on its face and yet in application often surprises. Perhaps this exposes the difference between the trust we claim and the trust we show. Regardless, our behavior places our priorities on display, and thus the true object […]
Read MoreHe Shall Receive Me
The movie Collateral Beauty tells the story of how a man attempts to cope with the death of a loved one by writing letters to time, death, and love. The introspection required in writing such letters might indeed prove beneficial as an exercise, and interacting with others in difficult circumstances can provide an important perspective, […]
Read MoreA Scepter of Righteousness
Every society has its own conception of the ideal ruler, the one against whom all others are judged. In America people idealize presidents according to the traits they appreciate most, whether Washington, Lincoln, Roosevelt, or Reagan. In the Roman Empire, every emperor was compared, favorably or unfavorably, to Augustus. For the Jews, David filled the […]
Read MoreMy Own Familiar Friend
The emotional and poetic nature of the psalms both highlight the true meaning of a relationship with God and make them more difficult to interpret. This is especially true of psalms applied in some way to the Messiah while other portions of the psalm make it quite impossible to refer to Jesus completely. David’s reflection […]
Read MoreWrongfully My Enemies
David knew a lot about having enemies. He fought in many battles and secured many victories. But the enemies that he faced the most throughout life were his enemies only because of their own ill will. Saul’s disobedience and jealousy led him to attempt to hunt down and attempt to kill David. And when David’s…
Read MoreA Contrite Spirit
When David fled from Saul, he sought safety in Gath, a city of the Philistines, the arch enemies of Israel during this time. However, while Achish, the king, originally might have welcomed him, the Philistine administrators as a whole saw him as a threat (1 Sam. 21:10-12). This made David fear for his life. “So…
Read MoreInto Your Hand I Commit My Spirit
Most people do not like to think about death—even when it might be imminent. The human drive for survival remains so strong that, even in the most desperate of circumstances, the mind concentrates on how to survive rather than on the alternative. However, Psalm 31 provides insight into how faith can look beyond survival to…
Read MoreLooking Forward to Morning
When we are young, every difficulty, every setback, and every obstacle seems practically insurmountable. Whether challenges in education, starting a job, or dealing with the stress that responsibility brings, we sometimes find ourselves wondering if we can endure these hardships. However, after some time passes and the anxiety fades, we find ourselves in far more…
Read MoreThe Beauty of Holiness
The psalms draw us closer to God through their powerful descriptions of God’s majesty, the personal feelings of the inspired writers, and the beauty of poetry—even in translation. The richness of the metaphors combine with the depth of the spiritual themes to offer insight into God’s relationship with His creation in a personal way. Moreover,…
Read MoreMy Heart Greatly Rejoices
The harsh rhetoric and violence that have come to America in recent years has threatened to replace the American Dream with an American nightmare. It is not that extremism and violence are new or even new to the North American continent. The change that so many feel as a burden every time they wake to…
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