Reading: Psalms 66-69

Focus: Psalm 67

In Jewish theology, there is an aspect of their understanding of God’s blessing which is fascinating. However, even in Jewish thought, blessings are often seen as God’s gift and pleasure for the recipients. We are blessed because God sees fit to give us good things or grant us success in life’s endeavours. We praise and thank God for His blessing, but we often miss out on a key aspect regarding blessings reflected in Jewish theology (which should be ours, also).

This psalm (Psalm 67) is a clear reflection of one aspect of God’s blessing that is often neglected. The psalm opens in a desire for God’s blessings upon His people, but then the remainder of the psalm is a declaration of the purpose of God’s blessing. The purpose of God’s blessing, outlined in this psalm, is to testify and witness to God’s goodness and fame. As God’s people are blessed, the nations are to hear the praise of God, the declarations of God’s goodness towards His people, the proclamation of God’s salvation for the world. In God’s blessing, it is to be accompanied with an increase of God’s fame.

Most of us will praise and thank God for His blessing, but how many of us will declare His goodness and His awesome deeds to those around us? When you are blessed, do you share God’s love for this world? Do you share God’s power seen through Creation? Do you share God’s grace for us—the sinners? Is God’s fame—God’s name and reputation—increased because you have been blessed?

Next Reading: Psalms 70-74

Reading: Psalms 58-65

Focus: Psalm 65

So often, it is easy for us to get lost in our situation and lose sight of things which are more important. Especially when things are difficult, when life seems dry, it is in these moments where it seems difficult to look outside our circumstances. However, despite how we feel, it does not change the fact of the matter: God is worthy of praise. It is during these times when worship is most difficult, yet it is when we find ourselves recognising the magnificence of God that we begin to rise above our circumstances.

This psalm (Psalm 65) seems to be a praise song, filled with words which echo the character of God. It reflects upon His blessings for His people, His awesome deeds of power and His creative power of nature. To those who sing and hear this song, it is an awe-filled reminder of this mighty God. Most of all, reflected in the opening lines, this is our God who hears our prayers, blesses those find refuge in Him, and will save those who seek Him by His awesome power.

When we truly take in the depths of these words, we begin to understand that all will be well for those who look to God. He is One who hears our prayers, who saves those who call upon Him, and as the psalm reminds us, He is completely able to do it all. He is the Almighty God, Creator of all and Sustainer of all. As such, we join with creation as they shout for joy and sing, “You are worthy!”

Next Reading: Psalms 66-69

Reading: Psalms 51-57

Focus: Psalm 55

The psalms are often raw with emotion, honest and open, and simply, human. They don’t pretend as if the world should be perfect; they don’t try and justify God’s actions; rather, they often reflect the reality of the heart, struggling to come to terms with the wickedness which afflicts them, calling out to God as they seek a resolve to their circumstances. However, at the end of all this, they always come back to one place, a place of trust: they trust God, they trust Him with their life.

This psalm (Psalm 55) is one of those psalms. It begins with the plea of David of God to hear his prayers. As David continues, he reveals his struggle and turmoil which is in his heart. He seeks resolve from God, David seeks God to undertake his situation and find an answer. In the end, this is what it all comes down to: “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.”

Regardless of life’s situation, whether it was positive or negative, whether they were finding success or overwhelmed by their enemies—this is what it comes down to, in all things, casting all your cares on the Lord. The psalmists all come back to this point, there is nothing to do but trust God, to cast all our cares upon Him. We can try and rise up in life’s circumstances, through our own strength and ability…but often have we tried and come up short. Or, we can leave it to Him and enjoy the journey ahead. When God says, “Leave it to me!” He means it.

Next Reading: Psalms 58-65

Reading: Psalms 45-50

Focus: Psalm 47

One of the curiosities of modern Christianity is the aspect of worship. Indeed, most religions have an aspect of worship, but they are often solemn and reserved. The images often associated with worship are rituals, chants, ceremonies, liturgies, etc. However, worship in the Judeo-Christian movement is marked by something often lacking in other forms of worship. It is marked by praise. Yes, it is filled with awe of the deity, at times even fear, it is filled with recognition of authority and power; but greater than all of these, worship is marked by praise—joyous, elated praise!

As you read through this psalm (Psalm 47), it is a reflection of this dimension of worship. There is nothing but praise in the words of this psalm. Just imagine a crowd, a gathering of people, singing and shouting in a loud voice: “How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth!” It is a voice that draws others together, all over the Christian world, this element of praise should be the defining mark of its worship. However, where there is no praise—this joy-filled, uplifting praise—questions must be asked of the condition of the church.

Indeed, this God is a God to be feared, but it is to be an awe-filled fear of respect and adoration, as one might fear a loving father; this God is a God to be given due respect, but not at a distance rather at the foot of his throne, as one might approach a wise leader who serves his people; this God is a God to be honoured, but not out of strict obedience, rather as appreciation of what He has done overflows. This is our God, one worthy of worship, one worthy of glory, one worthy of joyous, overflowing praise!

Next Reading: Psalms 51-57

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Reading: Psalms 39-44

Focus: Psalm 42-43

So many Christians struggle in times when they feel down, discouraged, or despondent. They think to themselves that they should never feel that way, that as Christians, these circumstances should be easily overcome. Yet the harsh reality is that our faith does not take away these struggles of the heart. In fact, they are heightened by our faith and we wrestle with these struggles even more, and like quicksand, we find ourselves sinking in our struggle.

In one of the beautiful psalms (Psalms 42-43, often considered one psalm) of the Sons of Korah, the struggles of the soul are echoed in these words. It reflects upon the faithful desire to pursue God in all His wonder, yet does not discount the reality that there are time when the soul is downcast. However, being a psalm, the Sons direct the worshipper to lift up their hands, in the lines which reflect upon the soul’s condition it is followed by lines of worship (the following stanza is repeated three times throughout this psalm):

Why are you downcast, O my soul?

  Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Saviour and my God.

The trap of our low-points is to continue to look down. I think of the multiple scenes of people climbing up the fire escape with a building on fire below them. “Don’t look down, don’t look down…!” We’re not all that different, even when things are going well, we have this hesitancy and look down at the raging fires of life below. Brothers, sisters, friends—look up! Look up! Our hope in God is not unfounded, we may doubt, we may struggle with God’s ways, but in the end, He will do what is right, He will uphold His Name, He will not allow dishonour to come upon His Name. My friends, look up!

Next Reading: Psalms 45-50

Reading: Psalms 35-38

Focus: Psalm 35

Nowadays, it seems almost sacrilegious to consider that we would ask God to get involved in our fights. The notion of God fighting our battles almost seems foreign to us, rather we often, instead, ask for strength and wisdom to deal with our own situation and problems. However, as we look through the Old Testament, and here in this psalm (Psalm 35), the notion that we would simply ask God for strength doesn’t appear. The picture painted throughout the Old Testament and this psalm is that God plays an active role in our battles. In fact, for most of the ancients, life was seen through the will of the heavens.

The psalmist begins with a petition for God to rise up in battle, followed by details of the situation that he finds himself in. In short, the psalmist asks God to take care of his enemies. However, none of this is a selfish endeavour; in fact, remembering that life is seen through the will of the heavens, the psalmist desires that God be honoured and glorified. This is a fight for God’s name! As God is victorious, the psalmist will praise Him in the audience of all and God is exalted. The last line of the psalm says it all: “My tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long.”

Where is this sort of attitude today? Where is the perspective that our God doesn’t only seek that we are victorious but that He is the cause and means of our victory? God doesn’t just want to be the supporting regiment in life’s battle, He desires to be on the front line of battle! Look through the Exodus, every battle that the Israelites gave to God, there was victory! Every battle they sought to fight on their own, there was defeat! Why have we suddenly decided that we need to take up the sword in our hands, when God desires to go before us and claim the victory? Is it pride? Is it arrogance? Where have we gone wrong?

What is more, this is not for our own benefit, nor is it for our own glory when God is victorious. When God fights the battle, He receives all the glory! When we fight, whether we like it or not, as those who stand for His name, we dishonour Him and we bring shame to His name because we fail. I know I’m guilty, I’ve failed to step aside and allow my God to fight my fights. Instead, I’ve taken up sword and shield, His sword and shield, and sought to gain victory, albeit for Him, but utterly and miserably failed.

Next Reading: Psalms 39-44

Reading: Psalms 29-34

Focus: Psalm 32

The Christian life isn’t always like a bouquet of red roses, in fact, it more like a field of wild roses. Though full of beauty in full bloom, they are not without the thorns removed by the florist putting together a bouquet. Yes, this life is full of beauty, joy, and hope. On the other hand, like wild roses, unless one comes and removes the thorns, it is prickly, pointed and difficult to grasp at times. Yet, we have a hope that Jesus will touch our lives, taking us from the field of wild roses, removing the thorns from our side and presenting us as a full, rich, and beautiful bouquet of blood red roses to God the Father, acceptable and pleasing in His sight.

This psalm (Psalm 32) is a reflective psalm of the Christian life. It begins with the blessing of the righteous, they who are blessed—that is, filled with joy—for their sins are not counted against them and they are considered forgiven and pure. However, this opening is reflected by the reality that forgiveness comes through confession and repentance (vv. 3-5). The psalmist then continues to declare that God is the One to whom the godly may call upon for protection and deliverance. With the declaration of God’s faithfulness, the psalmist sets out to exhort those who would listen to him, encouraging them to follow God’s way, not to be like animals without understanding or the distressed wicked, for God will be with the one who trusts in Him. Therefore, all that trust in the faithful God, sing with the psalmist, “Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!” Why? Because our God is a faithful God, worthy of our praise.

The Christian who puts their trust in God, who confesses and repents of their sin, can be assured that God stands with them. Though life may be hard and difficult at times, He does not forget their situation and watches over them, not allowing them more than they can handle. Those who put their trust in Him will not be left in the dark for God’s unfailing love surrounds them. As such, the righteous can stand and rejoice in Him. Amen!

Next Reading: Psalms 35-38

Reading: Psalms 22-28

Focus: Psalm 22

The psalms are, normally, an overflow of praise and worship, emotions of desperation and joy, cries of helplessness and thanksgiving. Once in a while, however, out of these psalms, is something greater. A psalm inspired by the Spirit of God, while the words in their immediate context might reflect the psalmist’s circumstances, points to a greater truth or reality—to be blunt, a prophetic psalm. Here in this psalm (Psalm 22) is a prophetic psalm, while reflecting David’s struggle, points to the struggle of another—a Son of David, a Son of God—who would innocently suffer for the cause of all humankind. His name is Jesus.

As you read through the psalm, it is difficult not to see it echoed in the life of Jesus. The opening line was the pinnacle of Jesus’ struggle as he hung there on the Cross—”My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” The psalm paints the picture of enemies surrounding their prey, a reflection of the Jewish and Roman authorities and the work of Satan as Jesus was sentenced to death, even going so far to prophesy the division of Jesus’ garments by the casting of lots (v. 18). However, it goes further than Jesus’ death, but sees the culmination of Jesus’ life resulting declaring the glory of God, the grace and mercy of God for all nations, made known to all the world, even to those yet unborn (v. 31).

This psalm is a psalm of hope, one that was not a last minute plan of God, but one that He saw fit to have planned from the beginning of time and, through the Spirit of God, inspired David to write this psalm as a pointer to the people of God for the time when He would save them through Jesus and all future generations. After all, as the last line declares, “He has done it.” The work of salvation is done, hope is found in Jesus and it is assured for God has done it, upon the Cross the victory over sin and death was won, and let it be declared to all generations—for He has done it!

Next Reading: Psalms 29-34

Reading: Psalms 18-21

Focus: Psalm 19

There have been times when I’ve often questioned, “God, are you sure? Is this really the way you want me to go?” Filled with doubt, confusion and endless questions of where God is taking me in life. It’s not at all uncommon to ask these questions…there are times when it seems like an endless cycle of learning to trust in God. We know that He has our best intention in view, yet it seems so hard to see it sometimes.

In this psalm (Psalm 19), we have a hymn of praise, extolling God’s excellence seen in creation, overflowing into the perfection and faithfulness of God’s way. God’s way is described throughout as perfect, energising, trustworthy, simple, righteous, joyful, radiant, pure, enduring, sure, precious, sweet, and rewarding. This is God’s way for us and it is a most excellent way.

If these are this is what God’s way is like, then what reason do we have to doubt? The end of the psalm asks the question, “Who can discern his errors?” followed by a prayer to live a life pleasing to God. Is this our prayer, our desire? To live life God’s way so, as the psalmist writes, we may “be blameless, innocent of great transgression” and pleasing in His sight.

Next Reading: Psalms 22-28

Reading: Psalms 9-17

Focus: Psalm 15

The beauty of the psalms is the reflection of the psalmist’s heart. There are times when there is a deep sense of praise and worship, then there are times of great sadness and remorse. Here, in this psalm, we find a psalm of hope and exhortation. It is a psalm which reflects upon the desire to live in the presence of God. It is also a exhortatory psalm, encouraging and challenging those who hear it to pursue the life of righteousness.

The psalm opens with the question directed to the LORD, “Who may dwell in your presence? Who may live on your holy hill?” The psalmist echoes the desire of his heart to pursue God and to live in His presence. The psalmist responds to the question himself, listing a string of qualities and characteristics of the person who dwells in God’s presence. By no means does it suggest that the psalmist has achieved these things, but it is definitely his aim and pursuit. His last line reverberates a great truth which echos even today: “He who does these things will never be shaken.”

There is one theme that echoes through the words of the psalmist—integrity. It is the person of integrity that will never be shaken. One who is without blame, one who speaks truth and lives by that same truth, one who keeps his promise regardless of the cost…these are just a few things which reflect a character of integrity. The one who lives by integrity will not be shaken. He will not doubt, he will not stumble, he will not fall—but will stand tall and never be shaken.

Next Reading: Psalms 18-21