As Psalm 119 draws to a close, the psalmist prays with increasingly greater urgency. Throughout this psalm, he maintains his confidence in God’s word to meet. Yet, as the psalm draws to a close, the writer’s difficult circumstances have not changed. In the opening of this stanza, he is still suffering affliction. And his experience both issues us a warning to heed and gives us an example to follow. Devotion to the Lord will not solve all your problems. It may produce new, big, and long problems. The psalmist experienced great affliction. But he did not allow his chronic suffering to become an excuse for forsaking...

Psalm 119:137-144 continues the theme of the previous stanza, in which the psalmist magnifies the trustworthiness of God’s word and vows his determination to live by its truth. In verses 131-136, the psalmist focuses on the wonderful nature of God’s word.  In verses 137-144, the psalmist focuses on the righteous character of God’s word.  This section of Psalm 119 is under the heading Tsadhe, the eighteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Every line of this stanza starts with a word that begins with the letter Tsadhe. The first word of this stanza is the most obvious word that would have come to the psalmist that starts with Tsadhe. It is the word tsadek,...

An aspiring musician heard a famous pianist perform. Afterward, the musician said to the maestro, “I would give my life to be able to play like you.” “Young man,” replied the maestro, “I already have.”  Success requires more than good intentions, sincere desires, or noble aspirations. It requires steadfast determination. In family matters, educational pursuits, career development, athletic goals, and other life aims, there is no success without a determination to see it through and reach the goal. It is also the case for followers of Christ. A life devoted to God requires more than holy desires. It requires steadfast determination.  Matthew 16:24 says, “If anyone would come after me, let...

Henry Martyn wrote, “I experienced a solemn gladness in learning this MEM part of the 119th Psalm.” Psalm 119:97-104 is a prayer in which the psalmist addresses the Lord in every verse. It is a prayer with no petitions. It is a prayer of devotion: “Oh how I love your law!” He did not say he believed, obeyed, or proclaimed God’s word. He says, “Oh how I love your law.” It is a personal confession: “Oh how I love your law!” It is a present-tense testimony. He did not remember when he loved the word of God. He did not...

After the death of his son to a premature aging disease, Rabbi Harold Kushner wrote: “When Bad Things Happen to Good People.” The book addressed theodicy – defending the goodness of God in the face of evil. Kushner wrongly concluded God is good but does not have the power to prevent suffering. Yet the book became a runaway bestseller. Many people wrestle with the question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” Psalm 73 wrestles with the opposite question, “Why do good things happen to bad people?” The superscription reads: A Psalm of Asaph. Asaph was one of the chief musicians of David. He was the director of the Jerusalem Mass Choir. Twelve psalms are attributed to Asaph – Psalm 50 and Psalms 73-83. Asaph was a godly and gifted worship leader who had a crisis of...

There are two kinds of musical keys: Major and Minor. Songs in major keys are typically pleasant, joyful, and happy. Songs in minor keys are often sad, somber, or serious. Psalms work the same way. We do not know the original musical arrangement of the Psalms. Their contents betray their tone. Many psalms are songs of praise, worship, and thanksgiving. Other psalms are in the minor keys of life. They are called Psalms of Lament. A lament is when the psalmist sings the blues. It is more than an expression of sorrow. It is a prayer of faith. Laments are not the kind of God-talk we are accustomed to. In our worship, songs, prayers, and sermons are often triumphant. Spiritual pep rallies have no place for wrestling with sin, pain, or grief. This “Don’t worry, be happy” philosophy robs us of the blessings of lamentation. Suffering, heartbreak, rejection, betrayal, and injustice are inescapable realities of living in a...

In King Henry VIII’s devotional primer, Psalm 95 is called “a song stirring to the praise of God.” That is a fitting description of Psalm 95. We do not know the author or occasion of this psalm. Its message is clear, compelling, and convicting. It is a call to worship God, or else. The psalm divides into two sections.  Verses 1-7b is a call to worship the Lord.  Verses 7b-11 is a warning to non-worshipers.  Verses 1-7 bid us to “come” three times – using different Hebrew terms. Psalm 95 is called the “Venite,” the Latin word for “come.” Worship is our sacred duty. Yet this call to worship reads as a gracious invitation. It is a privilege to worship God. Psalm 95 is about how to worship God. It records seven acts of worship: singing, joyful noise, thanksgiving, songs...

Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who stand by night in the house of the Lord! Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the Lord! May the Lord bless you from Zion, he who made heaven and earth! - Psalm 134 Two Stanford University students struggled to pay their expenses. But they had a plan. They invited the Polish composer and pianist Ignacy Jan Paderewski to perform a concert. He agreed to a $2,000 fee. The concert only raised $1,600. The young men gave it to him with an IOU for $400. Paderewski...

Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore. - Psalm 133 In The Parable of the Spoons, a man saw a vision of heaven and hell. In hell, he saw a long table with delicious food. The people at the table starved because they had long...

Canute the Great was King of Denmark, England, and Norway. He was praised as a great monarch. But he feared his people thought too highly of him. On one occasion, Canute ordered his servants to place his royal chair by the seashore. Sitting on this throne, he demanded the waves to recede. Waiting for the waters to obey his command, he got wet as the waters splashed around him. Finally, Canute stood and rebuked her servants, claiming that only the Lord who created the heavens and earth is worthy of praise. Psalm 93 calls us to put our seats by...