Psalm 149 seems discordant to me. Let’s read a verse from the beginning of the Psalm and then two verses from the end of the chapter to see if you understand my dilemma. Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song. Sing his praises in the assembly of the faithful (v. 1, NLT). Let the praises […]
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For your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life! In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble! (Psalm 143:11, ESV) Psalm 143 is unique. It lists a step-by-step process of freedom from discouragement. As a pastor for 49 years, when dealing with a follower of Jesus depressed by a life situation, I felt my best advice would
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Before discussing Psalm 105, let’s review Hebrews 6:17, 19a. . . God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind … This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls (NLT). God always keeps His promises. Psalm 105
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Bookends — commonly used in reference to a beginning and an ending! We find bookends in the Bible with Genesis (the beginning) and the Book of Revelation (the ending). But we also see bookends in Psalm 1 and Psalm 150. Take a few minutes to read Psalm 1 (only six verses) and Psalm 150 (again,
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I cry out to the Lord; I plead for the Lord’s mercy (Psalm 142:1, NLT). David was hiding in a cave while being pursued by his enemy, King Saul. The prophet Samuel had anointed David as king when David was 15 years old and King Saul was still on the throne. Uh, oh! Now you know why
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I’m almost finished writing about all the psalms for “Psalms On Saturday,” but I’ve been avoiding Psalm 88. Why? It’s a psalm of trouble, sickness, defeat, and the betrayal of friends — yes, a psalm about a lifetime of trouble, sickness, defeat, and the betrayal of friends. We would think that such a desultory psalm
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To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! (Psalm 123:1, ESV) Fifteen. . . Psalms 120 to 134 are fifteen psalms known as the Psalms of Ascent. These psalms were sung for over 1,0oo years (from the building of Solomon’s temple to its destruction by the Babylonians) by Jews returning
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Forgiveness is the key theme of the Bible! We all require God’s grace, as Romans 3:23 states, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” In Psalm 130, we find a contrite soul crying out to God. . . From the depths of despair, O Lord, I call for your help. Hear
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Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways! (Psalm 128:1, ESV) The best way to live begins and ends with fearing God! Psalms 128 explains the three great blessings received from glorifying God. These blessings include fulfillment with work or calling, a peaceful and productive family, and, finally, a prosperous nation. In other
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Psalm 111:1 ~ Praise the Lord! Psalm 112:1 ~ Praise the Lord! Psalm 113:1 ~ Praise the Lord! Psalms 111, 112, and 113 open with “Hallelujah,” which is the Hebrew word for “Praise Jehovah.” The three psalms are the “Hallelujah” psalms, giving us many ways to praise God. All three psalms contain only twenty-nine verses.
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