Psalm 16 is a song of trust and devotion to God. The psalmist declares his devotion to God but also to God’s people (vs.3). Whilst those who trust in God will see the faithfulness of God, those who trust in idols will only ever end up disappointed. Trusting in anything more than God only leads … Continued

Psalm 68 is a complex psalm but it’s main theme is simple. It is a declaration of the sovereign power of God who is judge over the earth. It appeals to God as the judge of the earth and in some important ways finds its fulfillment in the second coming of Christ as envisaged in … Continued

The first three verses of Psalm 92 are the key to understanding the purpose of this psalm. The psalm itself was evidently presented as a kind of thank offering following some answer to prayer. The psalmist, probably a king or governor, had seen God work a great victory for him against some evil threat and … Continued

Psalm 46 is a powerful declaration of the absolute security of those who live in God’s purpose. The promise of this psalm is that those who entrust themselves to God and his purpose will never be thwarted. They may experience hardship but nothing will be able to impede what God had planned to do in … Continued

Psalm 79 was written in the darkest moment of the history of Israel in the Old Testament. In 586BC the nation was decimated by the powerful Babylonian army. Jerusalem had been razed to the ground and the great and holy temple of Solomon with it. In addition to this many of the people had been … Continued

God is in charge. Whatever is happening, however chaotic, however terrible, God will work in and through everything and finally make everything right. There is nothing, absolutely nothing that can thwart God’s will. This is a psalm of reverent praise. It does not narrate any specific reason other than who God is. The dominant note … Continued

The psalm give us a vocabulary of prayer for everything we feel in life. When we were in the midst of recording Psalm 94 there was a surge of terrible persecution of Christians in Northern Iraq. When I heard about the evils that were being inflicted on men, women and children I found myself at … Continued

The most famous of all the psalms and perhaps the most famous words of scripture, psalm 23 has been the joy of God’s people for three thousand years. This would have been a picture close to the heart of most people at the time it was written. Sheep and sheep farming were a common part … Continued

Psalm 148 bids everything that exists to praise God. But how can inanimate objects like trees and mountains and stars praise God? They do so not by word but by virtue of what they are. Their very existence bears testimony to the awesome power of God who made them. This is the true way to … Continued

A classic exuberant song of praise, Psalm 147, extols the character and greatness of God. A key idea of this psalm is that of a mighty God who is not impressed by the strength of man but who values, above all, joyful submission and trust. In the light of God’s greatness the psalm call us … Continued