Psalm 103 is a psalm of praise for who God is and what he does for his people. It appears to be composed for a solo singer to exhort worshippers in the context of communal thanksgiving.  As such it is designed not just to celebrate and praise God, but also to bolster the faith of … Continued

Psalm 13 is one of a number of Psalms which move from a state of anguish to a state of assurance and peace. This is a unique feature of the biblical psalms (in the context of Ancient Near Eastern prayer practices) and is a testimony to the reality and intimacy of the relationship that the … Continued

Psalm 62 is an expression of faith in the face of looming adversity. The psalmist declares that, despite the serious threats facing him, he is able to rest in peace. External circumstantial trouble cannot rob us of the peace and rest of God, the Shabbat shalom. Since this peace and rest is not sourced in … Continued

While this section of Psalm 88 may seem bleak, it is in fact a moment of great hope. It is in these verses that we see the psalmist’s faith rising up and laying hold of God. Faith is instilled in us by God’s Word, and it is exercised when we take God at his Word. … Continued

Psalm 8 is a psalm that celebrates God’s creation. In doing so the Psalmist reflects on the creation narrative in Genesis chapter 1. Here God’s work of creation culminates in the creation of humankind who are made to reflect God’s image and rule over creation (Genesis 1:26-28). The psalmist marvels at the majesty of the … Continued

Psalm 110 begins with a phrase that is unusual to the psalms but common in prophetic literature. Literally it reads: “The oracle of Yahweh” (NIV: “The LORD says”). So, Psalm 110 is a prophetic oracle. It is, furthermore, notable that the writers of the New Testament quote or allude to Psalm 110 more than any … Continued

In the midst of a world hostile to the exclusivist claims of the God of Israel, the psalmist declares the pre-eminence of Yahweh. He longs to see Yahweh glorified above the many false gods and false claims of the surrounding nations. The vision of this psalm is that, as God blesses his people, his glory will … Continued

Psalm 88 is often referred to as ‘the psalm of darkness’ because it appears to lack any ray of light. Many other lament psalms end with songs of celebration as faith rises up to take hold of God. Not so in this psalm. On the contrary the psalmist says, towards the end of the psalm, … Continued

Psalm 124 is a psalm of corporate thanksgiving for an act of God’s deliverance for the faith-community. Evidently God had saved them from some serious calamity, probably some military threat. This is the sort of Psalm that might have articulated the relief and praise following God’s deliverance of Jerusalem from the Assyrian threat in the … Continued

Psalm 134 was obviously written for a formal worship context in the temple. There seem to be two distinct parts to this psalm. The first is a call to worship and the second is a blessing. In our adaptation of this psalm we have likewise distinguished those two elements giving the call to worship a … Continued

Psalm 34 is a blend of thanksgiving and wisdom and the two fit together quite naturally. Thanksgiving psalms celebrate specific things that God has done and from these experiences we learn about God’s ways. So, the psalmist moves from testimony to exhortation as a natural consequence. The psalm has been identified with David and the … Continued

Psalm 60 is a great example of the conversation nature of prayer. It also has all the marks of the kind of faith-filled approach to God that the psalms enjoin to us. The first line may seem more like despair than faith: “You have rejected us.” However, in this statement is a bold covenant ‘provocation.’ … Continued

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

Psalm 144 follows a prayer sequence that is common to many of the psalms and we would do well to note it as an example of powerful prayer. The prayer is prayed by David in the setting of warfare and it expresses David’s desire to see his enemies defeated so that Israel can prosper freely. … Continued

Psalm 139 is about the omniscience of God, that is, the fact that God is all-knowing and all-seeing. But it applies this fact not just in a ‘spooky God-is-onto-you’ way but as a comfort for God’s people. The theme of ‘God watching over his people’ is a common one in the psalms and indicates God’s … Continued

Psalm 137 is a psalm that I personally have struggled with more than any. The Lyrics shocked me and I found the ferocity of the emotions portrayed in it hard to deal with, particularly the last line. I also found it hard to see how I could sing this and see any relevance in it … Continued

This psalm, at first glance, might sound a little conceited in the light of Jesus’ dislike for the practice of showing off our own righteousness. However the psalm is expressing something quite different from self-righteous confidence. What we have here is an intimate inside view of the inner spiritual rewards of obedience to God. The … Continued

Psalm 130 contains a simple but profound message. In the midst of a desperate prayer for salvation the psalmist hits upon the most fundamental fact of life. He cries out from the depths of despair, guilt and torment and yet he acknowledges that God is right to keep a record of our sins and to … Continued

Psalm 128 does two things. It declares that God will bless every person who fears him and then it prays that God would fulfil this principle concretely upon the lives of those in the hearing of the psalm. It is a psalm of blessing. The fear of God is the expression for the ongoing sense … Continued

Psalm 127 was written by Solomon and in many ways it is a mixture between the style of language of Ecclesiastes and the style of Proverbs. This is a wisdom psalm in its practical message and also in its beatitude upon those who have children. At first read this psalm might seem like it is … Continued

Psalm 126 was written after the return from exile in Babylon probably around 516 BC. It refers to the first return of the captives from Babylon in 537 BC. This event was hugely significant for the people and a time of great joy, so much so that it seemed that they were dreaming at the … Continued

Imagine you are a Jewish pilgrim, 3000 years ago, heading up to Jerusalem for the Passover. Up ahead, upon the mount called ‘Zion,’ towers the ancient and mighty fortress city of Jerusalem. The sight is inspiring and the stories of the scores of armies that had tried unsuccessfully to penetrate its great walls immediately come … Continued

Psalm 123 is a communal lament in a particularly desperate tone. This is not just a pious expression of humility but the cry of a man on behalf of a people who are feeling humiliated, possibly in some military context. He says that they have been ridiculed continuously by arrogant men and have been completely … Continued

Psalm 121 is a psalm of ascents. This group of psalms were traditionally sung by pilgrims in the regular ‘ascent’ to Jerusalem for the sacred feasts. It celebrates the covenant relationship with God. The hills being spoken of here are specifically those of mount Zion (Jerusalem). Jerusalem, with the temple in its midst, was the … Continued

Psalm 117 rings forth the universal imperative for all people to live the way human beings were made to live: as vessels of praise to God. Here is the great vision to which the worship of the psalms naturally looks: that one day all the peoples and nations of the earth would bow the knee … Continued

Psalm 116, the first half of which appeared on our album, ‘Light of Life,’ is a thanksgiving psalm. It is the type of psalm that was itself present as an offering alongside some kind of formal thank offering in the temple. The psalm was presented as a testimony to declare to the congregation gathered what … Continued

Psalm 116 is a testimonial and thanksgiving psalm. It is a psalm of public edification and it is also a psalm of self-edification. The psalmist is not only seeking to glorify God before others but he is seeking to bolster his own love for God and trust in God by recalling what God has done. … Continued

This Psalm is a celebration of the exodus event. One of the roles of the psalms, and this is the case also with this one, was to help generation after generation remember and reflect on the acts of God in the past. God speaks through what God does and therefore he repeatedly tells his people … Continued

Psalm 99 picks up a theme that was important to the Jews particularly during and after the Babylonian exile (586-537 BC). It speak about God’s sovereignty over all the nations. In this period the Jews were a very small and seemingly insignificant people group in the midst of vast and powerful empires at war with … Continued

Psalm 96 is a call to praise God and celebrate his victorious reign over the earth in anticipation of his coming to judge the world. This psalm appears to have been part of David’s song of celebration during the bringing up of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. David’s song recorded in 1 Chronicles … Continued

The movement of Psalm 95 is interesting in the sense that it moves from a mood of exuberant praise to one of solemn warning. The first part of the psalm is a call to reverent joyful worship. Reverence is a key factor here since what is being highlighted is the greatness of God. The appeal … Continued

Psalm 93 is the first of a group of psalms (up to Psalm 99) that celebrate the sovereign rule of God over the earth. Like the rest of these psalms this is a psalm that expresses an attitude of reverence and awe. It brings us toward the kind of experience that Job came to by … Continued

Psalm 91 is a psalm of blessing that articulates, in the most beautiful poetic way, the covenant blessings promised in Deuteronomy 28. The blessings are pronounced upon those who bring themselves under the authority of Yahweh. This authority provides a sure covering that makes the child of God invulnerable. The question is, invulnerable to what? … Continued

Psalm 80 is a communal lament probably occasioned in its original setting by the destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC (2 Kings 17). The Assyrian capture of Samaria and the deportation of the people of Israel left the two small tribes of Judah in the south shocked and alone. Their brothers … Continued

Psalm 77 is one of those remarkable psalms that begins in a place of felt alienation from God and moves to a place of triumphant praise. It is probably a cry representing the distress of the nation as a whole. It is a great example of a characteristic aspect of biblical spirituality that I address … Continued

Psalm 73 represents possibly one of the most important spiritual breakthroughs portrayed in the psalms. The writer has an experience which is similar to that of Job and Habakkuk. If we can understand this movement, if we can grasp the point where the writer arrives by the last section of this psalm (which is the … Continued

The imagery used in this lament is graphic and yet deeply satisfying as a description of a common experience for us all at some time. The picture is of someone swirling around and sinking fast in deep muddy waters. It portrays the disorientation of life whether from the inward deceits of our own hearts or … Continued

Psalm 67 is a psalm of benediction, that is, a blessing psalm. It moves from the blessing of God’s people to the blessing of the whole earth which is a deliberate reflection of the structure of the original simple form of the covenant in Genesis 12:1-3. In this sense it is, like all blessings must … Continued

This psalm was evidently composed by David to fulfil a vow of praise made during times of hardship. Many lament psalms use the appeal that if God delivers the person from trouble then he will declare the goodness of God openly before the assembly of God’s people (e.g. Psalm 22:22). The individual thanksgiving psalms were … Continued

Psalm 63 is a psalm of intense devotion to God. Written by David, king of Israel, most probably when he was a fugitive from the rebellious Absalom (circa. 980 BC ‘ the history of this period is recorded in II Samuel 15-18 ‘ it is a large section though worth being familiar with for a … Continued

Psalm 59 is concerned with the enemies of God. At the time when David prayed these things it must have seemed as though everyone was an enemy of God. The setting is the night of David’s escape from Saul (1Sam. 19). David had won a decisive victory over the philistines and was no doubt in … Continued

Psalm 56 is dominated by the theme of the enemy. The writer is David. He has been anointed by Samuel and has proven his anointing in his defeat of Goliath and in many other military campaigns. But the continual success of David begins to make king Saul jealous. And so he conspires to kill David … Continued

Psalm 52 is an imprecatory psalm (cursing psalm). For a general discussion of this genre of psalm see the article provided here on this. Psalm 52 specifically declares the cursed state of those who not only do evil but who delight in and boast of evil. This is a psalm of indignation against injustice and … Continued

Psalm 51 was written by David after he had been convicted by God (through the prophet Nathan) of committing adultery with Bathsheba and organising the death of her husband Uriah. In order to understand this psalm therefore you will need to be familiar with this account as it is recorded in 2 Samuel 11-12. Psalm … Continued

Psalm 45 was originally composed on the occasion of a wedding for Solomon but it is also, significantly, a messianic psalm. It is quoted in Hebrews 1:8-9 where the words are applied to Jesus. The kingship that this psalm speaks of is not just a human kingship but a divine kingship. In fact the throne … Continued

Psalm 42, along with psalm 43 (they are really the one psalm evidently cast in two parts), was most probably written by a Levite who had crossed the Jordan with David when he fled from Absalom during the rebellion. He appears to have been accustomed to conducting pilgrim companies up to Jerusalem for the great … Continued

Psalm 40 is a song written by David, most probably before he was king and when he was a fugitive from Saul. It was common in times of distress and hardship like this to reflect upon God’s past acts of salvation. The remembrance of these things acted as the faith-foundation for the prayer that would … Continued

Psalm 37 is a wisdom psalm very much in line with the type of writing present in Proverbs. Like Proverbs there is no strict development of any one single thought here though the main topic is perhaps the idea of recompense. This psalm, in the original, is an acrostic poem (i.e. each stanza begins with … Continued

Psalm 35 is a classic imprecatory psalm which calls down curses upon the principalities and powers that curse the plans and people of God. When God made his covenant with Abraham he said that ‘whoever curses you (the covenant people) I will curse’ (Gen. 1:3). And so this is a prayer of a man who … Continued

In Psalm 32 David, King of Israel, describes the passage he took from a state of deception in which he had denied his own guilt to the acknowledgement of his sin and forgiveness. The psalm is a powerful acclamation of the blessing of forgiveness and a call for all people to not stubbornly hide from … Continued

Psalm 30 is a psalm of testimony and thanksgiving proclaimed before the assembly of God’s people. In verses 1-3 we have words of praise to God in the much used expression of being lifted up out of the depths and up from the grave. Verses 4-5 are an exhortation to the assembly in the light … Continued

This psalm of David contains one of the most beautiful expressions of what I call ‘liberated desire,’ a topic that I discuss at length in my book Deeper Places, (Baker Books, 2013). Here we find David in one of the most difficult periods of his life. It was a time when he had nothing but … Continued

Psalm 24 is a psalm written by David, King of Israel, most probably to celebrate the return of the ark from its place of storage to Jerusalem (997 BC). The ark of the covenant represented the presence of God to the people. The temple which housed the ark would later come to have the same … Continued

Psalm 19 is a celebration of the resplendent glory of God in both the creation and written word of God. The imagery of light is the key strand that connects the two halves of the psalm. In the first half, in which the psalmist calls us to recognize the greatness of God in the physical … Continued

The worst thing in life is not to have some evil thing done against you. The worst thing in life is when you are the one that does the evil. The greatest peace possible in this life does not come from being invulnerable to external evil but knowing that you yourself have been delivered from … Continued

Psalm 15 describes how a person must be prepared for worship before the holy God. The person who would come to worship God must be blameless. A person who is sinning against God does the very opposite of worship God. He rebels against God and declares in his being that he cares nothing for God. … Continued

Psalm 14 is a lament over the unbelief, the evil and the injustice in the world. David who writes the psalm is lamenting, it seems, even on behalf of God as he reflects on the divine perspective. God looks down and sees only evil in the world. The wording of the psalm is possibly intended … Continued

Psalm 6 is a typical lament psalm. Over half of all the psalms fall into this category and I think that they are the most remarkable feature of the biblical faith (see the article provided here on ‘the lament psalms’). Here there is a candidness that expresses an intimacy with God that is truly moving. … Continued

Psalm 1 is series of beatitudes and woes very much like the beatitudes and woes of Jesus which make up the opening section of the sermon on the mount (Matt. 5:1ff; Luke 6:17ff). Both of these are in different ways condensed versions, in poetic verse, of the fundamental principles of the Torah (the first five … Continued

One of the most vivid battle psalms of the Psalter psalm 3 wastes no words in calling for the vanquishing of God’s enemies. David is surrounded by foes, in this case the encroaching armies of rebellious son Absalom. A key part of the complaint of the psalm, as is often the case in psalms, is … Continued