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