Reading 25—Conclusion I hope that, if not before, you have an appreciation now for the immense depth and breadth of this wonderfully earthy and human hymnbook of the ancient Israelites and for Christians as well. In most congregations that follow the lectionary, the Psalms hold such a revered place that it’s the only book of […]

Reading 24—The Five Ws Psalm 150 READ PSALM 150 Like many of you, in elementary school, I learned that in order for a story or report to be complete, it had to answer the five Ws:  who, what, when, where, and why (and sometimes a sixth question, how, is also needed). My third-grade teacher drilled […]

Reading 23—A God Who Gets It Psalm 139 READ PSALM 139 Are you running? Are you hiding? GOD understands; He understands the human condition. “Where shall I go from Your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from Your presence?” Much of life is a mystery to us! We look for answers that will help us […]

Reading 22—A Cursing Psalm Psalm 137  READ PSALM 137 The psalms are not God’s word to us. They are record of the psalmist’s words to God. Sometimes the words of the psalmist give voice to the darkest emotions of the human heart. In her book, Getting Involved with God—Rediscovering the Old Testament, Ellen F. Davis […]

Reading 21—God’s Love Endures Forever Psalm 136 READ PSALM 136 Each October for the past several years, on Homecoming Sunday at Mt. Zion in Richfield, we have begun worship with a litany of praise based on this psalm, written by someone in the congregation. Beginning with “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; […]

Reading 20—Look up. Look down. Look all around… Psalm 121 READ PSALM 121 This beloved psalm doesn’t begin with a declaration about the Lord as Shepherd. Instead, with eyes raised towards places up high, the psalmist asks a question as old as humankind: from where will my help come?

Reading 19—God’s Gift of Compassion Psalm 111 READ PSALM 111 This psalm initially brings to mind the awesomeness of God and that God is worthy of praise. I picture people singing hymns during a worship service. I think of breathtaking mountains I have seen and what it feels like to take the time to really […]

Reading 18—Praising Our Creative Creator Psalm 104 READ PSALM 104 This psalm poignantly describes creation and most importantly points to God as the Artist behind the canvas and the Creator responsible for creation. There is an interesting Hebrew word used in this psalm (yada) which delicately mingles confession and praise as flowing from the same […]

Reading 17—Our “Blueprint” for the Christian Life Psalm 100 READ PSALM 100 Many Bible commentaries cite this psalm as the background of The Doxology (Praise God from whom all blessing flow) and the familiar hymn “All Creatures who on earth do dwell”. Some of my earliest memories of this psalm go back to the two-room […]

Reading 16—Living in Joy Psalm 98 READ PSALM 98 I love to sing. It is one of the things which I most love to do, especially with a choir or a congregation. If I were pushed to analyze the why of this, I would have to say that music and singing fills my heart with […]