Acts 16 – I want to focus on a somewhat bizarre section of this chapter – the end. It struck me that Paul, after being told he and Silas have been released from jail, demanded that the …
Psalms
197 posts
Revelation 15 – The divine judgment which was revealed by the seals and proclaimed by the trumpets will now be poured out by the seven bowls. From a literary standpoint, the seventh seal was unleashed by the …
Revelation 12 – The Woman It is out of Israel that the Messiah will come, therefore, it makes sense that the woman would represent not only Israel but also the Messianic community. We can marry these two …
Revelation 10 – This vision differs from the others for the simple fact that John is engaged in the action firsthand. The angel that appears before John is hidden in a cloud and his legs were pillars …
2 Chronicles 8 – Some boast in chariots and some in horses, But we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God. Psalms 20:7 NASB “Moreover, he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor shall …
1 Chronicles 25 – Attention musicians! Does the name Asaph mean anything to you? Anyone….anyone…..Bueller? Although it might not mean anything to us, the name Asaph was as familar as Bach or Beethoven in ancient Israel. In …
1 Chronicles 18 – So David reigned over all Israel, and he administered justice and equity to all his people. 1 Chronicles 18:14 ESV After reviewing all of David’s mighty conquests, the text pivots and reflects on …
1 Chronicles 9 – Psalms 99:5-6 ESV Exalt the LORD our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he! 6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel also was among those who called upon his name. …
1 Chronicles 3 – Why the detailed genealogies? In order to affirm God’s plan for Christ to come from Adam, David, and Abraham. These names are the historical proof of the fulfilled promises of God. Of course, …
Isaiah 50 – Here in Isaiah 50 we read a soliloquy by the Servant as well as statements directed toward the believers and unbelievers of Israel. The soliloquy is found in the opening verses of 4-9 and …
Ephesians 6 – It all begins with Psalm 82:1. God presides in the heavenly council; in the assembly of the gods he gives his decision: Psalms 82:1 GNB That word gods is translated from the Hebrew word …
Exodus 14 – Like the Canaanites, ancient Israel thought of the sea as an uncontrollable beast. At creation the Lord hovered over the waters of chaos. At the flood, the raging waters engulfed the sinful generation that …
Job 41 – It is the mystery of the Leviathan… No beast, terrestrial or aquatic, deserves the high character here given, though that character only considers him as unconquerably strong, ferociously cruel, and wonderfully made. Perhaps leviathan …
Job 37 – We experience and come to know God through Scripture. Another place we come to know Him is through His creation. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and …
Job 35 – This is arguably Elihu’s harshest language against Job. It is a message of condemnation with truth mixed in. I am somewhat puzzled by commentaries who defend Job in being completely righteous and not deserving …
Job 23 – I want to follow-up from yesterday’s thoughts and continue in the same direction. I was intrigued by Job’s verses on searching for God in all directions. It seemed peculiar to me, so I thought …
Ezra 6 – The people trusted God they were delivered from the threat to their temple. God knew exactly where the scroll was, and He allowed Darius to endorse it. But that’s not all. God went above …
Joshua 3 – There are many great applications we can take from this chapter. First, we must understand the problem at hand. A whole nation is trying to cross a rushing river swollen with spring rains. Most …
Matthew 11 – Yet another piece of evidence that confirms Jesus was indeed the Messiah is the presence of John the Baptist. As prophecy foretold, in Malachi, there would be a forerunner. “Behold, I am going to …
Matthew 3 – Photo credit: Nelson’s New Illustrated Commentary Pictured is the traditionally accepted site (the Jordan River) for the baptism of Jesus. As I read this chapter, there are many questions that come to mind. Why …
Proverbs 21 – A very intriguing verse in this chapter of Proverbs includes a reference back to the days of King Saul. “Doing what is righteous and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.” Proverbs …
Proverbs 12 – Discipline is hard. Accepting instruction is difficult. They both require us to delay our satisfaction. When we are in the middle of being corrected, it can feel threatening. Our flesh wants to resist becoming …
Proverbs 8 – When I was in college, I reluctantly took a poetry class. It was difficult for me, but I actually managed to learn a few things. The Bible is chock-full of literary masterpieces. The artistic …
Proverbs 7 – Verse 7 reads… “Once I was looking out the window of my house, 7 and I saw many inexperienced young men, but noticed one foolish fellow in particular.” Proverbs 7:6-7 GNB The type of …
1 Peter 2 – Peter opens with the process of transformation. The true progression of spiritual growth is measured by a craving to immerse yourself in God’s Word. The Psalms are filled with verses illustrating this. Peter, …
2 Samuel 23 – David was never ashamed of who he was and where he came from. In a culture that was all about notoriety and popularity, David was still the youngest son of Jesse, the peasant …
2 Samuel 22 – My rock, my fortress, and my deliverer. These were the words David penned about God after he looked over the history of his relationship. There’s no doubt that the words of Scripture speak …
1 Samuel 27 – The life of David is not all sunshine and rainbows. Though he was a man after God’s own heart, he was still human. Here in 1 Samuel 27, he makes a controversial decision. …
1 Samuel 24 – David retreats with his men to the caves of the Wilderness of En Gedi. This was a strategic move and a very good one on David’s part. The canyon of En Gedi is …
Romans 3 – When we study Scripture, it is important we don’t sweep through it with a predetermined mindset. There are always deeper truths to be found but sometimes we can miss it. This is especially true …
1 Kings 19 – The events in 1 Kings 19 could be known as “The Pastor’s Chapter.” After the triumphant, cataclysmic fire-from-the-sky victory over the prophets of Baal, Elijah found himself defeated. The smoldering flames of God …
Genesis 33 – There are simple but profound lessons found in this story. How many times have we stressed over a situation that ended up going much better than we had anticipated? Jacob wrestled with God the …
Genesis 14 – Here in Genesis 14, we find the bizarre story of Melchizedek. Melchizedek came to Abraham after his defeat of Chedorlaomer and his three allies. He gave bread and wine to Abraham and his men …
John 21 – Even after His resurrection, Jesus was still teaching His disciples. Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” 6 He said to them, “Cast the net on the …
Esther 7 – The time has come for Esther to speak up. It was not God’s timing earlier because many events had to unfold. Haman was lured into a trap by his own arrogance. He unknowingly constructed …
Hebrews 1 – We do not know the writer of Hebrews and honestly, it doesn’t matter. The book is absolutely beautiful. Written with a unique elegance, this Holy Spirit-inspired author had mastered the principles of rhetoric and …
Psalm 150 – The number 10 is used 242 times in Scripture. The title of “10th” is found 79 times. Though it doesn’t get as much airtime as 3 and 7, the number 10 is categorized in …
Psalm 149 – Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, And His praise in the congregation of the godly ones. Psalms 149:1 NASB What does it mean to sing to God a new song? …
Psalm 148 – It is a word that has become obsolete in many Christian circles. Sin. The rebellion of man that separates us from God is our primary issue in life. The Bible opens in Genesis with …
Psalm 147 – Many scholars believe this psalm was prepared for use when the new city walls were completed by Nehemiah. What I find most fascinating is that the psalmist never grows weary of praising God. The …
Psalm 146 – Psalms 146:3 NASB Do not trust in princes, In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation. Dr. A.C. Gaebelein describes his conversation with an Orthodox Jew who interpreted this passage incorrectly. “He stated …
Psalm 145 – “Observe that David is firmly resolved to praise God. My text has four ‘I wills’ in it. Frequently it is foolish for us poor mortals to say ‘I will,’ because our will is so …
Psalm 144 – David is physically and emotionally spent. He pleads with God to be rescued. This is a common and consistent theme in the Psalms. However, it’s also very relevant because we also struggle physically and …
Psalm 143 – Depression. An estimated 19 million American adults are living with major depression characterized as a persistently depressed mood or loss of interest in activities, causing significant impairment in daily life. As F.B. Meyer writes, …
Psalm 142 – “Tell God all that is in your heart, as one unloads one’s heart, its pleasures and its pains, to a dear friend. Tell God your troubles, that God may comfort you; tell God your …
Psalm 141 – David fixed his eyes on the Lord. There are many times in life where we are stunted by the actions of others. As they spew hatred and evil in our direction, we begin to …
Psalm 140 – When we go to God in our afflictions, we can rest knowing that He hears us. We can find peace with the fact that we are exactly where we need to be in such …
Psalm 139 – Consider the fruit of knowing God and acknowledging that He knows us. Before pursuing God, we pursued our own ways. Selfish ambition forms a mirage as we fool ourselves into thinking God is not …
Psalm 138 – The LORD will accomplish what concerns me; Your lovingkindness, O LORD, is everlasting; Do not forsake the works of Your hands. Psalms 138:8 NASB David knew and believed that the Lord was working in …
Psalm 137 – How do we worship in a foreign land? Being completely cut off from their native land, and without their temple to worship in, the people of Israel were heartsick. They had no high priest, …
Psalm 136 – Mercy, kindness, lovingkindness, goodness, and favor. This is the translation for the Greek word checed which appears in every verse of this psalm. The application for today is simple. Recount the ways in which …
Psalm 135 – Our God is praise worthy in every age and season. No matter the circumstances, God is with us and for us. Often, it is hard to understand and believe this when we look around …
Psalm 134 – “As I look back on my ministry I realize my services were too formal. I believe worship today is entirely too formal. I do not believe that there should be fanatical outbreaks during the …
Psalm 133 – Through Jesus, the Holy Spirit has been poured out over us. Like a priest who would be anointed by a fine oil, we as believers have been abundantly blessed by the Holy Spirit. This …
Psalm 132 – This psalm is a prayer that pleads with God to remember His covenant. Some ascribe it to Solomon while others believe it may have been written by another descendant of David. Psalms 132:11 HCSB …
Psalm 131 – “Here we find the description of a humble, a broken and contrite spirit. It has well been said, ‘All virtues together are a body of which humility is the head.’ How many Scriptures teach …
Psalm 130 – Psalm 130 is known as a Pauline psalm because it speaks to the grace and mercy of God. This was a theme Paul wrote on extensively. For all have sinned and fall short of …
Psalm 129 – The enemies of God will not prevail. Even though it seems like they are winning, God promises to make right what is wrong. In our country, we don’t really know what it is like …
Psalm 128 – “I’m so blessed.” We hear this phrase often in our culture. It’s not that I don’t believe that it’s a genuine feeling. I do. However, sometimes I wonder what exactly it means to be …
Psalm 127 – According to J. Vernon McGee, this psalm has been used on several important occasions. It was used at the inauguration of President Eisenhower. Two Bibles were used. One of them was George Washington’s Bible, …
Psalm 126 – Dr. J. Vernon McGee writes… “The Psalms are full of Christ. There is a more complete picture of Him in the Psalms than in the Gospels. The Gospels tell us that He went to …
Psalm 125 – It is a bold declaration, especially within the turmoil of our world today. Those who trust in the Lord will never be moved. Never. Think about that for a moment. Those who trust can …
Psalm 124 – The storms that God allows only further serves to reveal His power and glory within. When we are faced with opposition, we clench tightly to the anchor that we know and trust. In those …
Psalm 123 – What do we do when there is no move from God? Our God is a useful God. He provides us with an abundance of blessings. But, His usefulness to us is not our primary …
Psalm 122 – In the Christian Jewish Bible, verse 4 speaks to two reasons for going to the house of the Lord. The tribes have gone up there, the tribes of Adonai, as a witness to Isra’el, …
Psalm 121 – The Lord is our protector. He is our strength and our refuge. He fights our battles. He does not sleep or slumber. He sees and knows all. He will protect His children now and …
Psalm 120 – “The Meshechites were presumably descended from Meshech, a grandson of Noah through Japheth (Gen 10:2; 1Ch 1:5). They were said to trade in slaves and copper (Eze 27:13), and may have invaded the Near …
Psalm 119 – The original Hebrew version of this psalm is a complex acrostic. Each verse in a particular section begins with the same letter. Doing the math, this means that every 8 verses would begin with …
Psalm 118 – Many scholars believe that Psalm 118 was written during Moses’ day in the Exodus. If you compare this psalm to Exodus 15, there are remarkable similarities. Psalms 118:14 NASB The LORD is my strength …
Psalm 117 – Although short, this psalm packs a heavy punch. God calls all people to worship Him. The calling of the Gentiles (all people other than Jews) was in the plan of God from the beginning. …
Psalm 116 – “How can I repay the LORD for all the good He has done for me? 13 I will take the cup of salvation and call on the name of Yahweh.” Psalms 116:12-13 HCSB What …
Psalm 115 – Israel, trust in the LORD! He is their help and shield. 10 House of Aaron, trust in the LORD! He is their help and shield. 11 You who fear the LORD, trust in the …
Psalm 114 – Persecution. Power. Provision. This is the pattern of Psalm 114. Note that none of these are within our power to change. We put ourselves under the persecution of sin. We lack the power sufficient …
Psalm 113 – Music connects with every person on the planet. More than likely, all of us can identify with a song or artist that inspires us in a personal way. Songs are easy to remember, well-situated …
Psalm 112 – In my opinion, verse 7 defines the context for this entire psalm. Psalms 112:7 HCSB He will not fear bad news; his heart is confident, trusting in the LORD. “His heart is fixed,” or …
Psalm 111 – The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His instructions have good insight. His praise endures forever. Psalms 111:10 HCSB Do you have good insight? The NASB translates it …
Psalm 110 – Psalm 110 might be quoted more frequently in the NT than any other Psalm. The Lord declared to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet’? Matthew …
Psalm 109 – What do we make of this prayer? On the surface, it appears to be vindictive, hateful, and even potentially sinful! Look at the Good News Translation of the psalmist’s emotions. Psa 109:7 May he …
Psalm 108 – Moab is My washbasin; I throw My sandal on Edom. I shout in triumph over Philistia.” Psalms 108:9 HCSB “Picture Edom in rebellion against Yahweh and his people. Picture them mustering thousands and thousands …
Psalm 107 – But He lifts the needy out of their suffering and makes their families multiply like flocks. 42 The upright see it and rejoice, and all injustice shuts its mouth. 43 Let whoever is wise …
Psalm 106 – What is risk? It is a decision to act in a way that opens us to danger, hurt, or uncertainty. Every day we take risks. Today, you have a 1 in 70 chance of …
Psalm 105 – “The term translated as promise throughout the psalm is the Hebrew dāḇār—which is also the term used for the “Ten Words” (Ten Commandments) in Hebrew. Hebrew does not have different words for “law” and …
Psalm 104 – Let the glory of the LORD endure forever; Let the LORD be glad in His works; 32 He looks at the earth, and it trembles; He touches the mountains, and they smoke. Psalms 104:31-32 …
Psalm 103 – How long do you strive? It seems like an odd question on the surface. Let me rephrase it. Where is the limit of your patience and trust? Let’s say a friend were to ask …
Psalm 102 – “The Psalm has been attributed to Daniel, to Jeremiah, to Nehemiah, or to some of the other prophets who flourished during the time of the captivity. The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews …
Psalm 101 – “I will pay attention to the way of integrity. When will You come to me? I will live with a heart of integrity in my house.” Psalms 101:2 HCSB Christians are often singled out …
Psalm 100 – I find it ironic that during the holiday season many secular artists will release Christmas albums. I was just in a store the other day when I heard a very popular artist come on …
Psalm 99 – God is holy. Let them praise Your great and awe-inspiring name. He is holy. Psalms 99:3 HCSB Exalt the LORD our God; bow in worship at His footstool. He is holy. Psalms 99:5 HCSB …
Psalm 98 – Do we actually praise and worship God for His judgment? Let the sea and all that fills it, the world and those who live in it, resound. 8 Let the rivers clap their hands; …
Psalm 97 – When we look back at Scripture, we see just how holy God really is. Anyone who came into the fullness of God (or Jesus in His heavenly form) were overwhelmed beyond comprehension. Wrestling With …
Psalm 96 – “Sing to the LORD a new song; Sing to the LORD, all the earth. 2 Sing to the LORD, bless His name; Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day. 3 Tell …
Psalm 95 – All worship is not equal. There are many today who bring false worship before the Father. Coming before Him with selfish ambition or prideful arrogance, they are no different than the Pharisees of Jesus’ …
Psalm 94 – O LORD, God of vengeance, God of vengeance, shine forth! 2 Rise up, O Judge of the earth, Render recompense to the proud. Psalms 94:1-2 NASB The appeal to God to exercise His vengeance …
Psalm 93 – Psalm 93 is a beautiful royal psalm. It is part of a collection of psalms that hail God as King and describe His universal reign over all things. It is interesting to discover that …
Psalm 92 – The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree, He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 13 Planted in the house of the LORD, They will flourish in the courts of our God. …
Psalm 91 – Whoever goes to the LORD for safety, whoever remains under the protection of the Almighty, 2 can say to him, “You are my defender and protector. You are my God; in you I trust.” …
Psalm 90 – So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom. Psalms 90:12 NASB We’ve all heard stories of those who receive a heart-breaking terminal diagnosis, and are …
Psalm 89 – In similar fashion to Psalm 88, the writer here boldly introduces some deep theological questions. He records some of our deepest fears and most troubling mysteries about God. But you are angry with your …
Psalm 88 – Psalm 88 will most likely not be made into a children’s song one day. It’s too raw. In fact, I would go as far as to say it makes people uncomfortable. It treads unashamedly …
Psalm 87 – “I shall mention Rahab and Babylon among those who know Me; Behold, Philistia and Tyre with Ethiopia: ‘This one was born there.'” Psalms 87:4 NASB A relationship with Jesus is not based on genetics …