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Borne out of a gut-wrenching anguish, Psalm 22 is the cry of one who knows what it is to be bullied by his enemies, rejected by his community, and abandoned by God.1 The threat for (...)

It is easy to see why Psalm 118 is the psalm selection for Easter for all three lectionary years.1 The psalm is bursting with exuberance and joy, the language barely adequate to the task of (...)

Psalm 98 is the fifth psalm in a group of six psalms in Book Four of the Psalter known as the Enthronement Psalms (Psalms 93, 95-99).1 The Enthronement Psalms celebrate the reign of God as (...)

Psalm 47 is a hymn that celebrates God’s reign as king over the earth.1 The psalm also portrays a procession for the purpose of celebrating God’s kingship. This is most evident in the declaration that (...)

Psalm 130, best known by its Latin incipit De Profundis, “Out of the Depths,” has inspired church musicians for centuries, usually in the context of a Requiem Mass.1 One need only mention Johan Sebastian Bach’s (...)

Jeremiah’s critique of leaders is born from his compassion for the people. “Woe!” This passage begins with the cry that marks an oracle of destruction. It is a hook that the audience can’t ignore. Corrupt (...)

The previous week’s lectionary reading recalled the introductory chapters in the book of Job, and in so doing, highlighted critical themes for the book. Immediately after the opening chapters, Job issues a caustic lament regarding (...)

Although it is not entirely unique in the Psalter, the most striking thing about Psalm 91 is that it ends with a divine speech in verses 14-16.1 Usually when God speaks in the Psalms, it (...)

On this Christ the King Sunday, we hear about the ideal king from the “sweet singer of Israel,” himself, King David. Like Jacob (Genesis 49) and Moses (Deuteronomy 33) before him, David before his death (...)

We don’t like to talk about sin. Especially if it means talking about our own sin. We would much rather talk about injustice, or evil, or the ways in which another’s sin has contributed to (...)