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In Psalm 17, the author finds himself in a dire situation.1 Verses 1–9 are a plea from an innocent to be vindicated in a world that seeks the psalmist’s demise. In the midst of this (...)

The Songs of Zion celebrate God’s presence with the community in Zion, the Jerusalem temple, the central place of worship for the community.1 This divine presence in the sacred temple brings life to the community. (...)

Psalm 121 is a “song of ascent.”1 It is the second psalm in a collection used by Israelites making pilgrimages to Jerusalem (Psalms 120–134). In Exodus, Israelite males are commanded to “see the face of (...)

Psalm 111 is a classic psalm of praise extolling the virtues of God presented as the praise of a single individual.1 It is a Hallel, one of the psalms that begins with hallelu Yah, “Hallelujah” (...)

I had a seminary professor who insisted that when we wrote about someone else’s point of view, even someone whose words and actions we found problematic, reprehensible, or “wicked” (verse 1), we should write in (...)

Psalm 1 promises happiness for those who avoid the path of wicked sinners and scoffers, and instead “delight” in meditating on divine commandments. These righteous people will live well and flourish. They will be  like (...)

Psalm 81 is a hymn with a prophetic warning pleading for faithfulness from the covenant community. It is not surprising, then, that Psalm 82 also emphasizes a prophetic warning. At the same time, Psalm 82 (...)

In this complicated geopolitical world in which we live, it is difficult to know what is true, what is false, and whose truth prevails in the battle between competing points of view. It might be (...)

As1 Brueggemann and Bellinger say about Psalm 49, “The psalm is particularly important and surely pertinent in a contemporary society that is ‘rich in things and poor in soul.’”2 As they suggest, Psalm 49 has something (...)

In Hebrew, the name for the book of Psalms is tehillim, or “praises,” because from beginning to end, the God we confess is the subject of our praise.1 Yet we must be clear, this unbridled (...)