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It is not surprising that Psalm 91 is often read, frequently set to music, and much-loved.1 It offers the reader a straightforward and thorough expression of trust in the providence and protection of God, even (...)

This is the second of four lections from Job. We saw in Job 1–2 that Job is blameless, and that God prompted the satan to do terrible things to him. These remarks on Job 23 (...)

It’s difficult for folks involved in ministry to come up with the right words for every prayer we offer.1 Whether that was the case for the worship leaders and congregation of ancient Israel is hard (...)

With the concluding verses of Psalm 34, the author has returned to the subject matter with which he began, namely the suffering from which God delivered him (verse 4).1 Along the way, as we saw (...)

First of all, no, it is not Good Shepherd Sunday in the lectionary cycle. But you might be forgiven for thinking so, given the texts for this week. The 23rd Psalm begins with its familiar (...)

The lection consists of what are clearly the most familiar, beautiful, and beloved verses of Psalm 85, but it is helpful to look briefly at verses 1–7 in order to set the context. Ancient origin (...)

Ephesians 1:15 begins the letter’s thanksgiving, a customary element of the ancient letter genre that was frequently but not universally incorporated. In nonbiblical letters from the period, the thanksgiving was directed to an individual god (...)

Psalm 47 is classified as an enthronement psalm, a psalm celebrating God’s sovereignty over all creation. The only other enthronement psalms in the Psalter are grouped together in Book 4 (Psalms 93–99).1 That makes Psalm 47 (...)

Psalm 118 is the concluding psalm in the collection known as the “Egyptian Hallel” (Psalms 113–118). Hallel is the Hebrew word for “praise,” and this collection’s name reflects the emphasis in these psalms on praising (...)

As the worshiping church follows the Gospel narrative into Jerusalem and toward the cross, the song-prayers of the Psalms provide the “soundtrack” for the drama that unfolds. These words—already old and beloved by the time (...)