Psalms for Shepherds

Today we're in the first part of Psalm 89. This is a 52-verse psalm with a clear theme of the faithfulness of our Lord. We're beginning today with verses 1-4: 1 I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever;     with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations. 2  For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever;     in the heavens you will establish your faithfuln...

Today we're in Psalm 88 and as you’ll hear in a moment, this psalm speaks of darkness and feelings of drowning, loneliness, and imprisonment... yet the psalmist persisted in praying to our God and did not abandon his faith. Let's read together: 1 O Lord, God of my salvation,     I cry out day and night before you. 2  Let my prayer come before you;     incline your ear to my cry! 3  For my soul is...

Today we're in Psalm 87. This short psalm – only seven verses in length – is both a prophecy of the future kingdom of God, as well as a picture of the heavenly Zion those who are the children of God have as their spiritual citizenship. Let's read together: 1  On the holy mount stands the city he founded; 2 the Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob. 3 Glorious thin...

Today we're in Psalm 86 and Holly shares a personal story of how relevant this chapter is in our lives. But first, let's read together: 1 Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me,     for I am poor and needy. 2 Preserve my life, for I am godly;     save your servant, who trusts in you — you are my God. 3 Be gracious to me, O Lord,     for to you do I cry all the day. 4 Gladden the soul of your serv...

Today we're in Psalm 85 where the psalmist acknowledges the great things God has done for them, and then humbly goes to Him concerning their present troubles. Today, we'll be reading from The Message translation. 1-3 God, you smiled on your good earth!     You brought good times back to Jacob! You lifted the cloud of guilt from your people,     you put their sins far out of sight. You took back yo...

Today, we’re in Psalm 84, a psalm entitled “My Soul Longs for the Courts of the Lord." Just as the title implies, it is a psalm that speaks to the beauty of the place where God dwells, which for the Israelites, of course, was the Temple. Let's read together: 1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! 2 My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for jo...

Today, we’re in Psalm 83, and if you’ve ever felt like God was silent in the midst of trouble in your life, this is the psalm for you! 1 O God, do not keep silence; do not hold your peace or be still, O God! 2 For behold, your enemies make an uproar; those who hate you have raised their heads. 3 They lay crafty plans against your people; they consult together against your treasured ones. 4 They sa...

Today, we’re in Psalm 82, a psalm “to instruct the judges of the earth” and to remind them of their duties to God and to the people they lead. 1 God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment: 2 “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah 3 Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and...

Today, we’re in Psalm 81, a psalm that starts beautifully with a call for God’s people to come together for worship. Let's read together: 1 Sing aloud to God our strength; Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob. 2 Raise a song and strike the timbrel, The pleasant harp with the lute. 3 Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon, At the full moon, on our solemn feast day. 4 For this is a statute...

Today, we’re in Psalm 80 where in just 19 verses, the psalmist asked God to “restore,” return the people to God’s favor, or turn back to them — four times. Let's read together: 1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock. You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth. 2 Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up your might and come to save us! 3 Restore us,[a]...

Today, we’re in Psalm 79, a truly sorrowful song of Asaph, the priest, lamenting what had taken place in Israel: the Babylonians had taken God’s people captive, the city of Jerusalem had been destroyed, and those that opposed God were in control. Let's read: 1 O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins. 2 They have give...

We're finishing our time in Psalm 78 today, and with verses 67 through 72 before us, we see a consequence of the earlier rebellious behavior of the tribe of Benjamin. Because of that behavior, God removed the Ark of the Covenant — remember, that’s HIS presence — from Shiloh, in the tribe of Ephraim, who were Joseph’s descendants. Of course, although the Ark left Shiloh, God did not leave the Israe...

We're continuing our time in Psalm 78 today, and — spoiler alert — this psalm is going to hit home... and it’s going to be a little longer than most in the Psalms for Shepherds series. So let's jump right in! 9 The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned back on the day of battle; 10 they did not keep God’s covenant and refused to live by his law. 11 They forgot what he had done, the wonder...

We're beginning a series in Psalm 78 today, where Asaph, the psalmist, is recounting how God had been faithful to his ancestors, the Israelites, and how they had often repaid Him with disobedience. Please join me in the first 8 verses... 1 My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. 2 I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old— 3 things we...

We're in Psalm 76 today, another psalm written by Asaph where he reminds God’s people what to do in times of trouble. 1 I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me. 2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted. 3 When I remember God, I moan; when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah 4 You hold my eyelid...

We're in Psalm 76 today, a psalm where Asaph shares four basic truths about our Jehovah God. In Judah God is known, his name is great in Israel. 2 His abode has been established in Salem, his dwelling place in Zion. 3 There he broke the flashing arrows, the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war. Selah 4 Glorious art thou, more majestic than the everlasting mountains.[a] 5 The stouthearted were...

Today we’re in Psalm 75, ten verses that one commentator calls a “digest” of a worship service summoned to thank the Lord for what He had done for His people. Beautiful! Let's read together: 1 We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, for your name is near. We recount your wondrous deeds. 2 “At the set time that I appoint I will judge with equity. 3 When the earth totters, and all its inhabita...

Today, we’re concluding our time in Psalm 74, where the Israelites felt like all was lost. The psalmist is leading the community in telling God how they feel and, in essence, questioning why God allowed the catastrophic events to happen. Let's read again together: 1 O God, why have you rejected us so long? Why is your anger so intense against the sheep of your own pasture? 2 Remember that we are t...

Today, we’re in Psalm 74, where the nation of Israel is in deep lament over the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. In fact, this psalm very much seems to be a community lament over what’s happened, similar to how we now gather at a site of tragedy and leave flowers and notes. Let's read together. 1 O God, why have you rejected us so long? Why is your anger so intense against the sheep of your...

Today we're in Psalm 73, which is a song written by Asaph, one of the Levites that King David assigned as a worship leader in the tabernacle choir. Interestingly, both he and David were skilled singers and poets, according to 2 Chronicles. 1 Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose hearts are pure. 2 But as for me, I almost lost my footing. My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone. 3 For I...

Today we're in Psalm 72, one of only two Psalms credited to Solomon and he is asking God to bless him as he takes over as king. 1 Give your love of justice to the king, O God, and righteousness to the king’s son. 2 Help him judge your people in the right way; let the poor always be treated fairly. 3 May the mountains yield prosperity for all, and may the hills be fruitful. 4 Help him to defend the...

We conclude our time in Psalm 71 today with these verses: 22 I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praises to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel. 23 My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed. 24 And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long, for they have been put to shame and dis...

Today, we continue in Psalm 71 with verses 14 through 21 where we find the psalmist looking to the future, moving from “You are my hope” in verse 5, to “I will hope continually” in verse 14. 14 But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more. 15 My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge. 16 With the mi...

Today, we continue in Psalm 71 with verses 7 through 13 where the Psalmist is looking back on his life, as well as asking God not to forsake him in his old age. 7 I have been as a portent to many, but you are my strong refuge. 8 My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all the day. 9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent. 10 For my enem...

Today we're in Psalm 71 and this psalm is entitled, “Forsake Me Not When My Strength Is Spent.” Aren’t there many times that as shepherd leaders, we feel like that? 1 In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame! 2 In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline your ear to me, and save me! 3 Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the c...