The Belt of Truth

David contemplates and cussed us to see the difference between good and evil in Psalm 52. Coming from the time in 1 Samuel 21 when Doeg the Edomite snitched on David’s location to Saul. Doeg killed the 85 priests and the people of Nob when Saul was angered at them helping David. David prays to God and trusts in his steadfast love and knows that boasts of man will not prevail but God will overcome...

After noting that David has committed his sins against God he asked for what seems like the impossible: That God would restore him.  David knows that he cannot repair the breach, but that God can cleanse him. In fact, David uses a Word that is only described with God in the Bible: Create. This exact word is used in Genesis 1-2 and is only used of God in the Old Testament  What David sees is that G...

David reflects on his sin in Psalm 51. The context is after David has murdered Uriah and committed adultery with Bathsheba. This is the 4th of the penitential psalms and arguably the greatest. David implores for God’s forgiveness and steadfast love. This psalm teaches us to not make excuses or belittle sin. But after God has made known our sin with his Word, to confess them and ask for forgiveness...

God comes forth as the judge and the one who will vindicate his people!  The aim of Psalm 50, which takes cues from Joshua 22, Isaiah, Matthew 13, and Revelation 2-3 is the view of God coming as the judge.  Then the psalm backs up and God gives us the opportunity to know this and live life rightly before him before he does come as judge. God gives us every chance to turn to him.  The issue that Go...

God comes forth as the judge and the one who will vindicate his people!  The aim of Psalm 50, which takes cues from Joshua 22, Isaiah, Matthew 13, and Revelation 2-3 is the view of God coming as the judge.  Then the psalm backs up and God gives us the opportunity to know this and live life rightly before him before he does come as judge. God gives us every chance to turn to him.  The issue that Go...

Psalm 49 ends with us not wanting to live like the rich and prosperous whose hope is in this world and whose hope is vain. But rather to be those who seek after God, who knows that God will ransom us from death and from the power of Sheol. This psalm uses language that brings to mind God receiving Enoch and Elijah from death and it causes us to look to the promises of Jesus Christ knowing that his...

Death is the great leveler and Psalm 49 helps us to live wisely in this age knowing that no one can use the things of this world to cause God to back off when it comes to the time that he has determined to terminate us.  The Psalmist appeals to all people using the ideas of wisdom, and to help us see that life in this world is fleeting and to not forget the one who is truly God.  The psalmist is c...

Psalm 48 describes the reality that exists because of what we heard in Psalm 45: the marriage of God with his people.  This consummation causes the church to be the pinnacle of beauty and security because God is with her. God is praised by her, her enemies flee because of the work of Jesus Christ and because of God’s work for his people, the church dwells secure.  Other features of this psalm dire...

Psalm 47 is a psalm of praise to the God who has ascended with a shout!  This psalm has been seen in the church has a way to speak about the Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ. It goes together many images of God going up in the cloud with the trumpet being played in the Wilderness Wanderings and also when the ark was enthroned in the city of Jerusalem in 2 Samuel 2. The Most High, Jesus Christ is...

Psalm 46 is a psalm where the people of God, the church, is speaking to her God. The church is described as a strong fortress and a secure place because God is with her.  The world and the kingdoms are coming and going but the gates of hell will never overcome the church.  This psalm has brought much inspiration in the Bible and in the life of the Church. Matthew, John, Hebrews, Revelation all dra...

Psalm 45 is a love song that describes the husband, the king. And also describes the bride, the wife of the King.  Through this psalm the love that the two have for each other is described and it reveals to us the love that Jesus Christ has for his bride, the Church. And the love that the church has for her husband.  This psalm weaves in themes from Genesis 2, The Song of Songs, John, Ephesians 5,...

Psalm 44 tells the dual story of remembrance of God’s action for his people and the present disappointment and shock that God does not currently save us.  This psalm gives us words to pray and say to God as we reflect on the glory of God’s actions in the days of Jesus but the pain we feel that the does not currently act. A pain that feels like rejection and loss. It is for this though that our Lor...

Psalm 44 tells the dual story of remembrance of God’s action for his people and the present disappointment and shock that God does not currently save us.  This psalm gives us words to pray and say to God as we reflect on the glory of God’s actions in the days of Jesus but the pain we feel that the does not currently act. A pain that feels like rejection and loss. It is for this though that our Lor...

Psalm 43 continues the theme of psalm 42 and wraps up the tension began in Psalm 42. What began as displacement from God becomes a reunion with God and salvation in God’s dwelling and altar.  Psalm 42 reflects many identity markers from Jesus Christ from St. John’s Gospel. As Jesus called himself the Light and Truth and the Good Shepherd who leads people back to the Father.  This psalm also was us...

Psalm 42 has a longing for God that only God can satisfy.  This longing causes the Psalm to weave through cherished memories. Thinking back to the times of festival at God’s temple with God’s people.  But these memories are like drinking tears, the salt only makes the thirst more intolerable.  But yet, the psalmist knows and hopes that as God gave once, so he will give again, and so we are called...

We take some time today to reflect on the Psalms thus far (Psalms 1-41). We take time to note the story, purpose, and meaning so far as well as look ahead at Book 2 of the Psalms (42-72) 

Psalm 41 concludes Book One of the Psalms (1-41) and also brings together the themes and ideas that we have heard throughout the Psalms so far.  In it, we hear of the Blessed Man from Psalm 1, Jesus Christ, who goes around doing much good. He sustains and keeps people on their sick beds and considers and poor and the weak. We see this in the life of Christ.  Then the Psalm switches to a first pers...

Psalm 40 ends with a tension that on the surface seems to undo how the Psalm began.  The Psalm began with delighting in God’s salvation. That his salvation already occurred and now we are secure.  Verses 11-17 then give weight to the struggle and evil and surround him. And he asks God for deliverance and confident that God will.  Some take these verses to be a different time in David’s life, but w...

Psalm 40 forms a triumphant conclusion to a theme started in Psalm 37 of waiting for God. Psalms 38 and 39 were expressions of the pain that often results in waiting.  Psalm 40 shows us the results of waiting: that they are worth it and God’s deliverance can be trusted and that it will cause us to erupt into a new song such as the Exodus and Luke 1-2 In this psalm, verses 6-8 are quotes especially...

Complaint Psalms are psalms where the prayer is complaining to God.  Psalm 39 is that kind of psalm in spades. In reference to the wicked, David to explodes on God. His pious demeanor gives away to exasperation on God.  This psalm teaches us and gives us the words to pray, especially if we feel that God is our enemy.  Yet, even though this Psalm ends on a rather sour note that God would just leave...

Psalm 38 is an acrostic poem and also the third of seven penitential psalms. Here we also see a clear depiction of Christ as our sin bearer.  The Psalmist complains first of the effects of sin upon his body and how God is doing this to him and asks God for relief.  Then he remarks about those who are seeking his harm and mock and ridicule him and who have watched for this moment.  But he is silent...

Psalm 37 is a prayer where we are to listen to God speak and instruct our hearts. This psalm is unique as that God is never addressed, but rather that God is addresses us, or that our new Adam is trying to keep our sinful flesh in line. The psalm is marked by keeping faith and not forsaking the path, even as we look upon the success and wealth of those who do evil. We are not to follow them becaus...

Psalm 37 is a prayer where we are to listen to God speak and instruct our hearts. This psalm is unique as that God is never addressed, but rather that God is addresses us, or that our new Adam is trying to keep our sinful flesh in line. The psalm is marked by keeping faith and not forsaking the path, even as we look upon the success and wealth of those who do evil. We are not to follow them becaus...

Psalm 36 has Transgression personified and speak to David to show him the life of someone bound in sin. It is a life of pride and self-flattery which causes them to be blind to God and also causes them to be stuck in their own small world of self.  But David, the Servant of the Lord, catches the eye of something much more grand and wonderful. And that is the steadfast love of the Lord. David is dr...

Psalm 35 is one of the 7 main imprecatory psalms, or a curse psalm. A psalm where God is asked to deal with the psalmist enemies. God has taken vengeance upon his enemies, when he sent his Son who became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God. And now we pray for God to save us from our enemies, the devil who prowls around to devour us, our sin that would undo us, and death that...