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Dear Friends, For the next two months, March and April 2025, we will be memorizing Psalm 16. This song is quoted by Peter in his sermon on Pentecost and by Paul in Acts 13:35 at Pisidian Antioch. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead fulfilled this psalm! For this reason, I chose this passage for our memory work this Resurrection season. Psalm 16 was written by David and carries the title of miktam, which is used of only six psalms. This title may mean “something hidden now revealed” or “truth which is precious like gold.” Here is an outline of five expressions…

Dear friends, This month of February we have memorized and examined Psalm 2.  I wonder…what truth impacted you the most? Was it the certain success of God’s plans? Was it the assurance you found in taking the Lord as your refuge? A refuge is a place of safety provided by One more powerful than us. Or, perhaps, was it the assurance that justice will prevail when Jesus returns?  Whatever truth you have seen and applied to your life, I hope Psalms 1 and 2 have prompted you to pray! Pray to our All-sufficient Savior for your needs and intercede for…

Dear friends, Psalm 2 closes with an invitation to make the Lord our refuge. Psalm 2:10-12 NIVTherefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling. Kiss his son, or he will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. The word “therefore” acts like a hinge connecting the verses before with what follows. The clear victory of the Son calls for a response. Once kings were in…

Dear brothers and sisters, Psalm 2:7-9 reveals to us the response of the Anointed Son, King Jesus. Psalm 2:7-9 NIVI will proclaim the LORD’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father. Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. You will break them with a rod of iron; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.” A precise sequence of events is described here.  Jesus proclaims His identity as the Son!  He is given authority over all nations. They are His inheritance won…

The song writer adds a sobering truth in Psalm 2:4-6. Our Lord rebukes all who rebel against Him.  Psalm 2:4-6 NIVThe One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath,saying, “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.” What an odd thought that our God laughs in scorn at rebels. He laughs because He knows all plans to oppose Him will fail. He is in control and overrules all! In His mercy, He will forgive all who repent and turn to Him in humble faith.  We…

Dear brothers and sisters, Today we revisit the opening strophe (/ˈstrōfē/ noun: a structural division of a poem containing stanzas of varying line-length) of Psalm 2. Psalm 2:2-3 NIVThe kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the LORD and against his anointed, saying, “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.” P.T. Forsythe, a British preacher, once said, “The first duty of every soul is to find not its freedom but its Master.” This truth is well illustrated in Psalm 2. When you find your true Master, you will discover true and lasting freedom….

Psalm 2:1-3 NIVWhy do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band togetheragainst the LORD and against his anointed, saying,“Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.” This song begins with a perplexing question. Why do nations conspire against the Lord? The simple answer is sin. We seek our own will and freedom. We imagine that God’s commands are a burden we wish not to bear. However, His commands give us true and lasting freedom and joy. Any and all nations are in a dangerous place when…

Dear Brothers and Sisters, This month of February, we will be memorizing Psalm 2. It is a fitting compliment to Psalm 1.  Both songs, which open this book of worship, call us to trust in the Lord. Psalm 1 pronounces blessings on all who trust in the Lord. Trusting in the Lord reveals true prosperity. Psalm 2 ends with a call to take refuge in the Lord. When we seek God’s love and protection, we are trusting in His power and care for us. He does not just protect us but He, Himself, is our refuge! As you read Psalm…

Psalm 1:6 NIVFor the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,but the way of the wicked leads to destruction. Certainly, God sees the way of the wicked but he watches over the way of the righteous. He protects and guides. The righteous are eager to follow His instructions and He is pleased to guide them. Proverbs 3:5-6 NIVTrust in the LORD with all your heartand lean not on your own understanding;in all your ways submit to him,and he will make your paths straight. As we close our simple study of Psalm 1, it is my prayer that it will…

Psalm 1:4-5 NIVNot so the wicked!They are like chaff that the wind blows away.Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. The greatest contrast in Psalm 1 is revealed in these verses. The wicked were introduced back in verse 1. Choosing to disobey the Law of the Lord, they will face His judgment. This pattern of rebellion will not see blessedness. The picture used is one of instability and fruitlessness. It is chaff blowing in the wind! There is no security no matter what fame or fortune they experience on the earth….