Lament and Worship in a Pandemic

Lament and Worship in a Pandemic

I was recently asked to comment on the appropriateness of lamenting as a Christian, given the stress people are under because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In short, lament is a very appropriate response to the cruel losses and hardships of these days. The Bible not only...
Psalm 116: What You Need to Know

Psalm 116: What You Need to Know

Psalm 116 has much in common with other thanksgiving Psalms, but it also has an element that’s a bit unusual: the Psalmist identifies the specific reason for his thanksgiving. He was near death, he cried out to the Lord for rescue, and the God of covenant mercy,...
Psalm 117: What You Need to Know

Psalm 117: What You Need to Know

Psalm 117 is the shortest Psalm in all of the Psalter. In fact, it’s the shortest chapter in all of the Bible—but there’s a lot more meaning packed into this short Psalm than you may have realized: Praise the Lord, all nations; Laud Him, all peoples! For His...
Psalm 10: What You Need to Know

Psalm 10: What You Need to Know

It’s oftentimes hard to get to church. I remember that when our 7 kids were small, Sue and often I found it difficult to get all those little shoes and socks matched up on Sunday mornings. It wasn’t always easy to get everyone in the car on time to leave for church....
Psalm 84: What You Need to Know

Psalm 84: What You Need to Know

Have you ever noticed how hard it is for us to be in the presence of God? This world completely dominates our senses; that’s part of why we need specific places of worship. The very sign of fallenness takes place when people allow themselves to be overwhelmed by the...