Psalm 23: What You Need to Know

Psalm 23: What You Need to Know

I associate Psalm 23 with an uncle who passed away when I was a child. He was a World War II veteran and he was, as we used to say, shell-shocked. He had a terrible nervous disorder. Doctors were unable to control his blood pressure and he died unexpectedly one night....
Psalm 24: Who is the King of Glory?

Psalm 24: Who is the King of Glory?

Psalm 24 is called a Psalm of Ascent. It leads us upward to the hill of the Lord, to the high place where the temple is built upon a rock. Pay attention to the ways in which you, the reader, are led upward toward the throne of God as you read this Psalm. After the...
History and Tradition: What You Need to Know

History and Tradition: What You Need to Know

Our family has enjoyed watching Fiddler on the Roof together over the years—you’re probably familiar with the Broadway play or the movie. The story begins, of course, with the image of a figure fiddling atop a roof. The narrator, a man named Tevye, appears. Seeing the...
Justice, Mercy, and Psalm 139

Justice, Mercy, and Psalm 139

Years ago when my kids were little, I punished one of the boys for something. My wife Sue told me later, “You know, he didn’t do that.” I still cringe when I remember that. He was just a little guy, and I went to him and apologized. After my son was an adult I told...