He split the rocks in the desert and gave them water as abundant as the seas. (Psalm 78:15, NIV) Looking at Psalm 78, one would not at first see it as either messianic or Christmas-like. It is an encouragement to parents about instructing their children, reciting God’s great acts in bringing Israel out of Egypt. Asaph’s […]

For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. (Psalm 91:11–12, ESV) Psalm 91 is a messianic psalm. Satan quoted and misused Psalm 91:11–12 in the context of Christ’s temptation (Luke 4:9–12; Matthew 4:6),

My heart is not proud, O Lord. . . I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. . . . Put your hope in the Lordboth now and forevermore.  (Psalm 131:1–3, NIV) If you have observed a baby nursing at a

You will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. (Psalm 16:10, NIV) A birth prompts a whole range of responses. One of the most prominent is hope. When a person is born, we begin to imagine the promise of a life well-lived. What will

For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. (Psalm 36:9, NIV) Winter brings darkness. But it also brings snow and the blinding light of sunshine on snow, which can transform the whole world. “I have a message from God in my heart,” David begins in Psalm 36, “concerning the

The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” (Psalm 110:1, ESV) Almost one thousand years before Jesus was born, King David spoke of our Savior in Psalm 110. He described the Lord God speaking to One who was David’s Lord. This One, later specified as Jesus Christ,

The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory. (Psalm 24:10, NASB) Perhaps my favorite Christmas hymn is Isaac Watts’s majestic “Joy to the World!” set to Handel’s regal strain: Joy to the world! the Lord is come; Let earth receive her King. Let ev’ry heart prepare Him room, And heav’n and nature sing! I’ve often

“Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10, NRSV) Christmas is the busiest time of the year. There is shopping to do, family activities for which to plan, and church commitments to fulfill. It can be overwhelming. It is comforting to know that we

The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. (Psalm 118:14, ESV) A few decades ago, I stood before witnesses and made a covenant with my wife. What happened that day is as clear in my memory as the events of yesterday. That day, I promised to do several things that

I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart. (Psalm 138:1, ESV) When David gave thanks, he used everything in him: “I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart” (Psalm 138:1). David’s life exemplified exuberant praise and worship of the Lord. Psalm 138 gives us a glimpse into why David was so