The Doctrine of Creation Psalm 98:1–9 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it! Psalm 98:7 The psalmist is suggesting that nature is not yet all that God has predestined it to be and is in a sense waiting for its true fulfillment. This understanding of…

Why Worship God Psalm 95:1–7 Oh come, let us worship and bow down. Psalm 95:6 Psalm 95 gives two important reasons we should worship God. 1. Because God is such a great God (vv. 3–5). Appreciation can be shown to many people, praise to others. Worship belongs to God only. Yet we cannot worship God…

A Rule of Law and Justice Psalm 93:1–5 Your statutes stand firm; holiness adorns your house for endless days, O Lord. Psalm 93:5 (NIV) Psalm 93 closes with two characteristics of God’s kingly rule: it is a kingdom of law and it is a kingdom of holiness or justice. 1. A rule of law. God’s…

The Rewards of Trust Psalm 91:1–16 I will protect him, because he knows my name. Psalm 91:14 In the last three verses of this psalm, God promises three things to those who trust him. 1. Protection for the one who is in danger (v. 14). Psalm 91 speaks throughout of the many dangers that threaten…

Where Sin Leads Psalm 90:1–17 You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. Psalm 90:8 The third section of Psalm 90 (vv. 7–12) recognizes that man’s greatest problem is not just his frailty—that is, that he exists for only a short bit of time and is then…

When Righteousness and Peace Meet Psalm 85:1–13 Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other. Psalm 85:10 Verse 10 is one of the great poetic sections of the Psalms. It is generally understood as pointing to the work of Jesus Christ in making atonement for our sins by which alone God is…

The Purpose of Judgment Psalm 83:1–18 That they may seek your name, O Lord. Psalm 83:16 Psalm 83 includes an impassioned appeal to God to overthrow and destroy Israel’s enemies (vv. 9–17). What are we to say about this? The first observation made by the psalmist is that God had destroyed Israel’s enemies in this…

Confession Psalm 79:1–13 Deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake! Psalm 79:9 Every true prayer should have within it a confession of the worshiper’s sins. This is not some morbid preoccupation. It is an inevitable result of prayer that is truly prayer to God. This is because God is holy, and…

Reasoning from God’s Attributes Psalm 77:1–20 Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God? Psalm 77:13 What Asaph the psalmist remembers about God when he reflects on the years of his working is in the stanza comprising verses 13–15. This is all about God, just as the opening stanzas of…

Pleading with God Psalm 74:1–23 Arise, O God, defend your cause. Psalm 74:22 Psalm 74 is a model for prayer because of the way it pleads with God. Or, as Charles Spurgeon said, it is an example of how we can pray to God with arguments. The psalmist wants God to take his hand out…