Seeing Jesus in the Psalms

  Psalm 126 A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. 1 When the Lord brought back his exiles to Jerusalem, it was like a dream! 2 We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, “What amazing things the Lord has done for them.” 3 Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us! What joy! 4 Restore our fortunes, Lord, as streams renew the desert. 5 Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. 6 They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest. A bit about weeping I’m a bit of a cry baby. If you have watched a movie with me, an episode of the Chosen, or stood near me in church during a song service, you may have seen me weeping. I am moved when I think of what God has done, and I weep when I realise what I hope God will yet do. Psalms 126 is a song expressing a expansive breadth of emotion. I believe it is healthy to express emotion and even to aid its expression. Much has been said in Christian writi...

Psalm 124 A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. A psalm of David. 1 What if the Lord had not been on our side?     Let all Israel repeat: 2 What if the Lord had not been on our side     when people attacked us? 3 They would have swallowed us alive     in their burning anger. 4 The waters would have engulfed us;     a torrent would have overwhelmed us. 5 Yes, the raging waters of their fury     would have overwhelmed our very lives. 6 Praise the Lord,     who did not let their teeth tear us apart! 7 We escaped like a bird from a hunter’s trap.     The trap is broken, and we are free! 8 Our help is from the Lord,     who made heaven and earth. Oh to be free! Free like a bird. Oh to have escaped the terrors of bondage. I knew immediately how to respond to Psalm 124. And as I write it I hear the voice of mockers who tell me I a...

  Psalm 106 Need a boost? Then this is the Psalm for you. Oh not a sugar-coated, lying boost of falsehoods but a real-life emotional rollercoaster of a relationship that shows how much of a hero God is for His people and an invitation for you to join. In fact the Psalm starts and ends with the opportunity to Praise the Lord. And not just randomly but with reasons, because God is good. Good? you may ask, and the author says Yes, of course good--look, His faithful love endures forever. And we all know forever is a really long time. You’ll need forever, though, because you have been challenged to make a list of all of God’s glorious miracles and of course, that will take you forever. So get on with it. Make your list. I have made such a list and found indeed I didn’t have enough time or paper to complete it. The glorious miracles of God are more than we can count. You can start with a couple of personal miracles. Look in the mirror and ask yourself, are you like God: Do you have joy...

Psalm 87 Citizenship is sometimes a confusing part of our identity. I have many foreign-born friends and acquaintances. And interestingly, some of my friends of foreign identity were born in Belgium but adamantly identify as Italian. Lyssa and I are Belgian. Don’t you believe me? My identity card says I am. But my passports from England and America both say I am a citizen of those countries respectively.  “When the LORD registers the nations, he will say, ‘ They have all become citizens of Jerusalem. ’” Interlude Psalms 87:6 It looks like I will (or already) have at least one more citizenship. Another close friend, when asked her country of origin, prefers to reply, “I am a European.”  Paul says that you can even be broader and more inclusive if you have faith in Christ. “In the new life there is no difference between Greeks and Jews, those who are circumcised and those who are not circumcised, or people who are foreigners, or Scythians. There is no difference between slaves...