Psalm 93 – “The Lord is king! He is robed in majesty. Indeed, the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength. The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. Your throne, O Lord, has stood from time immemorial. You yourself are from the everlasting past” (93:1-2).

There have been floods and raging of seas, but “the Lord above is mightier than these” (93:4).

“Your royal laws cannot be changed. Your reign, O Lord, is holy forever and ever”…

Psalm 90 – “Lord, through all the generations you have been our home. Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God” (90:1-2).

“For you, a thousand years are as a passing day, as brief as a few night hours. You sweep people away like dreams that disappear. They are like grass that springs up in the morning. In the morning it blooms and flourishes, but by evening it is dry and withered”…

Psalm 88 – “O Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out to you by day. I come to you at night. Now hear my prayer; listen to my cry. For my life is full of troubles, and death draws near” (88:1-3).

This is a prayer of one totally in despair, yet still not rejecting of God, though God is seen in many ways as the one who has caused all the pain.

“They have left me among the dead, and I lie like a corpse in a grave. I am…

Psalm 85 – “Lord, you poured out blessings on your land! You restored the fortunes of Israel. You forgave the guilt of your people—yes, you covered all their sins” (85:1-2).

You resisted destroying us for our failings. “Now restore us again, O God of our salvation. Put aside your anger against us once more” (85:4).

“I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying, for he speaks peace to his faithful people. But let them not return to their foolish…

Psalm 81 – “Sing praises to God, our strength. Sing to the God of Jacob. Sing! Beat the tambourine. Play the sweet lyre and the harp” (81:1-2). Let us celebrate our God who gave us the narrative we live by, whose presence we have felt and whose direction has given our lives purpose.

“He made it a law for Israel when he attacked Egypt to set us free. I heard an unknown voice say, ‘Now I will take the load from your shoulders;…

Psalm 78 – “O my people, listen to my instructions. Open your ears to what I am saying, for I will speak to you in a parable. I will teach you hidden lessons from our past—stories we have heard and known, stories our ancestors handed down to us” (78:1-3).

“We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders” (78:4). Another meditation on the history of the…

Psalm 73 – Psalms 73 to 83 (and 50) are twelve ascribed to Asaph. Asaphites were “temple singers” (Wikipedia). He might have been an individual though. Chronicles notes that Asaph was a descendant of Gershom the son of Levi. In 1 Chronicles 6:39, David appoints a man named Heman as the main musician or cantor and Asaph is named his assistant.

“Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose hearts pure. But as for me, I almost lost my footing. My feet were slipping, and I…

Psalm 70 – “Please, God, rescue me! Come quickly, Lord, and help me. May those who try to kill me be humiliated and put to shame. May those who take delight in my trouble be turned back in disgrace” (70:1-2).

“But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you. May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, ‘God is great!’ But as for me, I am poor and needy; please hurry to my aid, O God. You are my helper and my savior; O Lord, do not…

Psalm 68 – “Rise up, O God, and scatter your enemies. Let those who hate God run for their lives. Blow them away like smoke. Melt them like wax in a fire. Let the wicked perish in the presence of God. But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God’s presence. Let them be filled with joy” (68:1-3).

“Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—this is God, whose dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy”…

Psalm 66 – “Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles he performs for people. He made a dry path through the Red Sea, and his people went across on foot . . . For by his great power he rules forever. He watches every movement of the nations; let no rebel rise in defiance” (66:5-7).

“Our lives are in his hands, and he keeps our feet from stumbling” (66:9).

“You captured us in your net and laid the burden of slavery on our backs. Then you put a…

Psalm 62 – “I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken” (62:1-2).

“O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge” (62:8).

“Don’t make your living by extortion or put your hope in stealing. And if your wealth increases, don’t make it the center of your life” (62:10).

Right now in our country, the…

Psalm 58 – “Justice—do you rulers know the meaning of the word? Do you judge the people fairly? No! You plot injustice in your hearts. You spread violence throughout the land” (58:1-2).

“May they disappear like water into thirsty ground. Make their weapons useless in their hands” (58:7).

“The godly will rejoice when they see injustice avenged. They will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked. Then at last everyone will say, ‘There truly is a reward…

Sorry there is SO MUCH in today's post. Mondays I do two days of readings and with the psalms, that gets to be  LOT.

Psalm 50 – “The Lord, the Mighty One, is God, and he has spoken; he has summoned all humanity from where the sun rises to where it sets” (50:1)

“Our God approaches, and he is not silent. Fire devours everything in his way, and a great storm rages around him. He calls on the heavens above and earth below to witness the…

Psalm 46 – “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea” (45:1-2).

“A river brings joy to the city of our God, the sacred home of the Most High. God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed” (46:4-5)

“The nations are in chaos, and their kingdoms crumble. God’s voice thunders, and the earth melts. The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here…

Psalm 43 – “Declare me innocent, O God. Defend me against these ungodly people. Rescue me from these unjust liars. For you are God, my only safe haven. Why have you tossed me aside?” (43:1-2).

“Send out your light and your truth; let them guide me. Let them lead me to your holy mountain, to the place where you live” (43:3).

“Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior…

Psalm 40 – “I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire” (40:1-2).

“He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God” (40:3).

“You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings. Now…

Psalm 37 – “Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong. For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither” (37:1-2).

Seek your happiness in the Lord; give yourself to Him and trust in Him. Be patient and wait for Him to act. Don’t give in to anger or worry.

“Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. Stop…

Psalm 31 – “O Lord, I have come to you for protection; don’t let me be disgraced. Save me, for you do what is right. Turn your ear to listen to me; rescue me quickly. Be my rock of protection, a fortress where I will be safe. You are my rock and my fortress” (31:1-3).

 “You see my suffering; you know my trouble .  . . Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in trouble; my eyes are tired from so much crying; I am completely worn out. I am exhausted by sorrow, and weeping has…

Psalm 26 – “Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart. For I am always aware of your unfailing love, and I have lived according to your truth” (26:2-3).

“I hate the gatherings of those who do evil, and I refuse to join in with the wicked. I wash my hands to declare my innocence. I come to your altar, O Lord, singing a song of thanksgiving and telling of all your wonders” (26:5-7).

“I love your sanctuary, Lord,…

Psalm 22 – Christ’s prayer in extremis: “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? I have cried desperately for help, but still it does not come. During the day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer; I call at night, but get no rest” (22:1-2).

Yes, there are times when it feels like this. Laura Story’s song, “Blessings” comes to my mind. It’s a contemporary psalm:…