A PRAYER FOR THE AFFLICTED WHEN OVERWHELMED The inscription above this psalm describes it as a “prayer of the afflicted when he is overwhelmed.” Certainly, there is a need for concrete language to truly capture the condition of the afflicted. The hurting are in need of words of expression that they might lift up to
THE MYSTERY OF THE ONE WHO CAME AFTER AND BEFORE John the Baptist was born six months before Jesus (see Luke 1:36). So, in that sense, Jesus came “after” John. Yet the Spirit had revealed to John that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God, therefore He had existed “before” John and had preference
THE NECESSITY OF THE GOSPEL ACCOMPLISHED AND PREACHED The risen Lord Jesus opened His disciples’ understanding of the Scriptures, so that they might see the necessity of Christ’s suffering and resurrection, in order to fulfill the Scriptures. And not only that, but the necessity that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His
BE CAREFUL WHEN SAYING ‘I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL’ John Donne wrote that “no man is an island,” illustrating his conviction that we should recognize the unity and commonality of all humanity. Yet, the Proverb teaches that there is within a man that which cannot be fully shared nor understood by another. For the depth
WHICH SIDE OF THE CROSS ARE YOU ON? In the gospel of Luke, it is recorded that Jesus was crucified between two criminals, one on either side. In the crowd watching the crucifixion were certain Jewish leaders who sneered at Jesus saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ.” The
LET US SAY AMONG THE NATIONS THAT THE LORD REIGNS The psalmist encouraged God’s people to spread the message among the nations of the world that the Lord reigns. The Lord God is King over all. Therefore, the world and its peoples shall not be moved apart from His righteous judgment. Viewed through the
THE LORD HAS A COMFORT FOR YOUR EVERY CARE Do you have a “multitude of anxieties?” Are you worried and afraid about many things? Have you been bottling up your distress “within” you? Why not open up to the Lord about it? For He has a multitude of comforts that can bring delight to your
JESUS PRAYS AND INTERCEDES FOR US Jesus told Peter that He had prayed for him. Knowing that it was the night before His trial and crucifixion, Jesus prayed for Peter. Knowing that Peter would deny Him three times in only a few hours, Jesus prayed for him. He told Peter this so that he wouldn’t
WHAT DO YOU SAY WHEN TEMPTATION OR TROUBLE COMES? The psalmist declared in advance his intent to call on the Lord when facing a trap or temptation of an enemy or a deadly disease. He said, “I will say.” In other words, He had predetermined how he would respond if temptation or trouble were to
LIFT UP YOUR HEADS REDEMPTION DRAWETH NIGH After some of His disciples expressed admiration for the beauty of the Jerusalem Temple, Jesus told them that a day was coming when not one stone would be left upon another. The disciples asked when such a thing would happen. So Jesus described to them the signs of