We are continuing our series of reflections on the Psalms. Each day we will upload a new reflection to the website. We hope and pray that you will find them helpful and that they bring hope during this season. Click on these buttons to read the text of the psalm or listen to a recording of it. You can also listen to the reflection using the audio player below.

Read Psalm 94:1-11  Listen to Psalm 94:1-11

This is an interesting psalm; it calls for God to take vengeance. The psalmist addresses God regarding the wickedness he saw around him. They plead with God as they feel responsible to do so. Do we plead with God when we see wrong doing around us?

The psalmist believed that God alone was able to correct the evils they saw. They use the term "how long" twice (verse 3) and this could indicate that the psalmist has been protesting about the situation for some time. Do we keep praying when we want Gods to intervene?

The psalmist calls on God as they see that it is their responsibility to do so. And acknowledges God ultimate judgment, God is the “Judge of the earth” (verse 2). The beginning of this psalm encourages and reminds us to turn to God in petition and persistence when we see wrong around us.

Lord God, help us to turn to you in prayer and petition when we see wrong doings.

We are continuing our series of reflections on the Psalms. Each day we will upload a new reflection to the website. We hope and pray that you will find them helpful and that they bring hope during this season. Click on these buttons to read the text of the psalm or listen to a recording of it. You can also listen to the reflection using the audio player below.

Read Psalm 93  Listen to Psalm 93

Here we see two important things about God…

A) The Lord reigns! The idea of God’s reign here is repeated a few times to emphasise this truth. His reign is from long ago and for all eternity (verse 2). The picture of the waters is about strong things that seem to oppose God. A flood of water can seem unstoppable and devastating. Like the mighty waves of the ocean, the floods symbolise revolt against God bringing disorder. Yet God’s rule is unrivalled for he is mighty.

B) The Lord is holy. This reminds us that God’s strength works through his perfect moral character, his holiness. God will never do anything that is not morally perfect, so we can trust him completely.

Can you imagine what it would be like if God were mighty but not holy, he would be an out of control despot. Now imagine if God were holy, but not mighty. He would never be able to defeat the world’s evils! Praise God that he is both.

We are to be holy because God is holy. Fortunately, the Holy Spirit helps us work this out into our everyday lives. During a troubled time in a church, I read this psalm as a declaration that, THE LORD REIGNS! After a while, the situation began to change, and God’s blessing was poured out.

Lord, thank you that you reign in our troubled world today. Help me to live a life of trust and holiness before you.

We are continuing our series of reflections on the Psalms. Each day we will upload a new reflection to the website. We hope and pray that you will find them helpful and that they bring hope during this season. Click on these buttons to read the text of the psalm or listen to a recording of it. You can also listen to the reflection using the audio player below.

Read Psalm 92  Listen to Psalm 92

This psalm is titled "for the Sabbath day," although the title may refer to it being used on the Sabbath, rather than being about the day of rest. The origin of a Sabbath day of rest is in the story of Creation. God created the heavens and the earth in six days and on the seventh day he rested. For the Jewish people this was from sundown on Friday evening to sundown on Saturday. The focus of the psalm is praise of the Lord, because of what he has done. Verses 4-5 could be a reference to God's work of creation.

The early church moved from the observance of the Sabbath on a Saturday to Sunday, the Lord's Day, becoming the holy day on which to celebrate and remember the resurrection - the day of New Creation. St Paul in his writings did not explicitly expect Christians to observe a Sabbath day, and suggested it may just be a shadow having been replaced by Jesus (Colossians 2:16-17; Galatians 4:3-12, Romans 14:5-13). The Sabbath was not in the letter to Gentile believers, from the Jerusalem Council, about what aspects of Jewish law they should keep (Acts 15:22-31).

In recent years in this country, Sunday has become like most of days of the week. The shops are open and many people have to work. Squeezing as much work as possible into the time we have seems a national pastime, sometimes out of necessity, but often out of choice. So many of us have had an enforced period of rest over the months of lockdown. The roads cleared of traffic, the skies cleared of aircraft. Pollution levels fell around the world as factories suspended their work. I'm sure the sky was bluer, and there were certainly less clouds formed by aeroplane vapour trails.

So, now that lockdown is easing, what of Sabbath rest? Rest is good for the body and the mind. Humanity was given a commission to protect and care for creation (Genesis 2:15). How we work affects the world around us. How can we adopt the principal of the Sabbath in our busy lives?

Lord Jesus, show me how to use my time, when I should work and when I should rest. Help me understand how to protect and care for your creation.

We are continuing our series of reflections on the Psalms. Each day we will upload a new reflection to the website. We hope and pray that you will find them helpful and that they bring hope during this season. Click on these buttons to read the text of the psalm or listen to a recording of it. You can also listen to the reflection using the audio player below.

Read Psalm 91  Listen to Psalm 91

This psalm is a prayer of encouragement to trust God for protection and security. It has been known as the Soldier's Prayer and, during the Covid-19 pandemic, has been used to pray for protection from coronavirus disease. The psalmist talks about God's protection: "He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge;" (verse 4) and "A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you" (verse 7). However, does this mean that if we pray this psalm that no harm will befall us? Christians are not immune from illness. We will know of some who have had coronavirus and sadly also who may have died as a result.

We need to be careful when we read the Bible that we do not pick verses out of context and use them as a kind lucky charm to twist God's arm. As with reading all Scripture we should ask these questions. Firstly, what was the original intent of the words of the Bible? This means looking at the historical context and the literary context - what did it mean to the person who wrote it and to the people who first heard it. Secondly, what does the text mean here and now? How can we interpret the text and apply it today? In doing so, it cannot mean something that it did not originally mean. Also, when reading the Old Testament, we must use the lens of Jesus and the New Testament to help our understanding.

When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, the enemy quoted verses 11-12. Jesus responded with more Scripture: "Do not put the Lord your God to the test" (Deuteronomy 6:16).  So if this psalm is not a way to test God then how can we use it? The Bible and church history bear witness to the fact that the people of God suffer. Those that have gone before us have died for the Gospel, and in many places around the world, Christians face persecution today. So rather than being a recipe that if we do A then God will do B, Psalm 91 is a prayer offering hope. In verse 15 the psalmist says, "I will be with him in trouble." God does not promise a trouble-free life, but he promises to be with us when we suffer, even in our darkest hour. Jesus entered this world to be God with us, to suffer with us and to die for us.

Father God, thank you that you are with me in my times of trouble. Thank you that you hear my prayer in my darkest times, that you have saved me and that you will deliver me. Today Lord, I ask for your help with ...

We are continuing our series of reflections on the Psalms. Each day we will upload a new reflection to the website. We hope and pray that you will find them helpful and that they bring hope during this season. Click on these buttons to read the text of the psalm or listen to a recording of it. You can also listen to the reflection using the audio player below.

Read Psalm 90  Listen to Psalm 90

This psalm reminds us all of the brevity of human life compared to God’s eternity. The opening three verses are a great statement of his eternal nature, “from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” Human beings, by contrast, are creatures of dust (Genesis 3:19). We are not only mortal but extremely short-lived. Amongst all the ups and downs of life, our only hope is in him who was God before the formation of the world.

Verses 7-11 describe God’s wrath and displeasure at mankind’s sinfulness and goes on to acknowledge that all our sins, even the ‘secret’ ones in our brief life span, will come under God’s judgement unless we find mercy. The writer doesn’t seem to be complaining, but just accepting the realism of his situation.

The last six verses are written as a prayer. “Teach us to number our days aright that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Proverbs 9:10 says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Life is so short that it is folly to ignore God. If we find our peace in the love of God ‘early’ we shall be “glad all our days” which will make up for all the troubles we have had in life. Finally, the writer talks about our life’s work, which is only of any real value if it is done in co-operation and with the blessing of God. Our human ‘achievements’ amount to nothing if we leave him out and will not last unless they are established by him.

In conclusion, the shortness of life should compel us to seek a heart of wisdom, to make God our refuge, to find rest in his love and be fruitful under his blessing.

Father, please give all your children a heart of true wisdom. May all our labour be subject to your will so that it bears much lasting fruit. May we never forget that you are our refuge and strength for ever.

We are continuing our series of reflections on the Psalms. Each day we will upload a new reflection to the website. We hope and pray that you will find them helpful and that they bring hope during this season. Click on these buttons to read the text of the psalm or listen to a recording of it. You can also listen to the reflection using the audio player below.

Read Psalm 89:38-52  Listen to Psalm 89:38-52

So it seems God has kept his word and rejected David's son who has offended. God has removed the covenant he had made with him and now people are suffering. Although God would not destroy the covenant he had made with his people, he said he would not tolerate wrong-doing on the part of different individuals. So David's son, who had broken God's law, was punished – his reputation was ruined, he didn't get God's protection in battle, he became an old man prematurely – basically God turned away from him.

It seems God reacted very vigorously to the sin committed and over a long period of time. It appears there is some knowledge of God's reaction to sin and his zero tolerance of such wrongdoing. “Will this go on for ever?” the psalmist asks. Had he hoped for some sort of quick fix from God? Ethan prays to God – appeals to God to show His love again before life's end. The writer appeals to God to remember the love he had for David, (where is your earlier great love?) He wants God to remember what he had vowed to David and his descendants and therefore restore his relationship with David's son.

How important it is to maintain our relationship with our heavenly Father. His all-forgiving love through Jesus enables us to have that fellowship with him. He has vowed never to leave us or forsake us but we must maintain our side of the relationship by seeking God and repenting when we go wrong.

Father God, thank you that through your Son Jesus, you have shown your all-forgiving love for us.

We are continuing our series of reflections on the Psalms. Each day we will upload a new reflection to the website. We hope and pray that you will find them helpful and that they bring hope during this season. Click on these buttons to read the text of the psalm or listen to a recording of it. You can also listen to the reflection using the audio player below.

Read Psalm 89:1-37  Listen to Psalm 89:1-37

The psalmist expresses in song his desire to sing for ever of his experience of God's faithful love for him. He also declares God's promise that David will be the first of a kingly line, which we now know culminated in the eternal reign of Jesus Christ. He then reminds us that the whole of creation praises God for the wonderful things he has done and created. He acknowledges that God is in overall control of his world; he is all-powerful, his rule is based on righteousness and justice. He continues to be in charge of his creation.

Ethan says those who have learned to praise God and walk in His light will be blessed. He records God spoke to his people to tell them he had anointed David to be his regent ruling over Israel. Such love God has for David that he says it will last for ever and the promise to his descendants for ever, even if they break his law. Whatever they do God may punish them for it but he will still love them. His promise to David's descendants will never be broken. The Davidic line will indeed be eternal in the coming of Jesus, (“great David's greater Son") who now reigns in heaven at God's right hand.

Father God, thank you for establishing David's line, which culminated in the birth of Jesus, who has established a place for each of His followers in your kingdom. Thank you for blessing us as we worship you.

We are continuing our series of reflections on the Psalms. Each day we will upload a new reflection to the website. We hope and pray that you will find them helpful and that they bring hope during this season. Click on these buttons to read the text of the psalm or listen to a recording of it. You can also listen to the reflection using the audio player below.

Read Psalm 88  Listen to Psalm 88

This is surely the saddest of all the Psalms. It is a cry from the depths, the prayer of one on the edge of death, who feels like his whole life has been lived in the near vicinity of the grave. He has been so troubled and even feels he has been subject God’s wrath (verse 7). All his friends have abandoned him, as if he has an infectious disease (verse 8). In other lament psalms hope is experienced at some point and often at the end, but not this one. Even though it starts claiming that God saves, it ends in complete darkness. His agony was deep in the soul and was not just physical, but mental and emotional pain.

The psalmist describes how he is feeling very graphically – down in the pit, no strength, darkest depths, overwhelmed by waves, no friends, dim eyes, close to death since young, God’s terrors and wrath. He is very depressed, but he continues to cry out to God for help (verses 1, 9, 13), so maybe he has a glimmer of hope that God will bring his salvation, suggesting a true, but feeble faith.

He doesn’t seem sure of life after death (verse 9-12), but we now have a sure hope as Jesus talked about heaven and hell and he has done all that is needed for us to have eternal life.

Have you ever felt your situation is hopeless? Felt really sad? Even then God is with you and will not stop loving you, no matter how dark a place you are in. He will never leave you or forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6). If we struggle with feeling depressed it is not due to a lack of faith. Sometimes God empties us so he can refill us, remains silent so we can learn to listen and allows darkness so we can see that he only is the true light of our life.

Dear God, please help me believe that no matter how down I feel, you are there with me and will always love me and care for me. I am fearfully and wonderfully made and you have good plans prepared for me.

We are continuing our series of reflections on the Psalms. Each day we will upload a new reflection to the website. We hope and pray that you will find them helpful and that they bring hope during this season. Click on these buttons to read the text of the psalm or listen to a recording of it. You can also listen to the reflection using the audio player below.

Read Psalm 87  Listen to Psalm 87

In this prophetic psalm the word Zion crops up a lot. In Old Testament times Zion was an actual mountain by Jerusalem, but Zion was also used to represent Jerusalem, the city of David, or the temple. It could also represent at times the whole Jewish nation, and in Psalm 9 the place where God is enthroned. In the New Testament, the fulfilment of the prophecy is that our Lord Jesus is the precious cornerstone; the point of reference from which Zion, his church is built.

The great news is that God loves his church which, even in this psalm, is made up of people from all nations and races. The good news is for everyone! When we reflect on the fact that God loves being with his people, this can change our perspective. We don’t have to struggle to reach God, we don’t have to be super spiritual. He wants to be with us and Jesus came to us, so let’s not neglect or ignore this precious gift.

During the hot spring and early summer I daily watered my green house plants. They grew and thrived. As the weather became more temperate, I was not as diligent and as it rained a few times I would not think about watering. So it was no surprise that on my next trip to the greenhouse my tomatoes and cucumbers were wilted and very sorry looking.

When the heat is on we can be very good at seeking the Lord and praying. Water brings life and the Bible uses springs, rivers and water to represent spiritual life.

Sometimes when all is going well, do you find yourself neglecting to tend your spiritual life? Are we making time to drink deeply ? So we can say, as this psalm does, ALL my fountains are in you?

P.S. The plants are fine.

Thank you Lord, that you love being with your people. Help us to drink deeply and continually from you.

We are continuing our series of reflections on the Psalms. Each day we will upload a new reflection to the website. We hope and pray that you will find them helpful and that they bring hope during this season. Click on these buttons to read the text of the psalm or listen to a recording of it. You can also listen to the reflection using the audio player below.

Read Psalm 86  Listen to Psalm 86

This is believed to be a prayer of David. Despite pressure, physical attacks and the need for help and deliverance, the writer has a foundational belief in the goodness of God that keeps bursting out.

God is good, he is forgiving, he abounds in love, does marvellous deeds, is compassionate, gracious, faithful, slow to anger and, most important of all, God is personal, “my” God, whose great love is towards me. How come that sometimes we find this core knowledge of God’s goodness so difficult to rest upon, as the psalmist does?

God gave family, government and his people, now “the church”, as places that should be a reflection of his Kingdom, that should confirm the goodness of God. But sadly sometimes these have let us down or even - much worse - caused deep damage, so though our heads might agree with the knowledge of God’s goodness, our hearts might be in pain and crying out.

Thank heavens that we have the helper, the Holy Spirit, alongside to come and soften, restore, heal and fill our hearts with his love. We might have to be brave and face forgotten hurts, or forgive others and ourselves, we might need a trusted friend to pray with us, and we all need to keep coming to the cross to be refilled, so that we can join David in knowing the truth that God’s great love is towards us.

Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth, give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.