“Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days” (Ecclesiastes 11:1 ESV). Solomon gave his readers a memorable saying that has invited several interpretations. Some have understood “bread” as seed, picturing a farmer sowing liberally upon floodwaters and later finding a crop after the waters receded. Others have seen it

“For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death” (2 Corinthians 7:10 ESV). Paul had written to the Corinthian believers about sin that needed to be confronted, and his earlier letter had caused them sorrow. Yet Paul rejoiced because their sorrow had not ended in mere regret.

“Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm!” (Psalm 47:6–7 ESV). The sons of Korah called God’s people to praise Him because He reigned as King, not merely over Israel, but over “all the earth.” Five

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10 ESV). The sons of Korah wrote Psalm 46 to God’s people in a world filled with turmoil. The earth gave way, mountains trembled, waters roared, nations raged, and kingdoms tottered. Yet

“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness; you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness” (Psalm 45:6–7 ESV). The sons of Korah wrote Psalm 45 as a royal wedding song, celebrating a Davidic

“Rise up; come to our help! Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!” (Psalm 44:26 ESV). Psalm 44 was written as a communal lament for God’s suffering people. The psalmists remembered how God had given Israel victory in the past, yet they now found themselves defeated, humiliated, and oppressed. What made their suffering

“Behold, God is great, and we know him not; the number of his years is unsearchable” (Job 36:26 ESV). Elihu spoke these words to Job as he called him to consider the greatness of God. When he said, “we know him not,” he did not mean that God could not be known at all. Rather,

“For God speaks in one way, and in two, though man does not perceive it (Job 33:14 ESV). Elihu spoke after Job and his three friends had exhausted their arguments. Elihu said that God spoke in ways people did not always recognize. He described two ways. First, God could speak through warning, using dreams and

“The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender” (Proverbs 22:7 ESV). Solomon warned about the power money and debt could exercise over people. He was not giving an absolute prohibition against every form of borrowing, but a warning about its dangers. The Old Testament regulated lending rather than

“As for me, I said, ‘O LORD, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against you!’” (Psalm 41:4 ESV). David wrote Psalm 41 as a man who was suffering while surrounded by enemies who hoped for his downfall. Yet before focusing on what others had done against him, David acknowledged his own