Jesus, in His humanity, experienced a judicial separation from God the Father for three hours while bearing the punishment for our sins on the cross. Jesus’ judicial separation from the Father was necessary for Him to atone for humanity’s sins.
Category: Psalms
God Alone is My Rock – Psalm 62
Psalm 62 is a picture of confidence in the Lord as David faces a threatening situation and counsels his own soul to operate and abide by divine viewpoint. David seeks to calm his soul with divine viewpoint rather than let it focus on unsettling circumstances which create anxiety. David knows that God is powerful and good and will provide what he needs as his Rock, Refuge, and Savior. In this way, David is able to apply God’s Word to his situation and stabilize his own soul in the midst of adversity.
God is our Refuge and Strength – Psalm 46:1-11
Psalm 46 is classified as one of the Psalms of Zion. The others include Psalm 48, 76, 84, 87, and 122. These songs of Zion celebrate Jerusalem as the place where God dwells with His people (i.e., the city of God). Psalm 46 focuses on God as the refuge and strength of His people when they turn to Him in a time of distress. This psalm is very personal. God is declared to be “our refuge and strength” (Psa 46:1b), and “is with us” and “is our refuge” (Psa 46:7, 11). The theme of God as a refuge and strength is repeated throughout the psalms where the Lord is the source of His people’s strength (Psa 29:11; 68:35), their refuge (Psa 14:6; 61:3; 62:7-8; 71:7; 73:28; 91:2; 142:5), and their stronghold (Psa 9:9; 18:2; 48:3; 59:9, 16-17). The wise seek Him because they are a people in need (Psa 22:19; 27:9; 40:13; 44:26; 63:7). This Psalm inspired Martin Luther to write his hymn, A Mighty Fortress is Our God.
The Psalmist’s Early Morning Devotions
So, there I was, up at 2:30 AM studying my Bible (my normal study time from 2-5 AM), when I read the words of the psalmist, who said, “My eyes anticipate the nighttime hours, that I may meditate on Your Word” (Psa 119:148). My heart leapt. I’m not alone. Praise God! I’d found an ancient … Continue reading The Psalmist’s Early Morning Devotions
A Song of Ascent – Psalm 126
Psalm 126 is a song of ascent is a praise, a prayer, and an expectation of restored blessing. It praises God for the return of His people back to the land; presumably from Babylonian captivity (vss. 1-3). It also requests the Lord restore even more captives (vs 4). Finally, those who struggled to cultivate the land were encouraged to be persistent, knowing they would eventually experience the joy of harvest (vss. 5-6).
A Song of Ascents – Psalm 123
Psalm 123 is one of fifteen songs of ascent (Psa 120 to 134), of which four are attributed to David (Psa 122, 124, 131, 133) and one to Solomon (Psa 127). The Mishmash states these psalms were sung on the fifteen steps that led up to the temple; however, it is more likely they were sung by pilgrims as they traveled up to Jerusalem, as stated in Psalm 122:1-2 and 125:1-2. Whether Jerusalem or the temple, these psalms were intended to prepare the worshiper’s mind to look to the Lord in faith. Spurgeon states, “Yet we must use our eyes with resolution, for they will not go upward to the Lord of themselves, but they incline to look downward, or inward, or anywhere but to the Lord.”
Seek Your Servant – Psalm 119:169-176
Psalm 119 presents the psalmist as one who has wandered away from God, but cries for understanding and deliverance that he might praise and worship Him.
Establish Our Footsteps – Psalm 119:129-136
In Psalm 119:129-136, the psalmist seeks God, His grace and His word to sustain him when facing oppression. God's acts in history reveal He is gracious and good, so the psalmist pleads for the Lord to uphold him as he is obedient to His word.
God’s Word Sustains Us – Psalm 119:89-96
In this pericope, the psalmist set his mind upon the Lord and contemplated His Word and faithfulness; and though he faced hardship, he was strengthened and sustained by learning and living God’s Word, which is boundless and never fails.
Choosing the Faithful Way – Psalm 119:25-32
In Psalm 119:25-32, the psalmist expressed himself as one who faced great distress and who cried out to the Lord for strength. Though faced with conflict, he committed himself to pursue God and to run in His ways. His desire was to have enhanced knowledge of God’s Word, which would strengthen his soul and increase his capacity for righteous living. The benefit was a soul set free to run with God and a knowledge and capacity to do His will.
The Lord is My Shepherd – Psalm 23
The 23rd psalm is known and appreciated by many, but it belongs personally only to those who call God their shepherd. It is a song of David’s confidence in God who faithfully provides for him. David pictures God as a shepherd who guides, provides, and protects (vss. 1-4), and as a dinner host who nourishes and refreshes His guest (vs. 5-6). One gets the impression that David wrote this psalm at a time when he was experiencing hardship (perhaps when he was fleeing in the wilderness from Absalom). The psalm reveals a confidence in David’s soul, no doubt the result of his relationship with God and his trust in the LORD’s goodness and loyal-love. Whatever threat David was facing, he could rely on God’s goodness and lovingkindness, and David knew the end of his life would be “in the house of the LORD forever” (vs. 6).