Psalms
Who rules the world? (Psalm 2)
Psalm 2:1-12 What are the things that most worry you when you listen to or watch the news? Is it the way our Western world is increasingly antagonistic to Christian values and becomes more and more confused and erratic in…
The secret of a flourishing life (Psalm 1)
Ps 1:1-6 Part of the year that I worked for a mission reaching out to international students in the UK, I was hosted by an elderly couple who had several grandfather clocks in their house. These cheerfully chimed every fifteen…
What happens when we exclude God from our life?
Psalm 53:1-6 In the early days of their marriage, a dear friend’s husband went off to a two-day conference to another city without telling his wife. He had been a bachelor for so long that he simply forgot he was…
What if God had not been on our side? (Psalm 124)
Ps 124:1-8 In my early twenties, I was going to a friend’s wedding in Budapest. Having just returned from a trip to the UK, I got used to looking right when crossing the road. I was in an unfamiliar part…
The secret to renewing our walk with God (Psalm 103)
Ps 103:1-22 The New Year is traditionally a time of stocktaking and making resolutions, but so often these peter out within a few weeks. Our determination for a renewed walk with God (more Bible reading, prayer, becoming more loving, humble,…
Is God involved in human affairs? (Ps 33:10-22)
Ps 33:10-22 The first part of this psalm was focused on God’s character and His work of creation (see my post Why should we praise God?), the second treats His involvement in human affairs. But is God really in charge…
Why should we praise God? (Psalm 33:1-9)
Psalm 33:1-9 When I moved to the UK, I wondered how people could smile and joke even when their life was falling apart. They seemed more together than Hungarians who often responded to the how-are-you question with a string of…
Ways to cultivate a life of joy (Psalm 100)
Ps 100:1-5 There are some Christians who radiate an inner peace and joy, so that those who meet them walk away refreshed and reassured that somehow all is well with the world. It is not that they manage to evade…
The path to life (Psalm 16)
Psalm 16:1-11 This psalm is used both by Peter at Pentecost and Paul later (Acts 2:27-33; 13:34-39) to support the idea that Messiah had to die and be raised to life again, thus it is an appropriate passage to reflect…
How can we face trouble with hope? (Psalm 27)
Ps 27:1-14 The New Year gives us a sense of a new beginning, a chance to re-think our priorities, to break old patterns and establish new ones. If we got stuck in bad habits, or our thinking and emotions move…