Archive for May 2022

1 Samuel 14, Psalm 100, Mark 11:12-26, 2 Corinthians 5 Psalm 100: Thanksgiving is not merely reserved for the annual American celebration of Thanksgiving. It is a characteristic of the mature Christian life. Christians struggle; they have difficulties; they suffer. But in the middle of it all, there is open to us a life that is embedded with…

1 Samuel 11-13, Psalm 99, Mark 11:1-11, 2 Corinthians 4 Psalm 99: The beginning of this psalm makes a fascinating contrast with the start of Psalm 97. Psalm 97, verse 1: “The Lord reigns; let the earth rejoice;” Psalm 99 verse 1: “The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble!” Both are appropriate responses to the reign of the…

1 Samuel 9-10, Psalm 98, Mark 10:35-52, 2 Corinthians 3   Psalm 98: Once more the psalmist calls us to sing in joy to God! We are to sing a “new song.” It is easy to begin to go through life with furrowed brow and hunched back, looking down at your feet and smiling with the corners of…

1 Samuel 6-8, Psalm 97, Mark 10:17-34, 2 Corinthians 2  Psalm 97: In today’s culture, authority is often seen as something to resist. We assume that the word “authority” carries with it connotations of dictatorship, naked power, illegitimate control, even abuse. But the Bible looks at authority quite differently. Certainly there can be abuses of power and authority.…

1 Samuel 3-5, Psalm 96, Mark 10:1-16, 2 Corinthians 1:12-24 Psalm 96: The psalmist fills his mouth with delight as he savors the opportunity to sing a “new song”! The Bible often encourages us to sing a new song (Psalm 33:3, 40:3, 98:1, 144:9, 149:1; Isaiah 42:10; Revelation 5:9, 14:3). This “new song” is both an expression of…

1 Samuel 1-2, Psalm 95, Mark 9:33-50, 2 Corinthians 1:1-11 Psalm 95: The psalmist is calling us to sing, and to sing with joy (95:1-2). But why? What is it that should cause us to burst forth with songs of joy, to make a joyful noise? He gives two reasons and one consequence. The first reason is “For…