Posts by Josh Moody

Genesis 25-26, Psalm 10, Matthew 5:1-12, Acts 6 Psalm 10: It is the constant experience of God’s people that God sometimes seems to go quiet when things get tough. Where is God? That is the cry of many a beleaguered soul, even a devout and pious soul. Such feelings are the ones that give rise to this psalm.…

Genesis 24, Psalm 9, Matthew 4:18-25, Acts 5:17-42 Psalm 9: Psalm 9 begins conventionally enough. It starts with giving thanks to God. And the reasons for the thanksgiving are well known: gratitude for what God has done (his “wonderful deeds”) and ultimately for who God is in himself (“I will be glad and exult in you”). But having…

Genesis 21-23, Psalm 8, Matthew 4:12-17, Acts 5:1-16 Psalm 8: One of the many reasons for faith and worship is the astonishing, majestic pattern of the universe in which we live. In David’s ancient cosmology, this thought is the same that resonates through this psalm. “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in the all the…

Genesis 18-20, Psalm 7, Matthew 4:1-11, Acts 4:23-37 Psalm 7: We do not know who this “Cush” was, but presumably he had said things about David that deeply wounded him, and indeed threatened to personally damage him. His “words” seemed, David felt, to be like a “lion” that might “tear his soul apart.” This was not a mere…

Genesis 15-17, Psalm 6, Matthew 3:13-17, Acts 4:1-22  Psalm 6: There are two measures of a leader. One, how many people are following him. Two, how many people hate him. You are no leader without followers. But if there are none who oppose, then likely as not, you are not leading your followers anywhere. David was a great…

Genesis 12-14, Psalm 5, Matthew 3:1-12, Acts 3 Psalm 5: David is groaning. The lies of his enemies (“there is no truth in their mouth . . . their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue”) have left him frustrated. But rather than take vengeance himself, he turns his frustrations over to God. Let this…

Genesis 9-11, Psalm 4, Matthew 2:13-23, Acts 2:22-47 Psalm 4: The “distress” of David in this psalm appears more related to those who, through cunning use of words, turn his honor into shame, using vain words and seeking after lies. David may well be experiencing slander, gossip, or the tasty bitterness of finding someone is misinterpreting your words…

Genesis 5-8, Psalm 3, Matthew 2:1-12, Acts 2:1-21 Psalm 3: This psalm is all the more remarkable for the context of Absalom and his rebellion against David. Read 2 Samuel 16:5-14 to gain some sense of the pain, anguish, and suffering that David was experiencing. Wandering away from his capital, seeking refuge from thousands who,…

Genesis 3-4, Psalm 2, Matthew 1:18-25, Acts 1:12-26 Psalm 2: Originally written of the Davidic kingdom, but fulfilled in the Kingdom of the Son of God, this psalm gives great confidence to us when we are surrounded by oppression, difficulties, and calamity. The Psalm begins by observing the rebellious “raging” of the nations against God…

Genesis 1-2, Psalm 1, Matthew 1:1-17, Acts 1:1-11 Psalm 1: The hymn book of the church. The panoply of praise. The treasury of David. It has been given various names, but this collection of Psalms, songs, and reflections are built upon two great truths. First, God is real. Second, his covenant is reliable. Therefore, the Psalms…