Posts by Josh Moody

2 Samuel 14-15, Psalm 113, Mark 14:66-72, Galatians 3:15-29 Psalm 113: This psalm is obviously a psalm of praise. But it is one thing to say “praise the Lord”; it is another thing to be compelled with authenticity to praise the Lord. This psalm bridges the gap between instruction to praise and fuel for our praises. Consider these…

2 Samuel 13, Psalm 112, Mark 14:53-65, Galatians 3:1-14 Psalm 112: There are lots of theories around about how to be “successful.” Perhaps one of the most famous is called “how to win friends and influence people.” Another is called “the seven habits of highly effective people.” This is a mere taste of the numerous books, online resources,…

2 Samuel 11-12, Psalm 111, Mark 14:43-52, Galatians 2 Psalm 111: Praising God is something that we know that we should do. After all, he is God so surely there must be a lot to praise. But we are not always as inclined to praise God as we would wish. Perhaps we do not feel “in the…

2 Samuel 8-10, Psalm 110, Mark 14:32-42, Galatians 1 Psalm 110: What a mysterious psalm this must have seemed to Old Testament readers, for its prophecies and descriptions only really make sense in the light of the person of Jesus. Remember this, Christian, you cannot understand the Old Testament without the key that unlocks its doors: the Christ.…

2 Samuel 5-7, Psalm 109, Mark 14:12-31, 2 Corinthians 13 Psalm 109: What do you do when people lie about you, deceive you, turn your words into weapons against you, and generally attack and betray you? What is a Christian to do in such situations? Our Lord Jesus teaches us that we are to “love our enemies and…

2 Samuel 3-4, Psalm 108, Mark 14:1-11, 2 Corinthians 12:11-21 Psalm 108: What do you do when you are facing challenges that are beyond your own strength? How do you not quake at the threat of difficulty, or become overwhelmed by the emotion of a scary issue or troubling turn of events? David says that his “heart is…

2 Samuel 1-2, Psalm 107, Mark 13:32-37, 2 Corinthians 2:1-12 Psalm 107: “Whoever is wise let him attend to these things.” What things precisely? This psalm is a fairly lengthy one, but it has a simple and straightforward—and very important—message. The pattern goes like this throughout the psalm: A: Some do various foolish, sinful, rebellious, even evil, things.…

1 Samuel 29-31, Psalm 106:24-48, Mark 13:14-31, 2 Corinthians 11:16-33 Psalm 106:24-48: The litany of sins of God’s people continues. They refused to enter the Promised Land (106:24-27). They worshipped idols even in the desert (106:28-31). They even caused Moses, that meekest man on the face of the planet, to become bitter (106:32-33). They did not drive out…

1 Samuel 26-28, Psalm 106:1-23, Mark 13:1-13, 2 Corinthians 11:1-15  Psalm 106:1-23: Surely few, if any, would write a song like this one today, or include its emphases in their annual report! This psalm starts out traditionally enough (“Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever”), but…

1 Samuel 24-25, Psalm 105, Mark 12:35-44, 2 Corinthians 10  Psalm 105:  We sometimes think that “giving thanks” is mainly a personal or emotional activity. Some people are more thankful than others by temperament. Others of us need to learn to be thankful. But in either case we are dealing with something that is internal, emotional—albeit able to…