Psalms | Be Still...

Psalm 98 – Make a Joyful Noise!

nativity scene silhouette against colorful background with lights

How do you respond to the birth of your Savior? When you read this beautiful psalm of praise on any other day of the year, it’s uplifting. When you read it on Christmas (when I originally published this reflection), it has a special significance. I just had to share this with you.

Merry Christmas! Celebrating Jesus’ birth can be done every day of the year. It continues to be one of those mysteries we welcome. God became one of us. That’s a big deal. Certainly a “wonderful deed” as the psalmist writes. In Jesus, we have access to the one who orchestrated such a miracle.

Psalm 89:1-8 – A Heart of Praise

Read Psalm 89:1-8

Take a breath! If you’ve been “burning the candle on both ends,” you are ready to take a break. Amid our chaos, we can always turn to Jesus. We can always seek refreshment in the praise and worship of our king. Join with the psalmist in proclaiming, “Your unfailing love will last forever. Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.”

There is a beautiful Advent message here for us as well. We are reminded of God’s promise to have a king reign forever from the line of David. Jesus is that fulfillment. He will reign supreme from above and in our hearts. We are so privileged to have that opportunity. Why do so many people ignore or avoid such a beautiful gift?

Psalm 15:1-5 💜 Am I Good Enough?

Read Psalm 15:1-5

How does God desire us to live? That’s the theme we’re investigating now. It seems our psalmist is asking the question, “who is good enough to worship God?” In other words, he’s asking God to set some standards or expectations.

God calls his people to be obedient. When we accept Jesus into our lives, we can’t help but be transformed. When the Spirit is alive and well inside us, we will crave to please God. These verses give us a glimpse into sinful behaviors we should be aware of.

Psalm 119:9-16 💚 Delight in the Word

Read Psalm 119:9-16

woman with arms outstretched looking at a blue sky full of floating balloons

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible! The whole thing is a great meditation on the importance and beauty of God’s word in nurturing our faith. Fun fact: in the original Hebrew, this psalm has 22 sections, each starting with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Repetition is common for their culture because it would have been memorized and shared orally. God’s powerful word is that important!

We are given all sorts of ways we can interact with God’s word. We can obey, memorize, recite, study, reflect, delight, and not forget!

Psalm 19:7-14 💛 Why Pay Attention?

Read Psalm 19:7-14

Have you ever wondered, “Why should I pay attention to what God’s Word says?” It seems like more and more people want to downplay the Bible, water down the message, and possibly even disregard it all together. Today’s passage gives us good reason not to do this.

This the second reading in the category, “Listening to God’s Word.” Look at the reasons the psalmist gives us in the first eleven verses! Read those a couple of times! I don’t know about you, but seeing the great benefits is very enticing. Reviving the soul and bringing joy are only two of these nuggets we’re entitled to.