Reflections on the Psalms
Selected Psalms
30 June 2024
A Call to Thanksgiving
Psalm 107
by Joel Sim
Psalm 107 calls us to give thanks to God for His work of redemption, which is rooted in His steadfast love towards us. As He helps us in various situations, we come to understand more of Him through the various ways in which help and rescue are given. This points us to the fact that He is a sovereign God who is in control of all things, and since He knows what we need and grants them accordingly, this gives us every reason to praise and thank Him.
23 June 2024
Number Our Days
Psalm 90
by Joseph Tern
Psalm 90 is a lament song that calls us to reckon with our mortality as believing pilgrims here on earth. There is a distinct emphasis on God’s eternity, as well as the brevity of our lives and cultures. The reality of sin remains as we continue to live as pilgrims in this fallen world. Nevertheless, we can live as those who fear the Lord as we are constantly reminded of who He is and what He has done. This enables us to navigate the storms of life with full dependence upon God, who alone is able to establish the work of our hands.
16 June 2024
Doubts on Trial
Psalm 73
by Joel Sim
The psalmist Asaph shows us how we can handle doubts in our lives. Doubts often arise through experiences that seem incoherent with the faith. This means that we should be willing to doubt our doubts in order to engage them fairly. For Asaph, he was redirected to God through participation in sanctuary worship, which provided an eternal perspective as he reconsidered the prosperity of the wicked.
9 June 2024
Ode to Joy
Psalm 42
by Joel Sim
In Psalm 42, the psalmist expresses his longing to commune with God. As he finds himself away from the sanctuary of God, the psalmist shows us the importance of lament in the face of pain and anguish. The purpose of lament is not to drive us away from God but to drive us towards Him and His good purposes. When we do so, we're enabled to live with hope, leading to praise of the living God.
2 June 2024
The Righteous Way
Psalm 1
by Aaron Akins
In this opening, defining psalm, the psalmist draws our attention to the importance of walking in the way of wisdom. This comes through meditating, day and night, on the Word of God. By internalising it, we become a fruit-bearing tree that can resist sin, as well as prosper according to God's economy. This is possible because of our union with the true vine, Jesus Christ.