Psalm 118 – Praise to God for His Everlasting Mercy

Psalm 118 is a psalm of thanks and mercy. It’s Verses 1 and 29 bookend the thought. 1 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. 29 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. If we count up from Verse 1 to Verse 8 we receive this profound truth: 8 It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in man. If we count down from Verse 29 to Verse 22 we receive this profound truth: 22 The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. Let us then put our trust in the Lord, the Chief Cornerstone, Jesus […]

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Psalm 117 – Let All Peoples Praise the LORD

Psalm 117 is the shortest psalm in the Bible, and yet, profound for the world to consider. 1 Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples! 2 For His merciful kindness is great toward us, And the truth of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord! The psalm is a call to the world to be thankful to LORD for the world that we have and the providence of His grace upon it. Even in our fallen state, let us praise the LORD. And then let the Christian share the old old story of Jesus and His love. And let the world praise the LORD forever […]

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Psalm 116 – Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death

Who do you love? The psalmist of Psalm 116 gives us his answer to this question. 1 I love the Lord, because He has heard My voice and my supplications. 2 Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live. What does such love look like? The rest of Psalm 116 declares such things. 3 The pains of death surrounded me, And the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me; I found trouble and sorrow. 4 Then I called upon the name of the Lord: “O Lord, I implore You, deliver my soul!” 9 I will walk before the Lord In the land of […]

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Psalm 115 – The Futility of Idols and the Trustworthiness of God

  • By Rev. Pete Van't Hoff
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  • February 28, 2024

Who or what will you worship? The psalmist of Psalm 115 weighs your options. 1 Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, But to Your name give glory, Because of Your mercy, Because of Your truth. 2 Why should the Gentiles say, “So where is their God?” 3 But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases. 4 Their idols are silver and gold, The work of men’s hands. 5 They have mouths, but they do not speak; Eyes they have, but they do not see; 6 They have ears, but they do not hear; Noses they have, but they do not smell; 7 They have hands, but they do not handle; […]

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Psalm 114 – The Power of God in His Deliverance of Israel

  • By Rev. Pete Van't Hoff
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  • February 21, 2024

Psalm 114 captures, as a poet might, those great feats of God’s first deliverance and providence of  His people. It begins with their delivery from slavery. 1 When Israel went out of Egypt, The house of Jacob from a people of strange language, 2 Judah became His sanctuary, And Israel His dominion. It continues by personifying the notable waters of Israel’s desert trek, but also considers (I think) the quaking of Mount Sinai at the delivery of God’s law to His people (Ex. 19:18). 3 The sea saw [Israel’s deliverance] and fled; Jordan turned back. 4 The mountains skipped like rams, The little hills like lambs. […]

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Psalm 113 – The Majesty and Condescension of God

  • By Rev. Pete Van't Hoff
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  • February 14, 2024

Psalm 113 is a psalm of praise. (1) “Praise the Lord!” it begins. And it continues, Praise, O servants of the Lord, Praise the name of the Lord! 2 Blessed be the name of the Lord From this time forth and forevermore! 3 From the rising of the sun to its going down The Lord’s name is to be praised. This is a call for all who call upon the LORD God, as their God, to be in constant praise. Who is God, that we shall praise Him? 4 The Lord is high above all nations, His glory above the heavens. 5 Who is like the Lord our God, Who dwells on high, 6 Who humbles Himself to behold The […]

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Psalm 111 – Praise to God for His Faithfulness and Justice / Psalm 112 – The Blessed State of the Righteous

Psalm 111 and Psalm 112 belong together. They are poems arranged in order according to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Both begin with (1) “Praise the Lord!” Psalm 111 speaks to the qualities of God. Psalm 112 speaks to the righteousness of those who follow Him. I’ve arranged a graphic that allows us to read each line of both psalms together. Receive this to see your God and to see yourself in seeking Him. Let us pray. Dear Lord and heavenly Father, Blessed be your holy name. Thank You for revealing Yourself to us. Thank You for keeping me in […]

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Psalm 110 – Announcement of the Messiah’s Reign

Jesus is returning and no one will stand in His way. This is what King David sings about at Psalm 110. At Verses 1-2 we declare His divine appointment: 1 The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” 2 The Lord shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of Your enemies! At Verses 3-4 we declare the eternity of His divine appointment: 3 Your people shall be volunteers In the day of Your power; In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, You have the dew of Your youth. 4 The Lord has sworn […]

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Psalm 109 – Plea for Judgement of False Accusers

Have you ever been accused of something that simply wasn’t true? King David has, and he prayerfully sings about it at Psalm 109. 1 Do not keep silent, O God of my praise! 2 For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful Have opened against me; They have spoken against me with a lying tongue. 3 They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, And fought against me without a cause. In response, David asks of God, that his accusers be dealt with as they have dealt with him. 6 Set a wicked man over him, And let an accuser stand at his […]

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Psalm 108 – Assurance of God’s Victory over Enemies

Listen to David sing Verses 10 and 11 of Psalm 108. 10 Who will bring me into the strong city? Who will lead me to Edom? 11 Is it not You, O God, who cast us off? And You, O God, who did not go out with our armies? Taking these verses out of context shows a David who blames God for all of his hardship. Contextually though, hear the biblical David call out his enemies as God’s enemies first, and well dealt with. 1 O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory. 5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, And Your glory above all the earth; […]

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