We're in another wisdom psalm today, and this time the lesson is about how you relate to God. In short, the wisdom is: with gratitude!

This psalm is well known, largely for its link with the story of David and Bathsheba (see 2 Samuel 11–12) and more recently for the gentle online parodies around hand–washing guidelines for coronavirus.

The performance directions introduce the setting for this psalm as, 'When Doeg the Edomite had gone to Saul and told him, "David has gone to the house of Ahimelech"'. You can read the story for yourself in 1 Samuel 21–22, but...

Ever feel despair at the state of the world and feel that, if only people knew God, things would be better? The psalmist makes a similar lament.

While a prayer for protection from 'enemies' might seem an unfamiliar part of our songbook, it's probably not an uncommon experience for many people around the world today, especially in places where people are persecuted.

While yesterday's psalm about enemies might have felt further from our day-to-day experience, perhaps today's psalm has more resonances. The 'enemy' mentioned at the start is revealed in verse 14 as a former friend. 

Have you ever wondered if you’ve gone too far or sinned too repeatedly to be redeemed? Perhaps reading of ‘the sin that leads to death’ in verse 16 of this chapter fills you with anxiety. How can you be sure that you’ve been accepted and forg...

Even within the lifespan of people like the apostle John who were close followers of Jesus and witnessed first-hand his life, death and resurrection, there were false teachers travelling around and leading believers astray with a message other than t...

If you’ve lived for any length of time you’ll have experienced a variety of leaders and leadership styles. Over the years, you’ve no doubt formed an opinion about the effectiveness of what you’ve seen. But what makes a good church leader?

Jude’s letter is an urgent call to fight for and defend the true faith. He thought he had cause to rejoice with a faithful community of believers but, to his horror, he finds they’re not only in crisis but seemingly unaware of the fact.

Churches in the Roman Empire faced many pressures, from the insidious effects of false teaching and worldly temptations to outright persecution. Christians were sent to Roman arenas to die, some of the apostles were executed and John was exiled in an...

The letters in Revelation 2–3 display Christ’s presence with his churches, his complete knowledge of their spiritual condition and his desire for their wholehearted commitment to him. Each church is addressed specifically but also told to ‘hear...

The church in Sardis had ‘the reputation of being alive,’ but Christ pronounced it dead (verse 1). The church in Laodicea brimmed with confidence, saying ‘I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing,’ but Christ says they’re deluded –...

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Job 10 makes interesting reading alongside Psalm 139. There’s a striking similarity in what the writers say about the God who ‘knit [them] together’ in their mothers’ wombs – he is all powerful, all knowing and present everywhere – but a ...

Job has lamented his suffering, protested his innocence and complained to God, but now Zophar the Naamathite (one of Job’s friends) has had enough. He believes Job’s words are empty and dishonest, amounting to the mockery of God.

How do you feel when people refuse to listen to and believe you, no matter the arguments or evidence supplied in your defence? In today’s chapter, Job – feeling misjudged and patronised – lets his frustration show and delivers a withering asses...

Job’s friends supposedly came to comfort him but they haven’t done anything to ease his pain. They seem to have lost sight of his suffering in their desire to win the theological argument at hand. Whether they can’t or won’t help, Job brands ...

Job seems overwhelmed as he ends his speech. Life is short and full of trouble; it withers like a flower; it’s as fleeting as a shadow (verses 1–2). Why does God bother to notice him when his life seems so insignificant (verse 3)?

Eliphaz the Temanite has heard Job’s words, but it’s clear he hasn’t accepted them. When it comes to understanding God’s ways, he thinks he’s got it nailed and no matter what evidence Job puts forward, he’s not about to let it get in the ...