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Book: Psalms

Do Not Fret—Psalm 37:1-11, 39-40

When we are tempted to anxiety in the face of the success of the wicked, the psalmist reorients us to the Lord.

Hope, and Hard Boards—Psalm 36:5-10

Psalm 36 reminds us that hope is grounded in God’s very nature, that it rests in the hesed of the LORD. Today, despite the fact that the work we undertake remains unfinished, we can rest in God’s hesed.

Giving Strength—Psalm 29

Bookended by the call to ascribe glory and strength to the Lord, and the answering request that the Lord give strength and blessing to his people, Psalm 29 offers us a vision of good rule.

Discovering Integrity in the Son of Man—Job 1:1, 2:1-10; Psalm 26; Psalm 8; Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12

Integrity is what we demand from others, aspire to in ourselves, and often fall short of. We fall short, but will find wholeness in the Son of Man.

Some Trust in Chariots—Psalm 20

In a world awash with weapons of death, perhaps it is time to focus on the trust we have in guns and violence and threats of violence, in whatever form. Psalm 20 might be a good place to begin.

Under New Management—Psalm 23

‘Under New Management’: The perfect way to describe people who are led by the Good Shepherd, rather than by the false shepherds of this age..

Judgment in Light—Psalm 50:1-6

God brings his judgment in and as the light, providing us with a pattern for human justice.

The Politics of the Vineyard of Israel—Isaiah 5:1-7; Psalm 80:7-15; Matthew 21:33-46 (Alastair Roberts)

The prophetic parables of the vineyard afford their hearers an illuminating vantage point upon the intergenerational peoplehood and unified moral agency of a nation. They offer us a new way of perceiving our national selves beyond the stifling frame of secularism.

The Politics of Man’s Exaltation—Psalm 8 (Alastair Roberts)

Psalm 8’s presentation of human dominion and politics as a creation of God has significant ramifications for our posture towards the various forms of human rule and authority. The juxtaposition of divinely appointed power and human weakness humbles arrogant ambition, encouraging a spirit of meekness and modest service in our politics.

The Politics of the Works and Fear of the Lord—Psalm 111 (Richard Davis)

Psalm 111, which may seem disjointed and a collection of sayings, does, however, offer a consistent political teaching. It emphasizes politics in virtuous imitation of God in his works and the rejection of the politics of fear.