Bless the Lord!

19The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. 20Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, obedient to his spoken word. 21Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers that do his will. 22Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord,Continue reading “Bless the Lord!”

Bless the Lord, O My Soul

1Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 2Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits— 3who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5who satisfies youContinue reading “Bless the Lord, O My Soul”

God’s Plan for Peace

In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, King Sennacherib of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them. The king of Assyria sent the Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem, with a great army. He stood by the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Fuller’sContinue reading “God’s Plan for Peace”

The Righteous will Live by Faith

I will stand at my watchpost, and station myself on the rampart; I will keep watch to see what he will say to me, and what he will answer concerning my complaint. Then the Lord answered me and said: Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so that a runner may read it. For there is still aContinue reading “The Righteous will Live by Faith”

A Promised Hope, part 1

A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. HeContinue reading “A Promised Hope, part 1”

A Plea for Redemption and Transformation

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors yourContinue reading “A Plea for Redemption and Transformation”

David’s Sins Spiral Out of Control

In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. In the letter he wrote, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, so that he may be struck down and die.” As Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to theContinue reading “David’s Sins Spiral Out of Control”

Joshua Serves God

Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Long ago your ancestors—Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor—lived beyond the EuphratesContinue reading “Joshua Serves God”

The People Consecrated

So Moses came, summoned the elders of the people, and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. The people all answered as one: “Everything that the Lord has spoken we will do.” Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord. Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a denseContinue reading “The People Consecrated”

God’s Blessing in the Home

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord guards the city, the guard keeps watch in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives sleep to his beloved. (Psalm 127:1-2, NRSV) Unless the Lord doesContinue reading “God’s Blessing in the Home”