'Seek peace and pursue it' (14) This is an acrostic poem probably intended, as seen in verse 11, for educational purposes: "Come children and listen to me; I will teach you the way of God." David draws on a particular occasion when he avoided disaster to encourage praise and trust in a more general sense: "Many … Continue reading Psalm 34, 28 Oct ’18

'You make springs gush forth in valleys, they flow between hills.' (10) Here we have epic demonstrative poetry, the poet overcome by the glory and power of the creation — and the Creator. The author’s feelings are quite infectious: You are clothed with honour and majesty, wrapped in light as with a garment. You stretch … Continue reading Psalm 104, 21 Oct ’18

For a hand-wringing poem, Psalm 22 receives an unusually good run in the three-year Lectionary, appearing seven times (as against 6 for the old favourite Psalm 23, the very next psalm which promises a ray of sunshine after the darkness of 22). To be fair, sometimes we sample different sections of the 31 verses. The … Continue reading Psalm 22, 14 Oct ’18

Psalm 26 is a declaration of, and perhaps a prayer for, integrity. Reminiscent of Psalm 1's hope to be insulated from wicked people and their influence, it has been seen by commentators variously as the song of someone wrongly accused, a prayer for growth into worthy ways, and as a gradual for those entering a … Continue reading Psalm 26, 7 Oct ’18