A Sun and Shield

       A soldier is most vulnerable when he is unprotected and cannot see an approaching, armed enemy.  In the great battlefield called life, those who live without God are like soldiers facing a ruthless, armed foe in darkness and without any form of protection. …

The Blessings of Faith

       Although it appears as the concluding summary, the theme of Psalm 84 is “O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in You!” (v. 12).  In the first eleven verses, one of the sons of Korah elaborates on three supreme blessings of faith.  These are:…

Living by Faith

       Psalm 83 is the last psalm of Asaph in the Hebrew songbook.  Verse two seems to indicate that this composition was written right before the temple’s defilement and Jerusalem’s unexpected overthrow by her enemies as described in Psalm 79:1-4.  This psalm and its…

As a Hen Gathers Her Chicks Under Her Wings

       Asaph’s frequent battles with the question of “Why?” are easily documented.  “O God, why have You cast us off forever?  Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?” (Psalm 74:1).  “Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand?” (Psalm 74:11).  “How…

Asaph’s Tenacious Faith

       Psalms 79 and 80 appear to be companion psalms.  In Psalm 79, Asaph focuses upon a recent calamity in Jerusalem; in Psalm 80, he petitions God to restore His people.  Psalm 79 concludes with a reference to God’s people as “sheep of Your…

God’s Purposeful Longsuffering

       As recorded in Numbers and recounted by Asaph in Psalm 78, the forty-year period of Israel’s wilderness wandering with Moses was not filled with many spiritual high points.  “How often they provoked Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert!  Yes, again and again they…

The Immense Need for Vigilance and Steadfastness in the Faith

       Psalm 78 is the second longest psalm in the Hebrew songbook.  Its summation of Israel’s history as a nation clearly demonstrates the immense need for vigilance and steadfastness in the faith.    Send article as PDF