Category: Psalms

August 24, read through the Bible in a year.

Today we read the last chapter of Colossians, two Psalms  and one chapter of Isaiah.

August 24: Colossians 4, Psalm 84, Psalm 85, Isaiah 39 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

Colossians 4, Paul gives final instructions, final Greetings and exhortations  as he bids them God’s grace.

Psalm 84, of the Sons of Korah.  Charles Spurgeon said this Psalm was entitled “to be called The Pearl of Psalms.” He once preached a whole sermon on verse 3: “Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God.”

Psalm 85, of the Sons of Korah. A prayer of thankfulness.

Isaiah 39 tells of Hezekiah’s folly, how he shows all the riches of Jerusalem to the envoys from Babylon, and he said “There will be peace for our time”, like Neville Chamberlain did before WWII.

 

August 20, read through the Bible in a year.

In between Philippians and Colossians we read three Psalms and two chapters of Isaiah.

August 20: Psalm 81, Psalm 82, Psalm 83, Isaiah 28, Isaiah 29 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

Psalm 81, of Asaph. A Psalm for the Feast of Tabernacles.

Psalm 82, of Asaph. Jesus quotes this Psalm and confounds the people accusing him of blasphemy.

Psalm 83, of Asaph. An urgent prayer for God to help when war is threatening.

Isaiah 28. Woe to Ephraim and Jerusalem! “Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.“

Isaiah 29 begins with a woe to David’s City, the people have “the spirit of slumber,” but the deaf will hear, the blind see and the meek shall increas the joy in the LORD.

August 19, read through the Bible in a year.

In between Philippians and Colossians we read two Psalms and two chapters of Isaiah.

August 19: Psalm 79, Psalm 80, Isaiah 26, Isaiah 27 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

Psalm 79, of Asaph. A cry for help, for the heathens are devastating Jerusalem, the Temple and the people. The Psalmist confesses their collective sins and pleads for restoration, always with praise and thankfulness.

Psalm 80, of Asaph. A prayer for restoration of Israel, mentioning the Shepherd of Israel, a heartfelt and urgent plea.

Isaiah 26 is a song of praise full of Messianic prophecy. The song is full of words with double meanings, one obvious and one prophetic.

Isaiah 27 promises the deliverance of Israel.

August 17, read through the Bible in a year.

In between Philippians and Colossians we take a break and read two Psalms.

August 17:  Psalm 77: Psalm 78 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

Psalm 77, of Asaph. No matter how dire the circumstances the believer can still sing God’s praises and recall  God’s wonders.

Psalm 78, a maskil of Asaph. “This is the longest of the historical psalms. Its lesson is that history must not repeat itself. The people must never again be unbelieving.” (James Montgomery Boice)

August 12, read through the Bible in a year.

In between Ephesians and Philippians we read two Psalms and two chapters of Isaiah.

August 12:  Psalm 75, Psalm 76, Isaiah 9, Isaiah 10 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

Psalm 75, of Asaph. A song of praise to the LORD. The theme is He executes proper judgement. It ends with: “All the horns of the wicked I will also cut off, But the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.”

Psalm 76, of Asaph. A song that praises the LORD, how He confounds the “stouthearted” but saves the meek.

Isaiah 9. A must read chapter of Isaiah. It speaks of “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.” Then it states: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” It speaks of Christ, the coming Messiah, both his humanity (a child) and his deity (son of God).

Isaiah 10 speaks of the punishment of Syria (and Assyria), then the temnant of Israel shall return.

August 11, read through the Bible in a year.

In between Ephesians and Philippians we read three Psalms and one chapter of Isaiah.

August 11: Psalm 72, Psalm 73, Psalm 74, Isaiah 8 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

Psalm 72, of Solomon. Most likely Solomon compiled Book Two of Psalms (Psalms 42-72) and composed or edited this psalm as a fitting end to the collection of mostly David’s psalms. It is a fitting conclusion, because it does not focus upon David himself, but on the coming Messiah – the King of Kings and Son of David.

Psalm 73 begins Book Three of Psalms, (Psalms 43-89) . It is of Asaph, a great singer and musician from the time of David and Solomon. He complains about the good fortune of the wicked and the misfortune of the righteous until he “went into the sanctuary of God; Then I understood their end.“

Psalm 74, of Asaph. This Psalm describes the destruction of the Temple. This Asaph may have been penned bya descendant of the earlier  musician, or may be prophetic. In any case he asks God to defend His case against the evildoers.

Isaiah 8. Prophetically Assyria will invade Israel, an instrument of God to execute judgement on the unfaithful. The remedy is to fear God and Him alone.

August 9, read through the Bible in a year.

In between Ephesians and Philippians we read two Psalms and three chapters of Isaiah.

August 9: Psalm 70, Psalm 71, Isaiah 2, Isaiah 3, Isaiah 4 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

Psalm 70, of David, a short,  urgent petition for deliverance, full of praise.

Psalm 71. This Psalm has the same theme as Psalm 70, but is much more detailed. It is of an older man, strong in faith, most probably David.

Isaiah 2. The famous chapter containing “beating swords into plowshares” “study war no more” and the Day of the LORD is introduced.

In Isaiah 3 the prophet proclaims judgment on Jerusalem and Judah.

Isaiah 4. “In that day”. This refers to the Messianic reign after the Day of the LORD. “The Branch” is introduced.

August 2, read through the Bible in a year.

In between Galatians and Ephesians we read one Psalm and three chapters of Ecclesiastes.

August 2: Psalm 69, Ecclesiastes 3, Ecclesiastes 4, Ecclesiastes 5 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

Psalm 69, of David. When you get that sinking feeling, this Psalm lifts you back up, “I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.”

Ecclesiastes 3. There is a time for everything. The gift of God is that He has set eternity in our hearts, yet injustice seems to prevail.

Ecclesiastes 4. There is oppression but no comforter, there is vanity of selfish toil. There is value in having friends “a cord of three strands is not quickly broken,” yet, popularity passes away.

Ecclesiastes 5. Fear God, keep your vows. There is vanity in amassing riches, even vanity in seeking honor.

August 1, read through the Bible in a year.

In between Galatians and Ephesians we read two Psalms and the first two chapters of Ecclesiastes.

August 1: Psalm 67, Psalm 68, Ecclesiastes 1, Ecclesiastes 2 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

Psalm 67, a Song. A short, beautiful Psalm of praise and singing. It ends with the prophetic “God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.“

Psalm 68, of David. George Horne described how this psalm was assigned to Pentecost in the Anglican liturgy, no doubt because it describes gifts given upon ascension and is quoted in Ephesians 4. “This beautiful, sublime, and comprehensive, but very difficult Psalm, is one of those which the church has appointed to be used on Whitsunday.”

Ecclesiastes 1. The author, king Solomon speaks of the vanity of life and the grief of wisdom.

Ecclesiastes 2 King Solomon continues with the vanity of pleasure, the end of the wise and the end of the fool.

July 31, read through the Bible in a year.

In between Galatians and Ephesians we read one Psalm and the four last chapters of Job.

July 31: Psalm 66, Job 39, Job 40, Job 41, Job 42 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

Psalm 66, a Song. “This Psalm is said to be recited on Easter day, by the Greek church: it is described in the Greek Bible as A Psalm of the Resurrection, ”

Job 39. The LORD continues and proclaims His magnificent creation.

Job 40. Job  Responds to God and God gives a challenge to Job.

Job 41, God”s challenges Job continues.

Job 42. Job repented, “I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” and God completely restored Job.