Psalm 93

The Lord is king! He is robed in majesty. Indeed, the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength.
The world stands firm and cannot be shaken.

Your throne, O Lord, has stood from time immemorial.
You yourself are from the everlasting past.

The floods have risen up, O Lord.
The floods have roared like thunder;
the floods have lifted their pounding waves.

But mightier than the violent raging of the seas,
mightier than the breakers on the shore --
the Lord above is mightier than these!

Your royal laws cannot be changed.
Your reign, O Lord, is holy forever and ever.

Notes: a glorious psalm exalting in the majesty of the Lord. Not just any Lord but the one who has revealed himself in his Son and given proof of this to all human beings by raising him from the dead.

Psalm 121

I look up to the mountains --
does my help come from there?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!

He will not let you stumble;
the one who watches over you will not slumber.
Indeed, he who watches over Israel
never slumbers or sleeps.

The Lord himself watches over you!
The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
The sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon at night.

The Lord keeps you from all harm
and watches over your life.
The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
both now and forever.

A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem


Notes: Beyond old Israel and Jerusalem this psalm promises divine help for the people of God. What was true in days gone by is even more true now that the true Israel has come and is in the process of gathering his people to himself. He is the great shepherd of the sheep and he will deliver them from all trouble.

Psalm 110

The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit in the place of honor at my right hand
until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet."

The Lord will extend your powerful kingdom from Jerusalem;
you will rule over your enemies.

When you go to war, your people will serve you willingly.
You are arrayed in holy garments, and your strength will be
renewed each day like the morning dew.

The Lord has taken an oath and will not break his vow:
"You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek."

The Lord stands at your right hand to protect you.
He will strike down many kings when his anger erupts.

He will punish the nations and fill their lands with corpses;
he will shatter heads over the whole earth.

But he himself will be refreshed from the brooks along the way.
He will be victorious.

A psalm of David

Notes: This psalm is quoted more often in the New Testament than any other part of the Hebrew scriptures. It speaks of the unique person of David's Lord who sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. This king will triumph over all of his enemies and he will join the offices of king and priest into one. Rendering the Levitical priesthood obsolete David's Lord is given a priesthood in the order of Melchizedek who is only briefly mentioned in Genesis 14. The writer of the New Testament book of Hebrews reflects on the passage in Genesis in light of this psalm and draws out the most amazing and wonderful conclusions in Hebrews 5-10.