I cannot read this Psalm without thinking of Jesus as he entered Jerusalem on what would eventually become known as Palm Sunday. It was the beginning of the final week of his life before being crucified for us. As he made his way towards Jerusalem it seemed as if the entire city came out to …

Continue reading Provocative Devotion: Psalm 24

Shortly after becoming a follower of Jesus I read a book titled, "In the Presence of Mine Enemies". It was written by an American soldier, Captain Howard Rutledge, who was help captive as a POW during the war in Vietnam. The title obviously comes from verse 5 of the Psalm, You prepare a table before …

Continue reading Provocative Devotion: One More Thought on Psalm 23

So often our prayers are for God to deliver us from harm by removing us from the situation in which harm is a possibility. David never asks that of the Lord in this Psalm. Rather what David does is declare his confidence that God is with him in the midst of those times of extreme …

Continue reading Provocative Devotion: Further Thoughts on Psalm 23

There i certainly no more beloved and quoted Psalm than the 23rd Psalm. It is nearly a standard reading in almost every funeral or memorial service I have conducted, most often at the request of the family. The comfort derived from the description of the Good Shepherd has been a hallmark of this Psalm for …

Continue reading Provocative Devotion: Psalm 23