What does “I shall lift up the cup of salvation” mean? In the Old Testament the word “cup” is frequently used to denote plenty and abundance. You may remember that in Psalm 23:5 David claims that his “cup overflows.” The term “salvation” actually appears in the Hebrew Bible in the plural—salvations. We would grasp the meaning better if we’d render it “deliverances.” The psalmist is expressing praise to God for His abundant and numerous deliverances. So, literally, he says . . .
Read MoreTag Archives: Psalms
A Song of Sadness
Psalm 116 is the lament of a man surrounded by grief and sorrow, most likely because death has touched his life. Let’s take a few moments to probe a little deeper into a song of sadness.
The first line of the psalmist’s song is surprising. He writes, “I love the LORD, because . . . ” (116:1). In the nineteenth century, a young English girl, Elizabeth Barrett, suffered a spinal injury at age . . .
Read MorePainful Days
Are you in physical pain today? Someone reading this is in pain. Perhaps it’s you. Or maybe you know someone in pain. Pain rarely makes sense and often continues without relief. Throughout the ages, others who have endured pain have turned their attention from the temporary pain to things eternal by meditating on passages of […]
Read MoreHow Do I Overcome Anxiety?
Question: Last month, I thought I was having a heart attack. My pulse was racing, my palms were sweating, and I started breathing heavily, as if I were going to pass out. I went to the hospital, and they said my heart was fine—what I had experienced was a panic attack. Now I have anxiety […]
Read MoreDaily Tests
Mrs. Moses’s cookbook surely had a special section on “A Thousand-and-One Ways to Fix Manna.” Unless I miss my guess, she had tried them all . . . many times. What potatoes are to Ireland, apples are to Somerset, cod is to Grimsby, and porridge is to Scotland, manna was to the wandering Hebrews for […]
Read MoreSanctity of Life
Just how widespread is the practice of abortion? Are we making much ado about nothing, or do we have a full-scale issue deserving of our immediate attention? To begin with, let’s understand that medical authorities determine a person to be “alive” if there is either a detectable heartbeat or brain-wave activity. With that in mind, […]
Read MoreLet’s Be Thankful for Angels
As I’ve said for years, it’s thanksgiving, not thankskeeping. So, let’s go there. Autumn…harvest…it is the best time of year to give thanks . . . to count our blessings. Have you counted your blessings lately? If not, allow me to prime the pump. Start with broad categories, such as family members, close friends, and […]
Read MoreLive Beyond the Daily Grind
It isn’t pretty, but it’s here to stay. It occurs in every life and in every season of the year. I call it the “daily grind.” Homemakers face fourteen-hour days with ever-present children and an endless grind of responsibilities. Students endure the grind of assignments, classes, deadlines, and exams. Salespeople have quotas to meet. Musicians […]
Read MoreWhen Hope Returns
Hope is a buoyancy word. It takes a tsunami-like surge to keep it submerged. It’s difficult, I know, to hold on to the life preserver of hope when storms rage in your life, but let me encourage you to tighten your grip. Perhaps this poem, “When Hope Returns”, will help. Despair, oh despair, you’ve taken […]
Read MoreYou Are Not Alone
Today I woke up and wanted to tell you that you’re not alone on the journey of life. So many times I have felt alone. Even after years of timely reminders, I often still wonder if there is anyone out there who understands the challenges of raising a child with special needs. I know I’m […]
Read More