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In life, we are met with trouble. It may be conflict with others, it may be financial difficulties, it may be poor health, but whatever it is, it is trouble. As Job puts it, "Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble" (Job 14:1, NKJV). When trouble comes into our lives, how do we respond? Do we look to handle the difficulties on our own, or do we instead turn to our God? In Psalm 20, we learn that if we will turn to our God in our time of trouble, He will answer, and He will save.

Psalm 20 is a Psalm of David that shows what our prayer and confidence should be when trouble comes. In the day of trouble, our prayer should be that God might save (Psa. 20:1-4). When we ourselves or our loved ones are facing trouble, we ought to be praying for and with them. We ought to be praying that God would answer those in trouble - "May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble" (Psa. 20:1a). We ought to be praying that the LORD would defend those in trouble - "May the name of the God of Jacob defend you" (Psa. 20:1b). We ought to be praying that God would send help and strengthen those in trouble - "May He send you help from the sanctuary, and strengthen you out of Zion" (Psa. 20:2). We ought to be praying that God would remember the faithfulness of those in trouble - "May He remember all your offerings, and accept your burnt sacrifice" (Psa. 20:3). We even ought to be praying that God would bless those in trouble with what they desire - "May He grant you according to your heart's desire, and fulfill all your purpose" (Psa. 20:4).

As we pray for those in trouble, our prayers should not be half-hearted, unsure whether God will answer, defend, help, strengthen, or bless those in need. Instead, our prayers should be confident, knowing that God Himself will save those in trouble. The Psalmist shows the confidence we should have in our God when he rejoices in the "salvation" coming from God, setting up his "banners" in Him, saying, "Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand" (Psa. 20:5-6). Like the Psalmist, there should be no doubt in our minds of the saving power of the LORD.

While "some trust in chariots, and some in horses," or in the strength of man, "they have bowed down and fallen" (Psa. 20:7-8). The strength of man might be able to bring about temporary relief, but it cannot truly save man from his troubles. Only when we "remember the name of the LORD our God," trusting in Him, will we be able to rise "and stand upright" having found strength and deliverance through our troubles (Psa. 20:7-8).

Trouble is inevitable, and when trouble comes, we will be looking for deliverance. May we look for the sure deliverance that comes from our God. During our day of trouble, let's echo the words of the Psalmist from Psalm 20:9, saying, "Save, LORD! May the King answer us when we call."

I have often wondered what it would be like to live in a castle. Not necessarily to live in a castle as a king, but simply to live in a castle with a king. Perhaps it is because of books I have read or movies I have seen, but there is something intriguing to me about life in a castle. I wonder how I might act, what I might do, what I might wear, and what I might eat. I wonder what it would take to garner the attention of the king to be invited into his castle in the first place. And while it is highly unlikely that I will ever find myself living in a royal castle (or palace for that matter), I do have the opportunity to dwell with One who is far greater than any king – I have the opportunity to dwell with the LORD.

Dwelling with the LORD is a blessing that each of us has opportunity to enjoy. To dwell with the LORD requires us to live a certain way, and thankfully, we do not have to guess how we are to live. The Psalmist asks the question in Psalm 15:1, "LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?" (NKJV). To dwell in the tabernacle and in God's holy hill is to dwell with God Himself. The one who would dwell with the LORD is one who lives righteously (Psa. 15:2), loves genuinely (Psa. 15:3), esteems rightly (Psa. 15:4a), shows consistency (Psa. 15:4b), and deals wisely (Psa. 15:5a).

Dwelling with the LORD means that one must live righteously. The Psalmist says the one who may dwell with God "walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart." (Psa. 15:2). This is a man of integrity, who acts and speaks according to what is right. Additionally, the one who would dwell with God must love genuinely. This love will flow out of the righteous life one lives, seeing as this love causes one not to "backbite with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor does he take up a reproach against his friend" (Psa. 15:3).

When one lives with this level of love for his neighbor, he will also learn to esteem rightly - another key for the one who would dwell with God. A desire to be with God leads to a decrease in desire to be around those who are not like God. For this reason, "a vile person is despised" in the eyes of the one who dwells with the LORD while "he honors those who fear the LORD" (Psa. 15:4a). This is not to say that this means the "vile person" is not loved, but it literally means that those doing evil are disesteemed in the eyes of those who highly esteem the LORD.¹ The preference of the one who dwells with the LORD is the people of the LORD.

In addition to living righteously, loving genuinely, and esteeming rightly, those who dwell with the LORD also show consistency. To live with the LORD means being true to one's word. The one who dwells with the LORD is one "who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind" (Psa. 15:4b, NIV). Dwelling with God requires consistency. Also, dwelling with God requires wisdom financially. The one who dwells with the LORD is the one "who does not put out his money at usury, nor does he take a bribe against the innocent" (Psa. 15:5a, NKJV). In other words, the way this individual uses and acquires his money is not at the disadvantage of others. The one who dwells with the LORD is generous, lending his "money to the poor without interest" (NIV), and he does not accept money through unjust means. He knows how to deal with his finances wisely.

To be invited into the presence of a real king to stay in his castle would require something amazing on our part. Thankfully, being offered the opportunity to dwell with our LORD does not require some great feat of strength or the solving of some complex riddle. Psalm 15 reveals to us what it will take if we wish to dwell with the LORD. May we do what it takes to live with Him by living righteously, loving genuinely, esteeming rightly, showing consistency, and dealing wisely. For if we can live in this way, we will be blessed to dwell with the LORD, and we "shall never be moved" (Psa. 15:5b, NKJV).

¹ "בָּזָה," Strong's Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary of the Old Testament, paragraph 967.

From the opening cry of anguish to the descriptions of mockery, physical torment, and public humiliation, Psalm 22 prophetically reveals the sufferings of the Messiah. When Jesus quoted the first verse of this psalm from the cross, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Psalm 22:1; Matthew 27:46, NKJV), He was not expressing despair or abandonment but intentionally drawing attention to a Scripture that was being fulfilled before the eyes of those standing below Him.

David writes, "All those who see Me ridicule Me; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head" (Psalm 22:7), words fulfilled when the religious leaders mocked Jesus, saying, "He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him" (Matthew 27:43). The psalm speaks of physical agony unknown in David's time: "They pierced My hands and My feet; I can count all My bones" (Psalm 22:16–17). Historically speaking, the crucifixion itself had not yet been invented, yet the psalm describes it accurately. Even the soldiers' actions at the foot of the cross were foretold: "They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots" (Psalm 22:18), a prophecy fulfilled exactly as recorded in John 19:23–24. Those who mocked Jesus were not merely spectators; they were unknowingly fulfilling prophecy.

Because Jesus quoted Psalm 22:1, many have concluded that God the Father turned His back on the Son as Jesus bore the sins of the world. Yet this interpretation fails to consider both the full context of Psalm 22 and the unfailing dependence Jesus had for the Father. But also, the Fathers unwavering faithfulness to the Son. Jesus affirmed, "I and My Father are one" (John 10:30), and even on the night of His arrest declared, "I am not alone, because the Father is with Me" (John 16:32). The cry from the cross was not a confession of separation, but a quotation meant to direct attention to the psalm itself. In Jewish teaching, referencing the opening line of a psalm was a way of calling to mind the entire passage. By doing so, Jesus was teaching even in His suffering, calling His hearers to recognize that everything unfolding before them was prophesied centuries before.

Later in the psalm we read, "For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; nor has He hidden His face from Him; but when He cried to Him, He heard" (Psalm 22:24). This verse stands as an interpretation of the psalm's opening cry. Though suffering was real and severe, abandonment by God was not. Jesus' use of the phrase "My God" expresses trust, not rejection. Even in agony, Christ addressed the Father with confidence and dependence, committing Himself fully into God's hands, just as He did when He prayed, "Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit" (Luke 23:46).

Psalm 22 does not end in despair; it moves from suffering to praise and victory. After describing affliction, the psalm declares, "You have answered Me" (Psalm 22:21), followed by a promise to proclaim God's name among the brethren (Psalm 22:22). The cross, therefore, was not evidence of God's absence, but the very means through which God's redemptive purpose was accomplished. Resurrection followed suffering, and glory followed the cross, just as Scripture declared (Philippians 2:8–11).

For Christians today, Psalm 22 offers both assurance and instruction. It teaches us that God can be fully trusted even when circumstances suggest otherwise. Jesus depended upon the Father through the darkest moment of human history, and the Father proved faithful. The same God who upheld Christ in suffering is the God who is "our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1). Psalm 22 reminds us that suffering does not mean abandonment, silence does not mean absence, and pain does not negate God's purposes. The God whom Jesus trusted on the cross is the same God we can depend upon through every trial, knowing that He is faithful, present, and always working to fulfill His promises.

"Give unto the LORD, O you mighty ones, give unto the LORD glory and strength. Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness" (Psa. 29:1-2, NKJV). The opening of Psalm 29 masterfully commands attention by calling on the reader to "give unto the LORD" what He is due. Our God is deserving of so much because of who He is and because of all that He has done. And in case we have forgotten how great and deserving our God is, the Psalmist goes on in Psalm 29 to remind us of the greatness of God.

God is great in His word. Six times from verses 3 through 9, the Psalmist highlights "the voice of the LORD." The focus then is on the power of God's word. God's word is more powerful than mighty waters and thundering storms (Psa. 29:3). When we stop and consider God's word, we see that it is "powerful," and it is truly "full of majesty" (Psa. 29:4). After all, God spoke the world into existence (cf. Gen. 1; Heb. 11:3). And as the Psalmist goes on to show the power of God's word, we find that it is powerful enough to break down mighty trees (Psa. 29:5-6), it is powerful enough to separate fire (Psa. 29:7), it is powerful enough to move the earth (Psa. 29:8), and it is powerful enough to give life and to take life (Psa. 29:9). The recognition of God's word moves God's people to speak a word of their own to His praise – "Glory!" (Psa. 29:9).

Not only is God's word great, but so too is God's position. The Psalmist notes how "The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood, and the LORD sits as King forever" (Psa. 29:10). In other words, God was King through the Flood of Genesis 6-9, and God continues to reign as King forever. The Psalms later proclaim that "the LORD reigns" (Psa. 93:1; 96:10; 97:1; 99:1). God is in fact king, and this is the good news which Isaiah says is to be proclaimed to all (Isa. 52:7). What King is there like our God? Who is there like our God, "glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?" Our God is truly the great and eternal king.

As Psalm 29 continues, we also find that God's greatness is on display in His giving. Psalm 29:11 says, "The LORD will give strength to His people; the LORD will bless His people with peace." Throughout Israel's history, they were met with impossible situations and impossible enemies to conquer, yet through God's provisions, the children of Israel prevailed. God granted His people the strength to survive when, on paper, they should not have. But more than providing strength, God also provides His people with peace. Thinking ahead to the New Testament, it is in nearly each of the letters that we read the greeting of "grace and peace" at the opening of the books. And in each of these instances, it is noted how this "grace and peace" is ultimately found in our God. His grace provides us with the strength we need, and His peace provides us with the comfort we need. How great is our God!

One bulletin article is nowhere near enough to express the greatness of God. One bulletin article is nowhere near enough to give a thorough exposition of Psalm 29. But perhaps through this one bulletin article, we might stop to think about what our God is due. May we all "give unto the LORD glory and strength. Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness" (Psa. 29:1-2).

In Psalm 32, David opens with a powerful declaration, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered” (Psalm 32:1 NKJV). The word “blessed” refers to a deep, abiding joy—not a passing emotion, but the settled happiness of a life made right with God. Paul later quotes this very passage in Romans 4:7–8 to show that this blessing comes not through human merit but through God’s gracious forgiveness. Even under the Old Covenant, David understood that true joy and happiness are found in the depths of God’s grace and mercy. Yet any effort to conceal sin is a willing rejection of that grace, leaving one in spiritual despair and misery.

This is why David wrote, “When I kept silent, my bones grew old… For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me” (Psalm 32:3–4). Silence did not protect him; it tormented him. His unconfessed sin affected him physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Scripture consistently shows that hidden sin brings inward decay (Proverbs 28:13). Many today attempt to manage guilt through distraction, denial, or self-justification, but David reminds us that there is no relief in covering what God already sees.

The turning point of the psalm comes in verse 5, “I acknowledged my sin to You… I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,’ and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.” What silence could not accomplish, confession could. Forgiveness was not earned; it was granted. This promise echoes clearly in 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” For us today, the application is simple and urgent—do not delay seeking the forgiveness of God.

His mercy is ready, but it is received through humble obedience; first in responding to the gospel call (Acts 2:38–41), and then in “walking in the light as He is in the light” (1 John 1:7), continually confessing our sins as we fall short (1 John 1:8–9). There is security found in the forgiven life. David wrote, “You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance” (Psalm 32:7). The very God whose hand was heavy in discipline becomes a refuge in restoration. This is the grace of God—He convicts in order to comfort and corrects in order to preserve and protect.

Instead of running from Him in shame, we are called to run to Him in trust. Just as David found joy in God’s forgiveness, he also took pleasure in God’s guidance; “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye” (Psalm 32:8). Forgiveness is not the pinnacle but the beginning of a guided life. We are warned not to be like the horse or mule that must be forced into submission (v. 9). In our day, it is easy to resist God’s Word, delay obedience, or demand our own way. Yet the wise heart responds quickly and willingly to His direction.

David concludes the psalm with a contrast. “Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; but he who trusts in the LORD, mercy shall surround him” (Psalm 32:10). The choice is clear—sorrow through stubbornness, or mercy through obedient trust. For Christians today, Psalm 32 calls us to live transparently before God, to confess quickly, to trust fully, and to rejoice continually. Concealed sin still brings misery, but confessed sin still brings mercy. Blessed indeed is the one who knows the joy of being forgiven.

Psalm 53 presents a sobering and honest picture of humanity’s spiritual condition. It begins with the well-known declaration, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God’” (Psalm 53:1 NKJV). This statement is not merely aimed at those who verbally deny God’s existence, but at all who live as though He does not exist—ignoring His authority and rejecting His will. The psalmist goes on to describe mankind as corrupt, declaring that “there is none who does good” and “none who seeks after God.” This is not an indictment of a select few, but a sweeping description of humanity as a whole. Sin is not isolated to certain individuals or cultures; it is a universal problem that affects every person in every generation.

This very point is emphasized by the apostle Paul in Romans 3. In verses 10–12, Paul directly quotes from Psalm 53 (along with Psalm 14) to establish that all people, both Jew and Gentile, are under sin. He writes, “There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God.” By using these words, Paul shows that the condition described by David was not limited to his time but is true of all humanity. His conclusion in Romans 3:23— “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”—confirms the universal nature of the problem. Humanity, left to itself, is incapable of achieving righteousness or restoring its relationship with God.

Psalm 53 also highlights the consequences of this sinful condition. The psalmist describes those who oppose God as devouring His people and living without calling upon Him. Sin is not passive; it corrupts, consumes, and destroys both individuals and communities. There is also an element of fear and judgment, as God ultimately brings accountability upon the wicked. Paul echoes this reality in Romans 6:23 when he states, “For the wages of sin is death.” Sin carries a cost, and that cost is separation from God, both now and eternally. The problem, therefore, is not only universal but also deeply serious.

Yet Psalm 53 does not end in despair. It closes with a longing for salvation: “Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When God brings back the captivity of His people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad” (53:6). Even in the face of mankind’s corruption, there is hope rooted in God’s ability to save. This hope finds its full expression in the book of Romans. After demonstrating that all are under sin, Paul reveals God’s solution: “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed…through faith in Jesus Christ” (Romans 3:21–22). What humanity could not accomplish on its own, God accomplished through His grace, offering salvation to those who respond in obedient faith to the gospel—being united with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:3–4) and becoming “obedient from the heart” to that form of doctrine (Romans 6:17).

When Psalm 53 and Romans 3 are considered together, the message is both humbling and encouraging. The psalm exposes the depth of humanity’s sin problem, while Romans reveals the greatness of God’s saving grace. Though none are righteous and none can achieve it on their own, God has acted in love to seek and save the lost. As Paul writes in Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Psalm 53 reminds us of who we are apart from God, while Romans shows us what God has done for us in Christ—and how we must respond. Though humanity is plagued by sin, our loving God has provided the solution and offers salvation to all who will obey.