To my friends, no I am not, as far as I know, in imminent danger of death. My enemies shall have to wait a bit longer. My reflections this morning are inspired by a series of posts at TGC including “The Song Scott . . . Continue reading →
psalms
Keith Getty’s Critique Of Contemporary Worship Music Is A Step In The Right Direction
In 2008, Mike Horton called attention to the phenomenon of a radically subjective turn in American evangelicalism, in Christless Christianity. Unfortunately, a single book diagnosing the deep sickness of American evangelical Christianity was not enough to turn the tide. In that volume . . . Continue reading →
Five Reasons We Do Not Need Ken’s Doxology
In a recent essay I mentioned in passing that we do not need Bishop Ken’s seventeenth-century substitute (i.e., “Praise God from whom all blessings flow…”) for the Psalms since there are five doxologies inspired by the Holy Spirit and included in the Psalter . . . Continue reading →
What Was Jesus’ “Playlist”?
Last summer, my daughter walked into the Apple Store in our local mall, and came out the proud owner of a new iPhone 12 Pro. In those first hours of set-up, one of her first priorities – as any teen will tell . . . Continue reading →
Psalms, Sabbath, And Iconoclasm Are Not Quirks But Acts Of Confession
Within wider Christianity, Presbyterians are often labeled—and sometimes dismissed—as traditionalists. This label may seem to explain some aspects of Presbyterian piety, but not all. When Christians outside of Reformed circles learn about the Presbyterian passion for singing Psalms, keeping Sabbath, and rejecting . . . Continue reading →
The Ecstatic Companionship Of The Psalms
The metrical psalm was the perfect vehicle for turning the Protestant message into a mass movement capable of embracing the illiterate alongside the literate. What better than the very words of the Bible as sung by the hero-King David? The psalms were . . . Continue reading →
Review: 150 Questions About The Psalter
In an age of TikTok and Christian pop music, the Psalms can seem like a dusty relic in a poorly visited part of a museum. Sure, many modern choruses are snippets of Psalms or rough paraphrases of them, but their tunes and . . . Continue reading →
Saturday Psalm Series: Psalm 88 (Part 1)—Light in the Midst of Darkness
Do Not Forget the Darkness
We live in an age of emotions or feelings. Many questions in life are centered around our emotions. How does your job make you feel? How do you feel about family time? What makes you feel happy? How can you stop having . . . Continue reading →
God’s Word Is Sufficient For Singing In Worship
The point is that God has told us to worship him, giving us his Word to direct all our faith and practice. Everything we need is in the Word, including our songs. One fundamental reason—which should delight our hearts and practically grow . . . Continue reading →
Saturday Psalm Series: Queen Elizabeth And Psalm 23
We heard many stories about Queen Elizabeth II after her passing, but I do not know how many of you will know the story I am about to tell. Did you know that we have Queen Elizabeth II to thank for the . . . Continue reading →
Saturday Psalm Series: Psalm 88 (Part 5): Light in the Midst of Darkness
Who Rules Over the Darkness
In the last article, we considered the fog of darkness. One helpful way to clear the fog is by acknowledging who is ultimately in control of the darkness we face. When we face difficult times, when we feel like we have unanswered . . . Continue reading →
Saturday Psalm Series: The Psalm I Want Sung At My Graveside
To my friends, no I am not, as far as I know, in imminent danger of death. My enemies shall have to wait a bit longer. My reflections this morning are inspired by a series of posts at TGC including “The Song Scott . . . Continue reading →
Saturday Psalm Series: Psalm 88 (Part 6): Light in the Midst of Darkness
And the Darkness Has Not Overcome It—Our Savior’s Soliloquy
In the previous articles, we have considered the immensity of darkness. First, we saw the importance of prayer in the Psalm 88’s opening. No matter what darkness we face, we can always call upon our Lord. Then, we focused on the intensity . . . Continue reading →