Knowing God
March 31, 2024 • Ben Potloff • Psalm 16
Psalm 16:1-11 | Ben Potloff | "For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption." Looking back on Jesus' glorious resurrection, the Apostles remembered words originally penned by King David a thousand years before. God, faithful to his promises, delivered his Anointed One from the power of sin and death. MAIN IDEA To know God is to have life. OUTLINE I. People who know God worship God. (vv. 1-4) II. People who know God are satisfied in God. (vv. 5-6) III. People who know God are led by God. (vv. 7-8) IV. People who know God hope in God. (vv. 9-11) DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Coming soon
Beyond the Grave
March 31, 2024 • Andrew Murch • Psalm 16
Psalm 16:1-11 | Andrew Murch | "For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption." Looking back on Jesus' glorious resurrection, the Apostles remembered words originally penned by King David a thousand years before. God, faithful to his promises, delivered his Anointed One from the power of sin and death.
Forsaken
March 29, 2024 • Andrew Murch, Ben Potloff • Psalm 22
Psalm 22:1-31 | Andrew Murch & Ben Potloff | On the cross, Jesus cried out, quoting Psalm 22, saying, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" The Son experienced the anguish of separation from the Father so that sinners would not have to if they would put their faith in Jesus and be saved. On Good Friday, we remember and reflect on the cost of our redemption.
Forsaken
March 29, 2024 • Andrew Murch, Ben Potloff • Psalm 22
Psalm 22:1-31 | Andrew Murch & Ben Potloff | On the cross, Jesus cried out, quoting Psalm 22, saying, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" The Son experienced the anguish of separation from the Father so that sinners would not have to if they would put their faith in Jesus and be saved. On Good Friday, we remember and reflect on the cost of our redemption.
Christianese
March 24, 2024 • Ben Potloff • Psalm 118
Psalm 118:1-29 | Ben Potloff | "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" As Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem, the crowds joyfully quoted Psalm 118 and recognized Jesus as the long-awaited king of Israel. Jesus came not only as the rightful king but as the one who would lay down his life for his rebellious people. MAIN IDEA Lift up your voice, the Lord Saves. OUTLINE I. God loves (vv. 1-4, 29) II. God saves (vv. 5-18, 25-26) III. God’s people praise (vv. 19-24, 27-29) DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Coming soon
Psalm 145
December 31, 2023 • Todd Miles • Psalm 145
Psalm 145:1-21 | Todd Miles | "I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever." Authored by King David, Psalm 145 stands as an incredible song of praise to God for who he is and the wondrous things he has done. Here, we see that our God is supremely and uniquely worthy of praise because he is both Great and Good, wholly other and tenderly near to his people.
Don’t Trust Your Gut
September 3, 2023 • Nathan Noorlun • Psalm 56
Psalm 56:1-13 | Nathan Noorlun | "In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?" Captured by the Philistines, David calls out to God in a prayer saturated with confidence and hope in God. Here, we see that, although oppressed and imprisoned, the hope of God's people is in God himself.
God’s Got You Covered
August 27, 2023 • Joshua Ryan Butler • Psalm 91
Psalm 91:1-16 | Joshua Ryan Butler | "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty." It is a wonderful thing to find oneself under the shadow of God's redemptive refuge and protection. For the author of Psalm 91, it cause him to glorify God and meditate on the reality of life lived in the presence of God.
We Are Not Alone
August 20, 2023 • Andrew Murch • Psalm 19
Psalm 19:1-14 | Andrew Murch | When you are awed by Mt. Hood, moved by the tides on Cannon Beach, or blown away in the Gorge, you are hearing the symphony of God’s creation declaring his glory. When you read his Word, you are learning from the conductor how and why the notes that are played. When you cry out to him and receive redemption, you learn to play the instrument he has assigned to you.
A Cry for Help
August 13, 2023 • Gavin Hesse • Psalm 6
Psalm 6:1-10 | Gavin Hesse | "Turn, O Lord, deliver my life; save me for the sake of your steadfast love." As we continue exploring the Psalms this summer, we come to another prayer from King David. Here, we see that evil does are cast off as David cries out for deliverance from the Lord.
Resting Secure
August 6, 2023 • Noah Soistmann • Psalm 16
Psalm 16:1-11 | Noah Soistmann | "Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge." There is great joy and hope and peace for the people of God. In Psalm 16, King David considers who God is and who we are as his people. Here, we are reminded that life is lived at its fullest when life is lived in God.
“Bless Your Heart”
September 4, 2022 • Ben Potloff • Psalm 134
Psalm 134 | Ben Potloff | "Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord." Our summer in the psalms of Ascent comes to a close as the psalmist triumphantly points us to the worship of the Lord and closes with a statement of blessing from Zion. Here, we see that blessing comes from the Lord to those whose worship is aimed to the Lord.
Top To Bottom Unity
August 28, 2022 • Max Janusch • Psalm 133
Psalm 133 | Max Janusch | "Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!" Unity, harmony, and community are all universally understood to be good things, but we often see our world marked more clearly by division, strife, and isolation. King David pens this psalm with the purpose of revealing God's will for life to be lived in brotherly unity. Here, we see that where the Lord rules, unity reigns.
It Is Finished
August 21, 2022 • Gavin Hesse • Psalm 132
Psalm 132 | Gavin Hesse | "For the Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling place." Our zeal to obey and our desire to remember God’s covenant are low. We often only focus on the potential rewards–on ideas of “love”–and forget the part of that covenant that requires obedience. Here, we see that the promised King is found by those seeking him.
How's Your Posture?
August 14, 2022 • Ben Potloff • Psalm 131
Psalm 131 | Ben Potloff | "O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high." Humans are tempted to exalt ourselves and presume to know things, thinking in this we will find what our souls long for. But the opposite is true: humble yourself, admit your finitude, and find hope and rest. Here, in Psalm 131, we see that true rest and hope are found in realizing God is God, and we are not.