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Advent Psalm reading for December 21, 22, 23, & 24: Psalm 89. A Canticle of Praise Today, on the Fourth Sunday of Advent, we light the candle for Love. The gospel reading that goes alongside Psalm 89 is from Luke 1, the Magnificat, Mary’s song of praise. Mary’s song recalls themes from Exodus 15, the song…

Advent Psalm reading for December 21, 22, 23, & 24: Psalm 89. The Rule of Equity in Psalm 45 Having explored the themes of divine justice in Psalm 89, let’s turn to the New Testament liturgy in Hebrews 1, which references Psalm 45, offering a complementary perspective on God’s equitable rule. God’s divine justice brings joy…

Advent Psalm reading for December 21, 22, 23, & 24: Psalm 89. Proclaiming the Wonders of God In the first post, I looked at verses 1-4 (1-5, Hebrew). This post will explore the next several verses. Psalm 89:5-14 (6-15, Hebrew) reads like a prophetic psalm—God writ large. This description of God bridges us from the reflection…

Advent Psalm reading for December 21, 22, 23, & 24: Psalm 89. Introduction to Psalm 89 Today’s reflection begins with a new psalm, Psalm 89. This psalm is attributed to Ethan the Ezrahite, who is thought to have been one of the musicians and psalmists noted by the Chronicler. The liturgy includes the first four…

Advent Psalm reading for December 18, 19, & 20: Psalm 125. In the previous post, Part 1, I reflected on the significance of leaders being accountable to righteousness in Psalm 125. In the Part II, I explored this message in light of the Old Testament liturgy in Malachi 3. Today, I want to look at Ephesians…

Advent Psalm reading for December 18, 19, & 20: Psalm 125. Righteous Paths and Divine Justice In the previous post, Part 1, I reflected on the significance of leaders being accountable to righteousness in Psalm 125. This post will look at this message in light of the Old Testament liturgy in Malachi. As we transition from…

Advent Psalm reading for December 18, 19, & 20: Psalm 125. The Power of Trust in Psalm 125 Psalm 125 is another psalm of ascent. These psalms are thought to have been sung as liturgy during pilgrimage toward the temple. It is an uplifting psalm that contains a prayer for peace over the land in…

Advent Psalm reading for December 14, 15, 16, & 17: Psalm 126. The first reflection on Psalm 126 looked at the psalm’s context as a song of ascent. The second reflection examined similar themes in the liturgical reading from the first half of Habakkuk 3, and the third reflection further explored connections in the prophetic psalm. As we light…

Advent Psalm reading for December 14, 15, 16, & 17: Psalm 126. Continuing with Habakkuk 3: The Second Half The first reflection on Psalm 126 looked at the psalm’s context as a song of ascent. The second reflection examined similar themes in the liturgical reading from the first half of Habakkuk 3. Building upon previous reflections, let’s explore…

Advent Psalm reading for December 14, 15, 16, & 17: Psalm 126. The first reflection on Psalm 126 looked at the psalm’s context as a song of ascent. Today, I will look at some similar themes that arise in the liturgical reading from Habakkuk 3. Exploring Justice in Habakkuk Habakkuk is one of the “Book of…

Advent Psalm reading for December 14, 15, 16, & 17: Psalm 126. Psalm 126 carries a message of hope for renewal. In Advent, this is a comforting reflection in anticipation of the fulfillment of God’s faithful act of compassion. It has happened already, but each Advent, we wait anew. In our waiting, we make space…

Advent Psalm reading for December 11, 12, & 13: Psalm 27. In the first installment, I reflect on the entire Psalm 27 reading. In part two, I looked at similar themes of strength in divine presence in Isaiah 26. In this final installment reflecting on Advent Psalm 27, I want to consider the psalm alongside Malachi 2,…

Advent Psalm reading for December 11, 12, & 13: Psalm 27. In the first installment, I reflect on the entire Psalm 27 reading. Today, I will look more closely at one of the accompanying liturgical readings in Isaiah 26. Both Psalm 27 and Isaiah 26 express unwavering trust in the strength of divine presence, a…

Advent Psalm reading for December 11, 12, & 13: Psalm 27. Psalm 27 is one of the many psalms attributed to David, King of Israel. The psalm emphasizes God as an anchoring presence, an inspiration for courage, and a personal guide. God is referred to called, strength, shelterer, and protector. Up to this point during…

Advent Psalm reading for December 7, 8, 9, & 10: Psalm 85 Reflecting on Psalm 85 During Advent This is the second Sunday of Advent, when the second candle is lit to represent peace—”Jesus Christ is our hope for peace.” The advent psalm liturgy I have been reflecting on is Psalm 85, a Korahite psalm that…

Advent Psalm reading for December 7, 8, 9, & 10: Psalm 85 So far, I have looked at Psalm 85 as a Korahite psalm with roots in the Northern part of Israel. The Psalm begins in lament and then moves toward repentance and recognizing God’s compassionate justice. Then, I read Psalm 85 alongside Hosea 6 and…

Advent Psalm reading for December 7, 8, 9, & 10: Psalm 85 Introduction to Psalm 85 and Hosea 6:1-6 In the previous post, I examined Psalm 85 as a Korahite psalm emphasizing abundance in the wake of God’s justice. One of the accompanying liturgical readings is Hosea 6:1-6 which picks up in the middle of…

Advent Psalm reading for December 7, 8, 9, & 10: Psalm 85 Advent Reflection on Psalm 85 Overview For the rest of this week, Psalm 85 is the psalm reflection. In this first post, I will outline the psalm’s context and comment on its place in the liturgy. In subsequent posts, I will consider the…

Advent Psalm reading for December 4, 5, & 6: Psalm 79 Reflecting on Psalm 79: A Journey Through Lament In Part 1 of this series, I looked at the context of the Psalm 79 lament over the destruction of Jerusalem. In Part 2, I read Psalm 79 alongside Micah 4 and 5 to find a path…

Advent Psalm reading for December 4, 5, & 6: Psalm 79 Reflecting Back on Psalm 79: A Journey from Vengeance to Compassion In my last post (Part I), I reflected on the structure of Psalm 79 as a lament over the destruction of Jerusalem. Examining the psalm led me on a reflective journey to think…

Advent Psalm reading for December 4, 5, & 6: Psalm 79 An Asaph Psalm of Lament In this psalm from the Asaph collection, we hear the despair of the psalmist as he laments over the destruction in his city. The Asaph Psalter is a collection of twelve psalms within the Hebrew Bible Psalter which are…

Advent Reading No. 1: Psalm 80:1-7; 17-19 (Heb. 80:2-8; 18-20) A Misty Advent Morning: Contemplation Amidst Chaos I awoke to a misty, foggy first day of Advent this morning and turned on my Christmas tree lights. This is my favorite season for early rising. I am alone in a quiet house, enjoying my morning espresso…