Each of the twenty-two verses of this psalm begins with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet. If you had a spiritual metal detector, your heart would be sounding with beeps at every verse. When I’m praying with those who are suffering or grieving a great loss, I recite verse 18: “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted,
and saves those crushed in spirit.”
Of all the psalms, this is the one most quoted in the New Testament. The psalm takes its place along with Isaiah, Paul, and Matthew this season who are especially uplifting to the spirit. Verse 5 is wonderful: “Look to God and be radiant; so your[ faces shall never be ashamed.”
Can you find words from A to Z that would catch the essence of each verse?
Check out Study Tools in BibleGateway.
I especially recommend the free resource
in Matthew Henry’s Commentary.
We read the Psalms in numerical order on Wednesdays
These Firestarters are from a new edition of The Bible Through the Seasons being developed for families with children. For the Firestarters in the original edition, I recommend the ebook. You will have the entire program of well over a thousand of these introductions with you on your phone or table! Check the menu options at the site for more information.
The Bible Through the Seasons 