1 Samuel 23:16 “And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God” (NIV). Observation: Earlier in this chapter David led his band of fighting men to victory over the Philistines at Keilah. Even though he was not yet king of Israel,...

Psalm 34:9 “Fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing” (NIV). Observation: There are many familiar, comforting lines in Psalm 34, such as, “I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips” (v. 1); “My soul will boast...

Psalm 59:9, 16–17 “O my Strength, I watch for you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God ... But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. O my Strength, I sing praise to you;...

Psalm 9:10 “Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you” (NIV). Observation: The psalmist began by declaring that he will praise God with all his heart and testify of His wonders. He had seen God cause his enemies...

1 Chronicles 5:1 “He could not be listed in the genealogical record in accordance with his birthright” (NIV). Observation: The early chapters of 1 Chronicles contain a blur of nourishment easily left undigested if not approached by a heart hungry to discover their...

1 Samuel 11:2 “I will make a treaty with you only on the condition that I gouge out the right eye of every one of you” (NIV). Observation: Ammonites led by Nahash besieged Israelites living in the area of Jabesh-Gilead. Preparing to surrender, the men of Jabesh told...

Ruth 3:4 “He will tell you what to do” (NIV). Observation: Ruth told Naomi, her widowed mother-in-law, that Boaz had been extraordinarily kind to them. Ruth gleaned Boaz’s fields after harvesters had done their work, and Boaz had gone out of his way to be both...

Ruth 1:5 “Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband” (NIV). Observation: Naomi and Ruth’s story is a portrayal of loss, commitment, restoration, and divine provision. Naomi had gone with her family to live in Moab due to Bethlehem’s famine. There, her...

2 Corinthians 2:1 “I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you” (NIV). Observation: Much of 2 Corinthians 1 and the beginning of the second chapter seem to be travelogue. Paul wrote in 1:15 about having tried to arrange his itinerary to visit...

Psalm 42:2 “When can I go and meet with God?” (NIV). Observation: This psalm expresses the passionate cry of David’s heart to once again be in the presence of God. David was exiled from the house of Saul, hiding in a very small country with 3,000 soldiers in pursuit....