Psalm 101:2 “I will walk in my house with blameless heart. I will set before my eyes no vile thing” (NIV). Observation: In this brief psalm David beautifully expressed a heart set on pursuit of God alone. He promised to sing of God’s love and justice (v. 1) and to...

Psalm 78:61 “He sent the ark of his might into captivity, his splendor into the hands of the enemy” (NIV). Observation: Psalm 78 begins with parables designed to recount the relational history of God and the Israelites. He blessed and established the nation even as...

Matthew 28:1 “After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb” (NIV). Observation: At week’s beginning, the two Marys had for the second time gone to Christ’s gravesite. Arriving after a great...

Psalm 51:4 “Against You, You only, I have sinned.” Observation: David’s adultery with Bathsheba had resulted in her pregnancy (see 2 Samuel 11, 12). In an attempt to cover his sin, David called her husband Uriah from the battlefield for a home visit, hoping it would...

2 Samuel 10:3 “The Ammonite nobles said to Hanun their lord, ‘Do you think David is honoring your father by sending men to you to express sympathy?’ ” (NIV). Observation: Hanun had succeeded his deceased father as Ammonite king. In an act of kindness, David sent an...

Matthew 20:13 “But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius?’” (NIV). Observation: This verse is found within the familiar story of workers hired to labor in a vineyard. Some had been hired early in the...

Psalm 106:4–5 “Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people, come to my aid when you save them, that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of your nation and join your inheritance in giving praise” (NIV). Observation:...

1 Chronicles 15:19–20 “The musicians Heman, Asaph and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play the lyres … and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah were to...

1 Chronicles 13:12 “David was afraid of God that day and asked, ‘How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?’” (NIV). Observation: Through twenty years of Saul’s reign, the ark had resided in Kiriath Jearim while Saul turned his back on the God of Israel. In one of his...

2 Samuel 5:24 “As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move quickly, because that will mean the Lord has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army” (NIV). Observation: Word of David’s anointing as king had reached the...