Category Archives: Cross (of Jesus Christ)

“BUT If Anyone Does Sin: Finding Hope in Jesus Christ the Righteous” — a Refresh & Restore Bible Study

1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

1 John 2:1-2

"Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

📖 Revelation 3:7–13We’re back!After a few months off, The King is Coming returns in 2026 with one of the most encouraging letters in Revelation — Jesus’s message to the faithful church in Philadelphia. In a world filled with opposition and weakness, Jesus opens a door no one can shut.In this episode, Keith Harris and Jamie Harrison explore:✔️ Jesus’s identity as the Holy One, the True One — God Himself✔️ What the “key of David” means and how Jesus alone opens and shuts✔️ The debated phrase “I will keep you from the hour of trial” — and how to read it biblically✔️ Why “little power” doesn’t disqualify faithfulness✔️ How being kept through the trial glorifies Christ’s strength in us✔️ What it means to be a pillar in God’s presence foreverThis church had no rebuke — only encouragement. And Jesus’s call still stands today: “Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” (Revelation 3:11, ESV)🔗 Missed earlier episodes in the series? You can click here to catch up and listen from the beginning.✍️ If you’d like to see a written version of this podcast, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
  1. "Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming)
  2. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of Love" (Advent 2025)
  3. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of Peace (Advent 2025)
  4. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of PEACE (Advent 2025)
  5. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of HOPE (Advent 2025)

Greetings Sojourners!

I had planned to release the next Bible study in our The King is Coming series on Revelation yesterday, but I believe 1 John 2:1–2 is where we need to be today—at least, it’s where I need to be.

When I started doing this five years ago, I never intended for it to become an ongoing thing. The pandemic was in full swing, and I became aware that some members of Christ Community—and others in our greater community—were unable to attend church due to health concerns. Some lacked technology or internet access to livestream services and be spiritually fed. So, I began writing Bible studies and sending them out. I even purchased the justKeithHarris.com site to make it easier to share the studies with folks.

As Covid began to settle into a more “normal” part of life and things started moving again, John Goldwater gave us a challenge during a pastors’ meeting. He asked us to think of something God had moved us to do during the pandemic—something extra to reach out—and to consider keeping it going. These Bible studies are what the Lord has continued to stir in me. Now, have I been as consistent over the past year or so as I would like to be? Definitely not. But my heart to encourage people through the Word of God hasn’t changed. That pastor’s heart—God’s call on my life—is what compels me to write this Bible study today.

So many people are hurting right now (and many of you may have burdens I don’t even know about). But God’s Word is “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that [we] may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17). Revelation 2 and Jesus’ letter to the church in Ephesus would certainly be good for us and would build us up. But I can’t get 1 John 2:1–2 off my heart and out of my mind. 

I feel a deep burden—and a burning desire—to break open 1 John 2:1–2 with you “clearly,” to give “the sense,” and to help you understand “the reading” (Nehemiah 8:8). I want to help you see whatever it is in this passage that God’s Spirit desires to open up to you. As I write (and truly, I don’t know how this is all going to turn out), there are a few things I want to share before diving into the text:

  1. We – all of us, myself especially – are sinners.
  2. Even if we are saved, there is still a struggle with sin (and unfortunately, we will fall into sin).
  3. When we sin – again, even if we are saved, there are consequences that must be faced.
  4. However, if you are saved and have been adopted into God’s family, you have an advocate, Jesus Christ the Righteous who stands for you when you have fallen into sin and shame. His blood covers sin. He is the God who saves. We never stop needing Him.
  5. If you are reading this and are not saved, He can save you.

Again, my heart is heavy for many of you, and I don’t know exactly how all of this is meant to work together. But I do know this: God’s Word going out is always a good thing. His Word never returns to Him empty; it always accomplishes what He intends (Isaiah 55:11). I may never know how this helps you—but I pray that, according to God’s purpose, it does.

My Little Children (v. 1a)

John opens up this section of 1 John with a term of endearment – a term of love – for these people. By calling them his “little children”, he is not belittling them or making it seem like he sees them as less but rather letting them know that he loves them as a father is supposed to love his children. He is about to tell them some good and bad news and this term of endearment reminds them of their relationship and his love for them. 

For me, both at school and at church, I’ve found myself using the word “kiddos” the same way I do with my own children at home. At first, it just slipped out without me thinking, but over the years, it’s become a way to express my care for them—like I consider them mine. It communicates relationship. There’s good news and hard conversations. There’s encouragement, correction, and discipline. They laugh and joke about what’s become my catchphrase at the end of each class—“Good class, kiddos!”—but they always notice if I forget to say it. If I miss it, they’ll ask, “Aren’t you going to say it?” They want to know that, no matter how the class went, I thought it was good. That little phrase reassures them. And even in times when I’ve had to correct them, that word—“kiddo”—still shows up. It reminds both them and me that our relationship remains, through the good and the hard.

Thinking of it that way, I can almost hear John saying with a sigh, “Kiddos, I need you to make sure you’re picking up what I’m laying down: I’m telling you all of this so that you will stop sinning.”

Let that sink in – “so that you may not sin” (v. 1). 

How far will you make it with that? How far have you ever made it not sinning?

Yeah, me too.

From a religious standpoint, that might sound like bad news, because we know we can’t do it. The Bible is clear on this. Psalm 14:3 and 53:3 both say, “there is none who does good, not even one,” and the Holy Spirit, through Paul, drives this home in Romans 3:10: “None is righteous, no, not one.” Anyone who honestly looks at their life and compares it to the holy standard of our holy, holy, holy God knows what Isaiah meant when he said, “all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment” (Isaiah 64:6). Even what we might think of as righteousness is tainted by sin—those “iniquities” that “like the wind, take us away.” That’s why we can’t earn salvation. There’s no amount of scrubbing, trading, or weighing good against bad that can remove sin or make us righteous. It doesn’t work that way. As we’d say in Mississippi, you either are or you ain’t—and, well, we ain’t. The “wages” of our sin give us what we earn—what humanity has earned since Adam—namely death (Romans 6:23).

That’s more than just bad religious news—it’s bad life news. 

But praise God, John didn’t stop there! The next word is only three letters in English (and in Greek), but it’s a powerful word for us: “BUT”. That conjunction takes everything that came before it—our sin, our inability to be righteous on our own—and sets it aside to introduce what comes next. John is honest: he tells these spiritual children he loves that he’s writing to them so they “may not sin.” But he knows they will. He knows because he himself didn’t make it far either. John was a sinner too. And how could he not know that? He had walked in the presence of Jesus. How could anyone be in Jesus’ presence and not be fully aware of their sin?

But more than being aware of his sin, John was aware of his Savior. He wrote that they may not sin—but that when they do, they would look to the Savior. Look at the beauty of that second sentence in 1 John 2:1: “But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

That’s good news! Let me show you why.

We Have an Advocate (v. 1b)

Before we go any further, let’s take a moment to understand what John is saying when he writes that “we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” It’s important to grasp the weight of this biblical truth before we move forward. The word translated “advocate” here is significant. To the native Greek speakers who weren’t writing in a biblical context, this word was used of “a legal advisor, pleader, proxy, or advocate…who comes forward in behalf of and as the representative of another”[1], which carries the idea of a defense attorney today. This was someone who came forward to speak on behalf of another, stepping in to represent and intercede.

But this word also has rich biblical meaning. It’s the same word Jesus used to describe the Holy Spirit, whom He called our “Helper” (John 14:16, 26; 15:26). The Holy Spirit now carries out Jesus’s work in our hearts—He is the One who indwells believers and represents Christ within us. While Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father, the Holy Spirit fills those who are saved, continuing His ministry as our Helper and Advocate here on earth.

That might sound a bit complex, especially since the idea of a defense attorney already makes sense. But Jesus is so much more than just a spiritual lawyer. Just like the Holy Spirit within us knows we are guilty, Jesus knows it too. He’s not trying to work out a plea deal or pretend we didn’t sin. He doesn’t spin the truth or fudge the facts. Jesus was and is sinless, and He will never lie. But here’s the powerful truth: Jesus knows we’re guilty—and yet He stands in for us anyway.

Jesus doesn’t rely on courtroom tricks to win our case. He is, in a sense, both our advocate and our judge. What He does for those He saves is beyond anything a human defender could do—or would be willing to do. He substitutes Himself on our behalf. He takes our place. And when He stands before the Father, it’s His plea, His righteousness, and ultimately His judgment that matters.

But don’t miss this: when the divine gavel comes down, it’s not on us—it’s on Him. The wrath of God due to our sin falls on Him. That’s how it works.

This is huge—monumental. There’s a theological term that’s been used since the Reformation to describe this: penal substitutionary atonement. It may sound like a mouthful, but it means exactly what it says. “Penal” refers to the penalty our sin deserves. “Substitutionary” means someone is taking someone else’s place. And “atonement” means covering sin and making it right. Put it all together, and it means Jesus took the punishment we deserve for our sin so that we could be forgiven and made right with God.

And that truth is captured in two key words from this passage: “advocate,” which we’ve just unpacked—and the next word we’re turning to now: “propitiation.”

He is the Propitiation for Our Sins (v. 2)

“Propitiation” might sound like what some folks call a fifty-cent word—or a seminary word—but really, it’s just a Bible word. There’s not a single perfect English word that fully captures it, which is why some translations use phrases like “atoning sacrifice” (NIV, CSB) or “sacrifice that atones for our sins” (NLT). But since the Holy Spirit chose to use this word, it’s one we need to understand—not just for head knowledge, but so we can grasp what God is telling us through it. Basically, the word translated “propitiation” in 1 John 2:2 “is the means of putting away sin and establishing righteousness”[2], but let me break it down even further.

At its core, “propitiation” refers to the way Jesus took the punishment for our sins and made peace between us and God. It’s the means by which sin is dealt with and righteousness is established. Jesus didn’t just do something to help us—He is the sacrifice that removes our sin (John 1:29).

In the Old Testament, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies and sprinkle the blood of a sacrifice on the mercy seat—the top of the ark of the covenant—to atone for the sins of the people (Leviticus 16:14–15; Hebrews 9:5). But Jesus did something far greater. He was both the perfect High Priest and the perfect sacrifice (Hebrews 10:12–14). His blood wasn’t a symbol on a religious holy day—it was poured out for real, once and for all, on the cross (Hebrews 9:26).

Propitiation doesn’t mean God changed His mind about sin. Jesus, as our Advocate, knows full well the depth of our sin—and we need to understand that Jesus is God. He is holy and has always hated sin. But in His love, God provided the sacrifice Himself (Romans 3:25; 1 John 4:10). He knew we couldn’t save ourselves. He knew we had nothing to offer that could earn forgiveness. The honest and universal plea of humanity is “GUILTY as charged.” Yet through Jesus’ death on the cross—as our substitute—He made a way for us to be forgiven and declared righteous in God’s sight (2 Corinthians 5:21).

This wasn’t just a one-time historical act—it still holds power today. Jesus remains our propitiation. His life, death, resurrection, and ongoing love are what keep us in relationship with God (1 John 3:16; Hebrews 7:25). That matters because Revelation 12:10 tells us that Satan is constantly accusing believers before God “day and night.” Now, Satan is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44), but speaking from experience, he doesn’t have to make things up to accuse me. My sin is real. God knows it. But I’ve been saved by grace through faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8–9).

So when Satan stands before God accusing me, I’m not sitting there alone in shame. I have an Advocate—Jesus Christ the Righteous. I don’t even have to speak in my own defense because Jesus speaks for me. And what He says is powerful and final: I am forgiven. The punishment I deserved has already been carried out—He died in my place. And when the Father looks at me, He doesn’t see my sin. He sees the righteousness of His Son, because I’m covered by His blood.

That’s good news!

Wrapping Up

I hope all of this made sense. All I can really think to say about it is, “Whew! I needed that!” – and that I hope it helps you, dear Sojourner, as well.

One question keeps stirring in my heart as I reflect on everything we’ve seen in this passage: if God loved me enough to do all of that—and to keep doing all of that—for me, won’t He take care of everything else?

The answer to that is easy: a resounding YES.

He loved me enough to save me. He loves me enough to keep me. And He will keep loving me—through my sin, despite my failures, and even in the face of the consequences I bring on myself. Why? Because I belong to Him.

And if you’re reading this and realize that you’re sitting before the divine Judge with no Advocate—if you’re trying to represent yourself—let me gently remind you: it’s unwise to defend yourself in court here on earth, but it’s eternally deadly to try and do it before the holy and all-powerful God of the universe. He already knows the truth: none is righteous, not even one (Romans 3:10). Your sin—any single sin—is enough to condemn you.

So what will it take to convince you to turn to Jesus? What will it take for you to see that He loves you, that He died for you, and that He will save you if you simply bow your knee and confess Him as Lord, believing that He is the risen Savior (Romans 10:9–10)?

I know my words are too weak to convince you. But God’s Word is strong enough. Go back and reread the verses. Click the cross-references. Don’t take my word for it—test it against Scripture. I’m not selling anything. I don’t get a prize if you believe. But if you do put your faith in Jesus, oh what a reward there is for you! Know this: if you need me, I’m here. I’m praying for you. But more than that, I write to you, dear Sojourner that you may not sin. But when you do…there is an advocate. His name is Jesus. He is the Righteous One. He is the propitiation for my sins – and the sins of the whole world.

[1] Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000).

[2] Zodhiates.

Songs for Sunday, March 23, 2025 @ Christ Community Church

Tomorrow is the Lord’s Day — Sunday, and I’m excited!

Every week at Christ Community, we gather because the gospel — the good news about Jesus — is true: He really lived, died, and rose again to save sinners and bring us into life eternally with Him. You see, we don’t gather to prove ourselves, check some religious attendance box, or pretend we have it all together. No, we gather because we need Jesus.

There’s more good news: He came to save. This is clearly seen in some of the verses we will read together in worship.

In John 3:16-17, Jesus tells us:

16For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.

And how did He do that? The apostle Paul puts it plainly, saying it is the most important message, in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4:

…Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, …He was buried, …He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures….

This is the most important news, the good news we call the gospel. It is what we proclaim with our mouths and our lives. It is at the heart of everything we sing, read, pray, and preach. Jesus gave Himself for us — not when we are all cleaned up and put together but while we were lost, guilty, and broken.

One of the songs we will sing, “God So Loved”, takes the message of John 3:16 and other passages to give an invitation to come to Jesus. Ponder these words:

Bring all your failures
Bring your addictions
Come lay them down
at the foot of the cross
Jesus is waiting there
with open arms
God so loved the world

If you have never trusted in Jesus as Savior — confessed Him as Lord and believed that God raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9), we pray that you consider these words today. This is the more important invitation, to come to Him more than coming to church.

We would also like to invite you to gather with us where you will hear this gospel again and again. Even if you have trusted in Him, we invite you to gather with us, praying that your heart might be stirred again by the wonder of His gospel — His love, grace, mercy, and salvation — and respond with fresh joy, worship, and devotion to Him.

This gospel will saturate our songs. When John opens the book of Hebrews, this gospel is at the heart of the book and the sermon. We will read the good news together.

Won’t you join us?

Here are our Scriptures and songs:

16“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

3For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

“Set Upon the Rock: Confidence in God’s Salvation” from Psalm 40 (#dailyPSALMSchallenge)

I waited patiently for the LORD; He inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.

Psalm 40:1-2

Psalm 40 is a testimony of God’s faithfulness in deliverance in David’s past and a plea for help in his present troubles. David recalls how the Lord rescued him from the pit of destruction – which he describes as a miry bog (think quicksand) – and placed his feet on a rock, giving him a new song of praise (vv. 1-3). But even as he celebrates God’s faithfulness, he finds himself once again in need of God’s delivance.

This psalm teaches us a powerful truth about living out the new life we have in Christ: it is a cycle of waiting, deliverance, and renewed dependence on the Lord. We live these out over and over, and God is faithful over and over. David is not relying on God’s past deliverance alone, though; he continually puts his trust in the Lord rather than in earthly sources (v. 4).  He recognizes that God’s plans for him and His wonders are beyond measure (v. 5) and that true obedience is worth more than religious sacrifices (vv. 6-8).

David’s worship is more than religion, too. He says that in the “scroll of [God’s] book” will be written that he delights to do the will of God and that His law is “within [his] heart” (vv. 7-8). He has not held back in telling people “the glad news of deliverance” and God’s righteousness (v. 9). He has not been silent about God’s faithfulness or His salvation, especially being vocal about His steadfast love (v. 10). And because of this, David is confident that God will not hold back when it comes to His mercy, steadfast love, or faithfulness (v. 11) in the midst of his current troubles from his own sin (v. 12) and his enemies (vv. 13-15).

Even in the midst of trials, David ends with confidence: “You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!” (v. 17). God did not delay to deliver and was not about to start then. Like David, we can hold fast to the Lord because “He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23)!

Seeing Jesus in Psalm 40

David’s words in Psalm 40 foreshadow and point to Jesus. The writer of Hebrews 10:5-7 applies vv. 6-8 to Jesus, showing that He is the true fulfillment of this psalm. He came to do the will of His Father, offering Himself as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. 

And because of Jesus’s resurrection, our hearts should be consistently bursting with “new song” (v. 3) to give testimony for how Jesus saving us and giving us new life – His consistent track record of deliverance, even from death, moving our hearts to praise Him!

Reflection

We can trust, as David did here in Psalm 40, that God hears our cries, rescues us in His perfect timing, and will never forsake those who put their trust and hope in Him. Consider the following questions to help you see where you need to trust the Lord:

Are you in a season of waiting on the Lord? What have you seen in Psalm 40 and in your own life that helps you trust His timing?

How have you experienced God’s faithfulness in the past? How does remembering it give you confidence in Him today?

Look to the Lord. Cry out to Him from whatever miry bog of despair you find yourself in, and trust that He will put you firmly on Jesus, our rock and our redeemer (Psalm 19:14)!

Here’s a praise song to help you apply and praise the Lord with Psalm 40:

The #dailyPSALMSchallenge gives us the opportunity to start 2025 in God’s Word by digging into a psalm a day. Each day will identify a key passage for us to meditate on as well as seeking to help us see Jesus in the psalm and reflect on what we have read.

Won’t you take the challenge?

“Sin Whispers, But God’s Love Shouts!” from Psalm 36 (#dailyPSALMSchallenge)

How precious is Your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.

Psalm 36:7

Psalm 36 presents a striking contrast between the wickedness of sinful man and the steadfast love of God. David opens the psalm with a sobering description of human sinfulness (which describes every one of us at some point). The wicked are deceived by their own arrogance (v. 2). Their words bring trouble and deceit (v.3). And they “do not reject evil” (v. 4). 

What is at the root of all of this sin? David clarified that back in v. 1: “There is no fear of God before [the wicked’s] eyes”. Sin speaks to the hearts of the wicked because they do not fear the Lord and leads them further and further into wickedness and darkness.

But, in contrast to the darkness, the love of God shines brilliantly! David exalts God’s steadfast love, faithfulness, righteousness, and justice (vv. 5-6). These attributes of God are described in magnificently limitless terms in v. 5: “ Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the clouds.” God’s righteousness is described as firm as mountain, and His judgments as deep as the oceans (v. 6). 

This steadfast love is at the root of His covenant with His people, leading Him to offer abundant blessings to those who trust in Him. Those who trust in Him “feast on the abundance of [His] house” and drink deeply from “the river of [His] delights” (v. 8). This is a picture of deep satisfaction found only in relationship and refuge in the Lord. He Himself is the “fountain of life” (v. 9), the source of all true joy, meaning, and fulfillment.

David closes Psalm 36 with a prayer for God’s continued love and protection for His people (vv. 10-12). He asks that pride and wickedness – that he understood was a danger to his own sinsick heart – would not overtake him and that God’s enemies would ultimately fall.

This leaves all reading Psalm 36 with a clear choice: will we walk in the way of the wicked, or will we seek shelter under the wings of a loving God?

Seeing Jesus in Psalm 36

Jesus is not only the fulfillment of Psalm 36 but the perfect embodiment and demonstration of God’s steadfast love. The apostle John showed this clearly in 1 John 4:9-10 – that in Jesus the love of God is illustrated, illuminated, and literally embodied:

“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation of our sins.”

Not only does Jesus encapsulate the love of God, but He is the fullest expression of the way God’s love was shown throughout Psalm 36. He is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11), the Bread of Life (John 6:35), the Fountain of Living Water (John 7:37-38), and the Light of the World (John 8:12). It is in Jesus alone that we experience the inexhaustible and ever-present satisfaction that David spoke of in his deepest longings. 

Refection

What David prayed for, we can know fully in Jesus. The world offers temporary pleasures, but Jesus not only embodies David’s longings but offers His fulfillment of them to all who trust in Him. That’s good news!

As you meditate on the beauty of God’s love in Christ, consider the following questions:

  • Do you recognize the voice of sin whispering in your own heart? How can you guard against it?
  • What does it mean to take refuge in God’s steadfast love? Where are you seeking satisfaction apart from Him?

The world offers fleeting joys, but true and lasting joy is found in His presence – presence that we can experience through His Spirit within us. 

Run to Him.

Take refuge under His wings.

Rest in the promise of His never-stopping, never-failing, never-giving-up steadfast love.

Here’s a song inspired by Psalm 36:

The #dailyPSALMSchallenge gives us the opportunity to start 2025 in God’s Word by digging into a psalm a day. Each day will identify a key passage for us to meditate on as well as seeking to help us see Jesus in the psalm and reflect on what we have read.

Won’t you take the challenge?

“Entrusting Your Battle to the LORD” from Psalm 35 (#dailyPSALMSchallenge)

Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, “Great is the LORD, who delights in the welfare of His servant!”

Psalm 35:27

Psalm 35 is a cry for justice and protection. David pleads with God to rise up as his defender against people who were seeking to destroy him. He begins with a desperate call on the Lord to “contend…with those who contend with [him]” and to “fight against those who fight against [him]” (v. 1). He is asking God to take up weapons of war on his behalf. 

At the heart of the psalm is the reality of unjust and undeserved suffering. David is being pursued, falsely accused, and mistreated. His enemies are deceitful and malicious (v. 11), repaying the kindness he has shown them with hatred (v. 12). When they mourned, David mourned with them (v. 14), yet they now rejoice at his downfall (v. 15). This deeply distresses David, prompting him to call out and ask, “How long, O LORD, will You look on?” (v. 17). This is a question that everyone familiar with anguish and feelings of being abandoned in suffering has felt – and likely asked themselves.

Yet, Psalm 35 is not only pleading with God for justice – it is David declaring faith in God’s righteousness, knowing that God has not abandoned or forsaken him. David knows that God will be glorified “according to [His] righteousness” when He vindicates him (v. 24). This faith means that David does not have to take these matters into his own hands but entrusts his cause to the Lord, knowing that His justice and righteousness will prevail and leading David to end the psalm with joyful praise: “Great is the LORD, who delights in the welfare of His servant!” (v. 27). Neither his enemies nor his suffering will have the final word because God’s justice and goodness will triumph.

Seeing Jesus in Psalm 35

Jesus directly quoted Psalm 35:19 in John 15:25: “They hated me without a cause.” Like David, Jesus knew what it was to be falsely accused, mistreated, and hated – except for Jesus it wasn’t merely those He had mourned with but those He came to save. 

David sought vindication and protection, but Jesus is greater than David. He prayed that those who were responsible for arresting, mocking, torturing, and even crucifying Him would be forgiven rather than condemned or taken out by God’s righteous wrath (Luke 23:34). Furthermore, Jesus bore the full weight of injustice on the cross so that all who trust in Him – including those who were formerly His enemies (Romans 5:10) – might be saved through Him. And yet, as David prayed, Jesus will return as the righteous Judge who will one day set all things – all injustice and wrongdoing – right (Revelation 19:11-16).

Reflection

If you are reading this and feel as David did in the beginning of Psalm 35 – that God might not see his trials and suffering, know this: God sees your pain. He fights for His people. And His righteousness will win out. 

He exhibits this clearly in His care for His people throughout the ages. You can trust Him. You can take refuge in Him. When you put your trust in Him, you can truly cry out as David did: “Great is the LORD, who delights in the welfare of His servant!”

The #dailyPSALMSchallenge gives us the opportunity to start 2025 in God’s Word by digging into a psalm a day. Each day will identify a key passage for us to meditate on as well as seeking to help us see Jesus in the psalm and reflect on what we have read.

Won’t you take the challenge?

“The Joy of Forgiveness” from Psalm 32 (#dailyPSALMSchallenge)

Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

Psalm 32:1

Psalm 32 is a joyful song of relief – the rejoicing of a sinner who has experienced the forgiving and redeeming grace of God! David begins this psalm with a double blessing – blessed is “the one whose transgression is forgiven” and blessed is “the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity” (vv. 1-2). The word translated “blessed” here means happy, but it is not the surface-level happiness people often think of. It is the deep joy of knowing that sin has been wiped away and the burden of guilt lifted.

David speaks here from experience. When he tried to conceal his sin, his “bones wasted away through…groaning all day long” (v. 3). He gives the illustration of God’s hand pressing on him as an image of conviction that led from exhaustion and despair (v. 4) to finally coming out of hiding and confessing, immediately finding forgiveness when he “acknowledged his sin” (v. 5). This psalm teaches us a crucial lesson about joy and blessing: it doesn’t come from us trying to cover our sin but by God covering it. 

When we humble ourselves and confess, we are not met with condemnation but with mercy. This is why David calls us to respond by offering prayer to God in a time when He may be found (v. 6). Sin hardens our hearts – especially that which we try to hide or ignore – making confession more difficult. Instead of resisting and trying to hide, we should run to God who is our hiding place and protector in trouble (v. 7). Rather than being like a stubborn mule that resists correction (v. 9), we should trust in the Lord, for “steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord” (v. 10).

The psalm ends with a call to celebration and reminds us again that the forgiven heart is a joyful heart.

Seeing Jesus in Psalm 32

Psalm 32 finds its fulfillment in Jesus. Paul quotes Psalm 32 in Romans 4:7-8 to show that justification comes by faith in Him and not by our works. 

The blessing of forgiveness is only possible because of Him. He bore our iniquities and covered our sin with His own righteousness. Jesus endured the penalty for our transgressions on the cross so that we can receive the blessing of forgiveness. And when we confess our sins to Him, we do so in confidence that “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Reflection

Have you ever tried to ignore or hide your guilt or, like David, live carrying unconfessed sin? That’s an easy question to answer for every one of us: yes – too often. God’s invitation for us here is clear: “Let everyone who is godly offer prayer…at a time when [He] may be found” (v. 6). 

Don’t wait.

Come to the Lord in confession and receive the joy of His forgiveness. Meditate on the double blessing of vv. 1-2 and know that, if you are in Christ, your transgressions are forgiven, your sin is governed, and God does not count your iniquity against you.

That’s good news and reason for rejoicing!

The #dailyPSALMSchallenge gives us the opportunity to start 2025 in God’s Word by digging into a psalm a day. Each day will identify a key passage for us to meditate on as well as seeking to help us see Jesus in the psalm and reflect on what we have read.

Won’t you take the challenge?

“Trusting the God of Our Salvation” from Psalm 25 (#dailyPSALMSchallenge)

Make me to know Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths. Let me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all the day long.

Psalm 25:4-5

Psalm 25 is a heartfelt prayer of dependence on God’s guidance, forgiveness, and protection. David pours out his soul, expressing trust in God while seeking to be delivered from enemies, wisdom for life, and mercy for past sin. This is an acrostic poem, meaning that (for the most part) each verse beginning with a Hebrew letter A-Z (actually aleph א to tav ת), and emphasizes themes like trust, humility, and God’s covenant faithfulness.

David opens the psalm by lifting his soul to the Lord and declaring His trust in Him (vv. 1-2). This is active trust, not passive – a confident reliance on God’s character and promises. He boldly asks that he not be put to shame, knowing that those who wait on the Lord will not be disappointed in that regard (v. 3).

The heart of Psalm 25 is David’s plea for guidance and instruction. He desires to know God’s ways, to walk in His truth, and to live in obedience to Him (vv. 4-5). This humble plea reflects an awareness of his (and our) limitations and the need for God’s wisdom. David’s cry also reveals his teachable spirit, acknowledging that true wisdom comes only from the Lord.

David transitions to seeking forgiveness for his sins, particularly the sins of his youth (vv. 6-7). People often remark that it seems odd that David would be known as a man after God’s own heart when he very clearly is a sinner; vv. 6-7 give a good indication for what set him apart, namely repenting of his sin and seeking God’s mercy and steadfast love. David consistently holds to the consistency of God’s character and His steadfast love. It is also important to note that David acknowledges that God’s forgiveness is given and not earned – that it flows from God’s goodness and covenant faithfulness (v. 11).

In vv. 8-14, David highlights God’s character as good, upright, and faithful. He notes that God teaches sinners, leads the humble, and reveals His covenant to those who fear Him. This reverent fear fosters intimacy with God, described in v. 14 as “the friendship of the LORD”.

Psalm 25 concludes with David praying for deliverance from his troubles, enemies, and sins. He asks God to guard his soul and to preserve him through integrity and uprightness as he waits on the Lord (vv. 15-21). Finally, David expands his prayer to include all of Israel, asking God to redeem His people from their troubles (v. 22).

Seeing Jesus in Psalm 25

Psalm 25 finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus. David’s plea for forgiveness points us to the cross, where Jesus bore the penalty for sin and secured mercy for sinners. Only Jesus lived with perfect trust, humility, and obedience to God’s will, walking the path of righteousness without flaw or error.

As the God of our salvation, Jesus delivers us from sin and leads us in paths of righteousness. Like David, we can lift our souls to Him, confident that He will guide us, forgive us, and guard our lives for His glory.

Reflection

Psalm 25 calls us to trust God fully, seek His guidance, and rest in His mercy. As you do so, reflect on the following questions. 

Are you daily asking God to teach you His ways and lead you in His truth? 

Do you trust in God’s forgiveness, even for the sins of your youth? 

How does the promise of God’s friendship encourage you to walk in humility and obedience?

Lift your soul to the Lord today. Confess your need for His guidance, forgiveness, and protection. Wait on Him, knowing that He is faithful to answer and to redeem. Through Christ, you can walk in His paths with confidence and hope.

The #dailyPSALMSchallenge gives us the opportunity to start 2025 in God’s Word by digging into a psalm a day. Each day will identify a key passage for us to meditate on as well as seeking to help us see Jesus in the psalm and reflect on what we have read.

Won’t you take the challenge?

“The Cry of the Cross: Jesus’s Fulfillment of Psalm 22” from Psalm 22 (#dailyPSALMSchallenge)

My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?

Psalm 22:1

Psalm 22 begins with a heart-wrenching cry: “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” (v. 1). David voices the raw emotions that come from feeling abandoned by God in amid intense suffering. He pleads for God’s presence, wrestling with the seeming silence of heaven even as he cries out day and night (vv. 1-2). This tension between despair and trust is central to the psalm.

While David feels forsaken, he also remembers the holiness and faithfulness of God: “In You our father’s trusted; they trusted, and You delivered them” (v. 4). He clings to this hope even as his circumstances overwhelm him.

David, in his agony, describes himself as “a worm and not a man”, scorned and mocked by those around him (vv. 6-7). His enemies taunt him, twisting his trust in God into mockery and ridicule: “He trusts in the Lord; let Him deliver him” (v. 8). At this point, David has become physically weak and broken – his strength dried up, his bones out of joint, and his hands and feet pierced (vv. 14-16). Even his garments are divided among his enemies (v. 18). This striking imagery paints a picture of unparalleled suffering that goes far beyond David’s personal struggles and points prophetically to the suffering Savior, Jesus.

Despite the suffering and feelings of abandonment, Psalm 22 doesn’t end in defeat. In v. 22, there is a sudden shift: “I will tell of Your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise You.” Those feelings of abandonment are replaced with David rejoicing in God’s faithfulness. As in many other psalms, we see David finding hope in the consistent nature of God’s character. Because of that, he knows that God has not despised or ignored him (v. 24). This praise expands beyond Israel to include “all the families of the nations”, who will remember and worship the Lord (v. 27) and concludes with the assurance that God’s righteousness will be proclaimed to future generations, declaring “He has done it” (v. 31).

Seeing Jesus in Psalm 22

Psalm 22 is tied to Jesus’s crucifixion as Jesus cried out the opening words from the cross: “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Additionally, the vivid descriptions of pierced hands and feet (v. 16), divided garments (v. 18), and mocking enemies (vv. 7-8) are fulfilled in stunning detail and accuracy at Calvary. These connections reveal that David’s suffering pointed to Christ’s ultimate suffering, but Psalm 22 doesn’t end at the cross.

David’s shift from lament to praise reflects the resurrection, as Jesus declares, “I will tell of your name to my brothers” (v. 22, Hebrews 2:12). Through His death and resurrection, Jesus brings the nations ot worship God, fulfilling the psalms vision of the praise of the nations and eternal life (vv. 27-31). All in all, Psalm 22 reminds us that Jesus was truly forsaken so that we never have to be, and His victory ensures our hope.

Reflection

Psalm 22 invites us to honestly bring our pain to God, just as David and Jesus did. When we feel abandoned or overwhelmed, we can cry out to the Lord, trusting that He hears us even in His silence. At the same time, we are called to fix our eyes on God’s faithfulness – His deliverance in the past, His presence in the present, and His promises for the future.

Because Jesus bore the ultimate forsakenness on our behalf, we can trust that God is always with us, even in our darkest moments. As we meditate today on Christ’s suffering and victory, may we join David in proclaiming, “He has done it” (v. 31)!

The #dailyPSALMSchallenge gives us the opportunity to start 2025 in God’s Word by digging into a psalm a day. Each day will identify a key passage for us to meditate on as well as seeking to help us see Jesus in the psalm and reflect on what we have read.

Won’t you take the challenge?

“Finding Hope in God’s Justice” from Psalm 10 (#dailyPSALMSchallenge

O LORD, You hear the desire of the afflicted; You will strengthen their heart; You will incline Your ear to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.

Psalm 10:17-18

Psalm 10 opens with a heartfelt cry, “Why, O LORD, do you stand far away/ Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?” (v. 1). This lament resonates deeply with anyone who has ever tried to reconcile what may look like God being silent toward the rampant injustice in the world.

The psalmist (no one is specifically named as the writer of Psalm 10) paints a vivid picture of the wicked — arrogant, oppressive, and violent — preying upon the helpless with no fear of accountability (vv. 2-11). Their hearts are full of pride, and they make the bold proclamation that “There is no God” (v. 4).

The wicked seem to prosper — seem. Their prosperity is only temporary because their ways are deceptive and cruel. They lurk in ambush like predators, exploiting the vulnerable like their prey and doing so with what seems to be no punishment or repercussions. The psalmist pleads with GOd to respond — to rise up, defend the afflicted, and bring the wicked to account (vv. 12-15). These cries are not expressions of doubt but of trust that God is just and able to intervene.

Psalm 10 concludes with renewed confidence (rather than disappointment) in the Lord, who is “King forever and ever” (v. 16). The wicked may seem to prevail, but the power is fleeting. God hears the cries of the afflicted, strengthens their hearts, and ensures justice for the fatherless and the oppressed (vv. 17-18). This is the assurance that while human justice is rampant, divine justice will ultimately prevail.

Seeing Jesus in Psalm 10

Jesus embodies the heart of Psalm 10. He demonstrated God’s care for the afflicted and oppressed during His earthly ministry — healing the sick, comforting the grieving, and extending grace to the outcasts. On the cross, Jesus bore the ultimate injustice — dying for sins He did not commit — so that justice and mercy could be perfectly reconciled in Him.

When Jesus returns to establish His eternal Kingdom of justice and peace, He will fulfill the psalmist’s cry that “man who is of the earth may strike terror no more” (v. 18).

Reflect

Psalm 10 reminds us that even when God seems distant, He is neither unaware nor indifferent to injustice.

Are you wrestling with situations where the wicked appear to prosper? Bring your concerns — and even your laments — to the Lord, trusting that He sees, hears, and will act.

Consider ways you might be able to defend the weak, care for the vulnerable, and trust in His ultimate plan to right every wrong. May Psalm 10 strength your faith as you learn to wait on the Lord.

The #dailyPSALMSchallenge gives us the opportunity to start 2025 in God’s Word by digging into a psalm a day. Each day will identify a key passage for us to meditate on as well as seeking to help us see Jesus in the psalm and reflect on what we have read.

Won’t you take the challenge?

“A Righteous Refuge” from Psalm 7 (#dailyPSALMSchallenge)

My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart.

Psalm 7:10

Psalm 7 offers a vivid picture of David’s reliance on God in the midst of slander and false accusations. Faced with an attack from Cush, a Benjamite likely allied with Saul, David turns to God as his refuge (v. 1). He describes his pursuers as lions ready to tear him apart (v. 2), yet, instead of seeking personal revenge or justifying himself to others, David brings his case before the ultimate Judge.

David’s prayer begins with self-examination. In vv. 3-5, he acknowledges the possibility of wrongdoing (because he knows he is a sinner) and invites God to judge him if he is guilty. This humble request reveals David’s heart toward God, seeking to be the man God called him to be rather than be vindicated. His appeal for justice (v. 8) is grounded in his trust that God is a righteous judge who sees all hearts and minds (v. 9).

When he talks about the pit and hole in vv. 14-16, he paints a striking illustration of how sin traps people. This sort of poetic justice reminds us that God’s judgment is perfect, but it is also active. Despite his situation, David concludes Psalm 7 with confident praise in his God: “I will give to the LORD the thanks due to His righteousness” (v. 17).

Seeing Jesus in Psalm 7

David’s plea for justice and his willingness to entrust himself to God foreshadows Jesus who endured what David did and more. Jesus was reviled and slandered but “continued trusting Himself to Him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23) — to the Father. Unlike David, though, Jesus was (and is) sinless leaving no doubt to His righteousness.

When David talks about God’s bow being “bend and readied” toward those who don’t repent in v. 12, we are reminded of the reality of what our sin deserves. We need to be reminded that God hung His bow in the clouds a long time ago, reminded that for those who trust in God for salvation His bow is pointed toward heaven — toward His Son Jesus — instead.

Reflection

Psalm 7 invites us to bring our hurts and accusations to God and let Him sort them out rather than seeking personal revenge.

Are you carrying such a burden today?

Lay it before the righteous Judge who knows every heart. His justice may not be immediate, but it is certain.

Let this psalm inspire you to trust in God as your refuge, examine your own heart, and rest in the assurance that God’s justice — and, thankfully, His mercy — will prevail.

The #dailyPSALMSchallenge gives us the opportunity to start 2025 in God’s Word by digging into a psalm a day. Each day will identify a key passage for us to meditate on as well as seeking to help us see Jesus in the psalm and reflect on what we have read.

Won’t you take the challenge?