Writings
Let the Choirmaster Lead
If we insist on praying when we feel like it according to what we feel we need, we take on a burden that is too much for our soul to bear.
The Interiorizing of Faith
Praying Psalm 88 frustrates those looking for a plot, leading instead to the character development, the interiorization of faith.
Praying Without Listening
“If we pray without listening, we pray out of context.” (Eugene Peterson). Psalm 87 demonstrates that prayer is an answer to God as we listen to Him.
Learning to Pray in Language I
“Prayer is the language of the people who are in trouble and know it, and who believe or hope that God can get them out.” (Eugene Peterson)
Rejoice in the Lord, O My Sleepy Soul
Can I praise the Lord when my “feels” are disconnected?
Rebuke Me Not in Your Anger
What do you do when you have messed up so badly that your life is falling apart and you know that it is all your fault? You probably cry out to God for help, but what would that prayer even look like?
Can ChatGPT Praise the Lord
Can ChatGPT praise the Lord? Todd and Chat compare notes on Psalm 8.
From Anxious Prayer to Peaceful Sleep
What if your most desperate prayers could end in peaceful sleep?
What Does Great Praise Look Like?
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised (Psalm 145.3)
How Long Should a Worship Song Be?
Psalm 117 is the shortest psalm—just 28 words in the ESV, only 22 in the Hebrew text. And it makes me wonder: how long does a song need to be?
Deliverance in Disguise
I sought the Lord, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears (Psalm 34.4 ESV)
From Ruins to Restoration
Look down from heaven and see; have regard for this vine (Psalm 80.14 ESV)
What Can Man Do to Me?
In God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me? (Psalm 56)
What Does It Mean to Fear the Lord?
Fearing the Lord does not cause us to cower and hide. In fact, it causes us to draw near and delight in His steadfast love (Psalm 35).