John Mark Hicks

“If you test me, you will find no wickedness in me.” (Psalm 17:3) That is a rather disturbing statement for many. Can I pray that prayer? That is the invitation of Psalm 17. It calls us into a way of integrity and faithfulness as we seek refuge in the Lord, and we seek the Lord […]

Who may sojourn in God’s tent and live on God’s holy hill? Those who love their neighbor with integrity! Bobby Valentine and John Mark Hicks discuss the significance of Psalm 15 as an entrance instruction. Like in Matthew 25 with its judgment scene, those who enter are those who have loved their neighbors–feeding the hungry, […]

Humanity, according to Psalm 12, is filled with people who live with a “double heart,” flatter others for power, and boast of their exploits while asking, “Who is Adonai to us?” They are predators who seek their own prestige and power. “Help” is the only imperative in the Psalm, and it is the first word. […]

Psalm 149 invites the faithful to sing a new song with dancing and music in celebration of God’s deliverance because God delights in the people and has glorified (or beautified) them in God’s deliverance. The Psalm calls Judah to praise God with their mouths as they celebrate the divine victory through festive celebration. Given their […]

Psalm 147, the second of five Psalms in the “Little Hallel” at the end of the Psalter, commands Israel to “praise the Lord” because God’s steadfast love has remembered the covenant with Israel. And because God is the creator who continues to provide sustenance for the cosmos. God is an active agent within the creation […]

What do you say to God when you are in a cave? Psalm 142 is a classic lament that pours out a believer’s complaint to the Lord, petitions God for deliverance, and affirms a fundamental trust in the God of Israel. Bobby Valentine and John Mark Hicks discuss the meaning and significance of this Psalm […]

The Hebrew Bible’s word for the theological idea of “grace” in the New Testament is hesed (steadfast love). Psalm 136 celebrates God’s initiative and commitment, God’s grace, by reciting the line “because his steadfast love endures forever” 26 times. Israel, gathered in assembly in Psalm 135 and Psalm 136 to bless, praise, and give thanks […]

Psalm 123 finds pilgrims standing in the gates of Jerusalem and looking up to the God who is enthroned in the heavens and between the Cherubim of the ark of the covenant. The only petition is: “be gracious to us” (a word used three times in the space of four words). It is a communal […]

Psalm 100 invites all the earth to make a joyful noise and come into God’s presence in order to acknowledge that God is the creator and all peoples belong to him, give thanks, and bless God’s holy name. This invitation is grounded in the goodness of Yahweh whose steadfast love endures forever and faithfulness shapes […]

In Psalm 106 exilic Israel confesses the sins of their ancestors and identifies with them. They recognize the solidarity that shape a people, including their sin and rebellion. They also confess God’s merciful response to sin, and they appeal to God to remember God’s covenant love and renew mercy again. This is a corporate confession […]