John Mark Hicks

How does one ask, “Why, O Lord, do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” and also confess, “The Lord is King . . . and you will hear the desire of the afflicted”? This is Psalm 10 Bobby Valentine and John Mark Hicks discuss the significance of this Psalm as the voice of the […]

Bobby Valentine and John Mark Hicks walk through the meaning of Psalm 9, which both remembers God’s mighty deeds for Israel in the past with gratitude and cries out to God to renew those mighty deeds in the present. It is a Psalm of both thanksgiving and lament. The Psalm remembers God’s justice for the […]

Do you feel the need to pray against evil and violence? How do you pray? What do you say? What commitments are entailed in such prayers? Psalm 140, which is quoted in the New Testament, offers a way of praying against evil and violence. Be careful, however. These words cannot be prayed unless our hearts […]

Psalm 137 begins with a powerful lament but ends with what some have called the worst verse in the Bible. Its last three verses are excluded from most Western modern liturgies, and it is a source of embarrassment to many believers, especially disciples of Jesus. Bobby Valentine and John Mark Hicks discuss both its lament […]

Since October 7, 2023, that title has been my most popular blog post (written in 2013). It is probably rather disappointing to discover that the blog is an exposition of Amos 2:6-8. The prophet identified the sins of Israel as the oppression of the poor and needy, sexual immorality, and economic injustice. Amos not only […]

Pilgrims enter Jerusalem excited to experience authentic community, thanksgiving, and justice. They come to the house of the Lord to experience shalom (peace) and ask God to give peace the place where the Lord dwells. What does it mean to pray for Jerusalem? How might we pray for Jerusalem today? Psalm 122 guides in the […]

[An English version is available here.] Ocasionada por las injusticias de la clase dominante, la comunidad le pide a Dios que juzgue a sus jueces injustos. Un adorador habla en nombre de la comunidad en una especie de “lamento profético de culto”.”[1] Uno podría imaginarse a Jeremías o algún líder sacerdotal expresando esta queja en el […]

God is holy! What does that mean? Psalm 99 provides an opportunity for meditating on the significance of God’s holiness. This brief Psalm helps us embrace the wonder, justice, and mercy of God’s holiness. Bobby Valentine and John Mark Hicks discuss this brief Psalm (9 verses!) that powerfully confesses that “The Lord our God is […]

Dr. James Nesmith, Jr. joins Bobby Valentine and John Mark Hicks to discuss the meaning and significance of Psalm 58. This is an imprecatory lament against injustice on the part of rulers (whether “gods” as NRSV has it, or “rulers” as the NIV [2011] has it). How might we pray this prayer today as disciples […]

Abby Kaplan joins Bobby Valentine and John Mark Hicks to talk about Psalm 45. This royal wedding song has both an original significance in Israel and a messianic meaning. The Psalm, sung by Israel, desires a king of justice, humility, and truth, and celebrates the inclusion of a woman from outside of Israel. Ultimately, the […]