John Mark Hicks

Psalm 38: A Penitential Psalm. As the Psalmist approaches Yahweh with a memorial offering, the petitioner confesses sin and laments the suffering. “There is no shalom in my bones, and family, friends, and neighbors have distanced themselves from me.” The memorial offering seeks God’s forgiveness, healing, and communal reconciliation. One of the Penitential Psalms, the […]

When the wicked prosper, what do the righteous do? When people oppress the poor and needy to enrich themselves, what does wisdom say to community of God when they gather to praise God? “Depart from evil, trust God, and do good.” The way of the wicked leads to destruction, but the meek shall inherit the […]

“The Lord is near the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34 reminds us that when we cry out to God in the midst of our suffering, the Lord hears and acts because God is good and gives good things. The righteous sufferer is protected and endures by pursuing peace, doing good, and […]

Psalm 22 is the lament and confession of a righteous sufferer in the expectation of God’s righteous deliverance. The Psalmist identifies with the story of Israel, and Jesus himself appropriates this Psalm for his own lament and confession in the hope of his own vindication. This is not a Psalm about divine wrath or punishment […]

The church is suffering and will suffer further. They are impoverished due to their suffering, and some will be thrown into prison and some will be martyred. Those who are faithful in their martyrdom will receive a victory wreath because those who triumph or overcome will not experience the second death. So, don’t be afraid! […]

An English version is available here. Defender a Dios no es mi trabajo. Menos mal, porque sería pésimo en eso. Sin embargo, mi fe busca comprensión; busca respuestas incluso cuando no las puedo encontrar. Explorar los misterios de la providencia divina y el sufrimiento humano es un viaje a los rincones de la mente divina […]

[An English version is available here.] El fin de semana anterior (18-19/9/2010) tuve el honor de reunirme con el Echo Lake Church of Christ en Westfield, Nueva Jersey y discutir “Anchors for the Soul: Trusting God in the Storms of Life.” Brian Nicklaus Es el ministro allí y fue un placer pasar un tiempo con él. Aparecieron varios […]

Bobby Valentine and John Mark Hicks discuss one of the seven traditional Penitential Psalms, which are used annually at Lent. We question whether this a penitential prayer. Rather, it is a lament and cry for mercy from one who is suffering terribly and mistreated by others (much like in Job 16, for example). The Psalm […]

Dr. Tiffany Mangan Dahlman joins Bobby Valentine and John Mark Hicks to discuss Psalm 77. This powerful and disturbing lament calls us to remember the ways of God in the midst of our grief and troubled times. What is the significance of this lament for our present moment?

Titus Walelo joins Bobby Valentine and John Mark Hicks to discuss the meaning and significance of Psalm 88. It is perhaps the darkest lament in the Psalter. We have all felt this Psalm in our souls at times, and we share some of our stories as we read Psalm 88 together in lament. How do […]