Daily reflections

This psalm is well known, largely for its link with the story of David and Bathsheba (see 2 Samuel 11–12) and more recently for the gentle online parodies around hand–washing guidelines for coronavirus.

The performance directions introduce the setting for this psalm as, 'When Doeg the Edomite had gone to Saul and told him, "David has gone to the house of Ahimelech"'. You can read the story for yourself in 1 Samuel 21–22...

Ever feel despair at the state of the world and feel that, if only people knew God, things would be better? The psalmist makes a similar lament.

While a prayer for protection from 'enemies' might seem an unfamiliar part of our songbook, it's probably not an uncommon experience for many people around the world today, especially in places where people are persecuted...

While yesterday's psalm about enemies might have felt further from our day-to-day experience, perhaps today's psalm has more resonances. The 'enemy' mentioned at the start is revealed in verse 14 as a former friend. 

We go to the Psalms to find words for how we feel – sometimes in times of rejoicing, and sometimes in times of sorrow. Psalms also has words for times of national calamity.

In Psalm 63, the psalmist writes movingly about his longing for God. 'My whole being desires you; like a dry, worn-out, and waterless land, my soul is thirsty for you', he says (verse 1).

The great theme of this opening chapter of 1 Peter is the new beginning that God has brought to those who trust in Jesus. 'Because of his great mercy he gave us new life by raising Jesus Christ from death,' the author says...

Pink Floyd's most famous song is a challenge to the kind of system that forces people into pre-determined roles whatever their individual gifts and talents: 'All in all you're just another brick in the wall'. It's a call to...