Psalm 96... It's not Revelation 19, but is it all that different? Do these words sound even a little familiar? "Sing a new song to the LORD! Let the whole earth sing to the LORD! Sing to the LORD; bless his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves!" Ps. 96:1 Those words are a vibrant, corporate hymn that serves as a global call to worship, celebrating God's supreme sovereignty, His role as Creator, and His upcoming righteous judgment over all the earth... kind of like Revelation 19, after all.

The psalmist is extolling the virtues of and giving praise to God as he prepares to spend time with Him in worship. He states again and again in such beautiful words that God always goes before us to keep us close, keep us from harm and keep us on the path that leads to Him. His 'keeping' is the most wonderful gift, and our ultimate response is our own praise and worship! 

It is our great privilege to partner in prayer with these 3 wonderful organizations: Pure Life Alliance, First Image and Oregon Camp Cedarbrook. Don't miss this chance to hear from our local Prayer Partners about their current ministry plans and how God is reaching our community through them and their work!

Psalm 77 is about having hope in God in the midst of despair... and turbulence...and anxiety. Oh, and don't forget agitation. We don't need to dwell in any of those places, though, because all our HOPE is built on the trustworthiness of God; who He is and what He has done.

The psalms are a collection of songs, poems, and prayers that serve to direct God's people to Him in times of grief, joy, praise, and lament. They serve as a toolbox of sorts when we need to bring all the things to God... whatever all the things look like. "But as for me, how good it is to be near to God!" vs. 28a