“Why, O Lord, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1 ESV). Psalm 10 began with a cry of confusion and anguish. The psalmist felt abandoned by God in the midst of trouble. The wicked seemed to prosper while the righteous suffer, and God’s justice appeared delayed.
“And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark, and he died there before God.” (1 Chronicles 13:10 ESV). Uzzah’s death shocked David and the people of Israel. Though Uzzah may have reached out to steady the Ark with good
“After we were brought safely through, we then learned that the island was called Malta.” (Acts 28:1 ESV). Luke recorded how the ship carrying Paul and his companions had run aground and broken apart in a storm. By God’s providence, all 276 passengers were brought safely to shore. Once ashore, they discovered they had landed
“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” (Psalm 8:3–4 ESV). David composed this psalm as a song of praise, likely inspired
“The son of Jonathan was Merib-baal, and Merib-baal was the father of Micah.” (1 Chronicles 8:34 ESV). This verse appears in a genealogy of the tribe of Benjamin, tracing the descendants of King Saul through his son Jonathan. The name Merib-baal here refers to the same person known elsewhere in Scripture as Mephibosheth (2 Samuel
“…I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” (Acts 26:17b–18 ESV). Paul gave his testimony before the Roman governor
“But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you.” (Psalm 5:7 ESV). David wrote Psalm 5 as a morning prayer, contrasting the fate of the wicked with the blessed access of the righteous. In verse 7, he acknowledged
“But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just
“I cried aloud to the LORD, and he answered me from his holy hill” (Psalm 3:4 ESV). David wrote this psalm while fleeing from his son Absalom. Though surrounded by enemies and betrayed by those closest to him, he did not despair. Instead, he cried out to the Lord. David’s prayer was not silent or
‘So the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.” The tribune answered, “I bought this citizenship for a large sum.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth.”’ (Acts 22:27-28 ESV). Paul’s Roman citizenship was often a help to him as he traveled throughout