angela hormberg

Category: Reading Through the Psalms

  • Revisiting: Reading through the Psalms: A Practice

    Revisiting: Reading through the Psalms: A Practice

    Today marks the end of this journey through the psalms, which began on 12/27/2024. So it took me 327 days to walk through 150 psalms or a little over 2 days for each psalm. Overall, I am happy with the progress I made; I stuck to my task. In the process, I learned a lot. Reading Matthew Henry’s commentary alongside reading the psalms helped illuminate my understanding. It’s very interesting to engage in a conversation with someone who encountered the psalms three centuries before me. His observations are as relevant today as when they were originally written. I was surprised by how much he gleaned from each psalm and challenged myself to spend more time and think more deeply about them.

    I did not choose the timing of the completion of my read through the Psalms: I simply read through them as consistently as I could. Yet, it’s very appropriate that I concluded this read through of the Psalms in November, because I wrote about the significance November had to why I began reading through the psalms in the first place, which grew out of a practice of expressing thankfulness. I also find it interesting that I wrote about Aristotle’s reference to finding the mean in life in my introductory blog post about this practice of reading through the psalms, as Matthew Henry references finding the mean, as well, in his discourse on Psalm 39, which is the psalm that marked the conclusion of this journey of my read through of the psalms.

    This doesn’t mark an end to my practice of Reading Through the Psalms but an end to this particular journey. Now, I hope to distill some of what I learned over the past year and share those observations with you. For now, I thought it would be worthwhile to repost my initial post from last year, when I began my journey. I hope you found something worthwhile and may be challenged to complete your own read through of the psalms. Thank you for joining me!

    Original Post – “Reading Through the Psalms: A Practice”

    My daily practice of reading through the Psalms grew out of a desire to focus on thankfulness. One November a few years ago, in anticipation of the celebration of Thanksgiving, I had been reading various blogs where authors challenged themselves to commemorate the holiday by noting each day, over the course of the month, one thing they were thankful for. As someone who thinks and (over)analyzes a lot, I thought it was a good idea to participate, because, all too often, I ruminate over some thing that is bothersome, in order to resolve the problem, and end up tarrying too long on things that do not bring happiness. Dwelling on and over problems has always been a part of my makeup; it’s what made me a good accountant. But, as Aristotle points out in Nichomachean Ethics,

    “one ought to choose the mean, and not the excess or deficiency” (102).

    As is often the case, multiple things came up around the same time which pointed me to participate in actively recounting all my blessings on a daily basis. While I was reading the blogs on thankfulness, I had also been reading Charlotte Mason, a nineteenth century educator, who wrote on a variety of topics related to home education, including how to help a child learn the habit of attention, which

    “is simply the act by which the whole mental force is applied to the subject at hand” (Mason 145).

    Further, during this time, I had also been longing to spend more time in the Word and was pondering the command to actively

    bring “into captivity every thought” (2 Cor 10:5, KJV).

    Lingering over all the lovely things I was thankful for in my life sounded much better than continually stewing over stressful thoughts. I endeavored to spend some time each morning recording in a notebook specific things I was thankful for. Through the process of pondering all the blessings received at the hand of our Creator, blessings became more obvious. It proved a fruitful time, and I noticed a marked improvement in my state of mind. Problems still came to my mind, but I made an effort to catch unruly thoughts before they stampeded out of control and steer them back to the good. None of this is new. Who hasn’t heard the old adage, ‘count your blessings’? The difference for me was moving from hearing it to actively doing it every day (or as near to every day as possible).

    This continued for some time, but, eventually, I wanted something to anchor my habit to. What better anchor than the Word? So, I began reading a Psalm each day and recording the attributes of God I found in the respective Psalm, as a daily reminder of all the reasons there are to be thankful for such a good, good Father. Again, the habit proved fruitful, as my focus on God elevated my thoughts heavenward.

    I made my way through all the Psalms and decided to keep going, when I finished. After repeating the journey through the first forty Psalms, I decided to add another dimension to my study by perusing Matthew Henry’s Commentary related to the Psalm I was reading for the day, thereby learning from a fellow Christian, who has since passed through this world, and gleaning from his laying down of

    “those great and sacred principles which [he went] upon, and [was] governed by, in this endeavor to explain and improve these portions of holy writ” (xcix).

    Is his commentary applicable to this era? Yes! And what follows after this introductory post, is a collection of a twenty-first century mother’s thoughts on a sixteenth century pastor’s “bold undertaking” (xcix).

    Works Cited

    Aristotle. Nichomachean Ethics. Translated by Joe Sachs. Hackett Publishing Company, 2002.

    Mason, Charlotte. Home Education: Training and Educating Children Under Nine. Charlotte Mason Research and Supply, 1989.

    © 2024 Angela Hormberg

  • Psalm 39

    Psalm 39

    Commonplace –

    “Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.

    Psalm 39 is a meditation. David introduces the meditation by saying,

    “I will take heed to my ways” (Psalm 39:1a).

    He continues by specifically addressing how he will control his tongue: “I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me” (v. 1b). He was able to hold his “peace”, yet he also refrained “from good” (v. 2). This troubled him, and his “sorrow was stirred” (v.2). He had an opportunity to say something good but refrained. So he implored the Lord to remind him that life has an end. His sin weighed heavy on him. He reminded himself that his “hope is in the [Lord]” (v.7).

    Matthew Henry had some helpful insights into this meditation. In reference to verse 2, when David held his peace, “even from good” Henry notes the following:

    “Watchfulness and resolution, in the strength of God’s grace, will do more towards the bridling of the tongue than we can imagine, though it be an unruly evil. But what shall we say of his keeping silence even from good? Was it his wisdom that he refrained from good discourse when the wicked were before him, because he would not cast his pearls before swine? I rather think it was his weakness; because he might not say anything, he would say nothing but ran into an extreme, which was a reproach to the law, for that prescribes a mean between extremes. The same law which forbids all corrupt communication requires that which is good and to the use of edifying, Eph. 4:29. (312).

    When David does finally speak, Henry considers that David was remorseful in withholding the good,

    “He had nothing to say to the wicked that were before him, for to them he knew not how to place his words, but, after long musing, the first word he said was a prayer, and a devout meditation upon a subject which it will be good for all of us to think much of” (312).

    In his summary, Henry suggests the following in regard to Psalm 39:

    “It is a funeral psalm, and very proper for the occasion; in singing it we should get our hearts duly affected with the brevity, uncertainty, and calamitous state of human life; and those on whose comforts God has, by death, made breaches, will find this psalm of great use to them, in order to their obtaining what we ought much to aim at under such an affliction, which is to get it sanctified to us for our spiritual benefit and to get our hearts reconciled to the holy will of God in it” (311).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 39.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Psalm 38

    Psalm 38

    Commonplace –

    “Forsake me not, O Lord: O my God, be not far from me.

    Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation” (Psalm 38:21-22).

    In the heading to Psalm 38, we read, “A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance”. This is a psalm heavy with remorse.

    David recognizes his own sin and is overwhelmed by it.

    “For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me” (Psalm 38:4).

    He realizes his only hope for relief is in confessing his sin to God and seeking forgiveness.

    “For in thee, O Lord, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God” (Psalm 38:15).

    David appeals to God to hear his confession:

    “For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.

    For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin” (Psalm 38:17-18).

    Finally, David begs God for help.

    “Forsake me not, O Lord: O my God, be not far from me.

    Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation” (Psalm 38:21-22).

    In regard to Psalm 38, Matthew Henry shares the following:

    “This is one of the penitential psalms; it is full of grief and complaint from beginning to the end. David’s sins and his afflictions are the cause of his grief and matter of his complaints. It should seem he was now sick and in pain, which reminded him of his sins and helped to humble him for them; he was, at the same time, deserted by his friends and persecuted by his enemies; so that the psalm is calculated for the depth of distress and complication of calamities” (307).

    Further, he writes,

    “In singing this psalm we ought to be much affected with the malignity of sin; and, if we have not such troubles as are here described, we know not how soon we may have, and therefore must sing of them by way of preparation and we know that others have them, and therefore we must sing of them by way of sympathy” (307).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 38.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Psalm 37

    Psalm 37

    Commonplace –

    “Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.

    But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off” (Psalm 37:37-38).

    In Psalm 37, David is offering wise counsel. He is contrasting the life of the wicked man with the life of the good man. He opens the conversation by advising the saints not to fret over or be jealous of what appears to be the success of the wicked in the moment, but, instead, take the long view and know the wicked “shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb” (v. 2).

    What, then, shall the good man do?

    1. “Trust in the Lord and do good” (v. 3).
    2. “Delight thyself also in the Lord” (v. 4).
    3. “Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him” (v. 5).
    4. “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him” (v. 7).
    5. “Cease from anger, and forsake wrath” (v. 8a).
    6. Refrain from considering to do evil (v. 8b).

    What is the reward for pursuing good?

    1. “[T]he meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace” (v. 11).
    2. “A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked” (v. 16).
    3. “The Lord knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever” (v. 18).
    4. The righteous “shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine shall be satisfied” (v. 19).
    5. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way” (v. 23).
    6. “[T]he Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever” (v. 28a).
    7. “The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever” (v. 29).
    8. “The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment” (v. 30).
    9. “The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide” (v. 31).

    David then adds his own testimony and counsel to all of the above:

    1. “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging for bread” (v. 25).
    2. “Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it” (v. 34).
    3. “I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found” (v. 36).
    4. “Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace” (v. 37).
    5. “[T]he salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him” (v. 39-40).

    David says much about the wicked in Psalm 37, as well, but it seemed best today to dwell on the good.

    Matthew Henry puts it beautifully, when he says,

    “[Psalm 37] is a sermon, and an excellent useful sermon it is, calculated not (as most of the psalms) for our devotion, but for our conversation; there is nothing in it of prayer or praise, but it is all instruction; it is “Maschil – a teaching psalm”; it is an exposition of some of the hardest chapters in the book of Providence, the advancement of the wicked and the disgrace of the righteous, a solution of the difficulties that arise thereupon, and an exhortation to conduct ourselves as becomes us under such dark disposition” (300).

    Further on, he adds,

    “In singing this psalm we must teach and admonish one another rightly to understand the providence of God and to accommodate ourselves to it, at all times carefully to do our duty and then patiently to leave the event with God and to believe that, how black soever things may look for the present, it shall be “well with those that fear God, that fear before him” (301).

    I’d say that was some pretty good news.

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 37.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Psalm 36

    Psalm 36

    Commonplace –

    “How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings” (Psalm 36:7).

    David begins Psalm 36 with a meditation on the wicked. The wicked person

    1. has no fear of God (v.1),
    2. flatters himself in his own eyes (v.2),
    3. speaks only lies and sinful words (v.3),
    4. has left off being wise and doing good (v.3),
    5. devises mischief (v.4),
    6. sets himself up in a way that is not good (v.4), and
    7. does not hate evil (v.4).

    David then turns his thoughts to God. God

    1. is merciful, and his faithfulness reaches the clouds (v.5),
    2. is righteous, and his righteousness is like “the great mountains” (v.6),
    3. is wise and his judgments are like a “great deep” (v.6),
    4. “preserves man and beast” (v.6), and
    5. is excellent in his “lovingkindness” (v.7).

    Here before us are the two paths: evil and good. We can choose to be like the evil man, or we can choose to mirror the goodness of our God. After reading the comparison, we are left to wonder: is there really any choice? David completes his thought by declaring that between the two, men will choose the clearly better path and “put their trust under the shadow of [God’s] wings” (v. 7). A person who chooses to seek goodness

    1. will be completely satisfied with the fullness of God’s house and drink from the river of His pleasures (v. 8) and
    2. will live in the light of God, where the “fountain of life” resides (v. 9).

    David ends by praying for those who choose to follow the path of goodness: that God will continue to extend his lovingkindness and righteousness to those who know him (v. 10)

    Finally, he closes in prayer regarding himself: that God will keep pride and the wicked far from him, which have been the downfall of those who have chosen the path of evil (v. 12).

    Matthew Henry notes the following related to Psalm 36:

    “If, in singing this psalm, our hearts be duly affected with the hatred of sin and satisfaction in God’s lovingkindness, we sing it with grace and understanding” (297).

      Works Cited

      Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 36.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

      Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

      © 2025 Angela Hormberg

    1. Psalm 35

      Psalm 35

      Commonplace –

      “…say unto my soul, I am thy salvation” (Psalm 35:3b).

      In Psalm 35, David is crying out to God for help in conquering his adversaries. He beseeches the Lord to defend him. Particularly moving is David’s request that God speak directly to and encourage his soul. He desperately needs to know God supports him, because he is surrounded by those who seek his life.

      Interspersed in between his petitions, David declares:

      “my soul shall be joyful in the Lord” (Psalm 35:9a) and

      “All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?” (Psalm 35:10).

      In this way, David lives in hope of God’s providential help. He builds his confidence in God’s salvation, He reminds himself of what his own response should be and had been to evil doers, when sickness strikes them: “I behaved as though he had been my friend or brother” (Psalm 35:14a).

      This is a psalm of petition. David is in the midst of suffering. He models for us what we should do in such trying times. We may

      1. cry out to God and lay before him our claims against those who commit evil against us,

      2. continually praise God through the process and rest assured of his aid, and

      3. not turn from doing good.

      Matthew Henry imparts solid guidance in regard to Psalm 35.

      “In singing this psalm, and praying over it, we must take heed of applying it to any little peevish quarrels and enmities of our own, and of expressing by it any uncharitable revengeful resentments of injuries done to us; for Christ has taught us to forgive our enemies and not to pray against them, but to pray for them, as he did; but,

      1. We may comfort ourselves with the testimony of our consciences concerning our innocency, with reference to those that are any way injurious to us, and with hopes that God will, in his own way and time, right us, and, in the mean time, support us.
      2. We ought to apply it to the public enemies of Christ and his kingdom, typified by David and his kingdom, to resent the indignities done to Christ’s honour, to pray to God to plead the just and injured cause of Christianity” (293).

      Works Cited

      Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 35.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

      Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

      © 2025 Angela Hormberg

    2. Psalm 34

      Psalm 34

      Commonplace –

      “I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalm 34:1).

      In Psalm 34, David begins by praising God. He calls the reader to worship with him: “O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together” (Psalm 34:3). He gives a testimony: “I sought the Lord and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” (v. 4). God is ever present. He sends his angels to deliver the saints. (v.7).

      Then, David turns to instruction. “Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord” (v. 11). How do you live like one who loves the Lord?

      1. Keep your tongue from evil. (v. 13)
      2. Refrain from cunning or sly speech. (v. 13)
      3. Run from evil. (v. 14)
      4. Do good. (v. 14)
      5. Seek and pursue peace. (v. 14)

      Afterwards, David compares the life of those who follow God with those who follow evil. The evildoers will be cut off, but the followers of the Lord will be heard and delivered from their troubles. David ends with the following encouragement:

      “The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servant: none of them that trust in him shall be desolate” (Psalm 34:22).

      I’d say that is some pretty good news.

      Matthew Henry references Psalm 34’s introduction, which follows:

      “A Psalm of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed” (Psalm 34).

      In respect to the opening, Henry notes,

      “This psalm was penned upon a particular occasion, as appears by the title, and yet there is little in it particular to that occasion, bu that which is general, both by way of thanksgiving to God and instruction to us” (289).

      This is a very important point and not one to be overlooked. David took the specific situation he was in and wrote a song about the general truth he learned from that situation and used it to praise God and teach others, and, in so doing, he made plain the purpose of our own testimony: praise God for deliverance and use it to teach others.

      Works Cited

      Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 34.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

      Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

      © 2025 Angela Hormberg

    3. Psalm 33

      Psalm 33

      Commonplace –

      “Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;

      To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine” (Psalm 33: 18-19).

      Psalm 33 is a psalm of praise. The writer begins instructing the reader that praise is “comely for the upright” (v. 1). It is a worthy practice. Praise is something we do with our voice and instruments, “play skilfully with a loud noise” (v.3).

      Next, the author moves in to the many reasons we have to worship the Lord.

      1. He is the maker of heaven and earth (v. 6).
      2. He brings the heathen to nothing (v. 10).
      3. His counsel stands forever (v. 11).

      We are reminded that strength doesn’t come from ourselves or other people; it comes from God. God is our deliverer.

      In his summary, Matthew Henry notes the following:

      “This is a psalm of praise” and “[w]e need not be at a loss for proper thoughts in singing this psalm, which so naturally expresses the pious affections of a devout soul towards God” (286).

      It is lovely that the psalmist gives order and guidance to our praise, centering us on what is most important. Considering the Word is divinely inspired, it is God himself, a good Father, who through the writer, directs our praise towards Him.

      Works Cited

      Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 33.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

      Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

      © 2025 Angela Hormberg

    4. Psalm 32

      Psalm 32

      Commonplace –

      Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

      Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile” (Psalm 32:1-2)

      What a beautiful meditation for this Sunday morning. Psalm 32 is a maschil of David, a psalm written to impart wisdom. David begins by pondering what a blessing it is to have one’s sin forgiven. It is no small thing when God chooses to “imputeth not iniquity” (v.2). As one thought leads to another, David considers what his life was like while living in sin, his bones grew old (v. 3), the hand of God was heavy on him, and his moisture “turned into the drought of summer” (v. 4), a dreary time to be sure. But when he chose to confess his sins to the Lord, the Lord forgave him. He notes, “[f]or this shall every one that is godly pray unto the Lord” (v.6). The reward of a contrite heart is relief, “mercy shall compass” the forgiven. The relief of the weight of sin is a blessing indeed.

      Matthew Henry shares the following in his summary:

      “This psalm, though it speaks not of Christ, as many of the psalms we have hitherto met with have done, has yet a great deal of gospel in it” (283).

      Works Cited

      Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 32.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

      Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

      © 2025 Angela Hormberg

    5. Psalm 31

      Psalm 31

      Commonplace –

      “O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.

      Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all yet that hope in the Lord” (Psalm 31:23-24).

      In Psalm 30, we see David’s framework for prayer:

      1. Beseech: verses 1-8

      David beseeches God to hear him. He asks God to deliver Him, acting as his strong rock of defense.

      1. Confess: verses 9-18

      David then asks for God’s mercy and confesses that his own strength fails because of his iniquity. He was at the mercy of his enemies and fear surrounded him, yet he trusted in God. He prays for God to deliver him and protect him, keeping him from shame and silencing his enemies.

      1. Praise: verses 19-24

      David recognizes God’s goodness towards those who commit to Him. He acknowledges God’s protection, recalling a time when God showed his marvelous kindness toward him. He entreats other saints to love the Lord and be of good courage, knowing God will strengthen all those who put their trust in Him.

      Matthew Henry notes the following regarding Psalm 31:

      “It is a mixture of prayers, and praises, and professions of confidence in God, all which do well together and are helpful to one another” (279).

      Works Cited

      Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 31.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

      Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

      © 2025 Angela Hormberg