Psalms for the Summer - Part 1 [Notes]

What if this summer could strengthen your relationship with God and others? Psalms for the Summer is a 4-week journey through the Psalms as we discover how praise, creation, family, and community can help us experience the goodness of God all season long.

Background to the Psalms: The word “psalm” comes from the Greek word psalmos which means a song or a hymn. The Hebrew word for the book is tehillim, which means “praises.”

The book contains a collection of 150 songs from Hebrew religious life and worship, songs dear to the people’s hearts and reflective of their personal experiences. One could say the Psalms represent an ancient songbook of God‘s people.
– Encountering the Old Testament, p. 280

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1 Sing a new song to the Lord; let the whole earth sing to the Lord.
2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name; proclaim his salvation from day to day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations, his wondrous works among all peoples.
4 For the Lord is great and is highly praised; he is feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens.
6 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
7 Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name; bring an offering and enter his courts.
9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness; let the whole earth tremble before him.
10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns. The world is firmly established; it cannot be shaken. He judges the peoples fairly.”
11 Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea and all that fills it resound.
12 Let the fields and everything in them celebrate. Then all the trees of the forest will shout for joy
13 before the Lord, for he is coming—for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with his faithfulness.
— Psalm 96 (CSB)

1 Sing a new song to the Lord; let the whole earth sing to the Lord.
2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name; proclaim his salvation from day to day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations, his wondrous works among all peoples.
— Psalm 96:1-3 (CSB)

4 For the Lord is great and is highly praised; he is feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens.
6 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
— Psalm 96:4-6 (CSB)

Mentioning these “gods” (idols) does not acknowledge their reality. It is a statement of God’s sovereignty and superiority over every force, real and imagined. Everything in Creation, including things the pagans venerated as gods, the Lord made, and therefore He has power over it all.
–Dr. Allen Ross, The Bible Knowledge Commentary

7 Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name; bring an offering and enter his courts.
9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness; let the whole earth tremble before him.
— Psalm 96:7-9 (CSB)

1 Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness
— Psalm 29:1-2 (CSB)

Why We Sing (summer 2025)

• Week 1: We sing … to declare God’s greatness
• Week 2: We sing … to thank God for His blessings
• Week 3: We sing … to obey God
• Week 4: We sing … to encourage one another
• Week 5: We sing … to learn and carry God’s truth
• Week 6: We sing … to join Heaven’s eternal song

7 Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name; bring an offering and enter his courts.
9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness; let the whole earth tremble before him.
— Psalm 96:7-9 (CSB)

10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns. The world is firmly established; it cannot be shaken. He judges the peoples fairly.”
— Psalm 96:10 (CSB)

11 Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea and all that fills it resound.
12 Let the fields and everything in them celebrate. Then all the trees of the forest will shout for joy 13 before the Lord, for he is coming—for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with his faithfulness.
— Psalm 96:13 (CSB)

Psalms such as this must have been uplifting for the psalmists as they have been for believers of all ages. Many psalms express a longing for the Lord to destroy wickedness and establish righteousness on the earth. The laments of the psalmists will no more be uttered when the Lord reigns in righteousness and truth.
– Dr. Allen Ross, The Bible Knowledge Commentary

8 Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things.
— Philippians 4:8 (CSB)

You can watch or listen to past messages online!

Let The People Sing // The Lord Will Provide // O Praise The Name (Anástasis) // Great Are You Lord

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