Psalm for Sunday, April 26, 2026

 

Reflections

Psalm 23: 1-3, 3-4, 5, 6   (Read)

“The Lord is my shepherd.”

We are like sheep, and we look to the Good Shepherd to lead us beside still waters, and guide us along the right paths.
We fear no harm, because the Good Shepherd is at our side.  Where else should we turn?

Our Lord restores us when we are down, protects us with his rod and his staff when we are threatened.  We lack nothing when we trust in the Lord.  We fear nothing, even when our lives are at a low point spiritually or physically.

Our eyes are opened by our trust in the Lord; 
we are led out of the dark valley of sin where 
we did fruitless things in secret.  Like our psalmist 
King David, we are anointed with oil by the Lord, 
and we make a covenant with Him.

Our trust in the Lord is rewarded.  He sends His Son 
to save us, and His Spirit to live within us.  Surely 
goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our life.

“I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
The promise that King David speaks of in his final days 
is what Jesus died for.  Jesus reconciles us with the 
Father, and when Jesus is raised up, we too are resurrected.
  
Having been rescued by our Savior, and now counted 
among His obedient sheep, we are ready to do His will. 
We are groomed to enter the Kingdom and to sit at the 
table that God sets for us.  If we believe in Him, we too 
shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Amen


Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.   Our Psalm speaks of the Lord as our Shepherd. Do you believe 
you are one of His sheep?  What does it mean to be counted among His flock?

2.  Our psalmist says that the Lord anoints his head with oil.  Are you one of the Lord's anointed?   Describe how the Lord is using you as one of His anointed.

Psalm for Sunday, April 19, 2026

Reflections 

Psalm 16: 1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11    (Read)

“With the Lord at my right hand, I shall never be shaken.”

 

In this psalm David expresses his joy and enthusiasm 

for a life lived in the presence of God.  For us too, 

God is the source of our joy.  So long as we choose 

God and follow his Word, we too will be offered 

that allotted cup of blessings that David refers to, 

“Lord, my allotted portion and my cup, 

you have made my destiny secure.”

St Peter cites the Psalm's verses in today’s 1^st reading,

and Peter affirms that David's verses speak of the 

resurrection of Christ.  (Acts 2: 25-28, 31)

A key reference for Peter is Verse 10 of the Psalm, 

“You will not suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption,”

Death is destroyed; our faith in everlasting life with our 

resurrected Lord is confirmed.  As David says, “I set the 

Lord ever before me; abounding joy in your presence,

the delights at your right hand forever.”

For us too these are encouraging words.  The Lord promises,

if we are his faithful servants, that we will not have to see the pit;

He will not abandon us.  As David says, this is enough to make 

our hearts glad and our souls rejoice.

When the Lord is with us, do not our hearts burn within us, 

as the two disciples declare on the road to Emmaus in today's 

Gospel? (Luke 24:32)

Our burdens are made light; His yoke is easy, and that gladdens

the heart and strengthens the body.   We raise a song of praise 

to our risen Savior!

Amen

Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  The Psalm 's verses  affirm that we who are His faithful ones will remain in the presence of our Lord forever.  Speak of how you are encouraged by the Psalm's promises.

2.  Our psalmist inspires us to set the Lord ever before us and if we do so, "My soul rejoices, my body too abides in confidence."   How do you go about putting the Lord first in your life despite all the worldly distractions that surround us?

Psalm for Sunday, April 12, 2026

Reflections 

Psalm 118: 2-4, 13-15, 22-24   (Read)

“I was hard pressed and was falling,

but the Lord came to my help.”

 

Once again we visit this powerful psalm of praise

and thanksgiving. This time the verses stress 

the enduring love that God has for us – so much so 

that despite the part we played in crucifying His son, 

God went ahead and carried out His plan to save us.

“God’s mercy endures forever.”

“I was hard pressed and falling, but the Lord came 

to my help.” This verse could be about us.   Are we 

any different from our psalmist, any less desperate 

or in need of the Lord's healing power and presence 

in our lives? 

“My strength and my courage is the Lord.” He is 

present to us, just as He was in those early days of the 

church described in today's 1^st reading (Acts 2: 42-47),

and in the Gospel (John 20: 19-31). We may not have 

the awesome experience of physically putting our hand 

in the Lord’s side and our fingers into the nail marks 

on His hand, but He is with us.

We are victorious over death. The Lord’s deliverance 

is cause for joy.  Just when we were down, the Lord raises 

us up. “I was hard pressed and falling, but the Lord has 

been my Savior.” The joyful shout of victory is heard.

We are on firm ground after all – Christ has become our

cornerstone, as our psalmist reminds us. Christ has become 

a source of strength for us, despite His apparent weakness 

that day on the cross, when He died a shameful death. 

The Lord is present to us when we are frightened as He 

was present to those frightened disciples in the Upper Room. 

Who would have been more hard pressed and falling

than they were before Jesus appeared to them and blessed 

them and extended His peace to them? That same source of 

strength and might the psalmist speaks of is available to us; 

all we have to do is open our hearts and receive His saving grace.

 

As Peter tells us in today's 2^nd reading (1 Peter 1: 3-9), Christ’s 

resurrection gives us a living hope and a powerful faith. This is 

cause for rejoicing: “By the Lord has this been done; it is 

wonderful in our eyes. This is the day the Lord has made.”

Along with the disciples and the early church, “Let us be glad 

and rejoice in it.”

Amen

 

Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.   Our psalmist was 'hard pressed and falling,' but affirms that the Lord has been his savior.   Describe how you have been saved by the Lord and given strength and courage by Him.

2.  The Psalm declares, "The joyful shout of victory is heard."   Speak of what makes you joyful during this Easter season, and tell of how you have shouted and rejoiced in the Lord's resurrection.