Psalm 2

When a new king was crowned in Israel, this psalm was sung at the coronation, or crowning, ceremony. This psalm invites us to step back and look at the kings of our world from God’s perspective. This psalm shows us that God is the Great King over all the kings in our world because he is the Great King of heaven and earth.

Psalm 23

Not only is God the Great King of heaven and earth, he is also a king who cares deeply about his people. God provides for his people just like a shepherd provides for his sheep. God never leaves his people like a shepherd never leaves his sheep. The psalmist’s confident trust in God also enables him to look forward to the time when he will live with the Great King forever.

Psalm 33

What is the Great King of heaven and earth like? This psalm is a praise psalm that tells us why we praise him, what he is like, and what he has done. God is the Great King of heaven and earth. He deserves our best praise.

Job 1, 2

Everyone knows that Job is a man who faithfully follows God. He doesn’t do evil things, but always makes godly choices. That is why it is really hard to understand why all the bad things happen to Job. We get a sneak peek into a conversation between God and Satan, the Prince of Darkness, that shows us a little bit of what happens behind the scenes.

Job 3.20–26

When people suffer and experience hard times, it can be very difficult to understand why it happens, especially if those people are good people and haven't done anything wrong. Job shows us what to do in hard times—we tell our troubles to the Great King. Job brings all his complaints to God.

Job 38.1–38; 42.1–17

Although Job's friends have tried to help him and show him where he has gone wrong, they end up being no help at all. This is where God steps in. God speaks to Job in beautiful poetry, asking question after question, and by the end of the poem, Job better understands his own place within the world that God has created.

Ezekiel 34.1–16

Ezekiel speaks God's words to the people of Judah as they live in captivity in Babylon. Ezekiel speaks God's words of judgment against the kings of Israel. The kings of Israel were supposed to represent God’s rule to his people. Kings were supposed to care for God’s people like a shepherd, but Israel’s kings were not like this. God himself will come down to fix the situation and to care for his people.

Ezekiel 37.1–14

Although Ezekiel brings God's words of judgement to Judah, he also brings God's words of hope. The exiles in Babylon feel like they have lost everything; their land, their temple and their king are all gone. Is the situation hopeless? Can God do anything when all hope seems lost? Ezekiel’s message shows God’s re-creative power will redeem Israel’s hopeless situation.

Habakkuk 1.1–2.4

Habakkuk has a big problem. God’s chosen people are not faithful and Habakkuk can't understand why God doesn't do anything to stop it. God answers Habakkuk, telling him that consequences are coming for Israel at the hands of the Babylonians. Habakkuk again wonders why God lets the wicked people do the judging. God's answer shows that Israel's enemies will not survive, but that the faithful ones will live by continuing to be faithful.

Habakkuk 3

Habakkuk responds to his conversation with the Great King with a psalm where he asks God for mercy in the coming judgement. As he remembers God’s mighty acts in the past, Habakkuk can move from worry about the judgement to faith and trust in the Great King who has always been faithful to his people. The faithful person remembers God's faithful actions in the past and trusts God even with the doubts and worries that come with hard times.