Fear stalks us in the night. Just when something gives us some sense of security, we find ourselves fleeing to something else. Where can we find safety? Not in politics, money, doomsday prepping, or in people. Psalm 91 teaches us that we'll only feel safe when we take refuge in the Lord. The more we draw near to Him in faith, the more we experience assurance of safety and security with Him.

Life is short. Someone we love passes away. Someone younger than us is given a terminal diagnosis. Our own health takes a turn for the worse. The curse of death is all around us. In Psalm 90, Moses laments the curse of death. In a time when he was surrounded by the passing away of his own generation, he takes refuge in his eternal God. Psalm 90 teaches us how to live in light of our brief lives.

On any day, a brief glance at the news proves the presence of evil in the world. As believers in Jesus, we know that He will one day make everything right, but it can be difficult to stay encouraged while we wait. Psalm 89 reviews God's promise to David of an eternal Kingdom with an eternal King. While it doesn't mention Jesus by name, it looks forward to the reign of God's promised Messiah.

"Darkness is my only friend." If you’ve felt that way, Psalm 88 will help you. The Psalmist finds himself in such a dark place of discouragement that he despairs even of life itself. He feels alone and hopeless. And yet, amid all his trouble, he makes the right choice: he turns to God. Psalm 88 is a testimony of faith-based persistence. In the darkness of despair, keep crying out to God.

There are places we love to go to but returning home feels comforting. But no place on earth can compare to God's home, the home He has prepared for His children. Psalm 87 is about that home: Zion, the City of God. This joyful Psalm tells us about that City and helps us get excited about our true home. Believers live as strangers, travelers. Learn to delight in your home - the City of God.

Certain things in life shake us to our core and leave us feeling unstable. It can even be difficult to pray in those times, not knowing what to say or where to begin. In Psalm 86, David found stability in the unchanging nature of God. He prayed to God based on His mercy, grace, and love. This rich prayer teaches us how to regain stability in our souls, even when we are troubled.

Everyone and everything feels the brokenness caused by sin. Sometimes we are broken by our sins or by the sins of others. In our brokenness, we need restoration. Psalm 85 is a prayer for restoration. After experiencing decline and distance from God, Israel asks for renewal and revival, "Restore us, O God!" It's a Psalm filled with hope and help for all of us who feel the brokenness of sin.

Do you have places you love and desire to return to? The writer of Psalm 84 certainly did. Potentially from a foreign land but certainly amid personal difficulty, the psalmist yearns to return to God’s dwelling place - the Temple of Jerusalem. Like Psalm 84, we can feel distant from God’s presence. As we encounter trials, we must cultivate a similar desire to seek God’s strength and protection.

“911, what is your emergency?” Maybe you have had to call for help before and been helped by a stranger when trouble entered your life. We often don’t accept help from others in our desire to be self-sufficient, but emergencies quickly reveal our need for help. The truth is that we all need help. We all recognize our need to seek the LORD for help in times of trouble.

Psalm 82 reminds those in authority that God is the righteous judge. He holds all judges accountable. This gives us hope even through times of injustice. It also reminds us that we all will answer to Him - we all must bow to the righteous Judge of the universe.

When we find ourselves in trouble, we tend to look for help in all the wrong places. Even if we do look for God's help, we have our own imaginations about how He should help. Psalm 81 reminds us that while God is ready and able to do the "spectacular" for us, we actually get back on track simply by listening to His Word. God has spoken, and His instructions are the key to everything in this life.

We often find security and stability in all sorts of things without realizing it. But what happens when those things fail? In Psalm 80, Asaph laments the fall of the northern tribes to Assyria. As the nation falls apart, Asaph rightly turns to the Lord for salvation. He asks for God's face to shine on them. It's a poetic request for God's grace and favor to fall upon them and save them.

While sin causes destruction, it feels so much worse when it's the result of our own sin. We hurt others, ourselves, and Christ’s reputation. Psalm 79 laments Jerusalem’s destruction, the death of God's people, and the reproach of God's name. But the Psalmist is honest that they are at fault. Psalm 79 gives us direction in our own despair and the words to cry out to God for mercy and forgiveness.

Are we losing the next generation? This question weighs heavily on the minds of parents. We often turn to our own methods to "win the children." But God cares far more about our hearts! He has given us instructions about how to help them love Him and follow Him. Psalm 78 shows the importance of telling the next generation about the wonderful works of God and His faithfulness through our failings.

Have you ever had so much on your mind you couldn't sleep? Asaph felt that way when he was overwhelmed by his troubles. We can relate. But by the end of the Psalm, Asaph is praising God. He focused on God's powerful salvation. In sorrow, when we look inward, we sink deeper into discouragement. Remember God's powerful salvation when overwhelmed by your troubles, and find confidence in Him again.

We were made to worship. We are often wowed by the things around us, people, and new inventions. Our eyes, thoughts, and tastes are drawn to things that are powerful. We can also look at the world around us and greatly fear the magnificent or the unknown. Psalm 76 describes God’s majesty over His people, His enemies, and all of heaven and earth. Asaph summarizes the song with a call to worship.

Have you had a stiff neck? It hurts. A "stiff neck" is a metaphor in Scripture - often referencing an animal that resists its master with stubborn pride. We treat God similarly at times, unwilling to yield to Him. God is judge, so we must humble ourselves before Him with thankfulness. Psalm 75 serves as a "quiz" of sorts to test our hearts and reveal whether we are truly humble before our Judge.

God's people lament as the temple burns to the ground. Hope is lost, God seems far away, and the enemy threatens to destroy them. On top of that, it was Israel's unrepentance that led to this destruction. God warned them. Maybe you can relate, watching your hopes burn to the ground at the hands of evil, maybe a result of your own evil deeds. Psalm 74 reminds us to look to our King of Salvation.

Things we see in the world around us are at times, troubling. As we work hard to do what's right, we struggle to make ends meet while those who cut corners seem to gain wealth easily! Those set on evil seem to be winning! Such observations tempt us with envy and doubt. Feelings are not new to God's people. In Psalm 73, Asaph, who went through this, teaches us what to do when we are slipping.

Desires can be strong. We want something so badly; we feel it in our bones. Some of these desires are broken by the Fall. But some of these desires reflect the image of God in us. Often, we waste our lives trying to satisfy our desires with the things of this life. Studying Psalm 72, we learn to set our affection on the Perfect King Solomon longs for in David's line, King Jesus and His Kingdom.