Psalm | Craig T. Owens

July 2026
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A Lost Culture Of Reverence

June 23, 2025 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.

There are several psalms that are regal in their focus—talking about the King’s coronation, or the King ruling on His throne, or the ultimate victory of the King that is coming in the future. Although these royal psalms are extolling God as King, many of these psalms use King David as an object lesson. The idea is seeing how a man after God’s heart (1 Samuel 13:14) became the standard by which all other kings were measured:

Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as his father David had done (1 Kings 15:11)
Amaziah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not as his father David had done (2 Kings 14:3)
Unlike his father, Ahaz did not do what was right in the sight of the Lord, as his father David had done (2 Chronicles 28:1)

(Check out all of the Scriptures in this post by clicking here.)

The people followed their king in both righteousness and evil. They were fiercely loyal to their monarch. We don’t really get that loyalty today. “We’re Americans,” we cry, “We live in the land of the free and don’t ever bow our knee to a king!”

That’s an appropriate response for those living in a democratic republic, but we would do well to learn to bow our knee to a true King.

After the United States Constitution was adopt adopted, Elizabeth Willing Powel asked Benjamin Franklin, “Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?“ Franklin replied, “A republic, if you can keep it.” Franklin went on to say, “In these sentiments, Sir, I agree to this Constitution, with all its faults, if they are such; because I think a General Government necessary for us, and there is no form of government, but what may be a blessing to the people if well administered; and believe further, that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government.”

Because of our defiance as free people in our government, we have become lacking in our loyalty, which shows itself in a lack of proper reverence or respect. Just listen to how people talk so disrespectfully or even hatefully about those in “the other political party.” Benjamin Franklin also said, “Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.”

Where are the days of the armor bearer who said to Prince Jonathan, “Do all you have in mind. I’m with you heart and soul,” even though Jonathan was proposing an impossible task? Or the loyalty of the men around David who heard him sigh about the water in Bethlehem, and they put their lives at risk to bring him a drink? This was even before he was on a throne, and yet they showed their loyalty to him. I fear that our lost culture of reverence for earthly leaders has eroded our reverence for the King of kings, and vice versa.

The first royal psalm (Psalm 2) practically open the Psalter. This psalm calls us to consider the differences between earthly kings and the King of kings.

Notice that earthly kings “conspire”—they angrily boast and rage. They plot (v. 1b) and scheme (AMPC). They take their stand together (v. 2).

Against Whom? Against the LORD (Jehovah) and against His Anointed One (the Messiah)!

Much like the fiercely independent people I described us as earlier, these earthly rulers want to call their own shots—they don’t want to take directions from anyone else because they think they know best (v. 3). But notice in v. 1 that the peoples have followed their leaders in their plot.

God doesn’t rage at them, but He laughs, He scoffs, He rebukes, and the people are terrified when they realize that they cannot overcome Him. In v. 1 we see their plots are “in vain.”

There is nothing men can do—no matter how powerful they may seem or how many of them “take their stand…together”—to thwart or even delay the plans of Jehovah.

All of History is His Story. Notice the phrase that God speaks, “I have … I will” (in vv. 6-7; c.f. Daniel 4:25).

In vv. 7-9 God speaks to His Son—the Messiah, the Anointed One, the King of kings. We hear this repeated in Acts 13:32-33 and in God’s own voice in Matthew 3:17. Then we see the fulfillment of this in passages like Philippians 2:9-11 and Revelation 11:17-18.

This royal psalm ends with an important conclusion: Therefore (vv. 10-12):

Be wise
Be warned
Serve the King with reverential fear
Rejoice with trembling
Kiss the Son with absolute loyalty and joyful reverence

Check out another “therefore” in Philippians 2:12-16. This is a call for righteous, reverent living for those who have acknowledged Jesus as their King. It’s only those who live this way who will know the blessed refuge in Him that is unshakable for ever and ever!

Follow along with our look at all of the royal psalms by clicking here.

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Links & Quotes

June 21, 2025 — Craig T. Owens

People need to know how much you love them before they will listen to any correction you may need to give them. “Real friends hurt each other.” Check out the full sermon here.

I have a lot of new video content on my YouTube channel every week. Please check it out and subscribe so you don’t miss anything.

David Mathis shares a faith-building message of confidence during times of crisis. He takes his text from Psalm 46—“Whatever trouble comes, Psalm 46 tells us, with its first word, where to turn. Not to a change in circumstances. Not to our best efforts to fix the problem. Not to our anxious strategies to avoid pain and loss. But rather, turn to God.”

“There is not a facet of our lives, not an interest or occupation, not a nook or cranny of the cosmos, where God does not intend that His glory should shine forth and be known. Indeed, even now He is showing His glory in created things, and even in much of the culture that human beings make to meet their own needs (Psalm 19:1-4; Psalm 68:18). God is manifesting His glory; it is there to be noted and pondered. The task of those entrusted with the Kingdom economy is to serve as docents of the glory of God, bringing His glory to light and making Him known for all to see in these last days. … Our mission in these last days is to glorify God by living out the reality of His indwelling Presence among the people to whom He sends us day by day (cf. Micah 4:1-8). In all our relationships, cultural activities, conversations, families, vocations, and diversions, what will it look like, and how will it appear to others when the glorious Presence of God is being refracted through us?” —T.M. Moore

“The resurrection of Jesus from the dead was the one unvarying refrain of the apostles. This chapter [1 Corinthians 15] is the fullest discussion of it in the New Testament. It is one of the most significant and grandest chapters in the Bible because of the meaning it gives to human life. … The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the one most important and most established fact in all history. And the story of it has come down to us through the centuries, beautifying human life with the halo of immortality; making us feel sure that because He lives again we too shall live; making our hearts thrill with the thought that we are immortal, that we have begun an existence that shall never end; that nothing can harm us; that death is merely an incident in passing from one phase of existence to another; that wether here or there we are His, doing the thing He has for us to do; that millions of ages after the sun has grown cold, we ourselves shall still be young in the eternities of God.” —Dr. Henry Halley

Would you like to get better sleep and lower your stress levels? Check this out: “If you share a bed with your sweetie, consider incorporating this step into your nighttime routine if you aren’t already: a snuggle sesh…. A study found that couples who cuddled prior to drifting off experienced less stress and more feelings of security in the relationship.”

“The Bible tells us to love our neighbours, and also to love our enemies; probably because they are generally the same people.” —G.K. Chesterton

John Piper is asked an interesting question from Ephesians 6:12—are our adversaries merely flesh-and-blood humans or are demonic forces at work? “Flesh and blood apart from Christ is always under the sway of the spirit of the age, and it’s always under the sway of the prince of the power of the air, and it’s always acting out of its own bodily, mental desires. Therefore, in one sense, there is no separation in our warfare with human sinfulness and demonic schemes. They overlap; they’re intertwined.”

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All Hail King Jesus

June 17, 2025 — Craig T. Owens

The Bible closes with a vivid picture of Jesus as the undisputed King of kings, and we look forward to that time when all creation bows before Him. Even more so, we cannot wait to be with our King for ever and ever!

The psalmists of Israel also foresaw the coming of this King, especially in the example they had in their King David. Many of the poetic words they penned esteemed Jesus as the King for Whom they longed. David himself not only saw the future coming of the Eternal King, but he also looked back in time to see Jesus reigning as King before time began.

It is these royal psalms that we will be studying as we celebrate the first arrival on Earth of our King and as we anticipate the second coming of our Royal Majesty. The more clear our vision is of this King, the more we will worship Him, follow Him, and invite others to know Him as their own Lord and Master.

Please join us at Calvary Assembly of God as we explore the beautiful, reverent, and awe-inspiring description of our King of kings in the Book of Psalms.

A Lost Culture of Reverence (Psalm 2)
Refuge From The Shoving (Psalm 7)
Light In The Darkest Of Times (Psalm 22)
The King’s Bride (Psalm 45)
The Freedom In Fear (Psalm 47)
Eyes On The Eternal (Psalm 72)

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Calvary Assembly of God, Jesus Christ, King David, King of kings, Psalm, sermon. 17 Comments »

Loving Rebuke

June 11, 2025 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.

When I say a rebuke can be loving, let me start off with this reminder: People need to know you truly love them before they will pay attention to a rebuke. If they don’t know you love them and want the best for them, your rebuke will simply make them angry and may create an uncrossable chasm between you.

Nathan was the prophet who confronted David with his sin, saying, “You are the man!” (2 Samuel 12:1-7). Nathan not only took his life into his hands by speaking so boldly against King David, but he risked the lives of his family as well.

Thankfully, David acknowledged his sin, repented, and asked forgiveness (2 Samuel 12:13; Psalm 51:3-12). Instead of being banished, Nathan was honored. In fact, we see Nathan faithfully serving in King David’s inner circle even after the king is dead and King Solomon ascends to the throne.

And then during the reign of King Solomon, two of Nathan’s sons are honored with prestigious positions in Solomon’s court. “Azariah son of Nathan was over the officers; Zabud son of Nathan was priest and the king’s friend and private advisor” (1 Kings 4:5).

Solomon wrote, “He who rebukes a man shall afterward find more favor than he who flatters with the tongue” (Proverbs 28:23).

We must speak the truth in love. Not so that we are rewarded here (because that may or may not happen), but because God has called us to this. And He keeps perfect records so that we will be rewarded in Heaven.

The Voice In Your Ear

May 19, 2025 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.

I would like you to think about a wise, loving friend. One who has years of godly wisdom, empathy, loads of patience, and loving boldness. When you talk with them, you know that you will always get good counsel—even if you may not like exactly what they have shared with you, deep down you know it is still sound wisdom. This is what the Holy Spirit—as our Counselor—does for us.

The Holy Spirit is not merely a force, but He is a Person. Jesus Himself give the Spirit the pronouns “He / Him / His.”

Then take a look at just the beginning of the Book of Acts. The Holy Spirit does things a person does—

He speaks God’s Word (1:16; 4:25)
He empowers (2:4)
He can be lied to (5:3, 9)
He can witness events (5:32)
He can be resisted (7:51)
He can encourage (9:31)
He gives wisdom (6:10)
He gives direction (8:29, 10:19)

I especially want to key in on those last two attributes where the Holy Spirit is speaking to us.

Samuel grew up during the time of the judges, where everyone did whatever they thought best. This is a time that is described like this, “In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions” (1 Samuel 3:1). Visions in the Hebrew language is two words: open communication. In other words, people just weren’t listening for God’s voice.

Samuel had to learn to hear God’s voice as well (see this passage and all of the other biblical references in this post by clicking here).

God doesn’t reveal His heart to those who are unwilling to obey. His persistent call is for obedience to His Word and reliance on His provision. So the word of the Lord had to be revealed to Samuel (v. 7). When Samuel said he was listening (v. 10), that was a posture of readiness to obey.

God wants to reveal His heart to His obedient people. I love how God does this later for Samuel, “Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear the day before Saul came…” (1 Samuel 9:15).

This is how Jesus described the Holy Spirit in John 7:37-39, as streams that flow continuously out of our being. And Jesus also calls Him Counselor (John 14:16).

Isaiah described our Counselor like this, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a Voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it’” (Isaiah 30:21).

Let’s call this GPS = God’s Personal Spirit in us!

Those who are baptized in the Holy Spirit—utterly yielded to His wisdom—will experience:

More insight into God’s Word—Psalm 119:18
More timely application of God’s Word—2 Timothy 3:16-17
More boldness in prayer—2 Samuel 7:27 (same word for in his ear as Samuel experienced)

All Christians have a deposit of the Holy Spirit in their lives at the moment of salvation. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is a completed yielding to the Counselor’s influence. So don’t stop at salvation, but ask Jesus to send you what the Father has promised (Luke 24:49; Acts 2:33).

Check out all of the messages in our series leading up to Pentecost Sunday by clicking here.

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 2 Timothy, Book of Acts, God's direction, God's wisdom, Gospel of John, guidance, Holy Spirit, Isaiah, obedience, Pentecost, Pentecostal, Psalm, video. 4 Comments »

Tried And Tested

May 9, 2025 — Craig T. Owens

Moreover, [God] called for a famine upon the land of Egypt; He cut off every source of bread [Genesis 41:54]. He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold as a servant [Genesis 45:5; 50:20, 21]. His feet they hurt with fetters; he was laid in chains of iron and his soul entered into the iron, until his word to his cruel brothers came true, until the word of the Lord tried and tested him. The king sent and loosed him, even the ruler of the peoples, and let him go free. He made Joseph Lord of his house and ruler of all his substance [Genesis 41:40]. To bind his princes at his pleasure and teach his elders wisdom. (Psalm 105:16-22 AMPC)

“The word of the Lord tried and tested him.” When we cling to God’s promises despite the seemingly impossible circumstances we are in, that faithful clinging matures us. It both softens our heart and strengthens our trust in God.

Before going through the difficulties, Joseph wasn’t ready to operate effectively in such a lofty leadership position. God uses all things to mold us and shape us for His purpose (Romans 8:28). We certainly see a more mature Joseph standing before Pharaoh than we saw interacting with his brothers earlier in his life.

God called Joseph and he prepared Joseph. All that was lacking was Joseph’s faithful clinging to God and yielding to God’s maturing process. The end result was one of the most impactful leaders that history has ever known!

I blogged more about Joseph:

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: difficulties, Genesis, God's plan, Joseph, leadership, maturity, Psalm, Romans, trials, yield. Leave a Comment »

Good Grief From A Friend

May 5, 2025 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.

After God created Adam, He said, “It’s not good for you to be alone.” That’s just as true today: God didn’t intend for us to journey on our own, but He gives us companions along the way.

Last week we saw that God has to sometimes cause us grief to get our attention when we are straying from His path. He sometimes puts people in our lives to do the same thing.

There’s a reason God puts the people in our lives that He does. We are called to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). But that sometimes means people will get upset with us (Galatians 4:16). “Real friends hurt each other. … Truth is the primary way faithful friends should wound each other—it is the help that hurts.” —Dick Brogden

(Check out all of the verses in this post by clicking here.)

The Corinthians thought they were super-spiritual, but Paul had to call them out on their foolishness (1 Corinthians 3:3; 5:1-2). Before Pauls’ letter, the Corinthians seemed happy. His letter caused them grief, but it was good grief that led to repentance and true joy (2 Corinthians 7:8-10).

To keep silent when a brother or sister is straying is not God-honoring. We are not to be the sin police, but we are to address sinful issues (James 5:19-20).

As King David flirted with the idea of how he could get something that he thought would make him happy, an anonymous attendant tried to get his attention. David ignored this and then tried to sweep it under the rug. In fact, he thought he got away with his sin (2 Samuel 11:1–12:7).

But God sent Nathan to speak a hard word to David. We don’t know when Psalm 141 was written, but we know that David did write it. Perhaps it was penned at the time of Nathan’s loving confrontation. He said, “Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness; let him rebuke me—that is oil on my head” (Psalm 141:5).

We do know that David wrote Psalm 51 after Nathan’s loving hard word, and in this prayer we see David’s confession, repentance, and a request for God’s joy to replace David’s grief.

So how do New Testament-era Christians use good grief to help fellow saints?

Examine yourself first (Matthew 7:1-5). Make sure you aren’t plagued by the same sin you have noticed in a brother or sister.
Cry before you confront, just as the prophet Samuel did before he had to deliver a hard word to King Saul (1 Samuel 15:10-11).
Confront in love with the goal of restoration, but make sure you are confronting someone who know you love them and who will receive your loving word (Proverbs 27:5; 9:8).
Pray that their grief will be turned to joy (Luke 22:31-32; Galatians 6:1; Psalm 51:12).

Friendships with fellow saints are precious and they are vital. We need iron to sharpen iron (Proverbs 27:17) so that we will all stand before the throne together for eternity.

This is the final message in our series Grief Into Joy. If you missed any of the messages, you can check them all out by clicking here.

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: 1 Corinthians, 1 Samuel, 2 Corinthians, 2 Samuel, Bathsheba, Book of James, Calvary Assembly of God, confrontation, Dick Brogden, Ephesians, Galatians, Gospel of Luke, Gospel of Matthew, grief, King David, maturity, proverbs, Psalm, quote, restoration, saints, sermon, video. 4 Comments »

Multitudes Of Anxious Thoughts

May 2, 2025 — Craig T. Owens

In the multitude of my anxious thoughts within me, Your comforts cheer and delight my soul! (Psalm 94:19 AMPC)

When anxious thoughts seek to grip our heart, our hope is found in the words of God.

We have to think about what we’re thinking about, and then counteract the anxious thoughts with the words of truth.

I presented a whole series of posts and videos on a Christian’s mental health. Please check it out here. You can replace your anxious thoughts with comforting and delightful thoughts!

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: anxiety, mental health, metacognition, Psalm, thought life. Leave a Comment »

Grief From God

April 28, 2025 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.

The insidious thing about leprosy is that it kills the body’s pain receptors. Lepers may walk on a broken ankle, utterly mangling their foot. Or they may stick their hand in the first without realizing it.

Pain is important to us—it tells us that something isn’t right and that we should seek help. Just as there is a danger if we ignore physical pain, there is a greater danger if we ignore spiritual pain. It’s a greater danger because eternal separation from God is far more deadly than mere physical death.

Moses warned the Israelites of the danger of spiritual complacency, or we could call it spiritual leprosy. Check out the warning in Deuteronomy 8:10-14, 17. It didn’t take too long for this spiritual numbness to set it (see the fulfillment of Moses’ words in Judges 2:10-15).

(Check out all of the Scriptures in this post by clicking here.)

When we read in Judges 2, “The hand of the Lord was against them,” this is actually a very loving statement. Think about it: What would happen if God continued to give them success in their sinful endeavors?

We can see this a little more clearly in Isaiah 63:7-10 where we see that God’s love is both redemptive and corrective. His fighting against His people caused them to recall God’s ways and wait on Him once again (63:11; 64:4-5). Notice the last question of verse 5, “How can we be saved?”

It starts with remembering—that’s what Moses said at the beginning of this journey, and it’s also what Jesus says at the end (Revelation 2:5).

We have to meditate on God’s Word because it…

…is a mirror (James 1:22-25)
…is a bright, revealing light (Psalm 90:8 AMPC)
…surgically brings healing (Hebrews 4:12-13; Psalm 119:67, 70)
…prompts godly sorrow without condemnation (Romans 8:1-2; 2 Corinthians 7:8-9)

Only when this grief is turned to joy again can God use us to minister to others. We are able to comfort and redirect others because God has comforted and redirected us back onto His path.

David became enamored with his spiritual success and forgot God’s laws. His sin caused God to turn and fight against him. In his deep grief, David cried out to God (Psalm 51:7-13). It was only after David repented that his grief was lifted and he was able to teach others about our loving God.

Let’s not ignore our grief, but instead let’s ask God what He is trying to tell us through that grief. Remember, in our distress He is distressed and will carry us. But if our spiritual leprosy has taken us away from God, He will lovingly fight against us to get us to return to Him!

You can check out all of the other messages in this series by clicking here.

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: 2 Corinthians, Book of James, Calvary Assembly of God, Deuteronomy, grief, Hebrews, Isaiah, joy, Judges, pain, Psalm, repentance, Romans, sermon. 1 Comment »

Again And Again And Again

April 23, 2025 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.

I don’t know if this ever happens to you, but I’ve lost count of the number of times that this happens to me. I open up my Bible and begin reading right where I left off the day before, and as I’m reading, my attention is riveted by words that seem to pop off the page!

I look at them again and see that this passage contains highlights or underlining or notations from when I read here before. Yet I’m left scratching my head saying, “How did I miss this when I read this passage earlier?!”

I know this is because I’m a different person now than I was the last time I was reading this passage. I’ve learned some things and hopefully I have grown in the process. Quite simply, the Holy Spirit knew I wasn’t ready earlier for the new concept that jumped off the page at me.

The other day I was reading in the Book of Romans and I noticed something that Paul wrote—

And, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise You among the Gentiles; I will sing the praises of Your name.” Again, it says, “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with His people.” And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the peoples extol Him.” And again, Isaiah says, “The Root of Jesse will spring up, One who will arise to rule over the nations; in Him the Gentiles will hope.” (Romans 15:9-12)

Look at that wording: “As it is written … again it says … and again … and again….” Paul is telling us that God tells us the same thing in different ways, at different times, and through different voices. It’s the same message, but it resonates a little differently in each place. As God’s Word speaks to us again and again and again, we see the richness and fullness of the message.

In v. 9, Paul quotes David in 2 Samuel 22:50 and Psalm 18:49.

In v. 10, the quotation is from Moses in Deuteronomy 32:43.

In v. 11, an anonymous psalmist in Psalm 117:1 is quoted.

And in v. 12, Paul quotes the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 11:10.

(Check out all of these Scriptures for yourself by clicking here.)

The Jews considered the Holy Scripture to be divided into three sections: The Law, the Prophets, and the Writings. Look again what Paul did:

He quotes Moses from the Law
He quotes Isaiah from the Prophets
He quotes David and the anonymous psalmist from the Writings

Jesus said, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17). And after His resurrection, as He walked and talked with a couple of disciples, He reminded them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms” (Luke 24:44).

One of the reasons that the consistent message of the Scripture is repeated again and again and again is so that everyone will have a chance to hear it and believe it.

There is such a beauty in this! I encourage you to take the time to look up the cross-references that many Study Bibles have put together. As you read the “it is written” statements in the Bible, I hope you will be encouraged as you see it throughout all the Bible again and again and again!

Check out the book reviews I’ve shared on these study Bibles: