Categoria: News

In this the shortest psalm all nations are exhorted to praise the Lord because his love is great and his faithfulness endures forever.  

In this the shortest psalm all nations are exhorted to praise the Lord because his love is great and his faithfulness endures forever.  

The key question of this psalm of thanksgiving is: “How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me?” The psalmist had clearly been in real trouble with “the cords of death entangled me… I was overcome by trouble and sorrow.”  However the Lord saved me, he says, the Lord has been good to me… and delivered my soul from death. So the psalmist lifted up the cup of salvation and fulfilled his vows… and sacrificed a thank-offering to the Lord. 

Psalm 115 starts with: “Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory”. This psalm is a hymn of praise to God alone and a declaration of trust in him. It ridicules idolatry as the idols have mouths but can’t speak, have eyes but can’t see, have ears that can’t hear, have noses but can’t smell and have hands but can’t feel. He then calls on Israel to only trust in the Lord because he is our help and shield. He will bless those who fear him. “It is we who extol the Lord, both now and for evermore”.

Psalm 115 starts with: “Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory”. This psalm is a hymn of praise to God alone and a declaration of trust in him. It ridicules idolatry as the idols have mouths but can’t speak, have eyes but can’t see, have ears that can’t hear, have noses but can’t smell and have hands but can’t feel. He then calls on Israel to only trust in the Lord because he is our help and shield. He will bless those who fear him. “It is we who extol the Lord, both now and for evermore”.

I have just eaten some Jaboticaba grapes which have a delicious unique taste. This tree grows in the Campina Grande region. The fruit grows on the actual trunk and branches of the tree.

Last night’s Palm Sunday service was excellent and was led by Pastor Rafael and me. Our daughter Sacha preached an excellent Palm Sunday sermon and the church was packed to capacity. Praise God for all his blessings.

At our home in Patos we have 2 small clay pots at the front of the house with one for water and one for food, and at the back of the house we have another 2 further pots. At the back I watch House Sparrows feeding and at the front Ruddy Ground Doves feed. I will watch out for what other species appear.

Patos now has a theatre which seats 500 people. It was inaugurated last Thursday. It used to be a joke as it took the Council about 20 years to build it, but it was finally completed last week.

It rained 5 mm at Green Pastures last night.

I have just eaten some Jaboticaba grapes which have a delicious unique taste. This tree grows in the Campina Grande region. The fruit grows on the actual trunk and branches of the tree.

Last night’s Palm Sunday service was excellent and was led by Pastor Rafael and me. Our daughter Sacha preached an excellent Palm Sunday sermon and the church was packed to capacity. Praise God for all his blessings.

At our home in Patos we have 2 small clay pots at the front of the house with one for water and one for food, and at the back of the house we have another 2 further pots. At the back I watch House Sparrows feeding and at the front Ruddy Ground Doves feed. I will watch out for what other species appear.

Patos now has a theatre which seats 500 people. It was inaugurated last Thursday. It used to be a joke as it took the Council about 20 years to build it, but it was finally completed last week.

It rained 5 mm at Green Pastures last night.

I have just eaten some Jaboticaba grapes which have a delicious unique taste. This tree grows in the Campina Grande region. The fruit grows on the actual trunk and branches of the tree.

Last night’s Palm Sunday service was excellent and was led by Pastor Rafael and me. Our daughter Sacha preached an excellent Palm Sunday sermon and the church was packed to capacity. Praise God for all his blessings.

At our home in Patos we have 2 small clay pots at the front of the house with one for water and one for food, and at the back of the house we have another 2 further pots. At the back I watch House Sparrows feeding and at the front Ruddy Ground Doves feed. I will watch out for what other species appear.

Patos now has a theatre which seats 500 people. It was inaugurated last Thursday. It used to be a joke as it took the Council about 20 years to build it, but it was finally completed last week.

It rained 5 mm at Green Pastures last night.

This short 8-verse psalm recalls God’s miracles bringing Israel out of Egypt, opening the red sea and the Jordan which was so wonderful that it made the mountains skip like rams and the hills like lambs! “Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord who turned the hard rock into springs of water!” 

Psalm 113 is a hymn of praise to God for being the exalted Lord who helps the poor and who gives the barren woman children! “From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same our God’s name is to be praised… God is exalted over all nations… his glory is above the heavens… he raises the poor from the dust and seats them with princes… and makes the barren woman a happy mother!”

Last night I both led the Green Pastures Easter service and I preached on the victory of Christ on the cross. The children performed a beautiful little play about the resurrection. It was a lovely service.

Meanwhile Pastor Rafael and team took a service on the playground of our school in Patos.

In the morning we had an excellent senior leadership team meeting which lasted two and a half hours. Afterwards we took the pastors and their wives out for a fellowship meal together at a restaurant in the town centre.

I have completed another 10 psalms, having finished the résumé of Psalm 110 which is a glorious messianic Davidic sign depicting Christ’s joint roles of king, priest and judge.

At Green Pastures yesterday I saw a bright yellow Great Kiskadee, 4 Cactus Parakeets, a Blue-black Grassquit and a Scaled Dove. Whilst there it was sad to learn that sister Vilene (member of our Green Pastures church) had her house broken into and they stole their wedding rings and her little motorbike which she comes to church on. 

This morning the Patos church is holding a jumble sale at our school on the south side of Patos. However Liz and I will be involved in an important meeting of our senior leadership team throughout much of the morning and afternoon and value your prayers. 

 Psalm 111 is an acrostic poem. This means that in this case the first letter of each of its 22 lines (not including the initial praise the Lord) begin with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The psalm focuses on God’s covenant (“he remembers his covenant forever”), his provision (“He provides food for those who fear him”), and God’s mighty works (“The works of his hands are faithful and just”). The psalm then concludes with the concept that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom… to him belongs eternal praise”! 

 Psalm 111 is an acrostic poem. This means that in this case the first letter of each of its 22 lines (not including the initial praise the Lord) begin with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The psalm focuses on God’s covenant (“he remembers his covenant forever”), his provision (“He provides food for those who fear him”), and God’s mighty works (“The works of his hands are faithful and just”). The psalm then concludes with the concept that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom… to him belongs eternal praise”! 

This Davidic psalm is a wonderful messianic psalm depicting the messiah as an enthroned king and eternal priest. “The Lord says to my Lord (Jesus the Messiah): Sit at my right hand… the Lord will extend your mighty sceptre from Zion. Then Jesus’ kingly role is united with his priestly role saying: “You are a priest for ever, in the order of Melquizedek.” The Messiah will judge nations and crush opposition in the day of his wrath.

David starts Psalm 109 asking God not to remain silent because wicked men have returned evil for good, attacked him without cause, and made false accusations against him. David then prays that an evil man be appointed and when he is tried that he be found guilty… may his days be few, his children be fatherless beggars and may his descendants be cut off. Then David asks for God’s help because he is poor and needy and his heart is wounded with him… save me in accordance of your love. Then, he concludes, I will greatly extol the Lord! 

David starts Psalm 109 asking God not to remain silent because wicked men have returned evil for good, attacked him without cause, and made false accusations against him. David then prays that an evil man be appointed and when he is tried that he be found guilty… may his days be few, his children be fatherless beggars and may his descendants be cut off. Then David asks for God’s help because he is poor and needy and his heart is wounded with him… save me in accordance of your love. Then, he concludes, I will greatly extol the Lord! 

This Davidic psalm is a strong hymn of praise: “I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations… let your glory be over all the earth”. David then prays for God’s salvation and deliverance for his people. He then goes on to remember God’s promise to control the land mentioning Shechem, Valley of Succoth, Gilead, Manasseh, Ephraim and Judah. He closes the psalm acknowledging that “with God alone we shall gain the victory… for it is he who will trample down the enemies”.

Last night Liz and I attended the inauguration ceremony of the new Police Headquarters where our deacon Esau is chief of Police. It was a beautiful event with the presence of the State Governor João Azevedo, the President of the Federal Chamber of Deputies Hugo Motta, and the Patos Mayor Nabor Wanderley. We felt very proud of Esau who made a very good speech.

 I saw 3 nests of Blue-winged Parotlets yesterday at Green Pastures. The nests are in termite mounds. I also heard Striped Cuckoos and saw Crested Caracaras. 

Last night we had a nice family get together for our daughter Deborah’s birthday.

I have just got back from doing physical exercise at Pilates. It was very good. 🏃🏃

 I saw 3 nests of Blue-winged Parotlets yesterday at Green Pastures. The nests are in termite mounds. I also heard Striped Cuckoos and saw Crested Caracaras. 

Last night we had a nice family get together for our daughter Deborah’s birthday.

I have just got back from doing physical exercise at Pilates. It was very good. 🏃🏃

This is the last psalm in book 4 of the psalms and it starts giving thanks to the Lord because he is good, and his love endures forever. The psalm confesses Israel’s repeated sin in stark contrast to God’s steadfast love and goodness. It recalls Israel’s sin-prone history from the Red Sea to the Babylonian exile showing God’s great mercy. Israel  “soon forgot what God had done for them at the Red Sea… at Horeb they made a golden calf… they despised the land and grumbled in their tents… they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor… by the waters of Meribah they angered the Lord… they sacrificed their children to demons… so the Lord was angry with his people.”

 Psalm 105 is a positive hymn of praise to God starting: “Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name… tell of his wonderful acts!” The text traces God’s blessing on the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, on Joseph in Egypt and on the miraculous deliverance of God’s people through the plagues and exodus. The psalm remembers how God blessed and brought our Israel from Egypt “laden with silver and gold” and led them with cloud and fire. God fed them with quail and bread and gave them water to drink from the rock. God “brought out his people with rejoicing and his holy ones with shouts of joy!”

Last night I made the half-hour journey to the town of São Mamede where our grandson John David is a doctor (GP) in a SUS (NHS) clinic. We held a street service in front of Larissa’s house where I brought a short word on Psalm 103:11-12 entitled “God’s love is over the moon”! A number of people took part in the service and the main message was brought by Pastor Rafael. Everyone was served a hot dog and fruit juice after the lovely service. 

Today is our daughter Deborah’s birthday. Deborah is an English language teacher and a veterinary doctor. Happy Birthday Deborah! 😃

Last night I made the half-hour journey to the town of São Mamede where our grandson John David is a doctor (GP) in a SUS (NHS) clinic. We held a street service in front of Larissa’s house where I brought a short word on Psalm 103:11-12 entitled “God’s love is over the moon”! A number of people took part in the service and the main message was brought by Pastor Rafael. Everyone was served a hot dog and fruit juice after the lovely service. 

Today is our daughter Deborah’s birthday. Deborah is an English language teacher and a veterinary doctor. Happy Birthday Deborah! 😃

Last night I made the half-hour journey to the town of São Mamede where our grandson John David is a doctor (GP) in a SUS (NHS) clinic. We held a street service in front of Larissa’s house where I brought a short word on Psalm 103:11-12 entitled “God’s love is over the moon”! A number of people took part in the service and the main message was brought by Pastor Rafael. Everyone was served a hot dog and fruit juice after the lovely service. 

Today is our daughter Deborah’s birthday. Deborah is an English language teacher and a veterinary doctor. Happy Birthday Deborah! 😃

Psalm 104 is a lovely hymn of praise to God the creator and sustainer of creation clearly echoing the Genesis creation narratives. It starts praising the Lord clothed in splendour and majesty who stretches out the heavens like a tent. God uses the clouds as his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind. He set the earth on its foundations and put a boundary for the waters. The psalmist goes on to praise God for his provisions for nature giving water to the beasts, habitat for the birds, grass for the cattle and plants for man to cultivate. He says that the trees are well watered, the stork nests in the pine trees and wild goats live in the mountains. He then says that God created the moon to mark seasons and organized all aspects of the cycle of nature and life. He goes on to focus on the diversity of life in the sea and on the land where all depends on God for food and breath. Finally he praises God as long as he lives. “Praise the Lord, O my soul!”

Our globe-trotting grandson Arthur is in São Paulo where he went to attend the Lollapalooza Brasil 2026 alternative music festival at the Interlagos Car Racing Circuit and to visit other cultural activities in São Paulo. I think he is going to the UK in the summer. 

Our Care Centre dentist, Dr. Lariza, attended Green Pastures folk yesterday: Leca, Fernanda and Flávinho. We brought them into Patos and took them home again afterwards.

I have written the résumés/summaries/abbreviated versions of the first 100 psalms having thus completed two-thirds of the Book of Psalms which is the biggest book in the Bible. This means I have completed nearly half (48%) of the Bible!

It rained 4,5 mm at Green Pastures yesterday.

Our globe-trotting grandson Arthur is in São Paulo where he went to attend the Lollapalooza Brasil 2026 alternative music festival at the Interlagos Car Racing Circuit and to visit other cultural activities in São Paulo. I think he is going to the UK in the summer. 

Our Care Centre dentist, Dr. Lariza, attended Green Pastures folk yesterday: Leca, Fernanda and Flávinho. We brought them into Patos and took them home again afterwards.

I have written the résumés/summaries/abbreviated versions of the first 100 psalms having thus completed two-thirds of the Book of Psalms which is the biggest book in the Bible. This means I have completed nearly half (48%) of the Bible!

It rained 4,5 mm at Green Pastures yesterday.

Our globe-trotting grandson Arthur is in São Paulo where he went to attend the Lollapalooza Brasil 2026 alternative music festival at the Interlagos Car Racing Circuit and to visit other cultural activities in São Paulo. I think he is going to the UK in the summer. 

Our Care Centre dentist, Dr. Lariza, attended Green Pastures folk yesterday: Leca, Fernanda and Flávinho. We brought them into Patos and took them home again afterwards.

I have written the résumés/summaries/abbreviated versions of the first 100 psalms having thus completed two-thirds of the Book of Psalms which is the biggest book in the Bible. This means I have completed nearly half (48%) of the Bible!

It rained 4,5 mm at Green Pastures yesterday.

This psalm is an exuberant hymn of praise to God: “Praise the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name”! “He forgives, heals and redeems me and crowns me with loving kindness!… he satisfies my desires with good things… the Lord is compassionate and gracious… he does not treat us as our sins deserve… his love is as high as the heavens and he removed our sins from us as far as east to west… God’s love for those who fear him is from everlasting to everlasting… God’s kingdom rules over all… praise the Lord O angels… praise the Lord you his servants… praise the Lord, O my soul!”

This psalm is an exuberant hymn of praise to God: “Praise the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name”! “He forgives, heals and redeems me and crowns me with loving kindness!… he satisfies my desires with good things… the Lord is compassionate and gracious… he does not treat us as our sins deserve… his love is as high as the heavens and he removed our sins from us as far as east to west… God’s love for those who fear him is from everlasting to everlasting… God’s kingdom rules over all… praise the Lord O angels… praise the Lord you his servants… praise the Lord, O my soul!”

A lament – a prayer of an afflicted man. The psalmist cries for help from God because he is in distress. His bones are like glowing embers and he is reduced to skin and bones like a desert owl! His enemies taunt him and use his name as a curse and he withers away like grass. However in verse 12 the psalmist changes tack with “But you, O Lord!” Now his focus is not on his suffering but on his saviour! He looks to God who is enthroned forever and whom he believes will have compassion on Zion. “The Lord will rebuild Zion,” he exclaims, and appear in his glory and answer prayer. God’s name will be declared in Zion”. Then the psalmist closes comparing God’s “years go on through all generations” with the brevity of human existence. 

A lament – a prayer of an afflicted man. The psalmist cries for help from God because he is in distress. His bones are like glowing embers and he is reduced to skin and bones like a desert owl! His enemies taunt him and use his name as a curse and he withers away like grass. However in verse 12 the psalmist changes tack with “But you, O Lord!” Now his focus is not on his suffering but on his saviour! He looks to God who is enthroned forever and whom he believes will have compassion on Zion. “The Lord will rebuild Zion,” he exclaims, and appear in his glory and answer prayer. God’s name will be declared in Zion”. Then the psalmist closes comparing God’s “years go on through all generations” with the brevity of human existence.