Thursday Psalms: Take Refuge in God!

Blessed Thursday to each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, your Savior!

Psalm 2 puts us right in the middle of a power dispute.  Who has power and who does not?  On one side are nations & kings; on the other are the Lord and His Son.  In these verses, the Lord speaks.  First, He speaks to us, proclaiming His Son is King over all things [vv6-7a].  In the next verses, the Lord speaks directly to Christ His Son.  In the final three verses, the Lord speaks specifically to all rulers of the earth, and in a general way He is speaking to all people.

Psalm 2:6-12

6 “As for Me, I have set My King on Zion, My holy hill.”

7 I will tell of the decree:

The Lord said to Me, “You are My Son;

today I have begotten You.

8 Ask of Me, and I will make the nations Your heritage,

and the ends of the earth Your possession.

9 You shall break them with a rod of iron

and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise;

be warned, O rulers of the earth.

11 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way,

for His wrath is quickly kindled.

Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.

In these final verses, the Lord speaks the obvious and terrifying fact for all earthly kings:  they are under the power of God's Son, and can be destroyed with a simple request [v8].  For many of us, the dominion and coming wrath of the Lord is "old news", we fully believe these realities.  So, is there anything in these verses which give us encouragement today, living in these days of war, rumors of wars and geo-political unrest?

First, no matter how bad things look or become, the Lord is in control and His King reigns over us in mercy and grace.  One day, on the Last Day, the King of kings will return and triumph over all His enemies, including Satan himself.  The God who amazingly and continually loves & forgives you is completely in control of all things, until the end of time and beyond.  This is very encouraging!  As a believer & child of God, your spiritual life & eternal future are completely assured!  Thanks be to God!

Another encouragement comes from the promise the Lord speaks in the final sentence in this text.  He gives us refuge in Himself.  The Lord blesses us with peace, even when surrounded by chaos, fear and trembling!  Jesus Himself tells us "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you.  Not as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."  [John 14:27].

You are indeed blessed to be able to serve the Lord and rejoice today, taking refuge in Him and living in His peace!

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Mark

Pilgrim Lutheran Church, LCMS    Burton, Michigan

office:  810.744.1188 

We are Pilgrims with a Purpose:  

     Sharing God’s Love & Mercy with Each Other & the World.

Pilgrim Website       Pilgrim Facebook page

Soli Deo Gloria

"The LORD is a stronghold in times of trouble."  Psalm 9:9

Pilgrim Worship Sunday February 8, 2026

 

Pilgrim Lutheran Church

The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

February 8, 2026

We're thankful you've come here to watch our service and to worship the one true God!

This was another exciting Sunday at Pilgrim Lutheran Church!  We've returned to our regular Sunday schedule, starting with Adult Bible class at 9:15 am and then our 10:30 am Worship service.  Afterward, we gathered for food and conversations, while the children enjoyed Sunday School.  These classes are full of activities and teaching, so the children learn how much God loves them!

If you live in the Burton area, please consider joining us on Sunday mornings!  Anyone can watch our services live on Facebook or on Pilgrim's website.

Here is information about this worship service:

SCRIPTURE READINGS

  Old Testament:  Isaiah 58:3–9a

               Psalm:  Psalm 112:1–9

              Epistle:  1 Corinthians 2:1–12

              Gospel:  Matthew 5:13–20

THEME FOR WORSHIP 

Tonight, during the Super Bowl many people will consume lots of salty foods like pizza, chips and countless other snacks.  The bright lights of the game & the commercials will flood all who watch with their own ideas of what is good and right.  Sadly, in many cases the lights of immorality and sinful passions will shine way too brightly.

This morning, Jesus reveals a far, far better salt & light, both of which have great power now and last for eternity.  God gives you salt & light for your own good, and for you to share with others.

To watch the video of today's service, please click HERE.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Mark

Pilgrim Lutheran Church, LCMS    Burton, Michigan

office:  810.744.1188   

We are Pilgrims with a Purpose:  

       Sharing God’s Love & Mercy with Each Other & the World.

Pilgrim Website           Pilgrim Facebook page

Soli Deo Gloria

"The LORD is a stronghold in times of trouble."  Psalm 9:9

Thursday Psalms: God Steadies Your Heart!

Blessed Thursday to each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, your Savior!

Does bad news cause you to become afraid?  Does your heart become erratic or unsteady?  When trouble comes, do you trust in the Lord, or does your heart often turn elsewhere?  We all want to trust  the Lord more, but most of the time, we just can't do it.  In today's psalm, the Lord gives you what you need for a heart that is firm!  

Psalm 112:1-9  

¹ Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,

        who greatly delights in His commandments!

² His offspring will be mighty in the land;

        the generation of the upright will be blessed.

³ Wealth and riches are in his house,

        and his righteousness endures forever.

⁴ Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;

        he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.

⁵ It is well with the man who deals generously and lends;

        who conducts his affairs with justice.

⁶ For the righteous will never be moved;

        he will be remembered forever.

⁷ He is not afraid of bad news;

        his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.

⁸ His heart is steady; he will not be afraid,

        until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.

⁹ He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor;

        his righteousness endures forever;

                 his horn is exalted in honor. 

Blessed is the one who fears the Lord; the English translation reflects only a kind of deathly fear of punishment or harm.  In this context, a better translation would include words like honor, respect & trust.  When these words describe our relationship with God, our lives are blessed and our hearts remain firm and steady in the face of bad news.  

Also, when you fear the Lord in these ways, you receive and follow His commandments totally differently.  We delight in them because they are given in love, which makes them totally & perfectly good for us.  We delight in keeping the Lord's commandments because doing so pleases and honors the Lord, and keeping His commandments is also a great witness to others around us.  

The Lord promises that living every day honoring & obeying Him will steady your heart and drive back fear!  Fear the Lord and live in His blessings!

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Mark

Pilgrim Lutheran Church, LCMS    Burton, Michigan

office:  810.744.1188 

We are Pilgrims with a Purpose:  

     Sharing God’s Love & Mercy with Each Other & the World.

Pilgrim Website       Pilgrim Facebook page

Soli Deo Gloria

"The LORD is a stronghold in times of trouble."  Psalm 9:9