Advent is a season of anticipation. We light candles, count down the days, and prepare our hearts to celebrate Jesus’ birth. But Advent is about more than remembering what happened in Bethlehem two thousand years ago. It’s about learning to live with holy longing, anticipating the day when Jesus will return to make all things right.
This December, we return to the Psalms to guide us through Advent. Some of you may remember our journey through the Psalms during the Easter season, where we followed the lectionary psalm each week from Resurrection Sunday through Pentecost. We explored psalms of praise, lament, and thanksgiving. We discovered how these ancient songs give voice to every human emotion and experience. Now, as we approach Christmas, we turn once again to the Psalms. This time we’ll learn how God’s people have always lived with longing for God’s kingdom to come.
The Psalms are uniquely suited for Advent because they teach us how to wait. They show us how to hold both celebration and yearning at the same time. The psalmists praise God for what He has already done while crying out for what He has yet to accomplish. They remember God’s faithfulness in the past while anticipating His future intervention. This is exactly what Advent calls us to do: celebrate Jesus’ first coming while longing for His return.
We’ll explore Psalm 72, where Solomon prays for the perfect King. Even at the height of Israel’s earthly kingdom, Solomon knew something better was coming. He envisioned a King who would defend the afflicted, provide for the needy, and establish righteousness forever. His kingdom would endure as long as the sun and moon. Solomon’s prayer reaches across centuries to Jesus, the King we still anticipate seeing fully revealed.
We’ll also turn to Psalm 146, which declares that true hope comes from the God who executes justice, gives food to the hungry, and lifts up those who are bowed down. This psalm reminds us that our longing for justice and peace isn’t wishful thinking. It’s rooted in God’s character and promises. We anticipate God making all things right because we’ve already seen glimpses of His kingdom breaking into our broken world.
These Advent psalms don’t promise easy answers or quick fixes. Instead, they invite us into a posture of faithful waiting. Learning to live in the midst of trusting God while longing for God to work and move is a practice we all need to learn. Our dissatisfaction with the world as it is reveals that we were made for the world as it will be. Our hunger for justice shows we’re created in the image of a just God.
This Advent, let the Psalms shape your waiting. Let them give voice to your deepest longings. Let them draw you into anticipation of the day when Jesus will return and every promise will be fulfilled. We celebrate what Jesus accomplished at His first coming while actively anticipating the completion of His work at His return.
Worship Schedule
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December 07 - Longing for the Perfect King (Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19)
Additional Readings: Romans 15:4-13, Matthew 3:1-12 -
December 14 - Longing for God to Make All Things Right (Psalm 146:5-10)
Additional Readings: James 5:7-10, Matthew 11:2-11 -
December 21 - Christmas Cantata (Various Passages)
Additional Readings: No Scripture Reading, No Scripture Reading -
December 28 - New Year Prayer Service (Various Scriptures)
Additional Readings: TBA, TBA
