An Excerpt from Untamed Prayers: Psalm 123 and Psalm 136
By Chad Bird
09/30/25
8mins

An Excerpt from Untamed Prayers: Psalm 123 and Psalm 136

The following entries are excerpts from Chad Bird’s new book, Untamed Prayers: 365 Daily Devotions on Christ in the Book of the Psalms (1517 Publishing, 2025), pgs. 311 and 335
St. Michael, Defender of God’s People
Amy Mantravadi
Amy Mantravadi
09/29/25

St. Michael, Defender of God’s People

Why did the church dedicate a day to St. Michael anyway? Who is he, and what does he do?
Yardwork and the Antichrist
1517 Guest Contributor
1517 Guest Contributor
09/26/25

Yardwork and the Antichrist

The Antichrist offers another continual presence. It is every whisper that tempts us toward autonomy, that tells us to carry it alone, that insists suffering is meaningless.

All Articles

Peter Nafzger
Peter Nafzger
08/02/20

Gospel: Matthew 14:22-33 (Pentecost 10: Series A)

If the feeding of the 5000 invited an emphasis on Jesus’ COMPASSION, this week’s miracle invites a sermon focused on Jesus’ AUTHORITY.
Gerhard Forde
Gerhard Forde
07/30/20

The Radical Gospel

There is no justification except by faith alone. The radical forgiveness itself puts the old to death and calls forth the new.
Pete Lange
Pete Lange
07/30/20

Remembering Rembrandt

“Rembrandt goes so deep into the mysterious that he says things for which there are no words in any language.”
Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
07/29/20

The Most Unexpected Gospel

The Gospels function like literary essays, composed with a specific thesis and purpose in mind. Each account of Jesus’s life acts as a treatise to show us something about the person and work of the Savior.
Peter Nafzger
Peter Nafzger
07/26/20

Gospel: Matthew 14:14-21 (Pentecost 9: Series A)

Jesus’ miracle in this sermon, then, is a type of the compassion He has for your hearers. While they certainly have many physical needs, your hearers also (more fundamentally) need Jesus’ mercy and forgiveness.
David Schmitt
David Schmitt
07/19/20

Gospel: Matthew 13:44-52 (Pentecost 8: Series A)

These parables invite us to consider the mysterious way of the reign of God. The Kingdom of God comes by grace to those who are seeking and not seeking it.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
07/15/20

Gospel Comfortable or Gospel Comfort?

The good news of Jesus Christ guides us into godly worship, not self-worship.
David Schmitt
David Schmitt
07/12/20

Gospel: Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 (Pentecost 7: Series A)

In Christ, God promises to forgive sin and bring about new life: Life after being canceled.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
07/07/20

Slaves to Fear or Free in Christ?

In our attempts to flee from our fears and escape death, we will become imprisoned by them.
Martin Luther
Martin Luther
07/06/20

Love is the Law's Interpreter

Love is to be the interpreter of law. Where there is no love, these things are meaningless, and law begins to do harm.
David Schmitt
David Schmitt
07/05/20

Gospel: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 (Pentecost 6: Series A)

We cannot control the resistance of people to God’s Word, but we can trust in God’s power and promise to work through His Word.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
07/02/20

The Number 666 and God’s Merciful Math

The number 666 in Revelation has been interpreted in a myriad of ways. To whom does it apply? Is it a reference to a particular man or humanity in general? In this article, Chad Bird describes how 666 is related to God's math of mercy in the Messiah.
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