April 3, 2026 | Daniel L. Segraves, Ph.D.
On this Good Friday, I encourage you to read Psalm 22:1-22. This is the prayer Jesus prayed on His cross.
This scene is from Season Six of The Chosen. [https://www.facebook.com/InsideTheChosen/]
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July 28, 2025 | Daniel L. Segraves, Ph.D.
Today I emailed all of my finishing touches for the second volume of The Messiah in the Psalms: Discovering Christ in Unexpected Places to Everett Gossard, the book editor for Pentecostal Resources Group.
I have worked on this project for approximately seven years, and my efforts have resulted in a book of over 250 pages, covering Psalms 73-106, with nearly 400 footnotes.
The editor plans to meet with the marketing team later this week to make some final decisions about graphics. I am optimistic about the possibility that the book will be published and available at the 2025 general conference of the United Pentecostal Church International that will meet in St. Louis, Missouri on September 23-26. If so, I plan to be there to meet those who are interested in this, my twenty-second book, and to sign copies for those who wish me to do so.
By the way, in case you’re wondering, I have already started on volume three of my commentary on the Psalter, which will cover Psalms 107 through the end of the book. I don’t want this to be another seven year project, but it may take at least a couple of years!
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February 5, 2025 | Daniel L. Segraves, Ph.D.
I am so happy to report that at 3:43 PM today I received an email from Everett Gossard, Book Editor for the Pentecostal Resources Group informing me that my manuscript for the second volume of The Messiah in the Psalms: Discovering Christ in Unexpected Places has been accepted for publication.
By 4:56 PM I had the contract signed, scanned, and emailed.
I’m thankful for Brother Gossard’s guidance in this project, and I’m already at work on volume 3, which will consist of Book 5 of the Psalter. This consists of Psalms 107-150.
Right away, I have noticed that in this section of the Book of Psalms the Aramaic Targums are replete with the use of Memra, as are Books 3 and 4. The word Memra appears 35 times between Psalm 107 and Psalm 148. My interest is in how Memra is used in the Targums as a kind of interpretative paraphrase for Yahweh, usually rendered LORD in English translations.
I am especially interested to note the use of Memra in Psalm 110:1. This is a significant verse for Christology. It is quoted, paraphrased, or alluded to in the New Testament more than any other Old Testament verse. It is, in fact, the last full verse of the Old Testament quoted by Peter before Acts 2:38, playing a significant role in convicting them and prompting them to ask, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
Indeed, the word “Memra” appears in the Targum of Psalm 110:1, giving us guidance to grasp how first century believers may have understood this verse.
When Jesus asked the Pharisees, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” they answered, “The Son of David.” Jesus responded, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying, ‘The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool” ‘? “If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?”
The Pharisees were unable to answer a word. From that day, no one dared question Jesus. (See Matthew 22:41-46.)
I will keep you updated on my progress as I work toward Psalm 150.
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January 1, 2025 | Daniel L. Segraves, Ph.D.
In this, my first post on the first day of the new year, I would like to let you know about the latest developments in my favorite research resource, Logos Bible Software.
From time to time, I am asked what I think is the most helpful Bible software available.
My opinion is based on many years of use in the context of teaching on the Bible college and seminary levels as well as research and writing to fulfill the requirements for the degrees M.A. in Exegetical Theology, Master of Theology, and Ph.D. in Renewal Studies with majors in Christian Theology and History of Global Christianity.
In addition to using Bible software in preparation for teaching in classrooms, local churches, camp meetings, and other venues like Purpose Institute, I find it helpful in fulfilling writing assignments for the Pentecostal Life magazine, “God’s Word for Life,” the curriculum published by the United Pentecostal Church International, and a variety of other ministry opportunities that require writing. I have written twenty-one books and hope to have finished the twenty-second in just a few days.
So what Bible software do I recommend?
Without question, it is Logos Bible Software.
I regularly sit through training sessions to keep up to date on the latest developments in this amazing technology. To take a look for yourself at its current state, you can go to https://www.logos.com. You will discover “The World’s Most Powerful Bible Study Platform.” A “Start Free Trial” is available if you like what you see. If you wish, you can talk to a Logos expert by calling 888-398-9481.
If you’ve ever looked at Logos, you probably have some idea about its capabilities. Today’s Logos does all it has ever done but, in an often-used term, it takes Bible research and writing to “a whole new level.”
I subscribe to Logos MAX. With its thousands of books, journal articles, dictionaries, encyclopedias, and original language resources (Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic) available in a moment, I can find what I need to move quickly to complete projects.
The integration of AI enables me to ask questions and receive almost instant feedback based on the resources in my subscription. The responses free me from any concern about the accuracy of my findings because they do not come from the internet at large but from the trusted resources I have selected.
With the New Era of Logos, you will discover tools and resources to supercharge your personal study, teaching and preaching preparation, and academic research. I encourage you to look into this.
I wouldn’t want to be without it!
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December 20, 2024 | Daniel L. Segraves, Ph.D.
At about midnight last night I finished my work on Psalms 93-99. These psalms form a unit focusing on the reign of the LORD. They are well-connected with the creation account in Genesis and with the New Testament by several quotations and allusions, including an extended quotation that clearly testifies to the deity of the Messiah, Jesus. By means of this quotation, Jesus is identified as Yahweh.
Now, on to Psalm 100. One of the first things I did today was to read through Psalms 100-106. When I am finished writing the commentary on these psalms, I will submit the entire document to Everett Gossard, the book editor for Pentecostal Resources Group. This manuscript will cover Psalms 73-106, Books 3 and 4 of the Psalter. It will exceed 200 pages.
I appreciate those who are praying for me as I finish this project. One of the last things Jesus told His disciples before His ascension was that everything written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms concerning Him must be fulfilled (Luke 24:44). I pray that our Lord will help me identify those things written about Him in the Book of Psalms. So far, I have discovered that much of the messianic content of this book is connected with other messianic insights from the law and the prophets as well as fulfillment motifs in the New Testament.
This has been an exciting and rewarding journey, but it will not be complete until I write my comments on Psalm 150:6.
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October 26, 2024 | Daniel L. Segraves, Ph.D.
At about 12:15 this morning, I finished my work on Psalm 90, the first psalm in Book 4 of the Psalter. I had told my wife Susan that I thought I could finish it yesterday, and I almost made it.
The superscription of Psalm 90 informs us it is “A Prayer of Moses the man of God.” It is the only psalm written by Moses, which makes it the oldest in the Book of Psalms. We can’t be sure when it was written, but we can be certain he wrote it before he died! Since I wasn’t able to come up with anything that resembled a close date, I consulted Logos Bible Software’s new AI feature, which assured me that Moses wrote it “by the year 1440 BC.” I’ll go with that.
Since I’m living in 2024, that means Moses wrote the psalm somewhere around 3,464 years ago. That’s why I say it is “a very old psalm.”
When I study the psalms, I always keep in mind that Jesus, just before His ascension, told His disciples, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me” (Luke 24:44, NKJV). He told the Jewish leaders who did not believe on Him, “There is one who accuses you–Moses, in whom you trust. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” (John 5:45-47, NKJV).
I discovered some interesting things in Psalm 90 that point toward the future. Here’s a hint: They involve servants and children. See if you can figure this out. I’ll tell you what I think in the second volume of my commentary, The Messiah in the Psalms. I hope to finish this up and submit it to the editor by the end of this year. I would be happy to see it published before the 2025 general conference of the United Pentecostal Church International, which will convene in St. Louis, Missouri, my home town!
Now, on to Psalm 91, the psalm from which Satan quoted in his attempt to convince Jesus to throw Himself down from the pinnacle of the temple.
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October 3, 2024 | Daniel L. Segraves, Ph.D.
Tonight, after Susan and I finished viewing the powerful General Conference message delivered by David Bernard, the General Superintendent of the United Pentecostal Church International, I concluded my work on Psalm 88.
This psalm, a personal lament of Heman, a singer and musician appointed by King David, is challenging because of its persistent sense of hopelessness. The themes of the psalm include crying, troubles, thoughts of death, weakness, darkness, wrath, afflictions, isolation, mourning and more.
As I seek to complete my work on Books 3 and 4 of the Psalter, I pray God will help me understand how the Scriptures testify of Jesus, the Messiah. I am thankful to have discovered that there is good news, even in this Psalm of lament.
Tomorrow, I plan to begin my work on Psalm 89.
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September 13, 2024 | Daniel L. Segraves, Ph.D.
I am happy to report that I have finished my work on Psalm 87! As with my study of Psalm 86, I was once again delighted to discover new insights. In this case, my convinction was strengthened that Psalm 86:9-10 provides a profound link to Psalm 87:4-6 and points ahead to Acts 2.
I can’t describe the results of my study in this post. They will be included in the second volume of my commentary titled The Messiah in the Psalms: Discovering Christ in Unexpected Places. The first volume is available both in hard copy and ebook formats at pentecostalpublishing.com and amazon.com. My goal is to finish this second volume, which will include Psalms 73-106 and submit it to the editor by the end of this year.
Here is a paragraph from my comments on Psalm 87. As you read it, keep in mind that people from Egypt were included among those who gathered in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost. (See Acts 2:9-10.)
Psalm 86:9 suggests a link between Psalm 86 and Psalm 87 and perhaps even a prophetic connection between these psalms and the events of the Day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2. This idea begins as follows: “All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name” (Psalm 86:9). The nations mentioned in Psalm 87 include “Rahab,” an “emblematic name of Egypt,”[1] Bratcher and Reyburn explain that Egypt “translates Rahab, a poetic name for the country (see Isa 30:7).”[2] This can be seen in the Hebrew text of Isaiah 30:7, where the helpless Egyptians are identified as “Their strength is to sit still” (KJV). The NKJV renders the final three words in this verse “Rahab-Hem-Shebeth.” The Hebrew text here transliterates as rahab hēm šābet [רַ֥הַב הֵ֖ם שָֽׁבֶת]. In this context, the reason Rahab is used to represent Egypt is to call attention to Egypt’s history of arrogance and violence. Psalm 87, however, anticipates an event that will transform the nations mentioned in verse 4, an event that will be characterized by these nations coming to worship the Lord and glorify His name (Psalm 86:9). This will be connected with these nations coming to understand that the Lord alone is God (Psalm 86:10).
[1] Richard Whitaker et al., The Abridged Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew-English Lexicon of the Old Testament: From A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament by Francis Brown, S.R. Driver and Charles Briggs, Based on the Lexicon of Wilhelm Gesenius (Boston; New York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1906).
[2] Robert G. Bratcher and William David Reyburn, A Translator’s Handbook on the Book of Psalms, UBS Handbook Series (New York: United Bible Societies, 1991), 759.
Now, to Psalm 88!
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September 8, 2024 | Daniel L. Segraves, Ph.D.
Six days ago, on September 3, 2024, I announced the completion of my work on Psalm 85. Now, I am pleased to say my research and comments on Psalm 86 were finished yesterday, and I have begun work on Psalm 87. [Please understand the word “finished” in this endeavor must be defined to allow for revisions or editorial work at some future point!]
I enjoyed studying Psalm 86. I frequently ask our Lord in prayer to help me rightly interpret the Scriptures and to understand how they testify of Him (Luke 24:44). I genuinely believe He opened my eyes to messianic themes I had not seen before in this psalm. I will share a bit of that with you in this post.
But first, I want to express my appreciation to my wife, Susan, for her work in redesigning the masthead of my blog. She has a great sense of design and works hard to get everything just right. Thank you, Susan!
Now, here are some of my comments on Psalm 86:16:
Psalm 86:16 indicates there is a son of someone who is the handmaid of the Lord, but the verse does not identify this son’s father. There is a clue to his identity, however, within the verse and in Psalm 89:26: “He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God ….” If the person whose prayer is recorded in Psalm 86 is the same as the one whose prayer is found in Psalm 89:26, we know that the “son” of Psalm 86:16 is the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
Who, then, is His mother, the handmaid of the Lord? After her encounter with the angel Gabriel, who announced to Mary, “And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS,” Mary responded with these words: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it unto me according to thy word” (Luke 1:31, 38). After her visit with Elisabeth, Mary said, “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed” (Luke 1:46-48).
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