Reader.

This is a rewrite from last year. As Sabbath happens every week.

While working on the Hearing Their Stories: Reading Guide, (for the podcast series found on Spotify here),

I was struck by a note in my Bible: Psalm 92 is a psalm for the Sabbath—meant to be read every Sabbath.

Imagine that. For thousands of years, every single Saturday (remember, Sabbath in Jewish tradition begins Friday at sundown and ends Saturday at sundown), Jewish people all over the world read Psalm 92.

According to the Jewish commentator Radak, Shabbat is a time to reflect on God's ways, a theme of Psalm 92 (vv. 2–8).
Rabbi Rashi’s interpretation builds on earlier traditions, which view Shabbat as:

These readings focus on the second half of the psalm, which describes the ultimate defeat of wickedness and the victory of righteousness.

But the women didn’t know victory was just a few days away.

So, imagine being one of the women who followed Jesus to the cross.
Who watched Him die.
Who saw where His body was buried.
Who bought spices and made a plan…
and then had to stop.

To Sabbath - to reflect on God's ways.

Mark 16:1 (CJB) tells us:
​“When Shabbat was over, Miryam of Magdala, Miryam the mother of Ya‘akov, and Shlomit bought spices in order to go and anoint Yeshua.”

Yes—after the horror of the crucifixion, they Sabbathed.
They rested.
Because even in grief, they obeyed.

If you’ve ever been to Israel, it’s remarkable—everything and everyone stops on Sabbath. The streets go quiet. Stores close. The whole country is still. It’s like the land takes a breath.

That’s what they would have experienced the day after their Son, Rabbi, friend died.

Today, I invite you to sit with Psalm 92.

With you,