1 Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me,for I am poor and needy.2 Preserve my life, for I am godly;save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God.3 Be gracious to me, O Lord,for to you do I cry all the day. – Comment: What can David possibly mean when he writes ‘forContinue reading “Psalm 86: 1-10….A prayer, which is suitable for every morning!”
Category Archives: Psalms
Psalm 84: 1-12….Be honest with God!
Introduction: I am going to go through this psalm and make a ‘polite, nice’ comment in green and a fiery, biting, critical one in red! I’m not in a bad mood but I feel like commenting as if I have wakened up ‘grumpy and doubting’ and ‘at peace with the world’! In fact I’m challengedContinue reading “Psalm 84: 1-12….Be honest with God!”
Psalm 83: 1-8….Antisemitism 3,000 years ago!
1 O God, do not keep silence;do not hold your peace or be still, O God!2 For behold, your enemies make an uproar;those who hate you have raised their heads.3 They lay crafty plans against your people;they consult together against your treasured ones.4 They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation;let theContinue reading “Psalm 83: 1-8….Antisemitism 3,000 years ago!”
Psalm 82: 1-8….A psalm of Asaph.
Introduction: If I were to translate ‘This food is finger licking good’ into Amharic and being translated back into English would be ‘This food makes me want to eat my fingers’. Often, in Amharic one hears it said, ‘little by little the egg learns to walk’. The first time you hear it you wonder whatContinue reading “Psalm 82: 1-8….A psalm of Asaph.”
Psalm 81: 8-16….After God has His say, the Psalmist comments!
Introduction: When I was in grade 12 the teacher put the following ‘goble’d’goop’ sentence on the board and told us to punctuate it! Smith where Jones had had had had had had had had been correct! It was an interesting exercise. What has that got to do with this Psalm? In the red section (whichContinue reading “Psalm 81: 8-16….After God has His say, the Psalmist comments!”
Psalm 81: 1-7….Shout, shout for joy!
1 Sing aloud to God our strength;shout for joy to the God of Jacob!2 Raise a song; sound the tambourine,the sweet lyre with the harp.3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon,at the full moon, on our feast day.4 For it is a statute for Israel,a rule of the God of Jacob.5 He made itContinue reading “Psalm 81: 1-7….Shout, shout for joy!”
Psalm 80: 8-19….From sheep (yesterday) to grapes!
You brought a vine out of Egypt;you drove out the nations and planted it.You cleared the ground for it;it took deep root and filled the land.The mountains were covered with its shade,the mighty cedars with its branches.It sent out its branches to the seaand its shoots to the River. Why then have you broken downContinue reading “Psalm 80: 8-19….From sheep (yesterday) to grapes!”
Psalm 80: 1-7….Let there be Light!
1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,you who lead Joseph like a flock.You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.2 Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,stir up your mightand come to save us!3 Restore us, O God;let your face shine, that we may be saved! – Asaph cries out to the Shepherd four very,Continue reading “Psalm 80: 1-7….Let there be Light!”
Psalm 79: 11-13….A Postscript.
Introduction: Yesterday I re-wrote Asaph’s Psalm 79 in ‘modern’ English. I’ve copied it here because the last 3 verses of the Psalm, which I didn’t include in yesterday’s reading, say things which I think that we, as Christians, have to think deeply about. My transliteration of the Psalm read – Dear God, we are Yours,Continue reading “Psalm 79: 11-13….A Postscript.”
Psalm 79: 1-10….Where are You, God?
1 O God, the nations have come into your inheritance;they have defiled your holy temple;they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.2 They have given the bodies of your servantsto the birds of the heavens for food,the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the earth.3 They have poured out their blood like waterall around Jerusalem,andContinue reading “Psalm 79: 1-10….Where are You, God?”