Hebrew alphabet

Psalm Reading for January 28, 2024

Lord, when I study the works of your hands, and your mighty deeds throughout history, I am aware of how small I really am, and I am full of reverential fear. And this fear is the beginning of real wisdom, the wisdom of knowing you! Amen!

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 111
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

Psalm 111 is an acrostic Psalm. Each 7-9 syllable phrase begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This was likely a mnemonic device that aided the worshiper in memorization.

This is a Psalm of praise that celebrates God as creator of all his works, extols God for his character, celebrates the covenantal nature of God, gives thanks for God’s provision, extols the principles of his law, and exhorts the congregation to fear the Lord.

In its breadth, this brief Psalm connects the various threads of the Biblical story — creation, liberation from bondage, the giving of the Law, and the wisdom tradition.

Not only does the Psalmist extol the nature of God as honorable, majestic, righteous, gracious and merciful, but summons the people to study and delight in the works of the Lord. The works of God are mentioned five times in the Psalm, suggesting that those who seek to know and worship God properly may do so through what God has accomplished.

This is what the congregation is encouraged to study and meditate upon — that God has manifested himself through creation, through his provision of food for all creatures, through his redemption of his people (which includes giving them the heritage of the nations), the giving of the law (precepts), and the making and keeping of covenant promises.

The Psalmist declares:

The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom.
All those who do his work have a good understanding.

This carefully defines the scope of the Lord’s work. Fear, or reverential worship and awe, begins with the meditation on God’s many layers of work. From meditating on the nature and work of God comes wisdom and good understanding.

APPLY:

What if there were a course we could take that would give us a knowledge of God, or at least give us a beginning with “God 101”? And what if that course could begin to show us what real wisdom and understanding are, and how we should live our lives?

The truth is, such a “course” exists. The “course” is found in the faith and teaching of the best of Judeo-Christian tradition; and its textbook is the Bible and creation itself.

The Psalmist doesn’t see the false dichotomy that we modern people see between “natural science” and theology. He declares:

Yahweh’s works are great,
pondered by all those who delight in them.

The works of the Lord include creation itself.

By the same token, God’s works also are manifested by his great deeds in salvation history — calling his people, making covenant with us, redeeming us.

If we truly want to gain knowledge of God, the scope of this “course” is comprehensive — everything we study can lead us to God. Provided, that is, that we begin with “first things first”:

The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom.
All those who do his work have a good understanding.

Fear and love of God are not mutually exclusive, by the way. To fear the Lord is to understand his majesty, transcendence and holiness, and our complete weakness and dependence upon him. To love the Lord is to understand that this majestic, transcendent and holy God has condescended to care for us, even to the point of emptying himself and taking the form of a human being and humbling himself to death on the cross!

This is a love that should make us tremble!

RESPOND:

From time to time, I drag my lawn chair outside, and sit staring at the stars. When the season is right, I can catch glimpses of the Perseid or Geminid meteor showers.

As I gaze into the sky, see stars and constellations twinkling above me, with light travelling from vast distances, I am likely seeing light from thousands and thousands of years ago!

When I consider the works of God’s hands in creation and in salvation history revealed throughout Scripture, I can say:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.


PHOTOS:

"Perseid Meteor Detail" by Demetri Mouratis is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic license.

Psalm Reading for February 12, 2023

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 119:1-8
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

Psalm 119 is an example of acrostic literature in the Hebrew Bible, which means in this case that each stanza begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Acrostic patterns also occur in four of the five songs of Lamentations, in Proverbs 31, and in Psalms 9, 10, 25, 34, 37, 111, 119, and 145.

What sets Psalm 119 apart is that it is the longest Psalm — and the longest book — in the entire Bible. Psalm 119:1-8, our lectionary text, features the Hebrew letter Aleph, the first letter of the alphabet.

The central theme of Psalm 119 is the supreme value of the law.

The initial word of each of the first two lines sets the tone for the entire Psalm:

Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,
who walk according to Yahweh’s law.
Blessed are those who keep his statutes,
who seek him with their whole heart.

The emphasis is on the practice of the law, not merely the knowledge of the law. The blessed are those who walk according to Yahweh’s law, and who seek him with their whole heart. This law is both external and internal. It is both lifestyle (walking) and attitude (whole heart).

The Psalmist continues to focus on the blamelessness that results from obedience to the law:

Yes, they do nothing wrong.
They walk in his ways.

The expectation, though, is complete obedience, which leads the Psalmist to pray that he might be steadfast to obey God’s statutes. If so, he concludes he wouldn’t be disappointed in his ability to fulfill all God’s commandments.

This suggests a certain level of humility in the Psalmist, perhaps a little anxiety that he won’t measure up. But then he confidently proclaims his gratitude that he has learned of God’s righteous judgments.

And so there is a kind of ‘covenant’ that the Psalmist seems to ask for:

I will observe your statutes.
Don’t utterly forsake me.

The Psalmist’s prayer is that if he seeks to obey the commandments, Yahweh will do his part to sustain him.

APPLY:

The Christian’s attitude toward the law is shaped by the New Testament. Jesus affirms that he has come to fulfill the law — but he also distinguishes between the law revealed by God and the interpretations of the law in the traditions of religious leaders. And the Apostle Paul also affirms the divine origins of the law:

Therefore the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good (Romans 7:12).

Paul also speaks of the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:2).

And both Jesus and Paul declare that the law is most perfectly fulfilled by love — love for God and love for neighbor.

All of this is a reminder that the law reveals the holy and righteous character of God, but it is also a means of strengthening relationship with God and neighbor.

This is why the second line of Psalm 119 is so important:

Blessed are those who keep his statutes,
who seek him with their whole heart.

Keeping the statutes of God is a means of seeking God with our whole heart. The trick is to remember that the laws and statutes aren’t an end in themselves, they are a means to an end. For example, Jesus tells the Pharisees:

The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27).

Likewise, the law wasn’t given by God to be an oppressive weight, but to be a spiritual and moral guide for human beings.

RESPOND:

A truck driver in one of my Bible study groups used an analogy concerning the law that reflects the attitude that many people seem to have. He pointed out that there are white speed limit signs and yellow speed limit signs on our roads. The white signs are usually speed limits that policemen enforce. The yellow signs, indicating safe speeds for driving on a curve, etc., are “suggestions.”

Many people seem to think of the laws and the commandments of God as the “yellow” signs that are mere suggestions. Underlying the laws and the commandments are the law of love and of the Spirit. If we are truly seeking God, we find ourselves living out his law of love and the law of the Spirit with our whole heart.

Our Lord, your law is holy, just and good. Help me to obey your law not for the sake of my holiness but for the sake of my relationship with you. Amen.

PHOTOS:
"Psalm 119_7" by Baptist Union of Great Britain is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic license.

Psalm Reading for November 6, 2022

“Jewish Museum, Rome – The Spanish Synagogue”

The Jewish Museum of Rome is beneath the Great Synagogue. The Spanish Synagogue has been moved here from a building that was just over the river but no longer exists. This is the ladies’ gallery (as in all orthodox synagogues men and women sit separately). The Hebrew inscription (reading right to left) is the opening of psalm 145: “Happy are they who dwell in your house and they shall praise You forever.” [photo and caption by Mike Freedman, emphasis mine]

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 145:1-5, 17-21
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

Psalm 145 is another acrostic Psalm devoted to the praise of Yahweh. Each verse begins with a different letter from the Hebrew alphabet. David, the shepherd, musician, warrior and king, is designated as the author.

David begins by proclaiming his own praise for God, with his affirmation that:

I will exalt you, my God, the King.
I will praise your name forever and ever.

In the second verse, he reinforces this declaration through the Hebraic poetic technique of parallelism — repeating the same thought in different words:

Every day I will praise you.
I will extol your name forever and ever.

He proclaims the greatness of Yahweh, whose greatness is unsearchable —beyond comprehension.

David reminds us that each generation is responsible to pass on the faith to the next generation:

One generation will commend your works to another,
and will declare your mighty acts.

This underscores the importance of corporate worship and of teaching children the Scriptures and traditions of the faith.

At the same time, there is an intensely personal and intimate dimension to the worship of God:

Of the glorious majesty of your honor,
of your wondrous works, I will meditate.

In the second section of our lectionary reading from Psalm 145, David extols the qualities and character of Yahweh. He is righteous and gracious. And Yahweh also is described as intimately close to those who call on him and who fear him.

And then there are some extraordinary promises that are claimed in the name of Yahweh:

He will fulfill the desire of those who fear him.
He also will hear their cry, and will save them.
Yahweh preserves all those who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.

Some scholars describe this as Deuteronomic theology. In Deuteronomy 28, as Moses prepares for his own departure from the people of Israel, he makes this statement:

It shall happen, if you shall listen diligently to Yahweh your God’s voice, to observe to do all his commandments which I command you today, that Yahweh your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. All these blessings will come upon you, and overtake you, if you listen to Yahweh your God’s voice (Deuteronomy 28:1-2).

Conversely, if the wicked are not obedient to God’s commands, they will suffer the consequences of their disobedience.

For himself, David proclaims his own intention to praise Yahweh, and calls upon all living beings to praise him:

My mouth will speak the praise of Yahweh.
Let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

APPLY:

There are a few obvious applications of this Psalm to our spiritual life.

First, worship and praise of Yahweh as our God, the King is absolutely vital to our own relationship with God, including meditating on his unsearchable greatness. A sense of awe is an essential part of our worship and prayer.

Second, corporate worship and church-life are vital in the process of passing the faith from one generation to the next. As John Wesley said, “Christianity knows nothing of solitary religion.” We must declare God’s mighty acts to each generation— from creation to the liberation of Israel, the giving of the law, the ministry of the prophets, and the incarnation and redemptive work of Christ.

Third, we internalize his wondrous works as we meditate on them. Our own spiritual life is fed as we meditate on God’s work in creation, as well as his mighty acts of salvation revealed in Scripture.

Fourth, we are aware that part of God’s character is his graciousness to us — that there is blessing that is bestowed on those who call on him. Obviously there is a nuance here — God is not a genii who gives whatever we want if we “name and claim it.” But those who live close to God and in worshipful gratitude tend to be those who are more keenly aware of God’s consistent love and blessing. And, yes, they tend to be happier and more content with what they have received than those whose cravings rule their lives.

RESPOND:

The proper focus on Psalm 145 is on the theme of praise and worship. That is the real emphasis here.

However, it is impossible to miss the Deuteronomic influence here — that if we obey God’s law and fear God, we will be blessed.

We see that theology in an exaggerated form in what is called the Prosperity Gospel today. This is the belief that when we become Christians, whatever we ask in Jesus’ name God must give us.

I had a friend in seminary who would proclaim, as we drove through the pricey, exclusive sections of Dallas, “I believe Jesus wants me to have that house! I believe Jesus wants me to have that Mercedes.”

I believe that this is a gross distortion of Deuteronomic theology. The truth is really more a matter of “both/and.” It is true that blessing and reward are promised in the Old Testament and the New Testament to those who are faithful. However, there is also a balance in the Biblical record. Patriarchs, prophets and apostles all experienced profound suffering and hardship, and delayed fulfillment.

So, yes, there is reward promised to believers. Some of that reward may come in the sense of peace and serenity in the face of tribulation and suffering. And some of that reward is eschatological.

So the answer to the question about God’s promise of reward is yes — but as Paul writes in Romans:

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed toward us. (Romans 8:18)

Lord, I join together with all generations to praise and extol you! Thank you for your promise of blessing. The greatest blessing of all is the opportunity to know and worship you. Amen.

PHOTOS:
"Jewish Museum, Rome-The Spanish Synagogue" by Mike Freedman is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic license.

Psalm Reading for October 30, 2022

The letter Tzadi is near the end of the Hebrew alphabet.
Psalm 119 is an acrostic psalm — each stanza begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
Verses 137-144 begin with Tzadi.

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 119:137-144
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

Psalm 119 is an acrostic Psalm, with each of its 22 stanzas beginning with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet, from Aleph to Tav. Psalm 119 is devoted almost exclusively to the celebration of Yahweh and his holy law.

Our Psalm in this week’s lectionary reading focuses on the section of Psalm 119 with the letter Tzadi.

The Psalmist begins with an affirmation about the nature of Yahweh and the reliability of his law, which rests on his own character:

You are righteous, Yahweh.
Your judgments are upright.
You have commanded your statutes in righteousness.
They are fully trustworthy.

However, the Psalmist reveals that obedience to the commandments of God does meet with opposition and even derision:

My zeal wears me out,
because my enemies ignore your words.
Your promises have been thoroughly tested,
and your servant loves them.
I am small and despised.
I don’t forget your precepts.

Despite the opposition of enemies to the law of God, the Psalmist cleaves to the promises of God. Though the Psalmist may feel small and despised, the precepts of God sustain him:

Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness.
Your law is truth.
Trouble and anguish have taken hold of me.
Your commandments are my delight.

This stanza of Psalm 119 is a study in contrasts — the Psalmist admits that he is worn out, small and despised, and experiences trouble and anguish. And yet, the truth and reliability of the law delight him and give him life:

Your testimonies are righteous forever.
Give me understanding, that I may live.

APPLY:

The laws and promises of God provide boundaries and certainty in an uncertain world. Though we may feel worn out because of those who deride our faith and our convictions, God’s promises have stood the test of time. Though we may feel small and despised, when we remember God’s precepts we are reminded of something much, much bigger than we are. When we feel we are taken hold of by trouble and anguish the assurances of God’s commandments can be a source of delight.

This is a reminder to us that we are to read, study and apply God’s Word on a daily basis in our lives.

RESPOND:

We live in a world of moral relativism and casual ethical boundaries. It is so difficult to know exactly where we stand as believers in a culture devoted to narcissism, materialism and consumerism.

God’s laws and commandments ground us, and provide foundation. When we are in a moral fog, they are the light that pierces through the gray confusion. We are reminded that we are not to conform to this age but are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (from Romans 12:1). There is no better place to start than the study of Scripture.

Lord, I feel so worn out sometimes by the moral fog of this world; and I feel small and despised, and troubled and anguished by some of the directions our culture has taken. May your commandments be my delight and the source of my moral guidance. Give me understanding, that I may live. Amen.

PHOTOS:
"Tzaddi.gif" is in the public domain.

Psalm Reading for August 15, 2021

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 111
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

Psalm 111 is an acrostic Psalm. Each 7-9 syllable phrase begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This was likely a mnemonic device that aided the worshiper in memorization.

In its breadth, this brief Psalm connects the various threads of the Biblical story — creation, liberation from bondage, the giving of the Law, and the wisdom tradition.

The Psalmist declares:

The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom.
All those who do his work have a good understanding.

APPLY:

What if there were a course we could take that would give us a knowledge of God, or at least give us a beginning with “God 101?” And what if that course could begin to show us what real wisdom and understanding are, and how we should live our lives?

The truth is, such a “course” exists. The “course” is found in the faith and teaching of the best of Judeo-Christian tradition; and its textbook is the Bible and creation itself.

The Psalmist doesn’t see the false dichotomy that we modern people see between “natural science” and theology. He declares:

Yahweh’s works are great,
pondered by all those who delight in them.

The works of the Lord include creation itself.

By the same token, God’s works also are manifested by his great deeds in salvation history — calling his people, making covenant with us, redeeming us.

If we truly want to gain knowledge of God, the scope of this “course” is comprehensive — everything we study can lead us to God. Provided, that is, that we begin with “first things first”:

The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom.
All those who do his work have a good understanding.

This is a love that should make us tremble!

RESPOND:

From time to time, I drag my lawn chair outside, and sit staring at the stars. When the season is right, I can catch glimpses of the Perseid or Geminid meteor showers.

As I gaze into the sky, see stars and constellations twinkling above me, with light travelling from vast distances, I am likely seeing light from thousands and thousands of years ago!

When I consider the works of God’s hands in creation and in salvation history revealed throughout Scripture, I can say:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.


PHOTOS:

"Perseid Meteor Detail" by Demetri Mouratis is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic license.

Psalm Reading for January 31, 2021

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 111
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

Psalm 111 is an acrostic Psalm. Each 7-9 syllable phrase begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This was likely a mnemonic device that aided the worshiper in memorization.

In its breadth, this brief Psalm connects the various threads of the Biblical story — creation, liberation from bondage, the giving of the Law, and the wisdom tradition.

The Psalmist declares:

The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom.
All those who do his work have a good understanding.

APPLY:

The truth is, such a “course” exists. The “course” is found in the faith and teaching of the best of Judeo-Christian tradition; and its textbook is the Bible and creation itself.

The Psalmist doesn’t see the false dichotomy that we modern people see between “natural science” and theology. He declares:

Yahweh’s works are great,
pondered by all those who delight in them.

The works of the Lord include creation itself.

By the same token, God’s works also are manifested by his great deeds in salvation history — calling his people, making covenant with us, redeeming us.

If we truly want to gain knowledge of God, the scope of this “course” is comprehensive — everything we study can lead us to God. Provided, that is, that we begin with “first things first:”

The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom.
All those who do his work have a good understanding.

This is a love that should make us tremble!

RESPOND:

From time to time, I drag my lawn chair outside, and sit staring at the stars. When the season is right, I can catch glimpses of the Perseid or Geminid meteor showers.

As I gaze into the sky, see stars and constellations twinkling above me, with light travelling from vast distances, I am likely seeing light from thousands and thousands of years ago!

When I consider the works of God’s hands in creation and in salvation history revealed throughout Scripture, I can say:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.


PHOTOS:

"Perseid Meteor Detail" by Demetri Mouratis is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic license.

Psalm Reading for February 16, 2020

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 119:1-8
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

The central theme of Psalm 119 is the supreme value of the law.

The initial word of each of the first two lines sets the tone for the entire Psalm:

Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,
who walk according to Yahweh’s law.
Blessed are those who keep his statutes,
who seek him with their whole heart.

The Psalmist continues to focus on the blamelessness that results from obedience to the law:

Yes, they do nothing wrong.
They walk in his ways.

And so there is a kind of ‘covenant’ that the Psalmist seems to ask for:

I will observe your statutes.
Don’t utterly forsake me.

The Psalmist’s prayer is that if he seeks to obey the commandments, Yahweh will do his part to sustain him.

APPLY:

Therefore the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good (Romans 7:12).

Paul also speaks of the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:2).

And both Jesus and Paul declare that the law is most perfectly fulfilled by love — love for God and love for neighbor.

All of this is a reminder that the law reveals the holy and righteous character of God, but it is also a means of strengthening relationship with God and neighbor.

This is why the second line of Psalm 119 is so important:

Blessed are those who keep his statutes,
who seek him with their whole heart.

The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27).

Likewise, the law wasn’t given by God to be an oppressive weight, but to be a spiritual and moral guide for human beings.

RESPOND:

Our Lord, your law is holy, just and good. Help me to obey your law not for the sake of my holiness but for the sake of my relationship with you. Amen.

PHOTOS:
"Psalm 199:1-2" by Martin LaBar is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic license.

Psalm Reading for November 10, 2019

“Jewish Museum, Rome – The Spanish Synagogue”

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 145:1-5, 17-21
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

David begins by proclaiming his own praise for God, with his affirmation that:

I will exalt you, my God, the King.
I will praise your name forever and ever.

In the second verse, he reinforces this declaration through the Hebraic poetic technique of parallelism — repeating the same thought in different words:

Every day I will praise you.
I will extol your name forever and ever.

He proclaims the greatness of Yahweh, whose greatness is unsearchable —beyond comprehension.

David reminds us that each generation is responsible to pass on the faith to the next generation:

One generation will commend your works to another,
and will declare your mighty acts.

This underscores the importance of corporate worship and of teaching children the Scriptures and traditions of the faith.

At the same time, there is an intensely personal and intimate dimension to the worship of God:

Of the glorious majesty of your honor,
of your wondrous works, I will meditate.

And then there are some extraordinary promises that are claimed in the name of Yahweh:

He will fulfill the desire of those who fear him.
He also will hear their cry, and will save them.
Yahweh preserves all those who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.

Some scholars describe this as Deuteronomic theology. In Deuteronomy 28, as Moses prepares for his own departure from the people of Israel, he makes this statement:

It shall happen, if you shall listen diligently to Yahweh your God’s voice, to observe to do all his commandments which I command you today, that Yahweh your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. All these blessings will come upon you, and overtake you, if you listen to Yahweh your God’s voice (Deuteronomy 28:1-2).

Conversely, if the wicked are not obedient to God’s commands, they will suffer the consequences of their disobedience.

For himself, David proclaims his own intention to praise Yahweh, and calls upon all living beings to praise him:

My mouth will speak the praise of Yahweh.
Let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

APPLY:

There are a few obvious applications of this Psalm to our spiritual life.

RESPOND:

The proper focus on Psalm 145 is on the theme of praise and worship. That is the real emphasis here.

However, it is impossible to miss the Deuteronomic influence here — that if we obey God’s law and fear God, we will be blessed.

We see that theology in an exaggerated form in what is called the Prosperity Gospel today. This is the belief that when we become Christians, whatever we ask in Jesus’ name God must give us.

So, yes, there is reward promised to believers. Some of that reward may come in the sense of peace and serenity in the face of tribulation and suffering. And some of that reward is eschatological.

So the answer to the question about God’s promise of reward is yes — but as Paul writes in Romans:

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed toward us. (Romans 8:18)

Lord, I join together with all generations to praise and extol you! Thank you for your promise of blessing. The greatest blessing of all is the opportunity to know and worship you. Amen.

PHOTOS:
"Jewish Museum, Rome-The Spanish Synagogue" by Mike Freedman is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic license.

Psalm Reading for November 3, 2019

The letter Tzadi is near the end of the Hebrew alphabet.
Psalm 119 is an acrostic psalm — each stanza begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
Verses 137-144 begin with Tzadi.

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 119:137-144
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

Our Psalm in this week’s lectionary reading focuses on the section of Psalm 119 with the letter Tzadi.

The Psalmist begins with an affirmation about the nature of Yahweh and the reliability of his law, which rests on his own character:

You are righteous, Yahweh.
Your judgments are upright.
You have commanded your statutes in righteousness.
They are fully trustworthy.

However, the Psalmist reveals that obedience to the commandments of God does meet with opposition and even derision:

My zeal wears me out,
because my enemies ignore your words.
Your promises have been thoroughly tested,
and your servant loves them.
I am small and despised.
I don’t forget your precepts.

Despite the opposition of enemies to the law of God, the Psalmist cleaves to the promises of God. Though the Psalmist may feel small and despised, the precepts of God sustain him:

Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness.
Your law is truth.
Trouble and anguish have taken hold of me.
Your commandments are my delight.

This stanza of Psalm 119 is a study in contrasts — the Psalmist admits that he is worn out , small and despised, and experiences trouble and anguish. And yet, the truth and reliability of the law delight him and give him life:

Your testimonies are righteous forever.
Give me understanding, that I may live.

APPLY:

This is a reminder to us that we are to read, study and apply God’s Word on a daily basis in our lives.

RESPOND:

We live in a world of moral relativism and casual ethical boundaries. It is so difficult to know exactly where we stand as believers in a culture devoted to narcissism, materialism and consumerism.

PHOTOS:
"Tzaddi.gif" is in the public domain.

Psalm Reading for August 19, 2018

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 111
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

Psalm 111 is an acrostic Psalm. Each 7-9 syllable phrase begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This was likely a mnemonic device that aided the worshiper in memorization.

In its breadth, this brief Psalm connects the various threads of the Biblical story — creation, liberation from bondage, the giving of the Law, and the wisdom tradition.

This is what the congregation is encouraged to study and meditate upon: that God has manifested himself through creation, through his provision of food for all creatures, through his redemption of his people (which includes giving them the heritage of the nations), the giving of the law (precepts), and the making and keeping of covenant promises.

The Psalmist declares:

The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom.
All those who do his work have a good understanding.

APPLY:

The truth is, such a “course” exists. The “course” is found in the faith and teaching of the best of Judeo-Christian tradition; and it’s textbook is the Bible and creation itself.

The Psalmist doesn’t see the false dichotomy that we modern people see between “natural science” and theology. He declares:

Yahweh’s works are great,
pondered by all those who delight in them.

The works of the Lord include creation itself.

By the same token, God’s works also are manifested by his great deeds in salvation history — calling his people, making covenant with us, redeeming us.

If we truly want to gain knowledge of God, the scope of this “course” is comprehensive — everything we study can lead us to God. Provided, that is, that we begin with “first things first:”

The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom.
All those who do his work have a good understanding.

This is a love that should make us tremble!

RESPOND:

From time to time, I drag my lawn chair outside, and sit staring at the stars. When the season is right, I can catch glimpses of the Perseid or Geminid meteor showers.

As I gaze into the sky, see stars and constellations twinkling above me, with light travelling from vast distances, I am likely seeing light from thousands and thousands of years ago!

When I consider the works of God’s hands in creation and in salvation history revealed throughout scripture. I can say The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.


PHOTOS:

"Perseid Meteor Detail" by Demetri Mouratis is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic license.