Month: April 2017

April 9, 2017: Day 99 – Psalm 99

This is a bit of a blast from the past.  The author goes through some of the best and some of the most historic priests in Israel’s history.  He speaks about Moses and Aaron and even throws in Samuel.  He basically says that if these people of God spoke to the Lord and the Lord answered them, then if you speak to the Lord, he will also answer you.  

The cherubim would have been on top of the ark of the covenant, which was the holy of holies and really considered where God resided.  So as this psalmist speaks about the great priests of years past, and the presence of the Lord in the ark of the covenant, then it really seems as if this psalm is a psalm of worship.  

There has always been a major distinction in the worship of the people of Israel, and the worship of the people of the New Covenant, followers of Jesus Christ.  Our primary purpose as disciples of Jesus to gather and worship is not so that we can feel good about being together in one place.  We can do that at a church picnic, which we do, and it works wonderfully.  Our primary purpose of gathering on Sunday morning is so that someone who does not know Jesus just might come to know him and want to give their life to him.  This is so crucial.  If we are just gathering in order to enjoy our time together, that is not worship.  That is just a gathering.  Worship has at its core transformation, worship has at its core the preached sermon, at least for Presbyterians, and that Word ought to transform.  Any other reason may be good for the whole body, but it is not worship.

In the Old Testament the purpose of worship was simply to celebrate the presence of the Lord.  It was not to bring others into the fold, it was to celebrate the presence of the Lord.  Moses and Aaron were also responsible to make sure that the worship of the Lord was done in a correct manner.  The people didn’t have a say in how that was to be done, God entrusted Moses and Aaron to do it.  They were the ones who told the people what type of worship God required.  

That type of mentality existed before the Protestant Reformation came about.  Before the Reformation it was the priests who were allowed to read Scripture and interpret it, and only they were allowed to do that.  With the Reformation everyone was encouraged to read Scripture.  Now worship was still relegated to those who had been trained and studied worship and had experience in worship.  In many ways that is still the case.  We know what we like, but is worship about getting what we like?  Maybe it is, but I wonder.

April 8, 2017: Day 98 – Psalm 98

It is fitting that tomorrow is Palm Sunday because Palm Sunday, next to Easter and Christmas, is one of the biggest celebrations in the Christian calendar.  The author of this Psalm guides us on a journey of musical delight as we find before us a whole slew of instruments which are recommended for usage in order to praise the Lord.  We find listed the harp and the lyre.  We see the drums roar with the sea and the clapping of hands.  We see the horn and the voices lifted up in singing.  There is a real choir present in the all of God’s creation and it is being used in order to praise the Lord.

I like the first verse of this psalm.  It states: Sing to the Lord a new song.  There is nothing like an oldy but goody when it comes to hymns to lift up the congregation’s voice and spirit.  When we try to introduce a new song, well, it kind of falls flat.  So what is God thinking when he says sing to the Lord a new song?  I’m sure it has to do with a celebration that is not the same as usual.  This is something special that God has done for us so we will prepare him something new and something that hasn’t been used on anyone else.  

Sing a new song means treat God as if he is the one and only.  Because He is.

April 7, 2017: Day 97 – Psalm 97

What you think about vs.10.  The first part of that verse can also read in Hebrew: “You who love the Lord hate evil.”  How you translate it will have a significant meaning on the interpretation of this verse.  If you take it as “The Lord loves those who hate evil”, then it follows that he will guard the lives of his faithful and rescue them from the hand of the wicked.  If you take it as a command which must be followed by those who love the Lord, well, then you better do it or else!!  I like the former because the latter doesn’t follow logically.

Vs. 2 makes me think of this song.  Not nearly as appropriate as the others that I have sent out, but I like it.

April 5, 2017: Day 95 – Psalm 95

The above song reflects perfectly the beginning of this Psalm.  It is soothing and calming.  I can’t help but think about this week’s events and specifically the chemical bombing that took place in Syria.  What a tragedy which, unfortunately, is not unexpected.  There is nothing soothing and pithy which can in any way cover this sin which has produced incredible suffering.  But remember, it is war.  There is absolutely nothing pretty about war.  It is a tragedy all around.  

I think it is time for a little song medley here.  Enjoy!

Did you notice that there is a transition in who is speaking in this Psalm?  Look at vs.1-7 where we find the author extolling the praises of God the King above all the other gods.  But then there is a transition.  Look at vs.8 and following where it seems as if God is speaking first hand to the listeners.  I do need to say that in those verses there isn’t much kindness and it is a very harsh response and telling of the unfaithfulness of Israel.  

The joy of the King is then transitioned to the wrath of the king.  It is a psalm which has it all.  

April 4, 2017: Day 94 – Psalm 94

Boy, I am behind.  Not sure how I got a day behind for two consecutive days.  Stay with me people!  This is one of those psalms with which I was not very familiar, but upon reading it there are some favorite sections that I really enjoy.  Look at vs.8-11, the imagery that the author uses is creative and compelling.  There are a set of rhetorical questions that are asked which when answered provide an obvious perspective of the majesty and providence of our Lord.  Does not the person who planted the ear hear?  That’s an interesting verb to use.  To plant an ear and watch it grow.  In English it could have a double meaning which I had to make sure not to ascribe to the Hebrew.  When I first read it I wondered if he was talking about an ear of corn.  That would make sense in our language.  It is not called an ear of corn in Hebrew, however, so the analogy falls flat.

He goes on and asks the question, does not the one who formed the eye see?  That is much more traditional.  Does not the one who disciplines also chastise?  They all go together and they all lead us to the same answer: Come on Man!  Of course!  God is well within His right to hear all that takes place, to see all that happens, and to chastise as He sees fit.  We don’t often want to give God that control and power, but it is His whether we choose to give it to him or not.  It is not ours to dole out, it has always been his prerogative.  

April 3, 2017: Day 93 – Psalm 93

This is another royal psalm which makes reference to the king, and all in a positive light.  Isn’t that something refreshing.  Can you imagine if everyone who lived in the US spoke highly of Obama or Trump.  Yeah, neither can I.  Now, I’m not saying that we should, but I am saying that this psalm speaks highly of the ruler and it is refreshing to hear that in this day and age.

But unless you be caught off guard, do you see who the king is?  The king is not identified as David, or Solomon or even Saul.  The king is identified as the Lord.  It is the Lord who made the heavens and the earth.  Here is a great video that speaks about how the Lord is…well, the Lord.  Creator of all things.  Sit through this video, and I think you will like it, I like it.  

It is interesting to note that we find a lot of references to the waters and the deep in the Bible.  The Israelites were not crazy about water.  They were not a seafaring civilization.  In fact, throughout Scripture we find water and the deep seas referenced and it is almost always in a negative light.  In fact, it is from the deep seas where we find the source of evil according to the Israelites.  

We find that with Noah and his time in the ark.  We find that with Jonah and the whale.  There are all sorts of different references and none of them are positive.  You don’t hear about too many times in the bible, except for Jonah, where the sea is involved.  Yes, I know, Jesus walking on water.  But that is really a lake more than anything.  If you have ever been to the Sea of Galilee you know what it looks like.  But Israel also has the ocean running up and down its west coast.  

April 2, 2017: Day 92 – Psalm 92

This Psalm sounds a lot like it was written by David.  There is a lot of music which is mentioned and we know that David was a lover of music.  We also hear about the horn which was mentioned earlier.  This horn was used to anoint the future king as we saw with Samuel when he anointed David.   The last four verses also sound very much like David as he mentions the trees which are planted near the house of the Lord.  

David’s style is pretty discernible.  Remember his background.  He grew up as a shepherd out in the field protecting his sheep from lions and tigers and bears…oh my!  As he was watching his sheep he was also busy playing his harp and making up songs which would one day hit platinum.  He can say from experience and from his life that it is good to give thanks to the Lord.  We give thanks to the Lord today.

April 1, 2017: Day 91 – Psalm 91

Do you remember who used this Psalm in an argument against Jesus?  Just a hint, it is a really, really bad guy.  Go ahead and read Matthew 4:6, actually read the whole beginning of Matthew 4 and I think you will have your answer.  It is amazing how over time people have used Scripture to try to prove points that simply are not ethical in the best cases, catalysts to horrific tragedies in the worst cases.  I can run through the atrocities just to put things in a historical perspective.  

We can begin with Constantine who was the first to rule the land under the Christian banner and who persecuted those who would not convert to Christianity.  That continued all the way through the Middle Ages with the conquering of lands in the name of Jesus and even through the inquisition against those who were not Christian as they ought to have been.  But lest we think that the Roman Church has a monopoly on persecution and violence in the name of God, we think of the Nazi regime which was supported by Protestant thinking.  We think of apartheid South Africa which was propped up by the Reformed Church.  In our own country we see slavery was very much supported and encouraged within the institution of the churches.  We think of the Oklahoma City bombing which was carried out by one who professed to serve God and did this act in the name of God.  The list could go on.  I think we are often inundated with images of radicalized Muslims and think they are the only ones who commit atrocities in the name of their god, but if we look at history it tends to be a common them for those who serve their god in a radical way.

These historical examples serve as a warning to us that we should never see Scripture as a weapon to prove our point, but rather as an opportunity to exhibit the love of God to those around us.  I pray that this will always be our motive whenever we read Scripture and whenever we try to use it in discussions.

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 21-29 of 29 results