Praise Him, highest heavens, and the waters that are above the heavens! Psalm 148:4 NASB Above – Most of the people of Western world and those that have been influenced by the Western world as far away as China are preparing for Christmas. What almost none of these people are considering is the cultural context of…
Praise Him, sun and moon; Praise Him, all stars of light! Psalm 148:3 NASB Sun and moon – Imagine you live in the ancient world of the Near East. What does the sun mean to you? First, the obvious. The sun designates direction. Oh, were you going to say time? The rising of the sun…
to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron, Psalm 149:7-8 NIV To bind – We discovered that naqam, the Hebrew word for “vengeance,” is an essential element in the holiness of God. We realized that this idea, even if it seems…
Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, Psalm 149:6-7 NASB Execute Vengeance – David sounds like a contemporary imam. If they don’t follow YHVH, kill them all! What? Certainly David was a warrior king,…
“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 1 Corinthians 15:55 NASB Death – My friend John is dying. Elegantly. As cancer consumes his body, every pore leaks righteousness. God is spending him into eternity. We all die, of course, but most of us don’t die with godliness. Perhaps we die…
Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty expanse. Psalm 150:1 NASB Praise – One of the consistent themes of pagan worship is the worship of the sun. In fact, the Christian idea of Sunday worship is actually derived from this pagan practice, not, as most preachers suggest, from the…
So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36 NASB Free – A favorite verse of those who desire unfettered living, pastors are quick to point out that “free” doesn’t mean “no obligations.” In the Roman world, free would indeed entail the right to do as I please, but that…
Brothers, do not get tired of doing what is right. 2 Thessalonians 3:13 ISV Tired – Dead tired. Exhausted. 3 AM in the morning. But I can’t sleep. My body clock is off by 13 hours. Who said jet travel was wonderful? Maybe there’s a good reason for crossing the oceans by ship. “Tired” is…
How lonely sits the city that was full of people! She has become like a widow who was once great among the nations! She who was a princess among the provinces has become a forced laborer! Lamentations 1:1 NASB Lonely – This is the really big one, isn’t it? Lonely. Badad. To be alone, by…
You, even You, are to be feared; and who may stand in Your presence when once You are angry? Psalm 76:7 NASB Angry – How long is your nose? God’s nose is very long indeed. His ‘erek ‘appayim (long before anger) is one of the principle characteristics of His self-definition (Exodus 34:6). Anger kills. God…
