A Psalm’s Story (Rewind)

O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting.  1 Chronicles 16:34  NASB 1995 Give thanks – The story of this psalm is found in the chronicles of the kings.  David receives the ark and offers sacrifices, installing Asaph and his line as priests.  Then David offers this song. …

Purpose-Driven?

Will You perform wonders for the dead? Or will the departed spirits rise and praise You? Selah  Psalm 88:10  NASB Rise and praise – The Purpose Driven Life.  Remember that?  Rick Warren captured the spiritual need for meaning in a book that swept Christianity.  We all have a purpose—but it’s not about us.  It’s not about your good, your…

Plenty to Go Around

Those who trust in their wealth and boast in the abundance of their riches?  Psalm 49:6  NASB Boast – If you read this verse in Hebrew, you’ll discover that “boast” is the last word in the text.  You’ll also discover that “those who trust” is the first word.  The verse creates a kind of verbal envelope.  First these people trust in wealth, then in the abundance…

Eye of the Beholder

I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.  Psalm 139:14 A note:  This went out yesterday.  It wasn’t supposed to, but with plenty of time zones to traverse, I just got the day wrong.  So here it is on the…

Too Late for Me

Will You do wonders for the dead? Will the shades arise and acclaim you? Selah. Psalm 88:11 (Robert Alter translation) Wonders – When is it too late? When does the power of the Lord cease to be effective? When you’re dead! Death ends it. As the Korahites sang, we can cry out to the Lord…

Purpose and Praise

The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise Him; my father’s God, and I will extol Him. Exodus 15:2 NASB Praise – If we read the praises of the Lord in the Psalms, we are likely to find the verb zamar. In…

A Psalm’s Story

O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting. 1 Chronicles 16:34 NASB Give thanks – The story of this psalm is found in the chronicles of the kings. David receives the ark and offers sacrifices, installing Asaph and his line as priests. Then David offers this song. Its…

Working It

I will extol You, my God, O King, and I will bless Your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. Psalm 145:1-2 NASB Every day – How does the Twelve Step phrase go? “It works if you work it.” Defeating the yetzer ha’ra…

Information

For there are many words which increase futility. What then is the advantage to a man? Ecclesiastes 6:11 NASB   Futility – We are the most informed generation of human beings to ever walk the planet. We know quite a bit about quite a bit. But we know almost nothing about what really matters. Believing…