We measure Scripture’s story by ours. The attitude the psalm [Psalm 1] commends involves delighting in Yhwh’s teaching—especially (we might add) when its story seems irrelevant or it takes a different stance from us. That is the moment when studying Scripture becomes interesting, significant, and important. We then delight in it. The way that delight expresses itself is by *talking about it day and night–in other words, ceaselessly.

John Goldingay, Psalms 1-41, pg 84, referring to Psalm 1

I will say this without trying to sound prideful of myself but I can boast about what God has done (Jeremiah 9:24). Often, parts of the Old Testament can be difficult to get through. Most people don’t read most of it. Last year when I read through the Old Testament I had an attitude of marvel at the fact that I was reading the inspired words of the living, all powerful, holy God who created the heavens and the earth, and me. All of the words are from Him! I didn’t care if it was a list of genealogy (which commentators can help us see the value of), or repetition, or whatever. I was fascinated with it all and of course the God who had it written down for us and is always speaking through it.

I’ve always liked/loved reading the Bible. But this is a new level that God has brought me to. And to me it’s obvious that this is only something God could have brought about, compared to how I used to view the Old Testament. Not that I loathed parts of it or anything, I just wasn’t thrilled with all of it. I would hope that everyone who doesn’t yet delight in God’s words, teachings, commands, and even conviction of sin (which is God speaking directly to us as an individual–a bonus, just as a revelation or light going off when thinking on or reading Scripture), will pray that they would. This is God’s will. It may be there from the start (oh blessed ones), or take weeks, months, years or decades. But if you pray for it, want it and read the whole Bible regularly, it will happen. Now may be a good time to think about reading the whole Bible if you haven’t.

Goldingay’s translation of Psalm 1:2:

Rather, his pleasure lies in Yhwh’s teaching:
he talks about his teaching day and night.

I’ve been realizing that when the Psalmists write about meditating on God’s laws, especially in Psalm 119, they aren’t always referring to formal, ‘sit down and concentrate with your notebook’ meditation. That’s great of course, but I think their main intention is thinking about God’s words all day. Goldingay says that this means something we talk to ourselves about, sometimes out loud, thus his translation above, which is usually rendered in other translations “on his law he meditates day and night”. God’s Word Translation (GW), interestingly renders it “reflects on his teachings day and night”. I don’t think it needs to be as formal as many of us have been taught.

Psalm 119:97 GW
Oh, how I love your teachings! They are in my thoughts all day long.

It would be impossible to sit down and meditate on God’s teachings all day long everyday, which is what my literal mindedness used to believe. But just like praying ceaselessly (1 Thessalonians 5:17), it’s something we can do every chance we get, as opposed to 100% of the time. This only comes about when it’s something we love and care about and when we spend time reading or listening to something that gives us something we want to think and pray about.

Psalm 86:11 GW
Teach me your way, O LORD, so that I may live in your truth. Focus my heart on fearing you.

Thank you to the vegetable growing pastor down under for this commentary.

The NIV says, “Be still and know that I am God” which has led some to believe this verse is about quiet, contemplative prayer.

It’s more likely in this verse that God is telling us to be quiet and quit fretting about all that’s going on in the world (easier said than done) and know that God is the ruler and will be glorified and exalted in all that is happening. So important in difficult times.

Spurgeon says in his Treasury of David:

“Be still, and know that I am God.” Hold off your hands, ye enemies! Sit down and wait in patience, ye believers! Acknowledge that Jehovah is God, ye who feel the terrors of his wrath! Adore him, and him only, ye who partake in the protections of his grace. Since none can worthily proclaim his nature, let “expressive silence muse his praise.” The boasts of the ungodly and the timorous forebodings of the saints should certainly be hushed by a sight of what the Lord has done in past ages.

I love the term timorous forebodings, which is what we hear and read about a lot these days (and apparently in Spurgeon’s day too!) when there are so many books, sermons by spurious pastors and articles on ‘headline prophecy’ (trying to match current events with Bible prophecy), the impending doom that is always being predicted, etc. Not that impending doom isn’t upon us, we just can’t predict it, or anything else that may or may not happen.

I bring this up mainly because I read this in my two favorite translations and like how they put it:

Psalm 46:10 GW
Let go of your concerns! Then you will know that I am God.
I rule the nations. I rule the earth.

Psalm 46:10 REB
‘Let be then; learn that I am God,
exalted in the nations, exalted in the earth.’

Read the whole Psalm to see the context. The idea of the beginning of this single verse needs to be balanced with others and not misunderstood to the other extreme of course.

If any Hebrew geeks or anyone else want to chime in, feel free.

Luke 12:29-34 GW
“Don’t concern yourself about what you will eat or drink, and quit worrying about these things. 30 Everyone in the world is concerned about these things, but your Father knows you need them. 31 Rather, be concerned about his kingdom. Then these things will be provided for you.

32 Don’t be afraid, little flock. Your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 “Sell your material possessions, and give the money to the poor. Make yourselves wallets that don’t wear out! Make a treasure for yourselves in heaven that never loses its value! In heaven thieves and moths can’t get close enough to destroy your treasure.

34 Your heart will be where your treasure is.

God opens our eyes to see the wonderful things in His teachings. The Psalmist has worked to learn and obey God’s law’s. (Memorization is a given.) It’s God that does the teaching. The Psalmist wants to keep learning. God will keep teaching. A joyful lifelong cycle.

I love this Psalm more every time I read it.

Psalm 119:18 GW
Uncover my eyes
so that I may see the miraculous things in your teachings.

Psalm 119:11-13 NET
In my heart I store up your words,
so I might not sin against you.
12 You deserve praise, O LORD!
Teach me your statutes!
13 With my lips I proclaim
all the regulations you have revealed.

Psalm 119:33 GW
Teach me, O LORD, how to live by your laws,
and I will obey them to the end.

Psalm 119:60 GW
Without any hesitation
I hurry to obey your commandments.

Psalm 119:64 GW
Your mercy, O LORD, fills the earth.
Teach me your laws.

Psalm 119:111 GW
Your written instructions are mine forever.
They are the joy of my heart.

Psalm 112:1, 7 NLT
1 Praise the LORD! How joyful are those who fear the LORD
and delight in obeying his commands.
7 They do not fear bad news;
they confidently trust the LORD to care for them.

Psalm 1 is more like wisdom literature than a typical psalm (if there is one). Psalm 1 exhorts us to keep our commitment to moral living that meets with the LORD’s standards. It would be silly to use our favorite psalm verses that we like to hang on to (which taken out of context is a whole other problem for many of them) and then be living lives not worthy of the Lord (Col. 1:10). Jerome said that Psalm 1 is, “The main entrance to the mansion of the Psalter.”

See this excellent post for more context on the quote and commentary on this foundational Psalm.

Unlocking the Psalms – Catholic Diocese of Salina

After reading four introductions to the Psalms I think I’m ready to actually start reading them. I used the first volume of Goldingay’s Psalms commentary (given to me by a very generous pastor), the NLT Study Bible, the ESV Study Bible and The Essential Bible Companion to the Psalms. I’d like to read one Psalm a day and read the latter mentioned book along with it and the commentary for any questions I have for the first 49 psalms.

For some reason I’ve never been a big fan and I want to be. I seem to be a big fan of nearly everything else. I pray this time around I’ll get to like them better. I think it’s strange that I can’t get enough of Proverbs and I’ve never really been into most of the Psalms, which seems to be many people’s favorite. If anyone has been in my position and it changed, I’d like to read about it.

I may do a post every now and then. I have one coming up on David’s possible authorship of many of the Psalms “of David”.

I’m in the middle of If God Is Good right now, which is very comprehensive, and then plan on reading a commentary on Genesis. Then I have some other ‘regular’ books on OT topics which I look forward to.

Psalm 1:1-3 NLT
Oh, the joys of those who do not
follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers.
2 But they delight in the law of the LORD,
meditating on it day and night.
3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
and they prosper in all they do.

Proverbs 3:13-16
Joyful is the person who finds wisdom,
the one who gains understanding.
14 For wisdom is more profitable than silver,
and her wages are better than gold.
15 Wisdom is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 She offers you long life in her right hand,
and riches and honor in her left.
17 She will guide you down delightful paths;
all her ways are satisfying.
18 Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her;
happy are those who hold her tightly.

Recently I let people know about a free online commentary on Proverbs by Charles Bridges (not to be confused with Jerry Bridges) in HTML (web page) format. A couple of days ago I found a post on Pyromaniacs titled Proverbs for nothing, and your Bridges for free! I was glad to learn that this commentary is also in PDF format, which makes it easier to look up the chapters.

While reading Waltke’s commentary I’ve been referring to Bridges fairly often and like it enough to buy it in book form. In fact if I were to do it again, I might read the Bridges and refer to the Waltke. On the Pyro site, a commenter mentioned that the Banner of Truth edition is the best. This is a healthy 656 page book which is more expositional or even devotional in nature but still goes verse by verse. Some of the editions look like they are scans of the original book (I can’t say for sure if this is or not). There is an edition in the The Crossway Classic Commentary Series edited by Alister McGrath, and J. I. Packer which I’m sure is ‘regular’ text, but keep in mind this is an abridged (condensed) edition.

Then to my surprise I found out he wrote a commentary on Ecclesiastes (I love that book) and Psalm 119, one of my favorite Psalms. It just keeps getting better. I wish I would have known that when I was studying Ecclesiastes. I already have a book on Psalm 119 that I haven’t read so I won’t be getting that anytime soon but would like to in the future.

Although it looks like he wasn’t a prolific writer, these resources are very helpful and I wanted to let you know about them if you’re interested.

Psalm 46:6-10 TNIV
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come and see what the LORD has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
(emphasis added)

In a blog post titled Most Misused Scriptures Doug Magnum says, “v. 10 is meant as a call to fearful awe in the face of that power, not quiet contemplation on God. … ‘Be still’ is probably better translated with the idiomatic ‘Shut up.’”

My wife had a movie on in the kitchen. It was Pollyanna, the 1960 Disney version. Pollyanna and a little boy were talking to a neighbor and the boy said something she didn’t like. She said, “Be still!” I said to my wife, Did you hear that? That’s like Psalm 46:10. My wife, who’s older than me, said she remembers her grandparents using that term as a way of saying Be quiet or Shut up.

So this is another instance where we need to learn older English usage in addition to learning how to interpret the Bible. This is an advantage of dynamic type translations where the meaning is translated into more modern English that we can better understand. But then there are advantages to the formal type translations. Thank God we have both.

This was a great example for me to see how “be still” was used in this way until not long ago. A younger generation can come along and not only take a verse out of context but misunderstand the English and come up with all sorts of alternate meanings, as I admittedly did with this verse.

For some reason I had about $11 of eBay bucks that had to be used today. I’ve got enough books for a while but couldn’t think of anything else I needed. So I looked through my Amazon wish list and found The Book of Psalms: A Translation with Commentary by Robert Alter which has been mentioned a lot on blogs and is highly praised. The cost with shipping was $14.89 and I only had to pay $2.60. Did I do good? What do you think of this book?

Can the enemies material in Psalms be relevant or applied to us personally? How can we benefit from that? I’m sure we can, I’m just wondering how.

I know this is a highly regarded work. What I’d like to know is if I would be more satisfied with a good multi-volume commentary or this which includes a unique translation. Is the commentary mainly on the translation? What I would like is a good commentary but Barnes and Noble has a great price on this which would be an economical solution and I have gift certificates for them. (My relatives don’t know how to buy one from Amazon but I’m thankful to have these.)

Psalm 103:8-22 NET
The LORD is compassionate and merciful;
he is patient and demonstrates great loyal love.
9 He does not always accuse,
and does not stay angry.
10 He does not deal with us as our sins deserve;
he does not repay us as our misdeeds deserve.
11 For as the skies are high above the earth,
so his loyal love towers over his faithful followers.
12 As far as the eastern horizon is from the west,
so he removes the guilt of our rebellious actions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on his faithful followers.
14 For he knows what we are made of;
he realizes we are made of clay.
15 A person’s life is like grass.
Like a flower in the field it flourishes,
16 but when the hot wind blows by,
it disappears,
and one can no longer even spot the place where it once grew.
17 But the LORD continually shows loyal love to his faithful followers,
and is faithful to their descendants,
18 to those who keep his covenant,
who are careful to obey his commands.
19 The LORD has established his throne in heaven;
his kingdom extends over everything.
20 Praise the LORD, you angels of his,
you powerful warriors who carry out his decrees and obey his orders!
21 Praise the LORD, all you warriors of his,
you servants of his who carry out his desires!
22 Praise the LORD, all that he has made,
in all the regions of his kingdom! Praise the LORD, O my soul!

Photo © Jeff at Scripture Zealot

After sundown overlooking an icy river. The moon was placed in the photo using a double exposure technique, back when film was used. If you’re too young to know what film is, that’s OK.

Psalm 8:3-9
When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
the moon and the stars you set in place—
4 what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
human beings that you should care for them?
5 Yet you made them only a little lower than God
and crowned them with glory and honor.
6 You gave them charge of everything you made,
putting all things under their authority—
7 the flocks and the herds
and all the wild animals,
8 the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea,
and everything that swims the ocean currents.

9 O LORD, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!

Photo © Jeff at Scripture Zealot

Psalm 33:18
The LORD watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love.

God’s actions towards us are conditional.

Nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38) and nothing we can do can earn God’s love, but I can’t find anything in the Bible where God’s love is absolutely unconditional.

People quote John 3:16, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 etc. as prooftexts for God’s unconditional love but I don’t see it there.

Covenants are conditional. Is the New Covenant any different? Am I missing something?

Psalm 12:6 TNIV
And the words of the Lord are flawless,
like silver purified in a crucible,
like gold refined seven times.

Psalm 66:10 TNIV
For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver.

Proverbs 2:1-5 TNIV
My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
2 turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding–
3 indeed, if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
4 and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.

Silver, in the form of electrum (a gold-silver alloy), was coined to produce money in around 700 BCE by the Lydians. Later, silver was refined and coined in its pure form. Many nations used silver as the basic unit of monetary value (see Silver standard). The words for ‘silver’ and ‘money’ are the same in at least 14 languages.

–Wikipedia

Photos © Scripture Zealot
Bible: TNIV Thinline
Flower: Impatiens

Introduction to the Psalms, along with the notes for Psalm 1 – PDF File

From: ESV Bible Blog

How I love Your teaching!
It is my meditation all day long.
Your command makes me wiser than my enemies,
for it is always with me.
I have more insight than all my teachers
because Your decrees are my meditation.
I understand more than the elders
because I obey Your precepts.
I have kept my feet from every evil path
to follow Your word.
I have not turned from Your judgments,
for You Yourself have instructed me.
How sweet Your word is to my taste—
[sweeter] than honey to my mouth.
I gain understanding from Your precepts;
therefore I hate every false way
Psalms 119:97-104 HCSB

In November I started reading one Psalm a day.

In many of our evangelical circles, people put on a happy face and sing happy worship songs. There isn’t always a lot of “realness” or honest expression of doubt, fear, frustration etc. So I wanted to turn to the Psalms as a model for worship, praise and prayer. It also gives me a dose of the Old Testament as I concentrate on the New Testament for a while.

Although I’m not studying the Psalms–just reading, pondering and praying with them, I was looking for something short to read as a good overview and to give me a little more insight into them. I came across this and want to pass it along.

Hermeneutical and Homiletical Musings on the Psalms by Randy McKinion at Expository Thoughts
Be sure to notice the link to Part 2 at the bottom of the page.

I’ve come to enjoy and look forward to my time with a Psalm each day. I highly recommend it.

I’ve been reading a Psalm a day since the beginning of the month (easy to keep track of which Psalm I’m on–at least for a month) and highly recommend it. Since I’ve been concentrating so much on the New Testament it’s nice to get a dose of the OT everyday.

But if you want to read a Psalm now and then and would like something in a certain category, they are divided up here according to the book How To Read the Bible For All Its Worth.

Try a few thanksgiving Psalms for Thanksgiving.

Book 1: Ps. 1-41; Book 2: Ps. 42-72; Book 3: Ps. 73-89; Book 4: Ps. 90-106; Book 5: Ps. 107-150

Laments

• Individual-3; 22; 31; 39; 42; 57; 71; 88; 120; 139; 142
• Corporate-12;44;80;94;137

Thanksgiving

• Community-65; 67; 75; 107; 124; 136
• Individual-18; 30; 32; 34; 40; 66; 92; 116; 118; 138

Praise
God as:

• Creator-8; 19; 104; 148
• Protector and benefactor of Israel-66; 100; 111; 114; 149
• Lord of history-33; 103; 113; 117; 145-147

Celebration and Affirmation

• 2; 18; 20; 21; 24; 29; 45; 46; 47; 48; 50; 72; 76; 81; 84; 87; 89; 93; 95-99; 101; 110; 122; 132; 144

Wisdom

• 36; 37; 49; 73; 112; 127; 128; 133

Trust

• 11; 16; 23; 27; 62; 63; 91; 121; 125; 131