I know some of these psalms have been kinda difficult to get through. I guess that's another good reason for doing 4 a day: I think there has been at least one I can get behind each day. At the same time I still appreciate the difficult psalms or the ones I feel are "out of touch" or have no meaning for my life. They did for the author and original audience, and I'm sure many people throughout history have found meaning in them at some point or another.
Psalm 45-48 on BibleGateway.com
45) Interesting wedding stuff. I wonder who got married. Study Bible points out that verse 6 is used by the author of Hebrews in 1:8. There the author understands this to address the Son of God.
46) vs 9-10 God ceases war and destroys weapons of war. vs 10 - "Be Still" would refer to the fighters. Imagine if we stopped arguing and fighting and killing one another in the name of God and instead turned our focus actually on God... Could we do this even if they will not?
47) song, good one too. The Lord, the Most High is awesome! ... the psalmist says that the LORD subdued people before them and chose their heritage. How is the LORD awesome in our eyes?
48) so many songs, which makes sense I guess because this is a poem and song book. Consider how strong the house of the LORD is.
What word from the LORD did you hear while reading?
Applause, everyone. Bravo, bravissimo!
ReplyDeleteClap your hands for joy,
Praise God with loud songs!
For the LORD, the Most High, is awesome,
a great king over all the earth.
Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised
Inside His House,
we think of God’s constant love.
we meditate on His unfailing love.
God is a safe place to hide,
ready to help when we need him.
We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom,
courageous in seastorm and earthquake.
Come and see what the LORD has done.
See what amazing things he has done on earth.
We will tell the next generation:
detail by detail the story of God,
who guides us till the end of time.
For this God is our God for ever and ever;
he will be our guide even to the end.
Peter, I like your comment about this being a song book. I believe those in that era understood much more about the references and emotions than I can possibly comprehend. After all, I have difficulty relating to contemporary music, being a few generations removed! (Bear in mind that "generations" are very short in the entertainment industry!) Even so, the overarching message that God is available and even reaching out (praise His name for that!) is there, along with the many ways that people fail and are brought to despair. People still do that, and still need to feel God's presence, so we cling to phrases that we relate to: 46:1, God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. 47:1, Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. 48:1, Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise. Thank you, God, for all the ways you reach for us!!
ReplyDeleteThe lasting influence and revelance of this psalm-song book is seen in how many hymns and contemporsryy songs of praise and worship come from the words of the psalmist. I read the lines and find myself humming a familiar hymn or anthem. The word of the Lord endures forever!
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