For six and a half years we worked our way through the Psalter psalm by psalm (Psalm 1 through Psalm 150). After reading each psalm at the start of our Sunday morning class, we then prayed sentence prayers based upon that psalm. Then, as I taught through the Hebrew Psalter in seminary courses exegeting each …
Praying the Psalms brings songs to the heart. As the psalmist speaks, his words join with the music arising from his harp like incense rising toward heaven. Nothing prepares us for corporate prayer like personal prayer. Nothing prepares us for personal prayer like putting the prayers of the psalmists into our own words. Above all …
For a week I posted text pictures on Instagram covering Psalm 150 verse by verse. Each slide showed the unpointed Hebrew text and English translation. In case you missed it on FaceBook or Instagram, here are the six slides. May the Lord stir up in you the praise for which He alone is worthy as …
Introduction Overall, Old Testament (OT) wisdom books are fairly anthropocentric (man-centered) since they address the issues of everyday living faced by God’s people. That does not mean that they are not also theocentric (God-centered). God instructs His people to live their lives in view of His existence, presence, righteousness, and justice. Studying these books provides …
Completing the first third of Psalm 104, our analysis takes another distinct turn in its point of reference: the topic becomes the ongoing natural order of the earth as determined by its Creator. If, however, we are correct in understanding Psalm 104:6-9 as a reference to the Flood of Noah’s day, we must also see God …
Romans 15:8-13 provides us with the apostle Paul’s theology of Messianic hope as founded upon the scriptures of the Hebrew Bible. In this significant text he builds upon the revelation of hope about which he speaks in Romans 15:4. With emphasis the apostle refers first of all to revelation twice-written, then follows up with key …
Messianic Hope and the Gentiles–Thinking Through Romans 15:8-13 Read More »
Continuing with our analysis of Psalm 104, we soon discover that the exegetical evidence favors a change of topic at verse 6. The transition commences with mere implications–a delicate poetic transference that gradually prods the reader into a different direction. While arguments can be made to retain the topic of Creation, David takes the readers …
Psalm 104 provides a break from the early psalms (Psalms 1-6) and from the Psalms of Ascents (Psalms 120-122). This psalm presents the poetic description of Creation as compared to the narrative of Genesis 1:1-2:3. An anonymous psalmist marked off this psalm’s 35 verses by means of an inclusio like that used in Psalm 103. …
Psalm 6:9-11 (Hebrew verse numbering) closes this psalm emphatically and dramatically. David’s depression has turned to triumphant confidence. His uncontrollable weeping and consuming fear finally disappear in his concentration upon Yahweh, his God. The Lord hears his weeping, hears his cry for a demonstration of divine grace, and accepts his prayer. What a glorious conclusion to those …
Psalm 6:7-8 (Hebrew verse numbering) describe David’s personal situation in vivid metaphors. As a result of his sin and his illness he has grown exhausted, reduced to weeping, and obviously severely depressed. This stanza of the psalm displays an opening tricolor, assonance, emphatic word order, repetition, and metaphor–all skillfully woven together to present what might be the …
