Psalm 21 Translation

1 For the music director.  A psalm of David.

2  O Yahweh, in your protection the king rejoices
In Your salvation how greatly he rejoices

3 You have given him his heart’s longing

And you have not withheld the desire of his lips

4 For you have met him with blessings of good things

You have placed a crown of pure gold on his head

5 He asked for life from You; You gave it to him

Length of days forever and ever

6 His glory is great through your salvation

Majesty and splendor You place on him

7 For you grant him lasting blessings

You make him glad in the joy of Your presence

8 For the king trusts in Yahweh

And through the covenant love of the Most High he will not be made to falter

9 Your hand finds all your enemies

Your right hand finds those who hate You

10 You make them as a fiery furnace in the time of your anger

Yahweh will swallow them and fire consume them in His anger

11 You will destroy their offspring from the earth

Their descendents from mankind

12 Though they intend to do you harm

They devise an evil plan

They will not succeed

13 For you make them retreat when you load your bowstring to shoot at them

14 Be exulted, Yahweh, in your strength

We will sing and praise Your power

Psalm 119:89-93 – Syntactical Analysis

Another paper from my Hebrew Exegesis class last semester on Psalm 119:89-93.

Introduction

This paper will analyze the syntactical elements of Psalm 119:89-93 so as to properly identify each element and explain the exegetical importance of each element in preparation for preaching the text. The focus will not be on exposition but will rather focus on a phrase by phrase discussion about the elements which are exegetically significant.

Psalm 119:89-92 – Literary Analysis

Another paper for Hebrew Exegesis from last semester – speaks to the literary elements of Psalm 119:89-92

Introduction

This paper will analyze the literary elements of Psalm 119:89-92 such as genre, device, argument, and theme in order to provide vital information to the process of exegesis in preparation for preaching this text. The focus will not be on exposition, but rather on observing literary facets and a discussion of their exegetical significance.

Random Thoughts from Reading (Psalm 138:6)

“For though the Lord is exalted, Yet He regards the lowly, But the haughty He knows from afar.” (Psalm 138:6)

This is an amazing truth. It is truth that I cannot fully comprehend. When I think myself great, I do not regard the lowly, I scoff at them, make fun of them. But God, who KNOWS He is exalted, He regards the lowly, He takes note of them, He is concerned for them, He has a relationship with them.

How much more do I, who am nothing, need to consider the LORD, and humble myself – to praise His name for His salvation, and to renew my mind with His truth, and His ways, that I might follow after Him, and be pleasing in His sight. My the Lord grant me humility as I live and cause me to regard the lowly, to care for them as He cares for me.

“Not to us, not to us”

“Not to us, O Lord, not to us,
But to Your name give glory
Because of Your lovingkindness,
Because of Your truth.” (Psalm 115:1)

It’s raining today in LA, and as I was driving home from seminary I was thinking over some things I have been learning in the past couple of weeks, and thinking about this verse in the psalms. That there is nothing I can boast about, nothing at all, for my salvation is from God, everything that is good in me is of God, not of myself. But as I was thinking, I hit a patch of water on the road and my car hydroplaned for a moment, serving slightly towards the curb. My heart pounded, and afterwards I just though – how right and true it is, that no glory be given to me, for not only can I not claim my service to the Lord my own, but even my life, even my life is in God’s hands. I could be dead, and at any moment still I could die. May I remember this, and join in with the psalmist: “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name give glory.”

Commit Your Soul to God

“Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.” (1 Peter 4:19)

Truly there is no better thing that for us to commit our souls to God, to entrust our very lives into His care.  In the midst of hardship, entrust your soul to God – He will care for you – He is the faithful Creator, He will not fail us.

So often when times get tough, or I get tired of striving, I just forget God and think about all my troubles, I dwell on the hardship, on the difficulty.  But I must rather entrust my soul to God and strive after doing what is right – to do what would glorify God, even in the midst of a trial.

“My soul waits in silence for God only; From Him is my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.” (Psalm 62:1-2)

Psalm 119:89-92 Contextual Analysis

Psalm 119:89-92

[89] From eternity O LORD, your word has been firmly fixed in the heavens.

[90] Your faithfulness has stood firm through all generations.

You established the earth therefore it endures.

[91] By your decision all things endure today,

Surely all things are your servants.

[92] If your law had not been my delight,

Then I would have perished in my affliction.

(NOTE: this is a paper I did for my Hebrew Exegesis class – the fourth in a series of five)

Introduction

The goal of this paper is to explore the various contexts of Psalm 119:89-92 in order to better understand the passage and to give insight into its meaning, as well as to protect against error in exposition.

Waiting on God

“For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.” (Psalm 62:1)

I’ve been reading a book called “Waiting on God” by Andrew Murray. It has been very thought provoking and challenging. So often I find myself “disciplining” myself into godliness, thinking that in the discipline there is some sort of reward, or holiness. Rather than focusing on God and waiting on him, I focus on the “works” and therefore fall short of joy and find myself in a spiritual desert with no water to drink.

Random Thoughts from Reading (Psalm 119)

“Hold me up, and I shall be safe,
And I shall observe Your statutes continually.”
(Psalm 119:117)

What a wonderful truth – if the Lord holds me, I will be safe.  There is nothing that can harm me if I am in his hands.  If I look to him for strength, if I wait on him alone I will do all that he desires.  It is when I rely on myself that I fail – when I try to hold myself up by my own strength. 

Forgiveness

“If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared.” (Psalm 130:3-4)

I’ve been thinking about this verse over the past few days, one of my friends even preached on it at an outreach on Sunday. I’ve been thinking about this verse because it brings me to my knees in thanks – it brings me to my knees to beg for mercy, and to beg in sure hope.