psalm 149: vengeance

 In Psalm 149 we read:

Shout the high praises of God,

    brandish their swords in the wild sword-dance—

A portent of vengeance on the God-defying nations,

    a signal that punishment’s coming,

Their kings chained and hauled off to jail,

    their leaders behind bars for good,

The judgment on them carried out to the letter

    —and all who love God in the seat of honor!

Hallelujah!

These verses reminds a holy war, very similar to the conquest of Canaan by Israel. Derek Kidner comments that our real enemies are the spiritual hosts of wickedness and not people. He writes:

The Apocalypse, for all its fiery imagery of final judgment, describes the church's victory as congruous with that of Cavalry. 'They have conquered ... by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death' (Rev. 12:11).

Praise the Lord because He is my Redeemer and Avenger.

Psalm 148: Hallelujah: praise YHWH!

 In Psalm 148 we read:

1-5 Hallelujah!

Praise him, sun and moon,

    praise him, you morning stars;

Praise, oh let them praise the name of God—

    he spoke the word, and there they were!

6 He set them in place

    from all time to eternity;

He gave his orders,

    and that’s it!

7-12 Praise God from earth,

Robust men and women in their prime,

    and yes, graybeards and little children.

13-14 Let them praise the name of God—

    it’s the only Name worth praising.

His radiance exceeds anything in earth and sky;

    he’s built a monument—his very own people!

Praise from all who love God!

    Israel’s children, intimate friends of God.

Hallelujah!

Moon, sun, trees and mountains praise the Lord, but we can be his intimate friends. We, who are the Lord's people, were created with a mission: to praise Him.

psalm 147: Hallelujah: the Lord is in control

 In Psalm 147 we read:

Hallelujah!

It’s a good thing to sing praise to our God;

    praise is beautiful, praise is fitting.

God puts the fallen on their feet again

    and pushes the wicked into the ditch.

He’s not impressed with horsepower;

    the size of our muscles means little to him.

Those who fear God get God’s attention;

    they can depend on his strength.

Sometimes I like to see clouds in the sky. They seem to me as a painting from the Lord to me. I also like to see birds and trees. They seem to be in solitude, praising the Lord. It is somehow difficult for mankind to be in solitude and praise the Lord. 

The Lord is the One who knows how to deal with people. Generally, people want to impress one another, but the Lord is not impressed. He loves those who fear Him, those who depend on His strength. 

Dad is now 87 years old. His mind is playing tricks on him: he hears voices, and feel constantly oppressed. I am afraid he don't fear the Lord and goes to the ditch. I pray for him, but it doesn't seem to work.

Despite all this, I believe that the Lord is the One who loves dad, much more than I love him. The Lord is wise. He will know how to deal with dad. He will also instruct me on how to deal with him.

psalm 146: influencers

 In Psalm 146 we read:

3-9 Don’t put your life in the hands of experts

    who know nothing of life, of salvation life.

Mere humans don’t have what it takes;

    when they die, their projects die with them.

Instead, get help from the God of Jacob,

    put your hope in God and know real blessing!

God made sky and soil,

    sea and all the fish in it.

He always does what he says—

    he defends the wronged,

    he feeds the hungry.

God frees prisoners—

    he gives sight to the blind,

    he lifts up the fallen.

God loves good people, protects strangers,

    takes the side of orphans and widows,

    but makes short work of the wicked.

It is so easy to trust in human experts and influencers! How to deal with money? How to have a healthy food? How to be emotionally intelligent? The human experts know nothing of salvation life. It is interesting that many healthy food experts didn't have a long life. I have to put my trust in the Lord because He is the creator and knows much more than any human expert, besides, He is good for us. He is also good for despised people: widows, orphans and strangers. 

psalm 145: reasons to praise the Lord

 in Psalm 145, king David praises the Lord:

I lift you high in praise, my God, O my King!

    and I’ll bless your name into eternity.

2 I’ll bless you every day,

    and keep it up from now to eternity.

There are many motives to praise the Lord:

• He makes marvelous works:
• 4 Generation after generation stands in awe of your work;
•     each one tells stories of your mighty acts.
• God is merciful
• 8 God is all mercy and grace—
•     not quick to anger, is rich in love.
•  God is good, even to me:
• 9 God is good to one and all;
•     everything he does is soaked through with grace.
• 14 God gives a hand to those down on their luck,
•     gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.
• He is the provider:
• 15 All eyes are on you, expectant;
•     you give them their meals on time.
• 
  
• 16 Generous to a fault,
•     you lavish your favor on all creatures.
• behind all his works is love
• 17 Everything God does is right—
•     the trademark on all his works is love.
• 
  
• 18 God’s there, listening for all who pray,
•     for all who pray and mean it.
• 
  
• 19 He does what’s best for those who fear him—
•     hears them call out, and saves them.
• He is righteous:
• 20 God sticks by all who love him,
•     but it’s all over for those who don’t.

psalm 144: I wonder why you care, God

 In Psalm 144 we read:

1-2 Blessed be God, my mountain,

    who trains me to fight fair and well.

He’s the bedrock on which I stand,

    the castle in which I live,

    my rescuing knight,

The high crag where I run for dear life,

    while he lays my enemies low.

3-4 I wonder why you care, God—

    why do you bother with us at all?

All we are is a puff of air;

    we’re like shadows in a campfire.

King David is amazed by how much the Lord has blessed him. Although he has defeated his enemies, he understand that it was not his victory. Instead, the Lord trained him to fight fair and well. He found security in the Lord. Thus, he is amazed about how the Creator of the Universe bothers with him and Israel. All we are is puff of air! In a similar way, we Christians must recognize how the Lord has blessed us. He has provided victories. In him we find security. Why do the Lord bother with us at all?

psalm 143: help me!

 in psalm 143 we read:

The enemy hunted me down;

    he kicked me and stomped me within an inch of my life.

He put me in a black hole,

    buried me like a corpse in that dungeon.

I sat there in despair, my spirit draining away,

    my heart heavy, like lead.

The enemy is powerful: he puts the psalmist in a dark hole and burried him in a dungeon; thus, he feels as buried alive. In his despair, he claims to the Lord:

Save me from my enemies, God—

    you’re my only hope!

Teach me how to live to please you,

    because you’re my God.

Lead me by your blessed Spirit

    into cleared and level pastureland.

Why should the Lord help him?

In your great love, vanquish my enemies;

    make a clean sweep of those who harass me.

And why? Because I’m your servant.

Because the psalmist is the Lord has great love for his servant. 

psalm 142: dungeon

 In Psalm 142 we read:

3-7 “As I sink in despair, my spirit ebbing away,

    you know how I’m feeling,

Know the danger I’m in,

    the traps hidden in my path.

Look right, look left—

    there’s not a soul who cares what happens!

I’m up against the wall, with no exit—

    it’s just me, all alone.

I cry out, God, call out:

    ‘You’re my last chance, my only hope for life!’

Oh listen, please listen;

    I’ve never been this low.

Rescue me from those who are hunting me down;

    I’m no match for them.

Get me out of this dungeon

    so I can thank you in public.

Your people will form a circle around me

    and you’ll bring me showers of blessing!”

It is very difficult for a man to understand that he is locked in a dungeon with his demons. It is very difficult for a man to see that only the Lord can take a man out of his dungeon. Blessed are those who understand it and claims the Lord for deliverance. Blessed are those who proclaim the freedom from the Lord.

psalm 141: a king's prayer

 In Psalm 141 we read:

3-7 Post a guard at my mouth, God,

    set a watch at the door of my lips.

Don’t let me so much as dream of evil

    or thoughtlessly fall into bad company.

And these people who only do wrong—

    don’t let them lure me with their sweet talk!

May the Just One set me straight,

    may the Kind One correct me,

Don’t let sin anoint my head.

    I’m praying hard against their evil ways!

Oh, let their leaders be pushed off a high rock cliff;

    make them face the music.

Like a rock pulverized by a maul,

    let their bones be scattered at the gates of hell.

A king is commonly surrounded by flattering people who wants some king's favors. A king is also tempted to govern in his own benefit. David wants to please the Lord above himself. He prays that his words are pleasing to the Lord. He prays that the Lord protects him form sweet talk. He also prays that the Lord makes him straight, corrects him. Blessed are the people who has a king with theses thoughts.

psalm 139: examine me

in Psalm 139 we read:

23-24 Investigate my life, O God,

    find out everything about me;

Cross-examine and test me,

    get a clear picture of what I’m about;

See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong—

    then guide me on the road to eternal life.

A cloud is light. The wind blows and the cloud goes where the wind sends. David asks the Lord to examine him in order to correct his sins. In a way, he wants to be like a cloud that is taken by the wind. 

 

psalm 140: victims

 In psalm 140 we read:

12-13 I know that you, God, are on the side of victims,

    that you care for the rights of the poor.

And I know that the righteous personally thank you,

    that good people are secure in your presence.

The Lord is on the side of victims. 

Am I righteous? Am I a victim?

If so, I am secure in his presence.

psalm 138: thank you

 in psalm 138 we read:

1-3 Thank you! Everything in me says “Thank you!”

    Angels listen as I sing my thanks.

I kneel in worship facing your holy temple

    and say it again: “Thank you!”

Thank you for your love,

    thank you for your faithfulness;

Most holy is your name,

    most holy is your Word.

The moment I called out, you stepped in;

    you made my life large with strength.

4-6 When they hear what you have to say, God,

    all earth’s kings will say “Thank you.”

They’ll sing of what you’ve done:

    “How great the glory of God!”

And here’s why: God, high above, sees far below;

    no matter the distance, he knows everything about us.

7-8 When I walk into the thick of trouble,

    keep me alive in the angry turmoil.

With one hand

    strike my foes,

With your other hand

    save me.

Finish what you started in me, God.

    Your love is eternal—don’t quit on me now.

There are many motives to be thankful to the Lord:

He loves me, He is faithful to me. Although He is holy, He listens to my cry. He made marvelous things. Although He is heaven, He knows what is present, near me. He takes care when I am in trouble. The Lord started his work in me. 

psalm 137: justice to our enemies.

 in psalm 137 we read:

1-3 Alongside Babylon’s rivers

    we sat on the banks; we cried and cried,

    remembering the good old days in Zion.

Alongside the quaking aspens

    we stacked our unplayed harps;

That’s where our captors demanded songs,

    sarcastic and mocking:

    “Sing us a happy Zion song!”

4-6 Oh, how could we ever sing God’s song

    in this wasteland?

If I ever forget you, Jerusalem,

    let my fingers wither and fall off like leaves.

Let my tongue swell and turn black

    if I fail to remember you,

If I fail, O dear Jerusalem,

    to honor you as my greatest.

7-9 God, remember those Edomites,

    and remember the ruin of Jerusalem,

That day they yelled out,

    “Wreck it, smash it to bits!”

And you, Babylonians—ravagers!

    A reward to whoever gets back at you

    for all you’ve done to us;

Yes, a reward to the one who grabs your babies

    and smashes their heads on the rocks!

Psalm 137 was written Jews in Babylon remembering Jerusalem. They were extradited to Babylon. They were tempted to abandon the Lord because they could have thought that the Lord didn't protect them. Instead, they look to the Lord and understand that He is still in control. They ask the Lord that He makes justice and punish the Babylonians in a very interesting way: may the Lord reward the one who grabs the Babylonian babies and smashes their heads on the rocks. Now in 2023, Israel is a country but Babylon belongs to history.

psalm 136: His love never quits.

 in Psalm 136 we read:

Thank God! He deserves your thanks.

    His love never quits.

Thank the God of all gods,

    His love never quits.

Thank the Lord of all lords.

    His love never quits.

Thank the miracle-working God,

The God whose skill formed the cosmos,

The God who laid out earth on ocean foundations,

The God who filled the skies with light,

The sun to watch over the day,

Moon and stars as guardians of the night,

The God who struck down the Egyptian firstborn,

And rescued Israel from Egypt’s oppression,

Took Israel in hand with his powerful hand,

Split the Red Sea right in half,

Led Israel right through the middle,

Dumped Pharaoh and his army in the sea,

The God who marched his people through the desert,

Smashed huge kingdoms right and left,

Struck down the famous kings,

Struck Sihon the Amorite king,

Struck Og the Bashanite king,

Then distributed their land as booty,

Handed the land over to Israel.

God remembered us when we were down,

Rescued us from the trampling boot,

Takes care of everyone in time of need.

    His love never quits.

Thank God, who did it all!

    His love never quits!

For each phrase in this psalm we read "His love never quits!". For instance: 

    Struck down the famous kings,

    His love never quits!

The psalmist understands that the Lord has shown love (that never quits) to Israel time after time. The Lord has persistently loved Israel. A Christian understands that he belongs to the people of the Lord. He knows that the Lord's love for him never quits.

psalm 135: Hallelujah

 in Psalm 135 we read:

1-4 Hallelujah!

Praise the name of God,

    praise the works of God.

All you priests on duty in God’s temple,

    serving in the sacred halls of our God,

Shout “Hallelujah!” because God’s so good,

    sing anthems to his beautiful name.

And why? Because God chose Jacob,

    embraced Israel as a prize possession.

Hallelujah means "praise YHWH". We must praise the Lord because he is good, but specially good to his chosen people. Although the Lord is good to mankind in general, it is difficult to perceive that He is good. May I always praise the Lord because He is good, but specially, good to me.

psalm 134: may our priests bless the Lord

 in psalm 134 we read:

1-3 Come, bless God,

    all you servants of God!

You priests of God, posted to the nightwatch

    in God’s shrine,

Lift your praising hands to the Holy Place,

    and bless God.

In turn, may God of Zion bless you—

    God who made heaven and earth!

In this psalm, the pilgrims are singing and addressing words to the priests.

In general, church leaders ordain the people to praise the Lord, but here, it is the opposite: the pilgrims ordain that the nightwatch priests lift their hands to the Holy Place (the temple) and bless the Lord. The pilgrims ask that the Lord bless the priests.

May our church leaders bless the Lord (and don´t seek their own glory)! May the Lord bless our church leaders.

psalm133: blessings when in harmony

 In Psalm 133 we read:

1 See how good and pleasant it is

    when brothers and sisters live together in harmony!

2         It is like fine, scented oil on the head,

            running down the beard—down Aaron’s beard—

            running over the collar of his robes.

3         It is like dew on Mount Hermon,

            dew which comes down on Zion’s mountains.

                That is where Yahweh promised

                    the blessing of eternal life.

Jesus told that his disciples should love one another. When his people live in harmony, that is where YHWH promised the blessing of eternal life. His blessings runs down as the oil in Aaron's beard or as the dew on Zion mountains. 

psalm 132: Zion, the place where the Lord rests

 In Psalm 32 we read:

11-18 God gave David his word,

    he won’t back out on this promise:

“One of your sons

    I will set on your throne;

If your sons stay true to my Covenant

    and learn to live the way I teach them,

Their sons will continue the line—

    always a son to sit on your throne.

Yes—I, God, chose Zion,

    the place I wanted for my shrine;

This will always be my home;

    this is what I want, and I’m here for good.

I’ll shower blessings on the pilgrims who come here,

    and give supper to those who arrive hungry;

I’ll dress my priests in salvation clothes;

    the holy people will sing their hearts out!

Oh, I’ll make the place radiant for David!

    I’ll fill it with light for my anointed!

I’ll dress his enemies in dirty rags,

    but I’ll make his crown sparkle with splendor.”

The pilgrims go to Zion, the place where the Lord rests and where the place where a son of David reigns. The Lord promises to shower blessings of the pilgrims who go to Jerusalem. For a Jew, it is really confusing this psalm because today, there is no temple, no pilgrimage, no arch of Covenant and no descendant of king David reigning. However, Christians believe that Jesus is Emanuel. He is the descendant of David, the Lord who lived among us. He came to give his life for us and resurrected from the dead and is in fact reigning.