Psalms Group, August 23, 2020
Okay, guys…when I chose these two eight verse sections of Psalm 119 as our focus, I didn’t notice the rhyming Hebrew letters. But it makes this lesson more fun…and hopefully more memorable.
Author: Doug
Dear Psalms friends,
So…here we are together, back again in Book V of the Psalter with the Egyptian Hallel (Psalms 113-118), the Torah “love letter” of Psalm 119, and the Psalms of Ascent (Psalms 120-134). If you have not yet ordered Tim and Kathy Keller’s The Songs of JESUS, it’s time! Doug and I will be here one more Sunday after tomorrow, before heading to retreat in Colorado 9/5-9/13. Our group will not meet on 9/6 and 9/13. We’ll start meeting again on 9/20.
Prepared for Psalms Group, August 15, 2020
Psalm 112 is a wisdom psalm that partners with the hymn of praise to YHWH in Psalm 111. Psalm 112 showcases how one whose core essence (“heart”) trusts steadfastly in YHWH becomes increasingly “YHWH-like” in attitude and action. This transformation happens by YHWH’s works and word. Look for what Psalm 112 show us about how to experience this “blessed” transformation.
Dear Psalms friends,
Tomorrow we will be discussing the conclusion of Open and Unafraid (pp. 185-191). Also be sure to read Bono’s Afterward and peruse the “Recommended Resources.”
Our psalms for the day will be Psalms 111-112, tomorrow’s lectionary psalms for Morning Prayer. This pair of carefully crafted alphabetic acrostic psalms were written to complement one another, and they share a common Old Testament wisdom theme. Psalm 111 is a hymn of praise celebrating YHWH’s actions, character, and torah. Psalm 112 is a wisdom psalm that demonstrates how YHWH transforms the life of one “who fears the LORD” to reflect His own character and work. Don’t miss the reality of this “blessed” person experiencing “darkness,” receiving “bad news,” and dealing with enemies.
Check back later today for a tomorrow’s lesson.
Enjoy today’s feast day celebrating Jesus’ first disciple, Mary. We pray with Mary, “Let it be to me according to your will.” She exemplifies Psalm 112.
Grace and peace in Christ,
Toni
Prepared for Psalms Group, August 9, 2020
Overfamiliarity may rob these two vibrant psalms of creation of their energy, their ability to describe and create experiences of the glory of God in God’s creation. May the Holy Spirit fill us and the words of these psalms with Life-giving grace as we read, reflect on, and receive these hymnic psalms as spiritual nourishment.
Prepared for Psalms Group, August 2, 2020
Psalm 87 is one of the “Songs of Zion,” psalms celebrating the city of Jerusalem with Mount Zion and the Temple, built in the Davidic dynasty, as the dwelling place of God. It was the place on the planet where YHWH chose to be reliably present in the midst of his people. Making pilgrimages to “the city of God” with its temple worship was, to the Jews and God-fearers, what our Christian celebration of Eucharist now is to the Church—a worship experience that transcends governments, geography, race and ethnicity, even time and space.
Prepared for Psalms Group on Sunday, July 19, 2020
“Comfort Even When There Is No Assurance” is the title of Marva Dawn’s chapter on Psalm 39 in I’m Lonely, Lord—HOW LONG? To introduce this psalm, she shares a friend’s statement of trust in God: “I just believe that God is still in control and that he will bring good out of all things.” The friend, as it turns out, is a quadriplegic who was paralyzed by an automobile accident. (Dawn, p. 139)
Psalm 12
From Reflections on the Psalms by C.S. Lewis:
If we wish to make the most of the psalms, then, we must not only understand them as prayers, we must also understand how they “do” prayer. The psalms show us the nature of faithful prayer in the following ways: