Psalm 119:65-80 Psalm 119, Day 5. The following phrase appears twice today: “…those who fear You…” (Ps. 119:74,79). Applying this Psalm to today’s world, I see “those who fear You” as believers. And I can see those two verses as very separate in time. That is, verse 74 can be the joy that older believers …
Author Archives: Fred
October 19 / Psalm 119:49-64
Psalm 119:49-64 Psalm 119, Day 4. You may recall three days ago that my intro to Psalm 119 included seven or eight synonyms for “the Law”. Those synonyms that I listed were “testimonies”, “ways”, “precepts”, “statutes”, “commands” / “commandments, “judgments”, “decrees”, and “word”. Six of those synonyms are straightforward substitutes, with no modifiers needed. Two …
October 18 / Psalm 119:33-48
Psalm 119:33-48 Psalm 119, Day 3. I typically read our day’s verses in the NASB first, then in the ESV. Today I had different reactions from one verse in the two translations. First, in the NASB, Establish Your word to Your servant, as that which produces reverence for You. (v. 38) Then in the ESV: …
October 17 / Psalm 119:17-32
Psalm 119:17-32 Psalm 119, Day 2. I noted yesterday that each of the 22 stanzas in this Psalm highlights a particular letter in the Hebrew alphabet. Today’s letter for verses 17-24 is “Gimel”; each of these eight verses begins with the letter “Gimel” in the Hebrew alphabet. For verses 25-32 the beginning letter for each …
October 16 / Psalm 119:1-16
Psalm 119:1-16 Psalm 119, today and the next ten days after. Psalm 119 is an alphabetic acrostic, 176 verses long – obviously the longest Psalm in the Psalter. There are 22 eight-verse stanzas. Each stanza and each verse in each stanza begin with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet – 22 different letters for …
October 15 / Psalm 118:15-29
Psalm 118:15-29 More deliverance. A number of verses for comment today. First, very common for Avanza folks: This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (v. 24) This is one of Carol’s gathering songs for our Avanza kids. They all know it (2nd grade and beyond); …
October 14 / Psalm 118:1-14
Psalm 118:1-14 This is the last of the praise psalms that we began with Psalm 111. The psalmist in today’s reading offers praise and thanksgiving for Israel’s victory over her enemies. But which set of victories? Was it their deliverance from Egypt and from their enemies as they did battle in the Wilderness? Or was …
October 13 / Psalms 116-117
Psalms 116-117 Yes, two psalms today – but the second, Psalm 117 is only two verses long and fits nicely at the end of Psalm 116. Psalm 117 is not only the shortest psalm, it is also the shortest chapter in the entire Bible. In today’s Psalm 116 the psalmist is concerned with death, specifically …
October 12 / Psalm 115
Psalm 115 Today’s psalm is not one with a full, inclusive theme; instead it scatter-shoots a bit. It’s a praise psalm, so many of the verses focus on praising the Lord. But other groups of verses look at idol worship and idol makers (vv. 4-8) and our trusting in the Lord and being blessed by …
October 11 / Psalm 114
Psalm 114 God’s deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt. We all know of the parting of the Red Sea, a favorite Sunday School story for children, Israel’s passing through and Pharaoh’s armies’ drowning. That event is referenced in verse 3: The sea looked and fled… That is, the Red Sea event is referenced in the …