Christ in the Psalms: Psalm 9

Posted inChrist in the Psalms, Psalms Commentary
We can never go wrong by reminding ourselves that our Lord sang and prayed the psalms during his earthly ministry. He made them his own. He experienced what David and the other psalmists experienced. Their praise and thanksgiving, both for who God is and what he has done, are his. Their cries for help are…

Psalm 119: Keeping His Testimonies

Posted inPsalms Commentary
One theme that appears again and again in Psalm 119 is keeping the testimonies of the Lord. The psalm uses two Hebrew words for keep, both of which appear in verse 34: Cause me to understand, and I will observe [natsar] your law, and I will keep [shamar] it with my whole heart. The second…

The Structure of Psalm 26

Posted inPsalm Translations, Psalms Commentary
of David1. Judge me, Yahweh, For I in my integrity walk, and in Yahweh I trust. I will not slip.2. Examine me, Yahweh, and test me. Try my kidneys and my heart.3. For your lovingkindness [is] before my eyes, and I walk in your truth.4. I do not sit with men of vanity, and with…

Does God Love the Wicked?

Posted inGod's Love
Many would say in answer to the question, does God love the wicked?, He loves the sinner but hates the sin. Some might also say, he loves the wicked but not with the same special love that he has for his people. This is, at best, a conclusion drawn from certain other Scriptures (such as…

Structure of Galatians 6:6-10

Posted inGalatians
In my previous post I pointed out that Galatians 6:1-5 has the structure ABCAB. The next 5 verses have a slightly different structure: ABBAC. Verses 6 and 9 go together because they are both exhortations, verses 7 and 8 go together because they give us the reasons for the exhortations, and verse 10 is the…

The Structure of Galatians 6:1-5

Posted inGalatians
According to his usual custom, the Apostle Paul divided his letter to the Galatians into two parts, a theological part (chapters 1-4) and a practical, or hortatory, part (chapters 5-6). Chapters 5 and 6 have four main sections. In 5:1-15, God instructs us in the proper use of our liberty and in verses 16-26 about…

Psalm 40: New Ears

Posted inPsalms Commentary
In the NKJV, Psalm 40:6 reads, Sacrifice and Offering You did not desire; My ears You have opened. Burnt Offering and sin offering You did not require. All the major English translations render it in a very similar way. However, the Hebrew word (kara) translated as ‘have opened’ has a somewhat different idea. It appears…

The Many Repetitions of Psalm 118

Posted inPsalm Translations, Psalms Commentary
1. Give thanks to Yahweh, because he is good,Because to forever is his lovingkindness.2. Let Israel now sayThat to forever is his lovingkindness.3. Let the house of Aaron now sayThat to forever is his lovingkindness.4. Let those who fear Yahweh now sayThat to forever is his lovingkindness.5. From distress I call Yah.Yah answers me in…

A Recompense from the Lord

Posted inSuffering
Merriam Webster defines recompense as an equivalent or a return for something done, suffered, or given. The verb means to give something to by way of compensation (as for a service rendered or damage incurred), to pay for, to return in kind. The basic idea is that there is a correspondence between what is received…