Structure of Revelation 22:6-21

March 18, 2024Posted inBook of Revelation
The last section of the book of Revelation is a complex interweaving of concluding material. Understanding its structure requires paying close attention to repeated words and phrases. Consider first the direct statements of Jesus. “Behold, I come quickly’ (v. 7) which he repeats in verse 12 and varies slightly in verse 20. That is the…

The Structure of Psalm 86

March 4, 2024Posted inChiasms, Psalm Translations, Psalms Commentary
When you hear someone begin to talk again about a chiasm in some Biblical passage, you may be inclined to groan and ask why commentators and Bible teachers are always looking for these things. What good are they, and why must I be constantly afflicted with them? There are two things that we should remember.…

Psalm 112: A Companion to Psalm 111

February 26, 2024Posted inChiasms, Psalm Translations, Psalms Commentary
The content of Psalm 112 is very different from Psalm 111. Psalm 111 praises the Lord for his great works and sure precepts; Psalm 112 blesses the righteous man. Nevertheless, there are three important considerations that demonstrate their close relationship. 1) They are both acrostic according to line rather than verse. Each has twenty-two lines…

Psalm 111: A Chiasm and an Acrostic

February 19, 2024Posted inChiasms, Psalm Translations, Psalms Commentary
Psalm 111 is another carefully constructed song.  It is an acrostic, but its acrostic structure is a little different from other acrostic psalms. Those usually have twenty-two verses of two (sometimes more) lines each, and each verse begins with the Hebrew letter next in order. But this psalm has twenty-two lines, each of which begins…

The Sabbath in Exodus

June 1, 2023Posted inChiasms, Sabbath
Exodus 24 to 40: A Large Chiasm About the Building of the Tabernacle and the Sabbath This large chiasm in the book of Exodus is a very simple one, but it has one very striking feature; the Sabbath Day plays a very important role in it. Immediately after the instructions for building the tabernacle the…

Psalm 70: A Clever Chiasm

September 22, 2022Posted inChiasms, Psalms Commentary
To the Chief Musician, of David, to Cause to Remember 1. O God, to deliver me, O Yahweh, to my help hurry. 2. Let them be ashamed and confounded who seek my soul. Let them be turned back and humiliated who delight in my evil. 3. Let them return as a consequence of their shame…

Psalm 25: A Complicated Chiasm and an Acrostic

March 5, 2022Posted inChiasms, Psalms Commentary
Psalm 25 is an imperfect acrostic. Though it has 22 verses, one for each of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, verses 6 and 16 do not begin with the expected Hebrew letter. It is also a roughly constructed chiasm, and you can see the details of it in the table below. Understanding the chiasm…

Psalm 37: Two Chiasms and an Acrostic

February 5, 2022Posted inChiasms, Psalms Commentary

At first glance, Psalm 37 seems to be a more or less random collection of verses with the general theme, “Do not fret because of evildoers.” It is, in fact, both an acrostic, or alphabetic psalm, and a carefully constructed poem with three main parts, the first two of which are chiasms. The table below lays out these parts in detail. The central promise for those who heed the exhortation and trust in the Lord is the possession of the land; it is repeated at least five times. For us, that promise means a heavenly inheritance and, in the end, the possession of all things in the new heavens and earth, “for all things are yours… and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. (1 Cor 3:21-23).”