This Psalm spends more time complaining about the evildoers, only taking the last third to ask God to do something about them. It does complain about how the rich treat the poor which seem fairly prescient today. There’s not much written about this one, and I don’t have much a else to say about it.
Tag: Psalms
Psalm #9
Psalm 9 is a song of praise to God for all that he has done for David. I do like bringing up lines like “you have blotted out their names forever,” even though I am currently reading a book that talks about those enemies, by name, being destroyed. Why would anyone write them down to be remembered forever and then say that their names have been blotted out?
The other thing of note here is the mention of Sheol, which is NOT Hell. Sheol is, in Hebrew, the place of the dead. From what I have read on the topic, is basically where souls go when they are liberated from the corporeal form. I feel like it’s described more as a waiting room before judgement is passed. But that’s just how I see it.
Psalm #5
This week’s Psalm is another one about David’s enemies, because had a lot of enemies. Also, my girlfriend will be happy to know that this one is for the flutes (she’s a flute player).
This time around, David isn’t pleading with God to take care of his enemies, but trusting that he will take care of them because he doesn’t abide by wickedness, boastfulness, and he doesn’t like evildoers. David is loved by God and will easily enter the Lord’s house.
I certainly hope that David didn’t write this Psalm himself because, well, it seems quite boastful and, as I wrote above, God doesn’t abide. This Psalm must have been written before the concept of Hell was fleshed out, because David is asking God to make them bear their guilt rather than burn for eternity in hellfire.
Psalm #4
This is another Psalm of David in which he is calling out to God to help him in his distress because the people are sinning and shaming his honor. He is also telling others in distress to not sin, but think about it in their beds and be quiet. Also, as it is so timely to today, make the right sacrifices. Then you might be able to sleep peacefully at night.
Psalm #2
The second Psalm is a warning to any ruler who dares to go up against the Lord and his chosen people. As I read this I can see Christians co-opting this psalm as being a prophecy of the coming of Christ. Sure enough, there are apologists that do this. Reading scholarly sources, it was probably sung during the coronation of a king, the anointed being the king. The last verse is God telling all rulers to bow and pay fealty to the Lord and kiss his feet and no harm will befall their kingdoms.
Psalm #1
Reading the first Psalm, you can be happy only if you meditate on the law of LORD day and night. They shouldn’t take my advice because I am, in the words here, wicked.
The wicked are driven from God and, curiously, will not be judged. They will also not stand with righteous (what about the self-righteous ?)
This contradicts the Christian yard signs that I see saying that “All will account to God on judgment day.” According to Psalm 1, nope, the wicked will perish. There is no mention of hell here either. Likely, that’s because hell hasn’t been invented or co-opted from other cultures.
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