Snoopy on the Psalms

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This sounds like a warrior king sort of Messiah who will arrive breaking and smashing things.

A little research tells me that the Hebrew Scriptures present two visions for the Messiah. There is both a warlike character and a pastoral shepherd.

Jesus came saying "Repent. Repent." I wonder if some of his inspiration came from this Psalm.
 
paradox3 said:
I wonder if some of his inspiration came from this Psalm.
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He did quote the psalms a lot, so it is possible. The idea of God coming to comfort the oppressed and cast down their oppressors is a common theme in the psalms (and the prophetic books, too, really), though, so how much this specific one contributed is open for debate. It might be more that he was inspired by the message of the psalms as a whole.
 
Very true @Mendalla

At this point I don't know how often the theme of repentance shows up in the Psalms. I should have a better idea in 148 days or so. :)
 
paradox3 said:
This sounds like a warrior king sort of Messiah who will arrive breaking and smashing things.

A little research tells me that the Hebrew Scriptures present two visions for the Messiah. There is both a warlike character and a pastoral shepherd.

Jesus came saying "Repent. Repent." I wonder if some of his inspiration came from this Psalm.
Click to expand...
Did David write this Psalm? Were the kings of the day considered to be sons of God, thus supposed to be divinely inspired by God as his representative of all nations?
Is this why even today we are to support Israel?
 
Psalms 1 and 2 are generally attributed to David although the text doesn't specify the author. Starting with Psalm 3 there are several which name David.

Not sure about the kings being divinely inspired. The Israel question is complicated.
 
paradox3 said:
Jesus came saying "Repent. Repent." I wonder if some of his inspiration came from this Psalm.
Click to expand...
The words of this psalm are echoed in the heavenly voice of the Spirit at Jesus' baptism, which transforms Him from a carpenter, who has performed no miracles, into the Messiah, who is now able to heal the blind and raise the dead:

"I will tell of the decree of the Lord:
He said to me: You are my Son (Psalm 2:7)."
"Just as He [Jesus] was emerging from the water, He saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him.
And a voice came from heaven: You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased (Mark 1:10-11)."

Paul's sermon in Acts 13:33 quotes Psalm 2:7, applying it Christ's resurrection and exaltation:
"And we bring you the Gospel that what God promised to our ancestors, He has fulfilled among us, their children, by raising Jesus;
as also it is written in the second psalm, "You are my Son; tpday I have begotten youl""
 
paradox3 said:
Not sure about the kings being divinely inspired. The Israel question is complicated.
Click to expand...
In Exodus, the nation of Israel is considered to be God's first born son and Solomon is also called "son of God". Angels, just and pious men, and the kings of Israel are all called "sons of God" because of their special relationship with God.
God also calls King David his first born son in Psalm 89:27 and David is also told one of his sons will be God's son in
2 Samuel 7:14 and 1 Chr 17:13.
It seems in ancient times they used the term "son of God" differently than we do today.
 
paradox3 said:
The text has a very messianic feel to it. Evidently the NT writers thought so, too. There are 7 references to Psalm 2 in the NT. Here is one of them:

www.biblegateway.com

Bible Gateway passage: Acts 13:32-33 - New English Translation

And we proclaim to you the good news about the promise to our ancestors, that this promise God has fulfilled to us, their children, by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second psalm, ‘You are my Son; today I have fathered you.’
www.biblegateway.com www.biblegateway.com
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And later Mystic quoted from the same text...
Mystic said:
Paul's sermon in Acts 13:33 quotes Psalm 2:7, applying it Christ's resurrection and exaltation:
"And we bring you the Gospel that what God promised to our ancestors, He has fulfilled among us, their children, by raising Jesus;
as also it is written in the second psalm, "You are my Son; tpday I have begotten youl""
Click to expand...

You know what they say about great minds thinking alike? :D
 
In Psalm 3 we hear about numerous enemies attacking from all directions.

No worries. God will be a shield that protects. God will strike all enemies on the jaw and break the teeth of the wicked.

David was fleeing from his son Absalom. Does anyone know the David and Absalom story?
 
paradox3 said:
Does anyone know the David and Absalom story?
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Read 2 Samuel 15 ---

This Psalm is telling us that we can have peace beyond all understanding in the midst of the storm ---

Here David has many enemies but he can rest in God knowing God will protect him from his enemies

Lord, I have so many enemies.
So many people have turned against me.
2 They say to themselves, “God will not rescue him!” Selah
3 But you, Lord, protect me.
You bring me honor;
you give me hope.


I will pray to the Lord,
and he will answer me from his holy mountain.

5 I can lie down to rest and know that I will wake up,
because the Lord covers and protects me.

6 So I will not be afraid of my enemies,
even if thousands of them surround me.
 
In 2 Samuel 15, Absalom leads an uprising against his father.

Years ago, I read My Son, My Son by Howard Spring. The novel was originally known as O, Absalom!. It's hard to remember but I think the storyline was about sons turning out differently than expected.
 
Absalom is not a very appealing character, is he? He reminds me of some of the dudes we met in Genesis.

Despite Absalom's terrible behavior, his father grieves for him when he is gone.
 
Psalm 3
What resonates with me?
"To the LORD I cried out,
And he answered me from his holy hill." (V. 4)

What do I resist?
The rest of the psalm, LoL
I have trouble with a warlike God who strikes our enemies.
If I didn't know the text was about David and Absalom, I would have tried to turn it into a metaphor of some sort.
 
Psalm 4 is very beautiful and suitable for meditation.

I will read it several times before making any comments.

www.biblegateway.com

Bible Gateway passage: Psalm 4 - New English Translation

Psalm 4 - For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a psalm of David. When I call out, answer me, O God who vindicates me. Though I am hemmed in, you will lead me into a wide, open place. Have mercy on me and respond to my prayer. You men, how long will you try to turn...
www.biblegateway.com www.biblegateway.com
 
This is kind of another kind of psalm, eh. There's the ones that are a cry for help and protection and smiting of enemies. Then there's the ones that are more about living peacefully in trust and good relationship with The Lord. Other types, too, of course, but this is a common one and a fairly popular one (think 23). It also works as a psalm of praise to The Lord, too, but there's others that fit that archetype better and will come along later.
 
Psalm 4 is difficult to classify but I really like it. Sometimes it is called an evening Psalm.

I am reminded of the children's prayer, Now I lay me down to sleep. . .
I will lie down and sleep peacefully, for you LORD make me safe and secure. (v. 8)

Also the prayer response VU 948 picks up a phrase from the psalm.
When I call, answer me (v. 1)

So far, I am finding the Psalms quite fascinating. And I am only on the fourth one!

I am not sure how much flow of ideas to expect. But I am thinking there is probably value in reading right through the Psalms in order. It made a big difference to read the Gospels from beginning to end a few years ago.
 
"When you are disturbed, do not sin. Ponder it on your bed and be silent (4:4)."

The Bible often urges us to pray for guidance. But is this guidance received? One way is through meditation. The Hebrew word for "meditate" literally means to chew over a phrase or issue like a cow chews its cud and then regurgitates it the chew it over again. So in 4:4 the idea is that when we obsess about perceived grievances, we allow our minds to build up resentment. Instead, we are to lie on our bed and listen in silence without judgment to our flow of thoughts until this detached listening causes the growing resentment to evaporate in self-mastery.

"On His Law they meditate day and night. They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither (1:2-3)."
Here the psalmist focuses on an image to help us develop a rich inner life. We can't see the roots that soak up the water from the stream.
But when we meditate on the thought that just by being still in contemplation, our unseen unconscious can be nourished by the seeping flow of the water of life, the Spirit of God, so that the leaves of our daily thought obsessions won't cause our spirits to wither with discouragement and apathy.
 
Psalm 5 offers reassurance of God's help, shelter, joy and protection for the godly.

And the psalmist reminds God to condemn evil people, liars, the arrogant, the violent and the deceitful.

Psalm 5 gives us quite the dichotomy of good and evil. And it seeks God's fair judgement and justice.
.
 
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