Snoopy on the Psalms

[paradox3]

Visiting anywhere Jesus walked would be awesome for me. Paul not so much I don't think. But I enjoyed your story about Greece @Mystic

 

[Mendalla]

There is a spiritual/ emotional phenomenon that many space travelers experience called the "overview" effect. It can be described as a sense of profound awe. From space, the earth is seen as an interconnected unit.

Awareness of the earth's fragility and sadness about this is experienced by some. From space, our atmosphere appears to be a thin line in a vastness most of us can only imagine.

A classic version of this not from an astronaut is Carl Sagan's essay Pale Blue Dot. He was on the team for the Voyager missions and convinced NASA that there would be value in taking a picture of Earth from the outer solar system. So Voyager 1 took a shot from 6 BILLION kilometers away on Valentine's Day in 1990. Sagan's meditation on that is a thing of beauty, too. Look for the tiny dot c. half way up the rightmost bright streak. That's Earth, the only home we have ever known or ever will.

There's an almost psalm-like quality (see, I'm taking it back on topic) to this part of Sagan's book:

Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there-on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.

 

[Waterfall]

A classic version of this not from an astronaut is Carl Sagan's essay Pale Blue Dot. He was on the team for the Voyager missions and convinced NASA that there would be value in taking a picture of Earth from the outer solar system. So Voyager 1 took a shot from 6 BILLION kilometers away on Valentine's Day in 1990. Sagan's meditation on that is a thing of beauty, too. Look for the tiny dot c. half way up the rightmost bright streak. That's Earth, the only home we have ever known or ever will.

There's an almost psalm-like quality (see, I'm taking it back on topic) to this part of Sagan's book:

In some ways it's too bad we don't have a Second Testament that could be added to the bible, because this could actually be a , one of the "books" that might be considered to be included.

 

[Mendalla]

In some ways it's too bad we don't have a Second Testament that could be added to the bible, because this could actually be a , one of the "books" that might be considered to be included.

Speaking as one who actually did use it as a text for a church service (UU of course), I could get behind that suggestion. The "anthem" was "ISS - Is Somebody Singing?" by Chris Hadfield and The Barenaked Ladies. Hadfield's part was recorded on the ISS and the lyrics include some references to Pale Blue Dot (or similar language at least).

 

[paradox3]

Psalm 9

The psalm opens with words of praise for the Lord. "I will be happy and rejoice in you." (v. 2)

God makes just decisions, destroys the wicked and provides safety for the oppressed.

The psalmist calls upon God to rise up, judge and terrify the nations.

The reading is quite similar to Psalm 7.
Is the writer expressing longing and hope for divine justice? Or does he have faith it will come to be?

He seems to bargain with God. If God sees how oppressed he is and snatches him from the gates of death, he will tell about God's praiseworthy acts. (v. 13-14)

 

[Mendalla]

So to me, this reads as praising God for being a just ruler and judge of the world, upholding the righteous and casting down the wicked. Much of it is in past tense, at least as translated by the NRSV, so I would say he is praising God for his justice that is happening and has happened, not just expressing hope for justice to come.

For 13-14, I see it more as a statement than bargaining. He prays for God to be gracious and recognize his suffering, then says that God is the one who lifts him up so that he can sing God's praises, not so much bargaining with God.

Be gracious to me, O Lord.
See what I suffer from those who hate me;
you are the one who lifts me up from the gates of death,
14 so that I may recount all your praises
and, in the gates of daughter Zion,
rejoice in your deliverance.

Would make a good anthem, I think, and I would not be surprised to find some composer or other has set it as such.

 

[paradox3]

I read somewhere that verb tenses in ancient Hebrew were more complex than in present day English. So we may lose something in the translation, as the saying goes.

The NET translation uses past tense as well for most of the psalm.

Verses 13 and 14 read a little differently. I will pop over to Bible Gateway later and compare a few more translations.

 

[paradox3]

Have compared a few translations. Whichever version is used, i think v. 13-14 can be interpreted in two ways. The psalmist might indeed be expressing trust in God and advance gratitude. Or he could be attempting to bargain with God and influence God.

The psalmist longs for justice. Is this a realistic hope?
.

 

[Mendalla]

Is this a realistic hope?

Does it have to be? These kinds of poems tend to be inspirational and maybe aspirational, moreso that realistic. They are what we desire or think should be. Which is, really, where hope often comes from. Realism is less important than putting the idea out there and letting it inspire people and maybe God to make at least some of it so. Or maybe it's God speaking through the poet's heart trying to inspire us in that direction.

 

[paradox3]

There is a cycle of despair and hope. In Psalm 10, the writer returns to deep lament about the evildoing of the wicked.

Interestingly, Psalms 9 and 10 are often considered to be a single poem. They are written in acrostic style.

We don't see it because we are not reading the material in Hebrew. Other Psalms are written in the same style but I think 9 & 10 are the first example.

 

[Mendalla]

Interestingly, Psalms 9 and 10 are often considered to be a single poem. They are written in acrostic style.

That kind of makes sense, the hope of 9 and the darker edge of 10 would seem to fit together in a way.

 

[unsafe]

Psalms 9:1 is an important verse for people who call themselves Christians to listen to and reflect on and understand what with the Whole Heart really means here ---

AMPC
1 I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will show forth (recount and tell aloud) all Your marvelous works and wonderful deeds!

Here we see David saying He praises God with his whole Heart -----so what does that really means in the Hebrew ----

Hebrew word for wholehearted ---------tamim

What is the Hebrew word for whole heart?

In our relationship with God, tamim means being wholehearted, resolute, and entirely committed to walking "with" Him in this world.

So most Christians who say they praise God need to understand that it is not just about praising God with our lips ----We are to Agape God with all our heart --mind ---soul and strength ---and commit to our walk with Him ----not just with lip service ----but with a wholehearted all in commitment -----this is what David is saying here ---

 

[unsafe]

Psalm 9:3-4

Amplified Bible, Classic Edition​

3 When my enemies turned back, they stumbled and perished before You.

4 For You have maintained my right and my cause; You sat on the throne judging righteously.


verse 3----God's mighty protection against all enemies for People who Agape Him -----good reason the Praise Him

How awesome is that ----who in their right mind would not want to have protection against their enemies ----

verse 4 ----here David says that God defended him from his enemies by the reasoning of right and wrong in conflict -----God judges by righteous judgment ---

Many so called Christians believe God is on their side when He really is not ---Many say they love God with their lips --but their hearts are far from Him -----and God knows who these people are ---

 

[paradox3]

How do you differentiate between God on the lips and God in the heart @unsafe?

Here in the Psalms we are not really given any moral guidance. The psalmist has mentioned repentance a few times but he hasn't told us exactly what it means to be Godly.

 

[unsafe]

How do you differentiate between God on the lips and God in the heart

Anyone can say they love --(Philia )–God with their lips -----but the Love here for God -- is (Agape )-- this love is a heart issue not a mouth issue ===

Hebrew word for heart ----

Strong's Concordance
leb: inner man, mind, will, heart
the inner man, indefinite, soul, comprehending mind, affections and will,
the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect

This Love is a committed love ----to want to Please ---Thank and Praise God for what He does for His people ----

 

[BetteTheRed]

This Love is a committed love ----to want to Please ---Thank and Praise God for what He does for His people ----

Hmm...not sure about this. What is uncommitted love? To not want to please or thank? How is that love?

Love is not emotion to me as much as it is action.

 

[Waterfall]

Thank and praise God for what He does for His people ----

Should we thank and praise God when we believe he leads us into war? Or is God a pacifist and we don't understand God?

 

[unsafe]

What is uncommitted love?

Being an enemy of God by disobeying His Commands ------

You all have to understand that your in the Old Testament -----God has His part and Israel has their part ---so works are involved here --Do as God Says get Blessed ---Don't do as God says get Cursed ----David was under the Laws ---

The Psalms are about praying to go to get God to move on their behalf -----and Thanking God and Praising God when God Blesses His Chosen People ---

 

[unsafe]

Should we thank and praise God when we believe he leads us into war? Or is God a pacifist and we don't understand God?

I leave you with this ---you can read all here ---I just posted this part

How Could God Command Genocide in the Old Testament?​

JUSTIN TAYLOR | FEBRUARY 13, 2013

How Could God Command Genocide in the Old Testament?

An attempt to provide a faithful answer from within the Christian worldview.

www.thegospelcoalition.org

God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he” (Deut. 32:4).

It is commonplace in our culture to ask whether this or that was fair or just for God to do. But if you stop to think about it, the question itself is actually illegitimate. Merely asking it presupposes that we are the judge; we will put “God in the dock” and examine him; God must conform to our sense of fairness and rightness and justice—if God passes the test, well and good, but if he doesn’t, we’ll be upset and become the accuser. Perish the thought. As Deuteronomy 32:4 says, “all God’s ways are justice”—by definition. If God does it, it is just. (And since the triune God is inherently relational, the Bible says that God is love—and therefore all of his justice is ultimately born from and aiming toward love.) To think otherwise is the ultimate act of arrogance, putting your own mind and opinions and conceptions as the ultimate standard of the universe.

All of us deserve God’s justice; none of us deserve God’s mercy.
God is absolutely just in all that he does. The only thing that any of us deserve from God is his justice. We have broken his law, rebelling against him and his ways, and divine justice demands that we receive divine punishment in proportion to our traitorous, treasonous rebellion.

 

[BetteTheRed]

Well, that's just wyrd.