Reflecting on Easter and the Fulfillment of Scripture

As most of you know, I visit the Maverick store on the corner every morning to get ice and there are employees I have come to know so I speak with them. One of them is an older Vietnamese woman, Catholic, and she said with a big smile to me, “It’s Easter Sunday!” I smiled back and acknowledged her statement. But did not say more, she read me, then said, “What? You don’t celebrate Easter?”

I got close to the counter and said, “Can I share a secret with you?” She looked around and said, “Yes.” And I said, “In my life, I celebrate His resurrection every day because it is only by His risen life that I can exist hour by hour.” She paused and thought, evidencing the notion that this basic biblical notion was never presented to her. Then suddenly, she burst forward like Christ from the grave and said, “Ohhhhhh, dat good. Dat berry berry good.”

Insights from Psalm 41-49

Alright, two weeks ago we read part of Psalm 40 where we were presented with some prophetic expressions found therein. I would be remiss if I did not do a comparative between the Hebrew translation of verses 6-7 and the Greek Septuagint of verses 7-8. Take a look:

Hebrew Based Translation
6 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire— but my ears you have opened— burnt offerings and sinMissing the mark of faith and love—no punishment, just lost growth or peace. offerings you did not require.
7 Then I said, “Here I am, I have come— it is written about me in the scroll.”

Greek Based Translation in the LXX
7* You did not want sacrifice and offering, but a body you restored to me. You did not ask for whole burnt offering, and an offering concerning sin.
8* Then I said, “Behold, I have arrived. In the scroll of the book it has been written concerning me.”

This was just to prove how the translations can vary greatly and why I believe Christ chose to cite the Septuagint version and not the Hebrew. Verse 7 of chapter 40 in the Hebrew Bible is also messianic as it reads,

7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,

Understanding Scripture’s Testimony

Looking to John 5:39 we remember when He said, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” I see this as a direct fulfillment of Psalm 40:7. Finally, out to verses 8-10 of Psalm 40 we read:

8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

Again, this must be speaking prophetically of Yeshua because the Law was in nobody else’s heart unless it speaks to Adam as we might be able to suggest that God’s Law within him and on his heart.

The Human Condition and Divine Law

But this opens us up to another aspect we cannot overlook about God, His Incarnate Son and us. Are you ready??

YAHAVAH’s Law, His perfection, His will is impossible for us to follow perfectly and always has been. Prior to Christ, for God to be pleased with us, going all the way back to Eden, was based on our trusting in Him and attempting to do what He asked, with Him knowing all the while that we (humans) would fall short.

Do we understand this? His wrath would pop up when humans would straight up rebel in the face of His Goodness, but even then He was working in and through the Nation and their temple, and their rituals, and rights to bring the people back from mistakes, rebellion, and lust and had them offer up animals and such to bridge the gap between His desires for our willing hearts and their inability to measure up. The failure of the Nation could be summarized, boiled down and labeled, in almost every case, as “idolatry.”

So, we then have the incarnation of Himself, the fullness of Himself, in flesh and in the man born of a woman, born under the Law, in our condition, right? And as a human, surrounded in flesh, the very logos of God, which was fully God, who had the Law of God on His heart as verse 8 reads, he delighted, as a man, in doing ONLY the will of YAHAVAH, as the verse plainly professes,

8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

Now listen, it was Yeshua, in His life alone, where a human being like us, born of a woman, but born under YAHAVAH’s Law, who was willing and able to do…

The Role and Victory of Christ

YAHAVAH’s will perfectly as nobody else has EVER been able or better yet willing to do it. And then when He was put to deathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God. for it, God saw Him fit and worthy to be RAISED from the grave because the grave, not Ha Satan, nor death could hold Him. The wages of sin is death but he was without sin so death could not hold him.

And it was in and through THIS – His singular victory, His rising up over death (which all humanity faced before) and in that day He became the intermediary of all souls and stood between the Father and His will and the members of the Bride and those who looked to Him in faith at that time, and mediated on their behalf UNTIL UNTIL UNTIL God put “all things under His feet, all “power in heaven and earth and under the earth” in His hands, and then, Christ left being at the right hand of His Father, descended from the clouds, as He left, gathered up His Bride, took her to the New JerusalemThe spiritual reality of God's fulfilled presence with humanity—replacing Sheol after 70 A.D. which is above, and I believe (could be wrong) sat down on His throne as the God Man leaving all forevermore to see Him is equivalent to seeing the Father.

Does He still have His wounded body? We can’t say. But what we can DEFINITIVELY SAY IS

• All humans are responsible to His commands, meaning Yeshua’s, as the God-man.
• His laws are a perfect derivative of YAHAVAH’S LAWS to the Nation, made spiritual, written on the heart, and according to the flesh and His understanding of being incarnate and human.
• Why? He, as a human, obeyed His Father and we, as humans, obey Him.
• Again – we cannot obey the Father. Only the Son could obey His Father.
• We therefore obey Him in and through the INDWELLING SPIRIT OF CHRIST which is within all souls today whether they hear and want it or not.
• And His victory, as the Second Adam, took the world back to the Garden State Spiritually, a period of total spiritual renewal and what Grady labeled “the Regenesis” a term Del and I think perfectly fits.

The Spirit of Christ

And in this REGENESIS, the world now operates by and through the power and Spirit of Christ. Understand, there is a spirit to everything – everything, which I see as a by-product of the human will and emotions that started with Adam. There is a spirit of nature, a spirit of construction, a spirit of adultery, a spirit of animal husbandry, a spirit of war, a spirit of baking, a spirit of competition, a spirit of porn, fashion, luxury, debauchery – all captured by what the scripture calls, the Spirit of Man and they all seek to influence us by appealing to our human will and emotions because that is what we all operate by, but the Spirit of Christ is very different as it countering all such seductions offering us the way, truth and life He authored.

And it is the spirit that rose up from the grave with Him and after He left fell at Pentecost, then on Cornelius, then on Saul, then on the rest of the world after the complete destruction of the former economy. Someday soon we will try and explore the other spiritual forces humans promote and seek, but for today, let’s quickly look at the Spirit of Christ we are all in possession of and resist or accept.

The Gift of the Spirit

First of all, maybe we should see that the Spirit of Christ was given to us in love as we all remember the oft-cited passage,

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16

He was not given to torture, chide, or ruin but out of selfless, sacrificial insufferable love. By this alone we can see God motives and purpose for such an amazing gift.

We also know that He was given to the world with a specific purpose, as He Himself said,

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”– John 14:6

When Yeshua asked him if he would leave Him, Peter said of Him in John 6,

“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have . . . the words . . . of . . . eternal life.”

Standing on Peter said, His sayings, form for all willing to hear, “Eternal life.” Interestingly, He Himself is also the very source of life, as John wrote of Him: In the

The Source of Spiritual Truth and Joy

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him, nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” – John 1:1-4

Like a fountain of crystal-clear water, He is the source of Spiritual Truth as He Himself said to the Jews who believed on Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” – John 8:31-32

He is also the source of joy as He said, “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”

Peace and New Identity

He is our source of Peace as He said, “Peace, I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” – John 14:27

He gives all willing a new identity, as Paul said in 2nd Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17

Our very mortal bodies (meaning life within them) are raised to new SPIRITUAL life because of His resurrection as Paul added, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” – Romans 8:11

God’s Comfort and Righteousness

Then as God becoming Man He is now able to comfort us in our sorrows according to Isaiah and Hebrews which say, “He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.” – Isaiah 53:3

“To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” – Isaiah 61:3

“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” – Hebrews 4:14-15

What most people don’t realize is the only way to become one of God’s children is by and through Him alone – alone. The following passages are what ended each episode of seven years of Heart of the MatterTGNN’s original show where Shawn McCraney deconstructed religion and developed fulfilled theology. and they are PROFOUND, saying, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the power to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” – John 1:12-13

How does God do all of this? Paul wrote in 2nd Corinthians 5, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” – 2 Corinthians 5:21

Life in Christ

And just as He Himself said that He could do NOTHING unless the Father showed Him, so also we can do nothing unless we are empowered by Christ, as He taught in John 15, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” – John 15:5

Why the fruit? To glorify His Father as He said in John 15, “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” – John 15:8

And what is the fruit that the Spirit of Christ brings to those who walk in it, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” – Galatians 5:22-23

The Spirit and Scripture

His disciples then,

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulationA real historical event fulfilled in 70 A.D.—not a future apocalyptic crisis. More; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33

It is His Spirit within, and never “the letter (without – as hard as this is for people to comprehend) by which we live. We read the scripture to learn of Him, but our relationship with Him and others around us, is NOT through the Bible. The Bible is an educational tool.

The Living Epistle

Listen to what Paul writes WAAAY back in his day to those who believed on Christ, ready?

2nd Corinthians 3:1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?
2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

Overcoming and Reconciliation

What is celebrated as rising from the grave today, having overcome all things, was not a Bible. The letters help inform us, but He is the Being, the Man, the God who has reconciled us to the Father once and forevermore. Never ever allow anything, anyone, any item, idea, book, philosophy come between you and Him. Period.

Let’s finish up reading the rest of 40 with the rest of verse 9 and 10 being messianic and saying,

I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, YAHAVAH, thou knowest.
10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
11 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, YAHAVAH: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.
12 For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.
13 Be pleased, YAHAVAH, to deliver me: YAHAVAH, make haste to help me.
14 Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil.
15 Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha.
16 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, YAHAVAH be magnified.
17 But I am poor and needy; yet YAHAVAH thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.

Psalm of Reflection

And we will use the rest of our time to continue to read beginning with chapter Forty-One.

The Syriac title of this Psalm says it was “A Psalm of David, when he appointed overseers to take care of the poor.”

But the Arabic says, “It is a prophecy concerning the incarnation; and also the salutation of Judas,” as the ninth verse is assigned by Yeshua to Judas himself which we will see.

1 Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the YAHAVAH will deliver him in time of trouble.
2 The YAHAVAH will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.
3 The YAHAVAH will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness.
4 I said, YAHAVAH, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.
5 Mine enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die, and his name perish?
6 And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity: his heart gathereth iniquity to itself; when he goeth abroad, he telleth it.
7 All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my hurt.
8 An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him: and now that he lieth he shall rise up no more.

The Betrayal and Yearning for God

9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.

After washing the feet of the apostles in the upper room before His death, and teaching them how to serve on another, Yeshua said,

John 13:18 I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.

Interestingly, Yeshua does not cite the whole Psalm verse omitting the line, “Yea, mine old familiar friend in whom I trusted,” but included the line “he that eateth bread with me has lifted up his heel against me.”

Continuing on at verse 10 we read,

10 But thou, YAHAVAH, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them. 11 By this I know that thou favorest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me. 12 And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever. 13 Blessed be the YAHAVAH God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.

Olam to olam is where we get “everlasting and to everlasting, which many translate to eternity to eternity, but I think a more proper description is from one vanishing point to the next, or from age to age.

Reflections on Psalms

FOURTY TWO

This is the first of the Psalms that has this title prefixed to it, “To the chief Musician giving instruction to the sons of Korah.”

The Syriac says, “It is a Psalm which David sung when he was an exile, and desired to return to Jerusalem.” The Arabic says: “A Psalm for the backsliding Jews.”

From this point I am for the most part going to simply read.

1 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. 2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

Verses one two and three all appeal to water in some way –

In verse one the writers desire for God is likened to the panting of a deer for water, and this is the how the writer describes how his soul pants for God.

In verse two the writer says that “He thirsts for God” (Adding) “for the living God,” (love that clarification) and in verse three the writer mentions his own tears, the last form of water (so to speak) now coming out from him and says,

3 My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?

Finally, he appeals to water indirectly by assigning its properties to His own soul, saying

4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.

Continuing to read, he says

5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. 6 O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore, will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.

The Longing and Hope in God’s Presence

And at verse seven the writer returns to notions surrounding water and says,

7 Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. 8 Yet the YAHAVAH will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life. 9 I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? 10 As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God? 11 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

FOURTY THREE

There is no title to this Psalm in the Hebrew, nor in the Chaldee. The Syriac says it was composed “by David when Jonathan told him that Saul intended to slay him.” The Arabic says of this, as of the preceding, that it is a prayer for the backsliding Jews.

1 Judge me, O God, and plead my…

Deliverance and Praise

cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.
2 For thou art the God of my strength: why dost thou cast me off? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? 3 O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles. 4 Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.
5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

We note that the last line repeats the last line of chapter forty-one so it is believed that they are directly connected.

Psalms Connected to Captivity

FOURTY FOUR

Same title here as that in Psalms 42:1. Seems to be a Psalm connected to the Jews in captivity. Let’s read it:

1 We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old. 2 How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out. 3 For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favor unto them. 4 Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob. 5 Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us. 6 For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. 7 But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us. 8 In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah. 9 But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies. 10 Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy: and they which hate us spoil for themselves. 11 Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat; and hast scattered us among the heathen. 12 Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price. 13 Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us. 14 Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people. 15 My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me, 16 For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and avenger. 17 All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant. 18 Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way; 19 Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death. 20 If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god; 21 Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart. 22 Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter. 23 Awake, why sleepest thou, O YAHAVAH? arise, cast us not off for ever. 24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression? 25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth. 26 Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies’ sake.

Psalm 45 and Earthly Kings

PSALM 45

Ps 45:1 To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, for the sons of Korah, Maschil, A Song of loves.

And the topic seems to be about kings – you decide – but if you agree we might see the use of God here applied to earthly kings – you decide.

My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. 2 Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever. 3 Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty. 4 And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy

Psalm 45: Themes of Righteousness and Glory in the Kingdom

Thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.

5 Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies; whereby the people fall under thee. 6 Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. 7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. 8 All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad. 9 Kings’ daughters were among thy honorable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir.

10 Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father’s house; 11 So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him. 12 And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift; even the rich among the people shall intreat thy favour. 13 The king’s daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold. 14 She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee. 15 With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall enter into the king’s palace. 16 Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth. 17 I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.

Psalm 46: God, Our Refuge

1 <<To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth.>> God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. 4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. 5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. 6 The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. 7 YAHAVAH of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

8 Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth. 9 He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. 10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. 11 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Exaltation of YAHAVAH in Psalm 47

1 <<To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah.>> O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. 2 For YAHAVAH most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth. 3 He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet. 4 He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.

5 God is gone up with a shout, YAHAVAH with the sound of a trumpet. 6 Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises. 7 For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding. 8 God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness. 9 The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong unto God: he is greatly exalted.

Psalm 48: Praise in the City of God

1 <> Great is YAHAVAH, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. 2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. 3 God is known in her palaces for a refuge. 4 For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together. 5 They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away. 6 Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail. 7 Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind. 8 As we have heard, so have we

Reflections on God’s Eternal Presence

Seen in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it for ever. Selah. We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple. According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness. Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments. Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following. For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.

Wealth and Wisdom

Psalm 49

Ps 49:1 ¶ <<To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah.>> Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world: Both low and high, rich and poor, together. My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding. I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp. Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?

They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:) That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption. For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others. Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names. Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish. This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.

Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.

Redemption and Mortality

But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah. Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased; For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him. Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself. He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light. Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.

And we will stop here.

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