Psalms 130-139

Psalm 136 has a repetitive line in it (His love endures forever).

I was thinking about writing a song about this psalm, but found one that is just perfect.

Psalm 139:4
Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord.


Matthew 6:8
...your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.


I'm doing a research project about Martin Luther and the Lord's Prayer in my Reformation and Enlightenment class at Capital University.  Here is a little snippet of the paper so far involving Matthew 6:8.

The fifth petition states, “And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Luther states simply that we cannot lie to God.  He knows what we want before we pray.  Matthew 6:3 states, “…your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”  Ironically, this verse is just one phrase before the start of what is known as the Lord’s Prayer in the Bible, which is Matthew 6:9-13.  What does this petition mean?  According to Luther’s Small Catechism, it means that we should pray that God not hold our sins against us if we forgive others for their sins toward us.  

Psalms 120-129

I didn't post Psalms 110-119 because nothing there really struck me this time.  Maybe something will when I reread Psalms again later.

Psalm 122 is the basis for the Huber song "I Was Glad" that we sang at this year's Christmas Festival.  You can watch a version of it here.

Psalm 122 

I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord."  Our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem.  Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together.  That is where the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, to praise the name of the Lord according to the statute given to Israel.  There the thrones for judgement stand, the trines of the house of David.  pray of the peace of Jerusalem: "May those who love you be secure.  May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels." [A citadel is a fortress that protects a town.] For the sake of my bothers and friends, I will say, "Peace be within you."  For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your prosperity.

Please pray for the peace of Israel.  There need not be any fighting over land.


 This song is usually sung at the wedding of a royal couple, much like last year's Royal wedding between Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton.

Psalms 100-109

Psalm 102:8 

All day long my enemies taunt me...

Depression taunts me all day long.

Psalm 103:8 

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love.

I'm reminded of a song the Capital University Chordsmen did last year during the Homecoming and the Spring concerts.  Craig Courtney's "Praise Him."

You can hear a demonstration here.

Psalm 103:13 

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.

My church's adult Sunday School class is studying the Augsburg Confession right now.  This past week we talked about fear and trust in the Lord.  My pastor stated that when he was a little kid, he used to watch the Ohio State Buckeyes play basketball at night.  When they were on in Central time zone, it was actually past his bedtime.  About 20 minutes after going to bed, his dad would come and get him and take him to watch the Buckeyes.  My pastor stated that when his father's hand was on my pastor's arm, he felt like nothing could hurt him.  That was trust.

I try to go on at least one roller coaster ride whenever I go to an amusement park like King's Island.  I have a horrendous fear of heights, but I really want to get over it.  I absolutely fear going on rides that take me too high in the sky (I like the ones that are lower to the ground and spin you very fast).  I trust that the rides are completely safe, but I fear for my life when I'm on them.

Psalm 107:23-30 

Others went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters.  They saw the works of the Lord, his wonderful deeds in the deep.  For he spoke and stirred up a tempest that lift high the waves.  They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away.  They reeled and staggered like drunken men; they were at their wits' end.  Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of distress.  He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.

That sounds awful familiar....

Mark 4:35-41 

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side."  Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat.  There were also other boats with him.  A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was heavily swamped.  Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on cushion.  The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"  He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet!  Be still!"  Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.  He said to the disciples, "Why are you so afraid?  Do you still have no faith?"  They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this?  Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

Does this not prove that Jesus was God in human form?

Psalms 90-99

Psalm 91 reminds me of the song, "On Eagle's Wings."  Here is the William Jessup University Choir singing this version. It's not quite the version the Senior choir sings at church.

Psalm 91:various verses 

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust..."  You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day...A thousand may fall at your side...For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone...

Psalm 98 is the inspiration for the classic Christmas carol, "Joy To The World."

Psalm 98:4-9 

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music, make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn  -- shout for joy before the Lord, the King.  Let the sea resound and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.  Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy; let them sing before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.  He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.

This year's Capital University Christmas Festival's theme was "Joy!"  The second to last song, which was one of my favorites, was "Joy To The World."  Here is a version of it sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Isaac Watts wanted this song to sound like an imitation of Psalm 98.  He didn't want to directly copy it.  

Psalms 80-89

Psalm 80:3, 7, 19 

Restore us, O God; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved...Restore us, O God Almighty; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved...Restore us, O God Almighty; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.

Repetition is important in poetry.  It's important because the author wants you to remember that line specifically.  I think this is an early form of a chorus or refrain.  Many modern songs today have choruses and refrains.

Psalm 81:2-3 

Begin the music, strike the tambourine, play the melodies harp and lyre.  Sound the rams horn at the New Moon, and when the moon is full, on the day of our Feast.

Any noise is joyous to the Lord!  See this post here on the Luther, Baptists, and Evangelicals blog.

I was reminded of this earlier this week when talking with a friend.  My friend stated that no matter what style of worship we go to, whether contemporary or traditional, we all believe in one thing: Jesus Christ is our Savior, and he died for our sins (I felt like I was punched in the face after my friend told me this).

Psalm 88 reminds me of a song, especially the last verse of the psalm.

Psalm 88:18 

You have taken my companions and loved ones from me; the darkness is my friend.

Psalms 70-79

Sorry folks.  I got hung up this week with all that has been going on.  Today I'll post three blogs, each on the days of Psalms that I've missed this week.


I need to highlight the entire 71st Psalm, but here are a few of the most striking.

Psalm 71:4-5 

Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of evil and cruel men.  For you have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth.

I've always grown up in church, albeit a few months here and there where I didn't go for one reason or another.  My demons are depression, anxiety, wickedness, and worst of all, anger.  God please take these away from me.  I don't want to suffer anymore.

Psalm 71:9-15

Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone.  For my enemies speak against me; those who wait to kill me conspire together.  They says, "God has forsaken him; pursue him and seize him, for no one will rescue him."  Be not far from me, O God; come quickly, O my God, to help me.  May my accusers perish in shame; may those who want to harm me be covered with scorn and disgrace.  But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.  My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure.

Psalm 72 is a psalm of royalty.  We will see one of these in a few days when we read Psalm 122.

Psalm 75:8 

In the hand of the Lord is a cup full of foaming wine mixed with spices; he pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth drink it down to its very dregs.

I didn't know what a dreg was, so I looked it up.  It has three similar definitions:

1.) sediment contained in a liquid or precipitate from it
2.) most undesirable part
3.) last remaining part

At first, I thought this passage reflected the third definition of dreg.  However, after looking over the Psalm again, I'm starting to wonder if it means the second definition.  This psalm is talking about the wicked of the earth.

Psalm 75:4 

To the arrogant I say, 'Boast no more,' and to the wicked, 'Do not lift up your horns.  Do not lift your horns against heaven; do not speak with outstretched neck.'"

Psalm 78:21-39, 41 

God's anger rose against [the people of Jacob and against Israel]; he put to death the sturdiest among them, cutting down the young men of Israel.  In spite of all this, they kept on sinning; in spite of his wonders, they did not believe.  So he ended their days in futility and their years in terror.  Whenever God slew them, they would seek him; they eagerly turned to him again.  They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer.  But then they would flatter him with their mouths, lying to him with their tongues;  their hearts were not loyal to him, they were not faithful to his covenant.  Yet he was merciful; he forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them.  Time after time he restrained his anger and did not stir up his full wrath.  He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return...Again and again the put God to the test; they vexed the Holy One of Israel.

If God won't let loose his full wrath, why can't I restrain myself?

Psalm 79:8-9 

Do not hold against us the sins of the fathers; may your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need.  Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name's sake.

A Story of A Mother's Love

This story is a 2000 year old story that's told in Israel.  It tells the story of a mother showing her love for her son who murdered her.  This recitation is featured on Cash's The Holy Land album.

Once a young man lived with his mother beside a great forest.  The young man was in love with a beautiful girl who lived in the forest.  He told the girl in the forest that if she would marry him, he would bring her anything that she asked.  Knowing that the young man lived with his mother the girl said, "Take your dagger and cut out your mother's heart.  And bring it to me and I will marry you."  Well this made the young man very sad.  But he wanted to marry the girl so he killed his mother and cut out her heart.  Running through the forest with his mother's heart in his hands, he stumbled and fell and dropped the heart.  As he was getting up his mother's heart cried out from the ground, "My son did you hurt yourself when you fell?"

From "The Holy Land Concert," which was broadcasted on BBC radio on Boxing Day, 1968.

What's Been Troubling Me

As many of you know, if you read my previous blog called "Doubt," you know that I suffer from clinical depression.  In September of 2007, I attempted suicide after a fight with my father.  I got treatment and new medicine.

Lately, I've been feeling down again.  I don't know why.  Could it be the stress of strenuous college courses?  Could it be the stress of knowing that I'm going to somehow pay off $100,000 debt in the future?  The stress of knowing that I need a new car by the end of the year for my professional internship, (I don't trust my current 1998 Chevy Monte Carlo. I just turned over 190,000 miles this past week).  Where will I live during the internship?  Will I be able to afford to eat healthy?  Will I get enough sleep?

My best friend and I aren't talking right now.  Two weeks or so ago, I posted a funny picture on his Facebook page.  He didn't get a chance to see it until later that night.  When he did, he was furious.  This person, with over 1000 friends on Facebook, unfriended me.  I was heartbroken.  We usually laugh at this kind of thing, but for some reason, he has this idea that he should be seen as perfect in everyone else's eyes.  That's what I don't understand.  Humans aren't perfect.  Am I over reacting by not talking to him?  Was it my fault?  What did I do wrong?  The picture was not offensive at all.  It was one of those pictures you would see on People Of Walmart.

My friend and I still haven't reconciled.  I don't know if I can.  I miss him so much.  He's my best friend.  He was there for me in September of 2007, and he was there for me during the whole liver transplant ordeal with my father.  He's been very supportive of me over the years.



There is still one friend that I know will always love me, no matter what happens.

I have to go to sleep.  I need to get up at six to go work out a little.