Tag Archives: Psalm

Psalm 49: Vanity of Life that is Based on Acquiring Wealth

November 14, 2012 satyaletheia 1 Comment

Psalm 49 is a wisdom psalm. The psalm imparts wisdom about the vanity of life that is based on acquiring wealth. Thus the basic theme of this psalm is the futility of trusting in worldly possessions. Worldly possessions are left behind with death and they cannot buy forgiveness of sins nor buy back life. It aligns with the teaching of book of Ecclesiastes. The way the psalm flows is by calling upon the attention of the lowly and high, the rich and the poor to share wisdom, which stands true for all. According to him, life is a mixture of good and evil days. When evil things happen and one is close to death, the riches one has make no difference. Even the greatest of riches cannot buy back life. One is bound to face death just like a mere beast. He cannot take his possessions with him. All things living and non living will one day perish. This is the fate of both the wise and the foolish. Then he puts forth the truth that one who has understanding of God and loves him, he will take such a person to himself. Continue reading Psalm 49: Vanity of Life that is Based on Acquiring Wealth →

Bible, Old Testament, Wisdom Literature

Classification of Psalms 13, 112, 117, 119 According to their Themes

November 7, 2012 satyaletheia 1 Comment

Psalm 13 is a psalm of lament because I recognize the following elements:

1. Invocation

2. Plea to God for help

3. Complaints

4. Confession of sin or an assertion of innocence

5. Curse of enemies (imprecation)

6. Confidence in God’s response

7. Hymn or blessing

Psalm 112 is a wisdom psalm that falls under the category of acrostics wisdom psalms in which verses or lines begin with succeeding letters of the Hebrew alphabet. It contains the characteristic of wisdom, such as the doctrine of the two ways, the contrast between righteous and wicked, right speech, use of wealth, and fitting into the social structure (440, Lasor).

Psalm 119 is a wisdom psalm too. Number of verses in this psalm uses the language and style of the wisdom literature of the Old Testament: Proverbs, Job and Ecclesiastes. There is use of the literary technique used in proverbs beginning with “blessed is/are…” It also has an obvious intent of teaching how to live a good and holy life. Overall, Psalm 119 is perhaps the best-known example, devoting 176 verses to extolling God’s law.

Psalm 117 is a definite hymn because this psalm begins with a call to worship, continues by expanding on the reasons why God should be praised concludes with further call to praise.

Bible, New Testament, Old Testament, Scripture, Wisdom Literature

Scriptures Understood as Messianic Texts and Applied them to Christ in the NT

October 31, 2012 satyaletheia 6 Comments

Prasha Maharjan

Acts 4 is an account of Peter and John who were seized and brought to the Jerusalem council. Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the other men of high priest’s family were there to interrogate them. Some of them in the Jerusalem Council were also a group of people who were involved in crucifying Jesus. They were thus displeased that Peter and John were preaching the gospel. They demanded of Peter and John to stop preaching. However, Peter and John filled with the Holy Spirit replied that they had the authority from heaven to do so. They had a witness to testify to what they were preaching- a crippled man for forty years was miraculous healed through their prayers in the name of Jesus. Both were then released with the warning that they not preach the gospel anymore. Later, they shared all this with their people and recalled Psalm 2 “Why do the nations rage and the people plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against the Anointed One.”

The messianic importance of Psalm 2 was fulfillment of the scripture that King David penned down. The rulers of the earth would gather together to torture and plot against the people of God. This came true when Jesus was crucified and in the above incident as well.

In Matthew 21 is the account of Jesus entering the temple and overturning the tables. He was furious that people were using the temple of God for inferior and unholy purposes. The blind and the lame came to Jesus and he healed them in the temple. Children were exclaiming, “Hosanna to the Son of David”. At this, the chief priests and the teachers of the law were indignant and asked Jesus what all that was about. Jesus simply quoted Psalm 8:2, “From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.”

This was another prophecy about the Messiah that children and infants through their innocent faith would silence the learned and self-proclaimed holy men. It is not the proud ones who will enter the Kingdom of Heaven but the ones who have faith.

Psalm 22 has significant scriptures foreshadowing the ways the Messiah would be crucified. Throughout the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John- we see several prophetic scriptures from Psalm 22 being fulfilled. When Jesus was crucified on the cross, he exclaimed Psalm 22:1, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” King David who is a part of what Christ would be spoke these words when in despair. Similarly, there were people around him proclaiming, “He trusts in the Lord; let the Lord rescue him.” Furthermore in Luke and John, there is a clear depiction of the Jesus’ crucifixion. The enemies pierced Jesus’ hands and feet, they stared and gloated over him and also divided his garments among them and cast lots for his clothing. All these prophesy in the Psalms came to happen in the life and death of Christ so the scriptures may be fulfilled.

Psalm 45:7 recurs in Hebrews 1:8-9. The author of Hebrews is showing how Jesus is the most superior of angels. God did not call other angels ‘my son’. But God was pleased with his Son because Jesus loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God set him above his companions by anointing him with the oil of joy. Truly, Jesus was a sinless man and lived a sinless life while on earth. The messianic importance is the significance of Jesus’ holiness that sets him apart from all other angels.

Psalm 110:1 occurs in the books of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. All these gospels account the day when Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees in the synagogues. The Pharisees tried to trap Jesus with their smart questions. Then Jesus asked them who the son of David was and why David had written- The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” This has an importance messianic significance. Jesus was from the line of David’s genealogy. It was prophesied that the Messiah would come from David’s blood line. Yet David called the Son Lord in the Spirit. This is a powerful allusion of the equality of Christ with the Lord. He only kept those on his right hand that he highly favored. God highly favored Christ and promised to make all his enemies his footstool. Jesus, the Son of God would crush his enemies and be resurrected and be at the right hand of God.