extra help

Posted on May 15, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
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Psalm 35:1-3

Psalm 35:11 Oppose my opponents, Yahveh; fight those who fight me.

Psalm 35:2 Take your shield and standing shield and come to my aid.

Psalm 35:3 Draw the spear and double axe against those who chase after me, and tell my soul: “I am your rescue.”

extra help

Recently my family started playing a board game with some peculiar characteristics. The players draw cards which identify the race, class, and powers they have. But some of the cards give the players extra strength capacities. Some cards add another person to the player’s team, and the player then gets all the special strengths of the added assistant.

David is talking about the extra strengths he has because God is fighting on his team. Instead of the protection of one shield, God provides two (2). Instead of the attack force of one weapon, God provides two (3). In addition, God provides motivational support by reminding David that he is his rescue (3).

Lord, thank you for strengthening us as you join us in the fight.

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1 superscription: Of David.

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fear class objectives

Posted on May 14, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
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Psalm 34:19-22

Psalm 34:19 One who is righteous has many adversities, but Yahveh rescues him from them all.
Psalm 34:20 He protects all his bones; not one of them is broken.
Psalm 34:21 Evil brings death to the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be punished.
Psalm 34:22 Yahveh redeems the soul of his servants, and all who take refuge in him will not be punished.

fear class objectives

When I taught at college, every syllabus I produced for my students included a course objectives list. It was a list of the outcomes that could be expected by my students after studying the subject.

This psalm has invited its readers to learn about fearing God. Notice some of the outcomes we can expect if we learn how to fear God:

• We will not be prevented from having adversities. We will have many, but God promises to rescue us from them all (19).
• We will survive intact at the end of our lessons. I believe this promise refers to our resurrected eternity (20).
• We will not be punished like the wicked. I believe this promise refers to the punishment of hell (22).
• We will not experience the ultimate punishment of the second death either (21).

Lord, thank you for your promises of ultimate, permanent deliverance.

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scholastic attitude

Posted on May 13, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
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Psalm 34:15-18

Psalm 34:15 The eyes of Yahveh are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry for help.

Psalm 34:16 The face of Yahveh is set against those who do what is evil, to remove all memory of them from the land.

Psalm 34:17 The righteous cry out, and Yahveh hears, and rescues them from all their troubles.

Psalm 34:18 Yahveh is near the brokenhearted; he saves those who are breathing dust.

scholastic attitude

The previous section of this psalm invited us to learn how to fear God. This section tells us what kind of attitude and mindset we will need in order to benefit from our lessons.

Notice that people who are ready to learn how to fear God are humbled enough by their sins that they cry out for help (15,17). They are brokenhearted, and low – so low that they are breathing dust.

Lord, we need you. Please help us.

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fear lessons

Posted on May 12, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
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Psalm 34:11-14

Psalm 34:11 Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of Yahveh.

Psalm 34:12 Who is someone who treasures life, loving a long life to enjoy what is good?

Psalm 34:13 Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from deceitfully speaking against someone.

Psalm 34:14 Turn away from evil and do what is good; seek peace and chase after it.

fear lessons

Comfortable Christianity has always had a problem. We give lip service to the idea of fearing God, but we don’t really know how to do it. That’s where this psalm can help. Notice that the psalmist is offering to teach us how to fear God! It is something that can be learned.

  • First lesson: stop saying the wrong thing (13),
  • Second lesson: stop doing the wrong thing (14a),
  • Third lesson: do the right thing (14b),
  • Fourth lesson: seek peace (wholeness and reconciliation) (14c).

For each of these lessons, we will have to consult the Scriptures for the details. But the most important thing is to begin the study. Unless we make up our mind to join this school, we will never learn how to fear God. We have nothing to lose but a shortened and miserable life (12).

Lord, show us how to fear you.

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learning from the young lions

Posted on May 11, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
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Psalm 34:8-10

Psalm 34:8 Taste and see that Yahveh is good. How fortunate is the person who takes refuge in him!

Psalm 34:9 You who are his holy ones, fear Yahveh, because those who fear him lack nothing.

Psalm 34:10 Young lions lack food and go hungry, but those who seek Yahveh will not lack any good thing.

learning from the young lions

This psalm is about having enough faith in God to choose to fear him instead of losing one’s faith because of other fears. That is the context in which we read this promise of provision. The real challenge for most of us will not be the threat of going hungry. It will be the fear of an uncertain future. We want to believe in God, but we also want a paycheck and a pension.

The psalmist encourages us to think about young lions. They are strong enough to hunt, and should never go hungry, but they do sometimes. But God promises to take care of us.

We need to fear God more that our uncertain future.

Lord, we put our future in your hands.

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a faithful fear

Posted on May 10, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
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Psalm 34:4-7

Psalm 34:4 I sought Yahveh, and he answered me and rescued me from all my fears.

Psalm 34:5 Those who look to him are radiant with joy; their faces will never be ashamed.

Psalm 34:6 This poor man cried, and Yahveh heard him and saved him from all his troubles.

Psalm 34:7 The angel of Yahveh encamps around those who fear him, and rescues them.

a faithful fear

The confidence expressed in this section is that the same Lord who rescued David (4,6) is available to rescue others (5,7) who get into the same kind of tight spot he did. Notice also that the psalmist uses the word fear of two different things. David’s fears are what he was rescued from (4), but the angel of Yahveh encamps around those who fear him (7). So, when we get into a tight spot, and there are fears all around us, we need to determine whom we will fear the most.

Most people who comment on the idea of fearing God are tempted to give the term a different definition – something like being in awe of his greatness, or respecting him. I don’t think that applies here. There are two different Hebrew terms used here. The objects of fear (מְגוּרָה) – a noun – of verse four are contrasted with the choice to fear (יָרֵא) – a verb – of verse seven.

David was in a tight spot. There were enemies all around him. He was far away from his armies, and people had their eyes on him, planning to kill him. He had plenty of objects to fear. But he chose to fear God the most. He chose to stay loyal to God and let God be his rescuer. That is what fearing God means. It is not the opposite of faith. It is a faithful fear.

Lord, give us the wisdom to put our faith and our fear in you.

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common denominator

Posted on May 9, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
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Psalm 34:1-3

Psalm 34:11 I will bless Yahveh at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.

Psalm 34:2 My throat will boast in Yahveh; the humble will hear and be happy.

Psalm 34:3 Proclaim Yahveh’s greatness with me; let us exalt his name together.

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common denominator

This psalm celebrates a point in David’s life when he was in danger, and the Lord showed him a way out. Instead of demonstrating fierceness in battle, this time David had to pretend to be insane. When the song was written to reflect on this event, the psalmist wrote about boasting in the Lord. He said that the humble – the lowly – would hear about this incident and be happy.

Not everyone can identify with David as a skilled musician or mighty warrior. But this story (told in 1 Samuel 21:10-15) provides a common denominator which the lowest peasant in his kingdom could identify with.

Lord, thank you that you are the God for all of us, not just the wise or talented or strong.

1superscription: Concerning David, when he pretended to be insane in the presence of Abimelech, who drove him out, and he departed.

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happy hearts

Posted on May 8, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
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Psalm 33:20-22

Psalm 33:20 Our soul waits for Yahveh; he is our help and shield.

Psalm 33:21 Our hearts are happy in him because we trust in his holy name.

Psalm 33:22 May your covenant faithfulness rest on us, Yahveh, because we put our hope in you.

happy hearts

Whenever we worship God, we are declaring to the watching world that we have put our hope in him. We also expect his covenant faithfulness to protect us because it rests on those who acknowledge his existence and worth.

That kind of faith produces happy hearts. Should anything challenge that happiness, we can be assure that it will not survive the onslaught of God’s protection. So we will wait to see what he does.

Thank you Lord, for being our help and shield.

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horse sense

Posted on May 7, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
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Psalm 33:16-19

Psalm 33:16 A king is not saved by a large army; a warrior will not be rescued by great strength.

Psalm 33:17 The horse is a false hope for safety; it provides no escape by its great power.

Psalm 33:18 But notice, Yahveh keeps his eye on those who fear him – those who depend on his covenant faithfulness

Psalm 33:19 to rescue their soul from death and to keep them alive during famine.

horse sense

Depending on God’s covenant faithfulness makes sense because those who have depended on other things have learned that being part of a large army, having great strength, or even a good horse – none of these things can be depended on when death or famine comes calling.

Lord, we choose to depend on your covenant faithfulness!

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for invisible people

Posted on May 6, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
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Psalm 33:13-15

Psalm 33:13 Yahveh looks down from the sky; he sees all children of Adam.

Psalm 33:14 He looks in on1 all the inhabitants of the land from his dwelling place.

Psalm 33:15 He forms the hearts of them all; he perceives all their works.

for invisible people

Perhaps you think you are too small to be noticed. Maybe you think that what you think, say, or do is too insignificant to matter. think again. God formed you. He knows what you are thinking and he hears what you are saying and sees what you are doing. It matters to him.

Lord, thank you that none of us is invisible.

1שָׁגַח

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