grass on the rooftops

Posted on December 7, 2023 by Jefferson Vann

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Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

grass on the rooftops

Psalm 129:1-8 (JDV)

Psalm 129:1 [A song of festival caravans.] Since my youth they have often attacked me — let Israel say —
Psalm 129:2 Since my youth they have frequently attacked me, but they have not prevailed against me.
Psalm 129:3 Plowmen plowed over my back; they made their furrows long.
Psalm 129:4 Yahveh is righteous; he has cut the ropes of the wicked.
Psalm 129:5 Let all who hate Zion be pushed back in disgrace.
Psalm 129:6 Let them be like grass on the rooftops, which dries up before it grows up
Psalm 129:7 and can’t even fill the hands of the reaper or the arms of the one who binds sheaves.
Psalm 129:8 And none who pass by say, “May Yahveh’s blessing be on you. We bless you in the name of Yahveh.”

grass on the rooftops

Rooftops were not a good place for a garden in the psalmist’s day. Grass there would wither quickly, and there was not enough soil for a crop. The psalmist looks upon Zion’s enemies, who were oppressing his people. He saw them as high and mighty, but unable to bless, or be blessed. That is why he likened them to grass on a rooftops.

LORD, make us into people who bless others, not people who are always condemning others.

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blessing road

Posted on December 6, 2023 by Jefferson Vann

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Yarmouth Road, Kirby Cane by Adrian Cable is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.0

blessing road

Psalm 128:1-6 (JDV)

Psalm 128:1 [A song of festival caravans.] How fortunate is everyone who fears Yahveh, who walks in his roads!
Psalm 128:2 You will surely eat what your hands have worked for. You will be fortunate, and it will go well for you.
Psalm 128:3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house, your children, like young olive trees around your table.
Psalm 128:4 In this very road the man who fears Yahveh will be blessed.
Psalm 128:5 May Yahveh bless you from Zion so that you will see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life
Psalm 128:6 and will see your children’s children! Peace be with Israel.

blessing road

Fruitful labor, a loving wife, and a growing family, including the outrageously incredible blessing of grandchildren: I get it now. I may have intellectually assented to the truth of this psalm when I was younger, but I really get it now. The LORD snuck up on me and gave me these blessings while I was foolishly pursuing other things. Now, I have constant reminders of his faithfulness and love to me. He has blessed me from Zion. I see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of my life.

LORD, help us to teach others your fear and your walk, so that they, too, may receive your blessing.

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blessings

Posted on December 5, 2023 by Jefferson Vann

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Photo by Alexander Grey on Pexels.com

blessings

Psalm 127:1-5 (JDV)

Psalm 127:1 [A song of festival caravans. Of Solomon.] Unless Yahveh builds a house, its builders labor over it for nothing; unless Yahveh watches over a city, the watchman stays alert for nothing.
Psalm 127:2 You get up early and stay up late for nothing, working hard to have enough food — yes, he gives sleep to the one he loves.
Psalm 127:3 Sons are indeed a heritage from Yahveh, offspring, a reward.
Psalm 127:4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the sons born in one’s youth.
Psalm 127:5 fortunate is the man who has filled his quiver with them. They will never be humiliated when they speak with their enemies at the city gate.

blessings

The psalmist pictures hard workers, and careful defenders, then tells them both that unless the LORD is with them, their efforts are wasted. A believer is going to work, but he is also going to show his faith in God by resting. Sleep is a gift to a righteous man: an opportunity to show trust. Those blessed with children have been given another great gift — another opportunity to give the LORD praise, to let him be the blesser.

LORD, thank you for the blessings of rest, and children.

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tears today, shouts tomorrow

Posted on December 4, 2023 by Jefferson Vann

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tears today, shouts tomorrow

Psalm 126:1-6 (JDV)

Psalm 126:1 [A song of festival caravans.] When Yahveh restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like dreamers.
Psalm 126:2 Our mouths were filled with laughter then, and our tongues with shouts of joy. Then they said among the nations, “Yahveh has done great things for them.”
Psalm 126:3 Yahveh had done great things for us; we were joyful.
Psalm 126:4 Restore our fortunes, Yahveh, like channels in the Negev.
Psalm 126:5 Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy.
Psalm 126:6 Though one goes along weeping, carrying the bag of seed, he will surely come back with shouts of joy, carrying his sheaves.

tears today, shouts tomorrow

The LORD is the one who restores. The imagery is that of harvest joy even though the planting was done in sorrow. Much of our lives we will have to be doing the right thing, not knowing whether it will result in any kind of satisfaction or success. We have to trust the God who restores. He has our future in his hands.

LORD, give us wisdom to trust you during the planting season, the long days when we see no sprouts.

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an unopposed reign

Posted on December 3, 2023 by Jefferson Vann

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an unopposed reign

Psalm 125:1-5 (JDV)

Psalm 125:1 [A song of festival caravans.] Those who trust in Yahveh are like Mount Zion. It cannot be shaken; it stays permanently.
Psalm 125:2 The mountains surround Jerusalem and Yahveh surrounds his people, now until forever.
Psalm 125:3 The scepter of the wicked will not remain over the land allotted to the righteous, otherwise the righteous would apply their hands to injustice.
Psalm 125:4 Do good, Yahveh, to the good, to those whose hearts are upright.
Psalm 125:5 But as for those who turn aside to crooked roads, Yahveh will lead them to the evildoers. Peace be with Israel.

an unopposed reign

The LORD promises that the scepter of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous. This assured Israel that their nation would not remain in bondage to a heathen king. It assures us that our Adversary will not usurp the throne of the earth forever. His fall is as certain as that of the kings of ancient Assyria and Babylon.

LORD, thank you for your Son, who will reign for eternity – unopposed.

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hunter’s net

Posted on December 2, 2023 by Jefferson Vann

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Photo by Brett Sayles on Pexels.com

hunter’s net

Psalm 124:1-8 (JDV)

Psalm 124:1 [A song of festival caravans. Of David.] If Yahveh had not been on our side– let Israel say–
Psalm 124:2 If Yahveh had not been on our side when people attacked us,
Psalm 124:3 then they would have swallowed us alive in their burning anger against us.
Psalm 124:4 Then the water would have engulfed us; the torrent would have swept over us;
Psalm 124:5 the raging water would have swept over us.
Psalm 124:6 Blessed be Yahveh, who has not let us be ripped apart by their teeth.
Psalm 124:7 We have escaped like a bird from the hunter’s net; the net is torn, and we have escaped.
Psalm 124:8 Our help is in the name of Yahveh, the Maker of the sky and the land.

hunter’s net

The hunter’s net is a trap that encases birds. The psalmist sees his people as being trapped in that net, goners for sure. Then, suddenly, the net is broken, and they are free. This is the LORD’s doing. The LORD was on their side, and he made the difference between escape and extinction.

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eyes on the boss

Posted on December 1, 2023 by Jefferson Vann

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eyes on the boss

Psalm 123:1-4 (JDV)

Psalm 123:1 [A song of festival caravans.] I focus my eyes on you, the one enthroned in the sky.
Psalm 123:2 Like a servant’s eyes on his master’s hand, like a servant girl’s eyes on her mistress’s hand, so our eyes are on Yahveh our God until he shows us favor.
Psalm 123:3 Show us favor, Yahveh, show us favor because we’ve had more than enough contempt.
Psalm 123:4 We’ve had more than enough derision from the arrogant and contempt from the proud.

eyes on the boss

Anyone who has ever had a boss, and depended on that boss, knows what this psalmist is getting at. He focuses his eyes on the LORD because the LORD holds his future in his hands. The LORD will decide what happens in his life. We can trust our boss. He has our best interest in mind. His plans will bring us restoration and eternal life.

LORD, we focus our eyes to you.

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praying for Jerusalem

Posted on November 30, 2023 by Jefferson Vann

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Photo by Haley Black on Pexels.com

praying for Jerusalem

Psalm 122:1-9 (JDV)

Psalm 122:1 [A song of festival caravans. Of David.] I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of Yahveh.”
Psalm 122:2 Our feet were standing within your gates, Jerusalem–
Psalm 122:3 Jerusalem, built as a city should be, solidly united,
Psalm 122:4 where the tribes, Yahveh’s tribes, go up to give thanks to the name of Yahveh. (This is an ordinance for Israel.)
Psalm 122:5 There, thrones for judgment are placed, thrones of the house of David.
Psalm 122:6 Pray for the well-being of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure;
Psalm 122:7 may there be peace within your walls, security within your fortresses.”
Psalm 122:8 Because of my brothers and friends, I will say, “May peace be in you.”
Psalm 122:9 Because of the house of Yahveh our God, I will pursue your prosperity.

praying for Jerusalem

Jerusalem is a city with a great past, a troubled present, and a glorious future. The psalmist prays for the great city, aware of it all. He chooses to pray for peace, not because of blind allegiance but for his brothers and friends sake, and because the temple is there. The city is worth praying for because people are there, and the LORD’s presence is there. That is reason enough to pray for any city.

LORD, we pray for the place where you live, and the place where you plan to live. Bring peace to the city.

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the Protector

Posted on November 29, 2023 by Jefferson Vann

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the Protector

Psalm 121:1-8 (JDV)

Psalm 121:1 [A song of festival caravans.] I focus my eyes on the mountains. Where will my help come from?
Psalm 121:2 My help comes from Yahveh, the Maker of the sky and the land.
Psalm 121:3 He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber.
Psalm 121:4 Indeed, the Protector of Israel does not slumber or sleep.
Psalm 121:5 Yahveh protects you; Yahveh is a shelter right by your side.
Psalm 121:6 The sun will not strike you by day or the moon by night.
Psalm 121:7 Yahveh will protect you from all harm; he will protect your life.
Psalm 121:8 Yahveh will protect your coming and going both now and permanently.

the Protector

The psalmist sees the creator as a guard, watching over and protecting him and his nation. Neither the mountains around them nor the sun and moon above them are allowed access to these protected people. Do you feel safe, my friend? Seek the Protector.

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too long

Posted on November 28, 2023 by Jefferson Vann

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Photo by Jordan Benton on Pexels.com

too long

Psalm 120:1-7 (JDV)

Psalm 120:1 [A song of festival caravans.] In my distress, I called to Yahveh, and he answered me.
Psalm 120:2 “Yahveh, rescue me from lying lips and a deceitful tongue.”
Psalm 120:3 What will he give you, and what will he do to you, you deceitful tongue?
Psalm 120:4 A warrior’s sharp arrows with burning charcoal!
Psalm 120:5 What misery that I have stayed in Meshech, that I have lived among the tents of Kedar!
Psalm 120:6 I have dwelt too long with those who hate peace.
Psalm 120:7 I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.

too long

Ellicott suggests that the psalmist refers to another subject tribe who are always stirring up trouble by agitating the Persian power. The God-fearing Israelite laments that he has dwelt too long with those who hate peace. He is praying for change.

What is your situation today my friend? Is there something about where (or how) you are living your life today that is wrong, and you need to change? Pray to the rescuer.

Ellicott C. J. An Old Testament Commentary for English Readers. Cassell Petter Galpin 1897. p. 269.

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