Reflections from Psalms/Tehillim
Okay my friends, here is a place to dialogue regarding the book of Psalms/Tehillim. Feel free to share your questions, comments and reflections from the daily readings.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
64 Comments
October 23, 2019 at 12:54 pm /
I kept up with all the readings, falling behind by one day on occasion, until the Psalms. I fell days behind because I struggle to read the Psalms – I just don’t care a whole lot for all of them – namely David’s psalms that are filled with lamentation and desire for revenge on his enemies.
I realized in this reading, though, what makes David “a man after God’s own heart”. He is not proud. Period. He broke some serious rules in his lifetime but he was not proud or haughty – ever. It has certainly given me pause. I like to think I am not a proud person but, oh, I am. I was shown 3 years ago just how proud I am. I was broken. My life shattered into a million little pieces and it was revealed in the midst of that trial just how proud I was. I wish I could say the lesson has stuck but I still find myself in moments of prideful thinking or behavior.
The Psalms, despite being difficult to wade through, brought my thought patterns to my attention. I pray for my pride to be broken once and for all so I can be more like David.
I do love how the book of Psalms ends on such a joyful note, filled with praise. Praise Yehovah! HalleluYAH!
October 10, 2019 at 6:42 am /
Day 283- Today we are reading chapters 148-150 of Psalms/Tehillim.
October 9, 2019 at 7:47 am /
Day 282- Today we are reading chapters 145-147 of Psalms/Tehillim.
October 8, 2019 at 6:40 am /
Day 281- Today we are reading chapters 143-144 of Psalms/Tehillim.
October 7, 2019 at 6:39 am /
Day 280- Today we are reading chapters 140-142 of Psalms/Tehillim.
October 6, 2019 at 6:35 am /
Day 279- Today we are reading chapters 137-139 of Psalms/Tehillim.
October 5, 2019 at 7:14 am /
Day 278- Today we are reading chapters 134-136 of Psalms/Tehillim.
October 4, 2019 at 3:47 pm /
Loving to read through the Psalms of Ascent, as I picture the people prepping to make their journey to Jerusalem for Tabernacles. They would sing the psalms as they journeyed and particularly the Songs of Ascent as they walked from the Pool of Siloam up to the Temple to rejoice before Yehovah!
October 5, 2019 at 7:12 am /
Ken we shall walk the same path on our tour to Israel! Will you prepare a way for our group to re-create this beautiful act? Looking forward!
October 5, 2019 at 11:12 am /
Absolutely!
October 4, 2019 at 7:18 am /
Day 277- Today we are reading chapters 131-133 of Psalms/Tehillim.
October 3, 2019 at 5:30 am /
Day 276- Today we are reading chapters 128-130 of Psalms/Tehillim.
October 2, 2019 at 6:58 am /
Day 275- Today we are reading chapters 125-127 of Psalms/Tehillim.
October 1, 2019 at 9:13 am /
Day 274- Today we are reading chapters 122-124 of Psalms/Tehillim.
September 30, 2019 at 8:31 am /
Day 273- Today we are reading chapters 120-121 of Psalms/Tehillim.
September 29, 2019 at 6:20 am /
Day 272- Today we are reading chapter 119 of Psalms/Tehillim.
September 28, 2019 at 5:06 am /
Day 271- Today we are reading chapters 116-118 of Psalms/Tehillim.
September 27, 2019 at 6:47 am /
Day 270- Today we are reading chapters 114-115 of Psalms/Tehillim.
September 26, 2019 at 6:42 am /
Day 269- Today we are reading chapters 111-113 of Psalms/Tehillim.
September 25, 2019 at 6:10 am /
Day 268- Today we are reading chapters 108-110 of Psalms/Tehillim.
September 24, 2019 at 6:22 am /
Day 267- Today we are reading chapters 105-107 of Psalms/Tehillim.
September 23, 2019 at 7:22 am /
Day 266- Today we are reading chapters 102-104 of Psalms/Tehillim.
September 22, 2019 at 7:42 am /
Day 265- Today we are reading chapters 99-101 of Psalms/Tehillim.
September 21, 2019 at 7:51 am /
Day 264- Today we are reading chapters 96-98 of Psalms /Tehillim.
September 20, 2019 at 6:29 am /
Day 263- Today we are reading chapters 93-95 of Psalms/Tehillim.
September 20, 2019 at 3:12 am /
Ps. 91 – wow – to me is like a narrator in verse 1, verse 2, is the overflowing of a full heart of worship. 2-13 is the narrator again saying what Yahovah will do for the one who dwells in the Almighty, but verse 14-16, “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation. – can only be spoken and carried out by the great I AM himself.
September 19, 2019 at 7:49 am /
Day 262- Today we are reading chapters 90-92 of Psalms/Tehillim.
September 18, 2019 at 7:13 am /
Day 261- Today we are reading chapters 87-89 of Psalms/Tehillim.
September 18, 2019 at 10:02 pm /
I wrote previously about how confusing I once found Psalms because they are so full of complaints and requests for bloody vengeance. How can this be okay? And psalm 88 was the type that left me really confused.
Psalm 88 is one of the rare psalms that voices pain and complaint but doesn’t end in praise. It just ends on that low note about how alone he is. Where’s the faith that rises from the ashes of despair? Aren’t we supposed to praise in all circumstances?
The commentary on the last verse in The Israel Bible points out that the psalm is still directed to Yehovah, the God of his salvation (verse 2). The last sentence of the commentary is precious. “God desires our expressions of suffering and our cries. This, too is His praise.”
September 17, 2019 at 6:08 am /
Day 260- Today we are reading chapters 84-86 of Psalms/Tehillim.
September 16, 2019 at 6:00 am /
Day 259- Today we are reading chapters 81-83 of Psalms/Tehillim.
September 15, 2019 at 8:25 am /
Day 258- Today we are reading chapters 78-80 of Psalms/Tehillim.
September 14, 2019 at 7:57 am /
Day 257- Today we are reading chapters 75-77 of Psalms/Tehillim.
September 13, 2019 at 7:39 am /
Day 256- Today we are reading chapters 73-74 ofPsalms/Tehillim.
September 12, 2019 at 7:21 am /
Day 255- Today we are reading chapters 71-72 of Psalms/Tehillim.
September 11, 2019 at 7:47 am /
Day 254- Today we are reading chapters 68-70 of Psalms/Tehillim.
September 12, 2019 at 6:49 am /
Two things I noticed in these psalms.
1. Elohim is used frequently which was a little confusing in The Israel Bible. They use “Hashem” for both Elohim and Yehovah. In these psalms I found Elohim far more often than Yehovah when I looked at the Hebrew. I haven’t been looking at the Hebrew as closely as I probably should as we’re going through psalms, so maybe it’s more common here than in other books, but this was something that struck me yesterday.
2. In 68:5 the English of TIB says “Hashem is His name. Exult in His presence.” I can’t find the name in the Hebrew, and the NASB simply says, “…is God in His holy habitation.” There’s no mention of “name” in the NASB. I’m going to dig into this over the weekend, but I thought I’d point it out in case anyone has any insight into this.
September 14, 2019 at 1:54 pm /
I figured out the 68:5 issue!
Nothing mysterious, I just forgot that in Christian translations the verses are at least 1 off. 68:4 of the Christian translation does mention the Name. That was easy enough.”A
I’ve also discovered that yes, “Elohim” is used quite frequently in the Psalms as apposed “Yehovah”. Now I just wonder why, a question I simply can’t answer.
“Adonai” is in there a lot, too, but not as often as “Elohim”. Ah, the little things that make the reading a bit different every time. 🙂
September 10, 2019 at 8:04 am /
Day 253- Today we are reading chapters 65-67 of Psalms/Tehillim.
September 9, 2019 at 9:22 am /
Day 252- Today we are reading chapters 62-64 of Psalms/Tehillim.
September 8, 2019 at 9:25 am /
I tend to forget how incredible the book of psalms really is. I’m a fairly concrete thinker and the psalms aren’t all that concrete so I don’t read them as often as I should. I’m so glad we’re reading them now.
For a long time, the psalms confused me. I had been taught that it was a sin to even think about revenge much less ask for it. I had been taught that fear and anxiety showed a lack of faith in the Creator (sin), and that sadness and depression were things to be overcome because “the joy of the Lord is our strength” (just get over it, woman!).
So if all this is true, why are the psalms so full of requests for bloody vengeance, strong anger, and deep depression? If psalms are “the Word of God” but all these things were sin, why did David (and others) get to express them while I didn’t?
I came to the conclusion that God was big enough to handle all my emotions no matter how bitter they were and that the psalms could actually help me express those emotions to Him. I still hold to this conclusion, but this past couple of weeks of reading these incredible expressions of feelings has “uncovered my eyes” to something I’ve been missing. You see, I was still convinced that even though I could express these feelings, I was somehow still sinning. Apparently, David and these other authors didn’t feel this way.
For many years I prayed for God to teach me His ways, and more recently I’ve prayed that He “uncover my eyes to the wonderful, hidden things of [His] Torah”. I’ve always thought that I was looking for the rules and regulations so I could always do “it” (whatever “it” was at the time) right, and I have been blessed to learn many of these things. What I was missing, though is what David knew and lived confidently in; Yehovah’s grace and mercy for him personally.
It didn’t matter if David was being punished for some sin or if Israel was losing battles for some reason or if his enemies were seeking his blood; David walked confidently in Yehovah’s grace and mercy. He knew that would never end and so he just lived. He did the best he could knowing that his God knew his heart was full of love for Him. He knew that even when he screwed up or sinned, Yehovah would have to discipline or punish him but that He was still full of grace and mercy.
I’ve heard, written, and even preached about God’s grace and mercy, but I’ve never really had a true, personal revelation about it until now. I desperately want to please my Father in Heaven and know His ways so I can live “right”. But I also need to be confident in His grace and mercy so that when I screw up or sin, I run towards my God and Father, not away from Him.
The grace and mercy of our Father, Yehovah Great God of Hosts is revealed in the pages of His Torah and throughout the Hebrew scriptures. Praise Him for uncovering my eyes to that wonderful, hidden truth!
September 8, 2019 at 8:40 am /
Day 251- Today we are reading chapters 59-61 of Psalms/Tehillim.
September 7, 2019 at 8:04 am /
Day 250- Today we are reading chapters 56-58 of Psalms/Tehillim
September 6, 2019 at 7:34 am /
Day 249- Today we are reading chapters 54-55 of Psalms/Tehillim.
September 5, 2019 at 6:55 am /
Day 248- Today we are reading chapters 51-53 of Psalms/Tehillim.
September 4, 2019 at 7:13 am /
Day 247- Today we are reading chapters 49-50 of Psalms/Tehillim.
September 3, 2019 at 9:12 am /
Day 246- Today we are reading chapters 46-48 of Psalms/Tehillim.
September 2, 2019 at 7:51 am /
Day 245- Today we are reading chapters 43-45 of Psalms/Tehillim.
September 1, 2019 at 6:46 am /
Day 244- Today we are reading chapters 40-42 of Psalms Tehillim.
August 31, 2019 at 9:54 am /
Day 243- Today we are reading chapters 37-39 of Psalms/Tehillim.
August 31, 2019 at 9:33 pm /
Certain verses of Psalm 37 really hit me hard today, starting right at verse 1.
1: “Do not be vexed by evil men; do not be incensed by wrongdoers;”
—Yikes. I feel like this almost every day as I watch the machinations of the evil in my country. Anyone else?
8: “Give up anger, abandon fury, do not be vexed; it can only do harm.”
—Including to my blood pressure. Attempting this seems quite nearly impossible for me.
12-13: “The wicked man schemes against the righteous, and gnashes his teeth against him. Hashem laughs at him, for he knows that his day will come.”
—I know this should be comforting, that I should laugh with Yehovah, but there are days that I struggle to believe this. I wonder how many people felt the same as they starved in the ghettos of Germany after several years of believing things would never get that far.
This post seems incredibly maudlin, I know, but David has such a way of putting into words EXACTLY how I feel that I simply had to share. And I wonder if anyone else struggles with these things, too.
David also said this, though:
30-31: “The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is right. The teaching of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip.”
—This is my prayer for myself and others who struggle as I listed above. May we speak righteousness even in the midst of our struggles.
August 30, 2019 at 3:55 am /
Day 242- Today we are reading chapters 34-36 of Psalms/Tehillim.
August 29, 2019 at 7:12 am /
Day 241- Today we are reading chapters 31-33 of Psalms/Tehillim.
August 28, 2019 at 5:03 am /
Day 240- Today we are reading chapters 28-30 of Psalms/Tehillim.
August 27, 2019 at 9:09 am /
Day 239- Today we are reading chapters 25-27 of Psalms/Tehillim.
August 26, 2019 at 7:32 am /
Day 238- Today we are reading chapters 22-24 of Psalms/Tehillim.
August 25, 2019 at 8:04 am /
Day 237- Today we are reading chapters 19-21 of Psalms/Tehillim.
August 24, 2019 at 8:33 am /
Day 236- Today we are reading chapters 16-18 of Psalms/Tehillim.
August 23, 2019 at 9:00 am /
Day 235- Today we are reading chapters 13-15 of Psalms.Tehillim.
August 22, 2019 at 8:00 am /
Day 234- Today we are reading chapters 10-12 of Psalms/Tehillim.
August 21, 2019 at 8:00 am /
Day 233- Today we are reading chapters 7-9 of Psalms/Tehillim.
August 20, 2019 at 11:19 am /
You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.
Psalms 4:7 ESV
The joy of those who follow Yahovah even when times are rough is based upon who He is, not upon external events.
David said in ps. 23, you “prepare a table before me in the midst of my enemies. ”
Not just a piece of stale bread, and a glass of
water, water. But a table and provisions prepared by the goodness of Yahovah himself.
August 20, 2019 at 7:16 am /
Day 232- Today we are reading chapters 4-6 of Psalms/Tehillim.
August 19, 2019 at 8:02 am /
Day 231- Today we are reading chapters 1-3 of Psalms/Tehillim.
Connect With Us
Yes! Add a donation to BFA to my order.
Thank you
Your feedback has been received.
Don't show this again.