“Then [God] said to Moses, ‘Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar. Moses alone shall come near to the Lord, but the others shall not come near, and the people shall not come up with him.’ And Moses wrote down…
Month: June 2019
Psalm 74
“O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture? Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage! Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt. Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins; the…
Exodus 23
This chapter contains several more laws on social justice, the sabbath and festivals, and it has another promise of the inheritance of Canaan. “Pay attention to all that I have said to you, and make no mention of the names of other gods, nor let it be heard on your lips.” (v13) We receive another…
Psalm 73
“Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek….
Exodus 22
This chapter has a continuation of laws that began in ch21. These laws fall under the categories of restitution (repaying something that is lost/stolen/broken) and social justice. “If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he shall repay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a…
Psalm 72
This Psalm concludes “book two” of the “five books” of Psalms (I: 1-41; II: 42-72; III: 73-89; IV: 90-106; V: 107-150), and is one of two Psalms attributed to Solomon, David’s son. “Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son! May he judge your people with righteousness, and your…
Exodus 21
“Now these are the rules that you shall set before them. When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing. But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ then…
Psalm 71
“In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame! In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline your ear to me, and save me! Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are…
Exodus 20
This chapter contains the Ten Commandments, many of which we know from heart. “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the…
Psalm 70
“Make haste, O God, to deliver me! O Lord, make haste to help me! Let them be put to shame and confusion who seek my life! Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt! Let them turn back because of their shame who say, ‘Aha, Aha!’ May all who…