his two-verse Psalm proves longer isn’t always better. “Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!” (v1-2) What I like about this Psalm is the author doesn’t leave any room for interpretation (or misinterpretation). They…
Month: September 2019
Leviticus 26
“If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees their fruit. Your threshing will continue until grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting, and you will eat all the food you…
Psalm 116
“Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; our God is merciful. The Lord preserves the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me. Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling; I…
Leviticus 25
This chapter is about two main themes: Sabbath / the Year of Jubilee, and redemption (not redemption from sin, but from debt, servitude, slavery and loss). To summarize the Sabbath years and Year of Jubilee: every seventh year was a Sabbath for the land to rest (no sowing or pruning). Every seven times seven years…
Psalm 115
There are two things that jump out at me in this Psalm. “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet,…
Leviticus 24
This chapter contains a variety of commands regarding lamps and bread in the tabernacle, as well as some social justice issues. We’ll look at a commonly misquoted/abused passage. “Whoever takes a human life shall surely be put to death. Whoever takes an animal’s life shall make it good, life for life. If anyone injures his…
Psalm 114
“When Israel went out from Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his dominion. The sea looked and fled; Jordan turned back. The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs. What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back? O…
Leviticus 23
This chapter details several feasts (holy days) and instructions for how to conduct them. “These are the appointed feasts of the Lord, the holy convocations, which you shall proclaim at the time appointed for them. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight, is the Lord’s Passover. And on the…
Psalm 113
Interesting side note: this is the first Psalm in a collection called the “Egyptian Hallel” – songs commemorating Israel’s freedom from slavery. Traditionally, Psalms 113-114 were sung before the Passover meal, and Psalms 115-118 were sung following the meal. It is very likely that Jesus and His disciples would have sung this hymn on the…
Leviticus 22
This chapter contains two main sections of parameters around the consumption of the “holy things” (offerings sanctified through tabernacle sacrifice) and more details on which animals are acceptable for the different types of offering (in summary, animals without blemish). “Speak to Aaron and his sons so that they abstain from the holy things of the…