no Psalm 8 without Hebrews

Jesus Christ is the one who makes most sense of that Psalm and indeed of everything.

And while we're on the subject of nostalgia, Hebrews and Psalm 8 were right there at the start of this blog (eke and mild and Hebrews 13). Glad to know I haven't moved on from what is important, but, rather, I ought to have moved further into it. Like the fractals, I hope to be going round and round, not in circles of emptiness, but in spirals of ever-increasing richness. That's what growing up is about, and thus what growing up into Christ all the more so. And, of course, it can't be done without Christian brothers and sisters, so praise the Lord for the church, too.

nostalgia and productive chat

We had Tim Keller from Redeemer Presbyterian in Cambridge last week to speak at Great St Mary's the Corn Exchange for "Passion for Life". Saturday (which I didn't hear) was the Reason for God; Sunday (which I did) was Counterfeit Gods. Each evening was loosely based on key ideas from his two best-selling books. By all accounts the Sunday one was better - I certainly found it stimulating, and it contributed greatly to the conversation started between Dave and Dave months ago, which I joined in the Panton Arms shortly before we wandered up to hear Keller.

What a great chat that was - stimulating and intimate, the history of philosophy, the perspective of faith, music, searching, questioning, formulating, reformulating, just what our brains were made for. Looking forward to continuing. Probably have to read some Schopenhauer, now...

It really took me back to the panelled rooms of Downing College at the end ofthe last century, staying up all night with green tea and my agnostic best friend and best man, whiling away the hours on everything - not to mention back to the studying itself, a historical whip-round political thought and ethics from Plato to Nietzsche (in amongst more prosaic [and poetic for that matter] stuff on medieval social history or Renaissance literature).

And that got me thinking about another friend who stayed up all night patiently trying to explain chemistry to me (in those days I was still under the impression that A-level chemistry was "true" and was pleased with myself for having done some science as well as all the arty-farty business), while writing beautiful fractals on the computer. We managed to discuss Reformed theology and the Christian life quite a bit, too, and it was great to see him again at my 30th in the summer after a gap of many years.

Praise the Lord for such wonderful experiences, and for keeping me following him since then. What a wonderful world, what wonderful creatures, what a wonderful Creator.

 O LORD, our Lord, 
  how majestic is your name in all the earth! 
  You have set your glory 
  above the heavens. 

 From the lips of children and infants 
  you have ordained praise
  because of your enemies, 
  to silence the foe and the avenger. 

 When I consider your heavens, 
  the work of your fingers, 
  the moon and the stars, 
  which you have set in place, 

 what is man that you are mindful of him, 
  the son of man that you care for him? 

 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings [c] 
  and crowned him with glory and honor. 

 You made him ruler over the works of your hands; 
  you put everything under his feet: 

 all flocks and herds, 
  and the beasts of the field, 

 the birds of the air, 
  and the fish of the sea, 
  all that swim the paths of the seas. 

 O LORD, our Lord, 
  how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Psalm 145

Number 2 brother came up with an excellent insight into the structure of Psalm 145 when we studied it in homegroup on Tuesday night.


(1-2) Preamble, announcing the praising

(3-6) high level, general discussion of YHWH's greatness

(7-9) high level, general discussion of YHWH's compassion

(10-13) detail of YHWH's greatness (kingdom)

(14-20) detail of YHWH's compassion (love, closeness, provision)

(21) Conclusion, announcing the Psalmist's praise again

Study in Psalm 110

Outline the 4-part structure

(1) YHWH makes ‘my Lord’ a triumphant ruler

(2-3) YHWH extends his rule, and he has a great army of volunteers

(4) YHWH makes ‘my Lord’ a priest after Melchizedek

(5-7) ‘my Lord’ will shatter kings, bring judgement, and be refreshed and vindicated.


Draw pictures of…
verse 1
verses 2-3
verses 5-7

Notice who is doing the speaking, who is addressed in each scene, where they are in relation to each other, what action is going on. This should bring up all sorts of questions and discussion about detail in the text. Notice particularly how the addressee changes in vv.5-7; the ‘you’ there is YHWH, as the Psalmist directly speaks to God about this ‘Lord’. Thus in the last picture the figures are sitting/standing in the same way as in the first]

What are the jobs of “my Lord” through the Psalm?

So who is this Lord?

for Melchizedek, read Genesis 14 and Hebrews 5:1-10 & Hebrews 7, noting that Melchizedek was king of {Jeru}Salem long before David…

Jesus confronts the authorities with Psalm 110 in Mark 12. Confrontation and legitimacy of rule are key points in the crescendo of clashes in the Temple courts – these are the very themes of the Psalm. By the time we get to Jesus’ use of Psalm 110 he has batted away the attacks and is going on the offensive himself

Re-tell the 4-part story outline of the Psalm to help you learn it.

Where are we in the Psalm?
Hopefully the volunteers of verse 3. This is a spiritual battle, Ephesians 6.

Study in Psalm 2

Outline the 4 scenes...

i.e.

(1-3) Rulers of nations conspire against YHWH and his annointed in order to rebel.

(4-6) YHWH scoffs; he has put his king in Zion

(7-9) YHWH’s decree of promise to his king

(10-12) Rulers beware! Destruction threatened, or blessing if you take refuge in the Son.

How do the people of the earth perceive YHWH’s rule?

Who does that sound like?

(the snake of Genesis 3)

Zion – where is it and why is it significant?

Look at Genesis 14:17ff; Joshua 10:1-4; 2 Samuel 5:1-9 context.

What does YHWH promise to the Son/King?

Is there any hope for the enemies? That sounds quite harsh!

Re-tell the story of the Psalm (4 scenes are memorable) as a group

How “realistic” does this Psalm sound?

in David's day, at any point in the monarchy, or now?

How does that encourage us when we see the world in a mess?

How does this Psalm bring us to Christ? To put that another way, how do we understand it better through Christ?

The conspiracy against YHWH’s annointed did its worst [Acts 4:18-31] but Christ was raised and exalted! We have access to this king in heavenly Zion [Heb 12:18-29] because there is forgiveness, a refuge in him [of the many possible passages, we looked at 2 Cor 5:17-21].

Psalm studies

Here are some ideas for small group (or personal) study on the Psalms.

God's rule

33 (over everything)

2 (through the Messiah)

Why does evil flourish?

49 (or 10; simply reading one out loud, well, and looking in depth at the other works well. Sometimes we just need to listen to the Word.)

73 (a particularly good response to this problem)

Forgiveness

32/130

26 (note the 'problem' of the Psalmist saying he's totally righteous - how does that work?)

When God is far or near

42 & 43 (they're probably one psalm)

84

Persecution and enemies

56 (there's a nice ABCBA' pattern in this psalm; 1-2, 3-4, 5-9a, 9b-11, 12-13)

59/69

Praise

145 (carefully explore the reasons in the text, and remember similar in your own life)

Psalms

We have been studying the Psalms in homegroup for the last 6 weeks or so, and it's been wonderfully refreshing, as well as intellectually stimulating. For all their greatness, I had never really taken a sustained look at the Psalms in a small group context before. So, while I was familiar with many Psalm sentiments and a few of the earlier Psalms through general reading and devotional times, I had not really got my teeth into them in the context of a group.

Group learning is soooo helpful - and I say that as someone who loves reading by myself and does so avidly. Other people's insights and the dynamic of conversation around God's word is good for all of us, and it certainly was as we looked at the Psalms together.

Nex on the menu... eschatology!

eke and mild

What a strange November this is. Are there any other cyclists out there who are getting as sticky now as you were in August!?

And what a sky there was to the east of Cambridge last night. Kate, who tends to notice her surroundings a little more than I do (lost as I often am in frowning and looking at puddles), drew my gaze upwards. The heavens well and truly declared the glory of God. And the more we looked into the deep blue, the more the stars rushed to the surface.

And what is man, that you are mindful of him, the son of man, that you care for him? (Psalm 8) That we can appreciate such beauty as there is in nature (let alone in culture), drink it in, revel in it, and feel the need to communicate the joy and the experience to the person next to us, is one of the strongest arguments in favour of beneficent theism. We are so utterly dependent on what is outside us, so fragile, and yet so able to enjoy it all, to shape it and value it... How can we not recognise that man is not the measure of all things, that instead God has put eternity in our hearts, so that we might seek after Him, the source of all these good gifts.