Unity in Christ

If I had to pick a single passage of scripture and say that it was my favorite, I would have to say that The High Priestly Prayer in John chapter 17 is that passage. It is my favorite for a number of reasons, but one of those reasons is in it the Lord prayed to the Father on behalf of the church for unity. (cf. John 17:20-23) In the epistle to the church at Ephesus 2:13-16 the apostle calls the Law of commandments the enmity. It is this enmity that divides the Jew and the Gentile. Paul established in Romans 1-3 that both Jew and Gentile are guilty, the Gentile without law and the Jew under the Law have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Therefore, both the Jews and the Gentiles alike are justified through faith in Jesus Christ alone.

J. D. G. Dunn in his Dictionary article “Romans, Letter to the” established three purposes for the apostle Paul in writing the epistle; missionary, apologetic and pastoral.1 With regards to Pastoral he said that Paul wrote to heal both a potential and real problem within the church in Rome.2 That problem was the enmity previously mentioned. Therefore, since Paul had established that both Jew and Gentile are under sin, and that Jew and Gentile are both Justified as a gift, by the grace of God, through faith in Christ Jesus there was no longer an enmity; therefore, Christian unity was now free to abound.

In Romans 12:1-2 he is telling the whole church both Jew and Gentile to give of themselves, and that their thinking about the way they saw the world is to be changed. By saying to give your bodies as a living sacrifice he was telling them to die to self. So then in chapter 15 we see what this looks like, in bearing the others weakness and not just pleasing yourself. So then he admonishes them to have one mind coming from the scriptures and not the world. That way the entire church could glorify God in unity. We all in Christ Jesus, Jew and Gentile are to accept one another and bear one another’s burdens. (Romans 15:1-7, cf. Gal 6:1-2)

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1 J. D. G. Dunn, “Romans, Letter to the” in Dictionary of Paul and His Letters, eds. Gerald F. Hawthorne, Ralph P. Martin, and Daniel G. Reid (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 1993), 839-840.

2 Ibid.

What was the Rationale for Jesus Opponents?

In this blog post I would like to discuss the rationale for Jesus opponents. In order to understand their rationale, we need to ask and understand, who were the opponents? The main text for this post will be John 11:47-53.

“Therefore the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a council, and were saying, "What are we doing? For this man is performing many signs.” (John 11:47) The chief priests and the Pharisees convened a council. The Sanhedrin (council) was the supreme Jewish religious, political and legal court in Jerusalem in New Testament times.1 According to three Greek sources; the New Testament, Apocrypha and the Jewish historian Josephus there was a single body in Jerusalem.2 The Sanhedrin consisted of lay aristocracy and priest who were sympathetic to Sadducean theology; it also consisted of Pharisaic scribes. According to both the New Testament and Jewish historian Josephus, during the first century the chief priest were the leading figures in the Sanhedrin and the high priest was its president.3

Therefore, since the chief priest (one of the opponents of Jesus in John 11:47-53) were likely Sadducean sympathetic, we need to answer the question, who were the Sadducees? According to the Jewish historian Josephus they were one of three Jewish philosophies in the first century A. D., along with the Pharisees and the Essenes.4 The Essenes are not mentioned in the New Testament, however as a side note, I think that there is the possibility of Essene influence in John the Baptist.

Sadducees were popular among the wealthy, something to keep in mind when thinking about a rationale. They had significant power among the priest and within the Sanhedrin, again something to keep in mind. They were in competition for power with the Pharisees who were more popular with the general public. The Sadducees wanted to keep things as they were, and therefore pro-Roman.5 “The Sadducees believed in free will and denied the resurrection and the final judgment.”6 

The Pharisees were the other group mentioned in John 11:47-53, who like the Sadducees were members in the Sanhedrin council. The Pharisees were involved with local and national politics to preserve the highest goals of purity surrounding food, Sabbath and tithing.7 The Jewish historian Josephus says that the Pharisees had the ear of the people.8 This is something to keep in mind when thinking about a rationale. Also, Josephus said that the Pharisees believed in both providence and free will.9 In opposition to the views of the Sadducees, the Pharisees believed in the resurrection and final judgment. They were not satisfied with the status quo, and with their beliefs regarding providence and free will wrangled with how much they should work for political change, and how much they should wait for God to bring about change.10

I have established the opponents of Jesus to be members of the Sanhedrin council in Jerusalem, both Sadducees and Pharisees; two opposing Jewish philosophies who agreed and planned together to kill Jesus. (cf. John 11:53) So, what was their rationale for opposing and wanting to kill Jesus?

“If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” (John 11:48) There are three lusts that motivate men; fame, fortune and power. “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.” (1 John 2:16) The Pharisees were dependent on having the ear of the people. If all the people began listening to Jesus rather than them, then they would have no fame, no fortune and no power. They were members of the Sanhedrin, because they had the ear of the people. The Sadducees feared the Romans would come and take away their place of authority. When that happened, and it did in A.D. 70, the Sadducees were no more. Therefore, the rational for Jesus opponents, planning together to kill him was fear of losing fame, fortune and power. The fear that all men will believe in him (fame), and the Romans would come and take away their place (power) and nation (fortune).

  

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1 G. H. Twelftree, “Sanhedrin” in Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, eds. Joel B. Green, Jeannine K. Brown and Nicholas Perrin (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2013), 836.

2 G. H. Twelftree, “Sanhedrin” in Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, eds. Joel B. Green, Jeannine K. Brown and Nicholas Perrin (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2013), 837.

3 G. H. Twelftree, “Sanhedrin” in Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, eds. Joel B. Green, Jeannine K. Brown and Nicholas Perrin (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2013), 838.

4 M. L. Strauss, “Sadducees” in Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, eds. Joel B. Green, Jeannine K. Brown and Nicholas Perrin (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2013), 824.

5 M. L. Strauss, “Sadducees” in Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, eds. Joel B. Green, Jeannine K. Brown and Nicholas Perrin (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2013), 824-825.

6 M. L. Strauss, “Sadducees” in Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, eds. Joel B. Green, Jeannine K. Brown and Nicholas Perrin (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2013), 825.

7 L. Cohick, “Pharisees” in Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, eds. Joel B. Green, Jeannine K. Brown and Nicholas Perrin (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2013), 678-679.

8 L. Cohick, “Pharisees” in Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, eds. Joel B. Green, Jeannine K. Brown and Nicholas Perrin (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2013), 676.

9 L. Cohick, “Pharisees” in Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, eds. Joel B. Green, Jeannine K. Brown and Nicholas Perrin (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2013), 677.

10 Ibid.

The Theme of Christ’s Resurrection In Acts

On a certain day one of the brothers and I were making much of Jesus Christ at a local college campus when one of the students came up and said, “Christianity is a death cult, you Christians worship death.” I do not know where, or from whom this young man got his information, but it could not be any further from the truth. Christianity is a religion of life, we serve a risen Lord; in fact, without the resurrection we are like the apostle Paul said to be pitied. (cf. 1 Cor 15:16-19) Christianity centers on the person of Jesus Christ:

(1)   His bodily resurrection as witnessed by the apostles.

(2)   The promised bodily resurrection of all the dead in Christ at his return.

Christ’s resurrection is therefore a major theme in Acts, because it is the apostles witness of the resurrection of Christ and his promised return that motivates believers to spread the gospel.

The Acts of the Apostles which is a narrative history of the first century Christian Church begins with the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. The theme of Christ’s resurrection is a thread that holds together the entire narrative of the book and is paramount in the many speeches found therein. Why is the resurrection so very important? Liefeld said in his book (Interpreting the Book of Acts), “The resurrection and the ascension are important, among other reasons, because they signal God’s vindication of Christ.”[1]

“To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.” (Acts 1:3) This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible, and not only this verse but the entire passage of Acts 1:1-11, which includes Jesus’ resurrection, ascension and promised return announced by angels. In verse 3, the “these” that the Lord presented himself alive to after his suffering were his chosen apostles, as understood from verse 2.

The betrayer Judas Iscariot had died and the disciples understood from scripture (Psalm 109:8) that he was to be replaced. The one to replace Judas had to meet certain qualifications; that being he was a follower of Jesus Christ throughout his ministry and he was a witness to Christ’s resurrection. (cf. Acts 1:22) You and I are not witnesses of Jesus Christ; we were not with him from the baptism of John, we are not witness of his resurrection, and we were not with him until he was taken up into heaven. His chosen apostles are his witnesses and it is their witness that we who believe in him must give to unbelievers and believers alike.

The apostles waited in Jerusalem until the day of Pentecost when they received the Holy Spirit. It is from this point onward that the apostles began to preach the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The first of which is Peter’s sermon recorded in Acts 2:14-36, with verses 24-32 specifying his resurrection from the dead. In Peter’s second sermon in the temple he once again spoke of Jesus death and resurrection. (cf. Acts 3:15) In Acts chapter 4 Peter and John were arrested by the Sadducees for preaching the resurrection in Christ Jesus, then they preached Jesus resurrection to the rulers who arrested them. (cf. Acts 4:2, 10) After this, in Acts 4:33 it says that the apostles were proclaiming the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Once again in chapter 5 the apostles were arrested and they once again proclaimed the resurrection of Jesus to the rulers of the people.

After this we have a departure from Jerusalem, the gospel began to go out to other places, even being proclaimed among the gentiles as Peter proclaimed the resurrection of Jesus Christ to the gentiles and they believed. (cf. Acts 10:40) In Paul’s first missionary journey he preached in the synagogue the resurrection of Jesus Christ (cf. Acts 13:30-37). In Athens among both the Athenians, Epicurean and Stoic philosophers he preached the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (cf. Acts 17:18, 32) When Paul was on trial before the Sadducees and Pharisees he said, “I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!” (Acts 23:6) Finally in his defense before Agrippa he proclaimed the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

The apostles at Jesus arrest fled for their lives. What made these frightened men boldly go into the temple, synagogues and public arenas preaching in the name of Jesus Christ the resurrection from the dead? They saw Jesus, the Lord who promised eternal life to everyone who believes in him walk out of the grave alive. Therefore, we too should not fear men, but have our hope in the resurrection because the Son of God Jesus Christ is risen.

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[1] Walter L. Liefeld, Interpreting the Book of Acts (Grand Rapids, MI: Bakers Books, 1995), 81.

Resurrection and Life

I think that it is a strong possibility that John chapter 20 is a new creation narrative keeping with the Johannine theme of the incarnation, God in human flesh. John 20:1-2 Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early on the first day of the week while it was still dark. In the Genesis narrative of creation there was darkness before God said, “Let there be light.” (Gn 1:2-3) John and Peter came running to the tomb, John peered into the tomb, but Peter when he arrived went inside. Peter saw the grave clothing, but when the beloved disciple saw it he believed that the Lord was risen, and yet did not fully understand the scripture. (Jn 20:3-10)

In John 20:11-18 Mary stayed at the tomb weeping which was in a garden. She looked into the tomb and saw to angels in white sitting. I believe that this is a picture of “The Mercy Seat” that sat atop the Ark of the Covenant inside the holy of holies.  (Ex 26:33-34) We know that Mary Magdalene was a sinful woman, she a sinful woman gets the privilege of peering into the holy of holies and sees to angles in white setting who speak to her and ask her why she is crying. She turns and sees Jesus, thinking he is the gardener, he is the true Gardener, the one through whom all things were made. In the Garden of Eden, Eve meet a serpent who deceived her, she ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and gave to Adam, and he ate. (Gn 3:1-6) In the new creation account a sinful woman meets the Gardner who died for her sins. He gives her words of life and tells her to go tell his brethren; she brings them words of life.

In John 20:19-29 Jesus appears to his apostles twice. During the first appearance he appears to them behind closed doors (Thomas is absent), he shows them his hands and his side, breathes on them and commissions them. He appears a second time eight days later when Thomas is there, Thomas then believes, but did not believe the testimony of the apostles given to him before. The apostles are the witnesses of the Lord’s resurrection. It is the apostle’s testimony that is being given in the text of the Gospel According to John. We must believe their testimony. Jesus said, “Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” (Jn 20:29) Psalm 32:1 says, “How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered!” Jesus promised eternal life to everyone who believes in him. The purpose for the Gospel According to John is so that you may believe. Jesus will return at the end of the age, “Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”

Money, Possessions and Following Jesus

In this blog post I would like to talk about the way that we should view finances as followers of Jesus Christ. Jesus said; “Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Luke 12:33-34)

Does the Lord’s statement about possessions seem extreme? Does Jesus really mean to sell your possessions and give to charity? Why would he say such a thing? Don’t we need things in order to live?

It seems that Jesus was in the habit of saying these kinds of extreme things about money and possessions. He told the rich young ruler virtually the same thing when he asked the Lord, “Good teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 18:18) At the end of a discussion about keeping the commandments the Lord said to the rich young ruler, "One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." (Luke 18:22)

A steward is a person who has been put in charge of something owned by someone else. The steward does not have personal ownership in what he has been put in charge of, but while taking care of it, he receives benefit from the thing in his charge. In the creation account the Lord God put man (Adam) into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. The Lord God gave the man instructions (commandments) on what he could do and could not do while caring for the garden. The garden of Eden did not belong to the man, the garden of Eden belongs to the Lord God, but he made the man steward of the garden to take care of it for him. The Lord God knew that the man would need food in order to sustain life. Therefore, the Lord God gave the man the benefits of enjoying the fruit of the garden, so long as he remained a faithful steward following his commandments. (Genesis 2:15-17)

The main theme running throughout the Gospel According to Luke is the coming of the kingdom of God. From chapter 4 through to his betrayal and arrest in chapter 22 Jesus is preaching about the kingdom of God, announcing its coming. Then he inaugurates the kingdom of God with his own death, burial, and resurrection. All things are being made new (re-creation) and the relationship between God and man (owner and steward) is being restored (redeemed).

Thinking of things like money, houses, cars, and careers as our own processions is a result of the fall. The proof that you do not own anything at all is that when you die all that you think that you owned remains in this world (the world that the Lord God alone created). The Lord God knows that we need food, clothing, and shelter in order to live. Therefore, he benevolently gives us these things from his own procession, because he loves us. The Lord God often gives us more than we need, so that we can be like our Father who is in heaven, who gives to the poor, and also ungrateful and evil men. (cf. Luke 6:35-36) So why does the Lord tell us to sell our processions, and give to charity, when he knows that we have need of food, shelter, and clothing?

Firstly, if we are honest with ourselves, most of us have abundantly more than we need. Therefore, we are able to share with others who have need of these things. In the Lord’s parable (Luke 12:35-48) about being in readiness at all times he spoke about a slave that his master had put in charge of the other slaves. While the master was away the one whom the master made steward began to beat the other slaves and mistreat them. When the master returns, and sees what the steward had been up to, the master hacks the steward into pieces, assigning the steward to the place of an unbeliever (hell). The Lord then says, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.” (Luke 12:48)

Secondly, if we are concerned with the accumulation of processions, then we are unable to fully follow and serve the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Luke 12:34) Anything that we think that we are accumulating for ourselves is temporal, it is fleeting, and you will leave it all behind when you die. But service to the Lord is eternal, because the Lord Jesus Christ and the kingdom of God is eternal. So I ask you, whom do you serve, because “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth." (Luke 16:13)                                                                                                                                       

  Bibliography

The Lockman Foundation. The Holy Bible, Updated New American Standard Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1995.

A World of Apparent Injustice and Suffering

Today I would like to talk about the subject of human suffering and how we as followers of Jesus Christ can seek the best for the other person who is facing suffering to the glory of God. You have likely heard someone say, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” I know that the Scriptures teach us that no one is good, but I do not think that this is what is in mind when this question is asked. There are those who are following the Lord and seeking the best for their neighbor who undergo tremendous tragedy, seemingly without explanation. The thinking in most people’s minds when asking this question is that if you do good you get good and if you do bad you get bad.

By profession I am a Critical Care Registered Nurse; which means that I help people, who, because of illness or injury are unable to sustain life without help. Everyone who is in the intensive care unit is there, because either they want to get well or someone else wants them to get well. I see a great deal of human suffering in this profession, many people do get better but many others do not. Why does one person who does things that seem foolish with regards to health; like excessive drinking and smoking live well into their 80’s, while another person who does not do these things has a massive heart attack at half that age and either dies or suffers with heart failure for several years before sub-coming to the disease?

 The books of Job and Ecclesiastes deal with this question on a personal level, but neither gives the full answer as to why there is human suffering. These two books acknowledge that evil and human suffering both exist. These two books also acknowledge the attributes of God’s divine power; that God is sovereign and omniscient.  These two books also acknowledge the attributes of God’s goodness; that God is benevolent and just. In the face of human suffering people have a tendency to doubt God. John M. Frame said, “We simply feel a discrepancy between our experience and what we believe God to be.”1 The thought process is this; if God is all powerful and God is all good then he would not allow evil to exist.2 This is because human logic puts God into a box, we forget that God is incomprehensible.

The book of Job gives an answer for Job's suffering, but Job himself is not given an answer. We the readers get to look in on a scene in heaven that Job is not privy too. We know that Job is suffering, because God’s policies for running the world are on trial. The acquisition by Satan is that Job is righteous, because God is good to him. Job suffers to demonstrate the righteousness of God. Job is never given the reason for his suffering, but comes to understand that God is incomprehensible.

Then Job answered the Lord and said,

"I know that You can do all things,

And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.

'Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?'

Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand,

Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know."

'Hear, now, and I will speak;

I will ask You, and You instruct me.'

"I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear;

But now my eye sees You;

Therefore I retract,

And I repent in dust and ashes."

The preacher/teacher in Ecclesiastes says that all is vanity, that the wise and the fool alike die.4 The preacher/teacher in Ecclesiastes concludes that retribution theology is wrong, God gives good things to both the evil and good alike, because he is benevolent, therefore we should enjoy the good things that God gives us.5 “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil. We should fear God and keep his commandments this is true worship.”6 The conclusion that the preacher/teacher makes in the book of Ecclesiastes is that God is benevolent to both the evil and the good, but you need to fear God and keep his commandments because when all is said done God is judge. This brings to mind the name of God given to Moses on Mount Saini.

Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, "The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations."7

In conclusion neither Job nor Ecclesiastes gives the answer for human suffering, both point to the fact that human suffering does exist. Therefore, when talking with someone who is suffering we should not deny that evil exists nor pretend that we have all the answers. What we do know is that God is sovereign and good, but let us never forget that God is incomprehensible. Therefore, let us not put him in a box. So when others are suffering acknowledge their suffering. Walk with them in their suffering, hold their hand and pray with them. Let them know that you do not have all the answers, but also let them know that God is good and God is Sovereign even in the face of their suffering and loss.

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1 John M. Frame, Apologetics to the Glory of God an Introduction (Phillipsburg: P & R Publishing, 1994), 150.

2 Cf. Ibid., 150.

3 Job 42:1-6 (NASB).

4 Cf. Ecclesiastes 2:12-17.

5 Cf. Ecclesiastes 5:18 & 9:9.

6 Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (NASB).

7 Exodus 34:6-7 (NASB).

Bibliography

Frame, John M. Apologetics to the Glory of God an Introduction. Phillipsburg: P & R Publishing, 1994.

The Lockman Foundation. The Holy Bible, Updated New American Standard Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1995.

Psalms Classifications

Hermann Gunkel in his form-critical approach to the Psalms identified seven types or genres of psalms.1 The seven types or genres that Gunkel identified are: the individual lament, the communal lament, the hymn, the psalms of thanksgiving, the royal psalms, the wisdom and Torah psalms, and the entrance liturgies.2 Others have recognized only three general categories of psalms: praise, wisdom, and lament with subcategories within each category.3 For example, the individual lament and the communal lament that Gunkel identified could be generally categorized as lament psalms, then further subcategorized.

For the purpose of this article I will be identifying three general classifications of psalms: lament psalms, hymns, and wisdom psalms. I will give one psalm for each general classification of psalms describing how that psalm illustrates the classification. I will be presenting them in the order that they appear in the book of the psalms.

Psalm 1 is a good example of a wisdom psalm. Being that it is the first psalm, it sets the foundation for all of the other psalms. What is that foundation? The phrase “Fear of the Lord” is exposed throughout wisdom literature as being the beginning of wisdom. The actual phrase “Fear of the Lord” is absent from psalm 1, but its definition is manifestly present.4 Therefore, you must begin reading the psalms with a “Fear of the Lord.” Psalm 1, as well as other wisdom psalms parallel two very different lives; the life of the righteous and the life of the wicked. Read Psalm 1 yourself and see how it compares these two lives.

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,

Nor stand in the path of sinners,

Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,

And in His law he meditates day and night.

He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,

Which yields its fruit in its season

And its leaf does not wither;

And in whatever he does, he prospers.

The wicked are not so,

But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,

Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,

But the way of the wicked will perish.5

Psalm 54 is an example of a lament psalm. Lament psalms typically have five parts in their structure: an opening address (O God, My God, or Lord), a description of what is wrong, a plea to Yahweh for help, a profession of faith, and a promise to praise God or offer a sacrifice. Most all lament psalms have these five parts, but not necessarily in the order that I have listed.6 In Psalm 54 the author (David) begins with a plea for salvation followed by the vocative “O God”. Then he tells God that strangers have risen up against him (a description of what is wrong). Then after the exclamation “Selah” the author gives a statement of faith in God, the one who he is pleading to for help against his foes. The author then tells God that he willingly will sacrifice to God and give thanks to his name (Yahweh).

Save me, O God, by Your name,

And vindicate me by Your power.

Hear my prayer, O God;

Give ear to the words of my mouth.

For strangers have risen against me

And violent men have sought my life;

They have not set God before them.

Selah.

Behold, God is my helper;

The Lord is the sustainer of my soul.

He will recompense the evil to my foes;

Destroy them in Your faithfulness.

Willingly I will sacrifice to You;

I will give thanks to Your name, O Lord, for it is good.

For He has delivered me from all trouble,

And my eye has looked with satisfaction upon my enemies.7

Psalm 117 is the shortest chapter in the bible and is a really good example of a hymn psalm. Hymns can also be called songs of praise; they make up about 20% of the psalms. Hymns have only three elements; an opening invitation to praise Yahweh, a reason or rational for that praise, and a reinvigorated call to praise Yahweh God.8 You can see this format easily in the short psalm of 117 being that it has three clear statements. The beginning statement is an opening call for everyone to praise Yahweh, “Praise the Lord, all nations; Laud Him, all peoples!”9 The second statement gives the reason that we should praise Yahweh, “For His lovingkindness is great toward us, And the truth of the Lord is everlasting.”10 The author is stating that we should praise Yahweh because of his nature; Moses made haste to bow low and worship Yahweh.11 The third and final statement in the psalm is a renewed call to praise Yahweh, “Praise the Lord.”12

Praise the Lord, all nations;

Laud Him, all peoples!

For His lovingkindness is great toward us,

And the truth of the Lord is everlasting.

Praise the Lord.13

Bibliography

Hearson, N. B. "Notes on the Psalms." Kansas City: Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, n.d.

Longman III, Tremper, and Peter Enns, eds. Dictionary of the Old Testament Wisdom, Poetry & Writings. DownersGrove, Illinois: IVP Academic, 2008.

The Lockman Foundation. The Holy Bible, Updated New American Standard Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1995.

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1 W. D. Tucker Jr., “Psalms Book of” in Dictionary of the Old Testament Wisdom Poetry and Writings, ed. Tremper Longman III and Peter Enns (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2008), 581.

2 W. D. Tucker Jr., “Psalms Book of” in Dictionary of the Old Testament Wisdom Poetry and Writings, ed. Tremper Longman III and Peter Enns (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2008), 581-585.

3 N. B. Hearson, “Notes on the Psalms”, I. b. i.

4 cf. Deuteronomy 10:12-13.

5 Psalm 1 (NASB).

6 W. D. Tucker Jr., “Psalms Book of” in Dictionary of the Old Testament Wisdom Poetry and Writings, ed. Tremper Longman III and Peter Enns (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2008), 581-582.

7 Psalm 54 (NASB).

8 W. D. Tucker Jr., “Psalms Book of” in Dictionary of the Old Testament Wisdom Poetry and Writings, ed. Tremper Longman III and Peter Enns (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2008), 582.

9 Psalm 117:1 (NASB).

10 Psalm 117:2a (NASB).

11 cf. Exodus 34:6-8.

12 Psalm 117:2b (NASB).

13 Psalm 117 (NASB).