The power of the Psalms

[NotWorthy]

Still you won’t find many with the Psalm 23 from the NAB on their walls, majority if not all have Psalm 23 coming from the Protestant KJV

OK, now I think you’re just nit-picking.

 

[tobinatorstark]

OK, now I think you’re just nit-picking.

Well if you want to get technical, the version we see out it in public goes according to the KJV and not the NAB. While the NAB we have at home does differ a little from the one in the lectionary, Generally when we see Psalm 23 “The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want” The lectionary just reverted back to that in its beginning. Otherwise the NAB reads “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack” Try finding that version on someone’s wall or even the words “Even when I walk through a dark valley” instead of “Yea, though, I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.” I have yet to see a Catholic version of Psalm 23 hanging on the wall of someone’s home

 

[NotWorthy]

Well if you want to get technical, the version we see out it in public goes according to the KJV and not the NAB. While the NAB we have at home does differ a little from the one in the lectionary, Generally when we see Psalm 23 “The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want” The lectionary just reverted back to that in its beginning. Otherwise the NAB reads “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack” Try finding that version on someone’s wall or even the words “Even when I walk through a dark valley” instead of “Yea, though, I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.” I have yet to see a Catholic version of Psalm 23 hanging on the wall of someone’s home

OK, now I KNOW you’re nit-picking!

Because if you’re worried about which version of Psalm 23 is on other people’s walls, then you entirely missed my point.

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

That sounds like that you would only pray certain psalms and not others. The Psalms are not revengeful. These Psalms are direct prayers to God. They are intended to be spiritual and not detrimental

137.9 is not very compassionate at all. Two psalms have been let out of Liturgy of the Hours because of their vengeful spirit - 109 is one of them.​

119 is good though. And also:

• 2
• 45
• 72
• 78
• 89
• 101
• 103
• 104
• 110

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

Thanks Christine!

I’m also thinking of one where the psalmist prays that his enemies babies are dashed upon the stone. I can’t recall the psalm, and I’m not 100% sure that I found it among the psalms.

I must reiterate that I love the psalms - I even get to sing them twice a week at morning vespers at our local retreat center/monastery - but I can’t admit to have my arms around all of them, so to speak.

Try 137.9 - a blessing on those who dash out the brains of Babylonian “little ones” on the stones. ​

Nasty stuff - OTOH, to be vindictive is human

 

[NotWorthy]

Try 137.9 - a blessing on those who dash out the brains of Babylonian “little ones” on the stones. ​

Yes, that’s the one I was thinking of. My spirit doesn’t soar when I read that one.

Nasty stuff - OTOH, to be vindictive is human

No. To be vindictive is to be a fallen human.

To be forgiving is to be human (as God intended us to be)!

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

Yes, that’s the one I was thinking of. My spirit doesn’t soar when I read that one.

No. To be vindictive is to be a fallen human.

To be forgiving is to be human (as God intended us to be)!

And thus, to be vindictive is indeed to be human ​

 

[NotWorthy]

And thus, to be vindictive is indeed to be human ​

But sadly, not the “human” that God wants of us to be. We must strive to be that “human”.

***Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

***BTW, on a personal note, Gottle, I miss that big stained glass window you used to have in your signature.

 

[Valke2]

Try 137.9 - a blessing on those who dash out the brains of Babylonian “little ones” on the stones. ​

Nasty stuff - OTOH, to be vindictive is human

We read Psalm 137 on Tish B’av, a fast day in which we remember the destruction of the Temple by the Babylonians.

If I forget thee, O Jerusalem,
Let my right hand forget her cunning.
Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth,
If I remember thee not;
If I set not Jerusalem
Above my chiefest joy.

The last lines of Psalm 137 are very unsettling, so much so that when it is set to music those lines are never sung, which is why they may come as a shock to people who, for example, have seen ‘Godspell’ but haven’t read the Bible. Most of the Psalms are praise songs that were sung in the temple and as such kind of flow by in a blur when they are read today. They’re generally similar in theme and content in that they are praising God and celebrating the building of the Temple. These are the songs that the singer of 137 is refusing to sing to his captors. For me, 137 gives the rest of the Psalms a powerful context that demonstrates these are not empty verses of pretty words but rather the sacred songs of a people who survived genocide and slavery. The pain of the singer of 137 can be understood thousands of years later by people who live in a nation undreamed of by the singer or his captors; it is truly universal.

 

[CHRISTINE77]

We read Psalm 137 on Tish B’av, a fast day in which we remember the destruction of the Temple by the Babylonians.

If I forget thee, O Jerusalem,
Let my right hand forget her cunning.
Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth,
If I remember thee not;
If I set not Jerusalem
Above my chiefest joy.

The last lines of Psalm 137 are very unsettling, so much so that when it is set to music those lines are never sung, which is why they may come as a shock to people who, for example, have seen ‘Godspell’ but haven’t read the Bible. Most of the Psalms are praise songs that were sung in the temple and as such kind of flow by in a blur when they are read today. They’re generally similar in theme and content in that they are praising God and celebrating the building of the Temple. These are the songs that the singer of 137 is refusing to sing to his captors. For me, 137 gives the rest of the Psalms a powerful context that demonstrates these are not empty verses of pretty words but rather the sacred songs of a people who survived genocide and slavery. The pain of the singer of 137 can be understood thousands of years later by people who live in a nation undreamed of by the singer or his captors; it is truly universal.

However this Psalm has been made into popular music and sung by Linda Ronstadt and Don Mclean. “By the waters of Babylon, where we lay down…” It’s a beautiful song.

 

[NotWorthy]

However this Psalm has been made into popular music and sung by Linda Ronstadt and Don Mclean. “By the waters of Babylon, where we lay down…” It’s a beautiful song.

Including the state of future babies?!?

 

[CHRISTINE77]

Including the state of future babies?!?

That part is cut out.

I tried to google the lyrics, but I can’t find the whole song. It has really pretty harmonies in it. It’s mostly the first part of the Psalm.

 

[CHRISTINE77]

I found them. Here are the lyrics:

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down;
ye-eah we wept, when we remembered Zion.

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down;
ye-eah we wept, when we remembered Zion.

When the wicked
Carried us away in captivity
Require from us a song -
Now how shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?

When the wicked
Carried us away in captivity
Requiring of us a song -
Now how shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?

Let the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts
be acceptable in Thy sight here tonight

Let the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts
be acceptable in Thy sight here tonight

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down;
ye-eah we wept, when we remembered Zion.

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down
ye-eah we wept, when we remembered Zion.

By the rivers of Babylon (the waters of Babylon)
there we sat down (You got to sing a song)
ye-eah we wept, (Sing a song of love)
when we remember Zion. (Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah)

By the rivers of Babylon (by the rivers of Babylon)
there we sat down (You hear the people cry)
ye-eah we wept, (They need their God)
when we remember Zion. (Ooh, got the power)

By the rivers of Babylon, (oh yeah yeah)
where we sat down (yeah yeah)
Ye-eah we wept…

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

But sadly, not the “human” that God wants of us to be. We must strive to be that “human”.

Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

BTW, on a personal note, Gottle, I miss that big stained glass window you used to have in your signature.

I’ll see if I can find it ​

 

[Amaze]

I think the Psalms works like a affirmation, it will reprogram my mind with power, love, hope, inspiration and blessings

 

[Koinestudent]

Many Christians have issues with the imprecatory Psalms. They seem to contradict the clear teachings of the New Testament. To be honest, I am not sure how to take them. But what you should not do is throw out “any” of God’s word because you have difficulty with comprehending its message. The Bible says that “all scripture” is given by inspiration of God, not just the parts that we can understand. And Peter also stated that some scripture is hard to understand. We also see that understanding of scripture seems to come when we take line upon line and precept upon precept.

Here are some “possible” explanations concerning the place of the imprecatory Psalms.

1. They were applicable under the old covenant, but their application has changed under the new. When we look at the OT and see referenced to animal sacrifices we are not bothered because we understand that Jesus/Yeshua was the final sacrifice for sin. We understand that the old covenant was fulfilled in Yeshua, and we no longer adhere to the law. So, maybe we should take this same approach with the imprecatory psalms. We read them in light of Jesus Christ. This is not to say that we no longer consider them to be God’s word, but we have an understanding that any teaching in the OT must be applied in light of the Messiah.
2. They speak of a deeper level of enemy than the ones that Christians are supposed to pray for. The enemies spoken of in the imprecatory psalms are ones that are trying to kill the psalmist. Some of the scriptures used to command us to pray for our enemies, in the NT seem to be enemies that simply harass.
3. The enemies referred to in Matthew 5:44 and Romans 12:14-21 seem to be personal enemies. The enemies spoken of in the imprecatory psalms ultimately are against the cause of God in the psalmist’s life.
4. The scriptures say that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces of evil. So, maybe we should change the identity of our enemies from the natural to the spiritual.

 

[Koinestudent]

This is just an interesting observation related to this topic. Here are examples of NT Christians “cursing” their enemies, or pronouncing judgment, under God’s leading.

Acts 13:6-12
King James Version (KJV)
6 And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:

7 Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.

8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.

9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him.

10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.

12 Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

Acts 8:19-24
King James Version (KJV)
19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.

24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.

Acts 5:1-10
King James Version (KJV)
5 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.

7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.

8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.

9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.

10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.