In the name of the Father and of + the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Let's turn our attention to Psalm 14.
So you think you're a pretty good guy or gal huh? Well, if you want to keep thinking that way you'd better not read this Psalm.
Psalm 14 is a condemnation of the foolishness of the wicked. As Luther says, "human doctrine and a life without faith is nothing but an abomination before God." Turn on your TV. It won't take you 5 minutes to be immersed with foolishness, human doctrine and a life without faith.
Please now, turn your TV off. Take up your sword of the Spirit and read this Psalm. If you have time you may take a look at Romans chapter 3 over the next day or two. Note how Paul uses some verses from this Psalm in his New Testament Epistle.
How does this Psalm preach the Law to us?
How does this Psalm preach us the Gospel?
Everyone taking this Psalm seriously must admit, "there is no good in me." However, those who repent and believe the Gospel can admit with joy, "the Lord is my refuge" for He has become our salvation through the forgiveness of sins.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Psalm 13
Now let us turn to a shorter chapter, Psalm 13.
As Luther notes, Psalm 13 is a psalm of prayer against sorrow or saddness, even against the devil himself.
Read this psalm and think to yourself what saddness this world has brought to you, your family, friends etc.
Now consider the prayer that follows. By Christ's "Incarnation," assuming human flesh, our Lord Jesus voluntarily endured our saddness, sorrows and sin by becoming sin, sorrow and saddness Himself.
As we approach the season of Lent we will be greeted by Jesus' temptation by Satan in the wilderness. (Matthew 4:1-11) Truly there we see One who was so willing to bring us comfort for our earthly sorrows and saddness that He specifically came to this earth to be tempted, tested, tried and even killed. He did this because He not only wanted you to be comforted in your sorrows, but by His steadfast love seen clearly through cross and empty tomb, He won for you everlasting life in heaven.
Sorrows in this life will come. But stronger than our sorrows, our Lord has come to wipe every sorrow from our midst. On that great and glorious day He will usher us into the land where sorrow is gone, sin and saddness unheard of and only true joy will be found.
Until that day, the Church on earth prays: "Come Lord Jesus, Come Quickly"
As Luther notes, Psalm 13 is a psalm of prayer against sorrow or saddness, even against the devil himself.
Read this psalm and think to yourself what saddness this world has brought to you, your family, friends etc.
Now consider the prayer that follows. By Christ's "Incarnation," assuming human flesh, our Lord Jesus voluntarily endured our saddness, sorrows and sin by becoming sin, sorrow and saddness Himself.
As we approach the season of Lent we will be greeted by Jesus' temptation by Satan in the wilderness. (Matthew 4:1-11) Truly there we see One who was so willing to bring us comfort for our earthly sorrows and saddness that He specifically came to this earth to be tempted, tested, tried and even killed. He did this because He not only wanted you to be comforted in your sorrows, but by His steadfast love seen clearly through cross and empty tomb, He won for you everlasting life in heaven.
Sorrows in this life will come. But stronger than our sorrows, our Lord has come to wipe every sorrow from our midst. On that great and glorious day He will usher us into the land where sorrow is gone, sin and saddness unheard of and only true joy will be found.
Until that day, the Church on earth prays: "Come Lord Jesus, Come Quickly"
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Psalm 9
Welcome Back! Or should I say, "I'm Back!"
I pray that your Christmastide was full of Christ and no other. I am happy to finally get back to the blogspot and able to carry on with our Psalm study.
Unfortunately, I lost a comment sent to us by the editor of our book. It was submitted by ScotK. I glanced at the post and then it was gone and I don't know where it ran off too! If you see this, please send it again for all of our readers to see!
Now then, on with our study. So far, some of our Psalms, or portions of the Psalms, have been familair to us. Now we will take up Psalm 9 which represents a less familair Psalm and a longer one at that.
Read Luther's comments and Psalm 9 devotionally this week.
Note how often judicial terms are used in this Psalm: Righteous Judgement, Justice, Judges, righteousness, uprightness, enthroned etc.
These terms in the OT help us understand another judicial term: Justification. Do you remember the importance of this word? You may look the word "Justification" up in your Small Catechism and see what you find. Is it there?
What do all of these words have to do with our God? And, how does a proper understanding of the term Justification help us to appreciate this and other portions of Scripture?
I pray that your Christmastide was full of Christ and no other. I am happy to finally get back to the blogspot and able to carry on with our Psalm study.
Unfortunately, I lost a comment sent to us by the editor of our book. It was submitted by ScotK. I glanced at the post and then it was gone and I don't know where it ran off too! If you see this, please send it again for all of our readers to see!
Now then, on with our study. So far, some of our Psalms, or portions of the Psalms, have been familair to us. Now we will take up Psalm 9 which represents a less familair Psalm and a longer one at that.
Read Luther's comments and Psalm 9 devotionally this week.
Note how often judicial terms are used in this Psalm: Righteous Judgement, Justice, Judges, righteousness, uprightness, enthroned etc.
These terms in the OT help us understand another judicial term: Justification. Do you remember the importance of this word? You may look the word "Justification" up in your Small Catechism and see what you find. Is it there?
What do all of these words have to do with our God? And, how does a proper understanding of the term Justification help us to appreciate this and other portions of Scripture?
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