Psalms
The Greek "psalmos" translates the Hebrew "mizmor." The especially erudite among you already know what the word means: "To pluck." Yes, to pluck, as in to pluck a stringed instrument.See, the Jews had a songbook of their own, but it didn't go up to 728B. We have 150 of them collected in our Old Testament and what I wouldn't give to hear them as they were really sung. With David on lead vocals and the Sons of Korah supplying backup. With the lutes and the flutes and the lyres and the cymbals. And the dancing! Oh, I want to see the dancing too!
I know, I know. Jesus came and did away with the old law and proclaimed, "Thou shalt no longer sing with accompaniment." Maybe God had heard one too many drum solo, who knows? All I know for sure is this: This paragraph drips with sarcasm.
God loved hearing His people lift the psalms to Him, even the lamentations. He loves hearing His people lift their voices to Him, even 728B. God loves hearing guitarists pluck their strings for Him, even Greg. God loves psalms, hymns, and contemporary Christian rock. God loves to be praised.
As my summer winds down, as I head back to work, as I get ready to teach just three more classes in my summer series...as my niece and nephew head off to ACU this week and my new students get ready to face their fears, namely MY class...as I catch up on blogs and settle back into a routine that helps me write more...as the days get shorter and Hollywood runs out of "threequels" and I try to remember just what a polynomial is...as my son (*sob*) starts kindergarten a week from today...as my entire paradigm shifts, whatever that means, I ask you this:
What psalms do you love?
posted by Thurman8er @ 12:20 PM
9 Comments:
My favorite psalm is, without a doubt, Psalm 51:10: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." It's a prayer that I need to pray daily as I strive to be a child that God can be proud of.
And it speaks to the Lutheran in me. There's such a wonderful comfort in the psalms and prayers that are a part of the liturgy.
Twinmommy beat me to it - Ps.51:10. When I was being introduced to Christian Rock music in the early 80's, Keith Green had a song out that had this verse in it.
I, too, would love to hear the psalms as they were originally sung. Hope you have the best school year ever!
My current top ten . . . 25, 33, 51, 90, 93, 95, 103, 104, 131, 133
Oh! And Psalm 5: "Give ear to my words, O God. Consider my meditation." It encourages me that God wants to hear what we have to say... He really, truly does want us to talk to Him!
Psalm 138. The psalm speaks for itself.
Steve, what was your favorite threequel for this summer?
My favorite is "Bourne Ultimatum"? It probably has one of the best on foot chase scene in the history of cinema.
I've been stuck in Isaiah 40 lately. Hmm. Psalms 34 (taste and see!) and 113. And many others.
My bible's pink ribbon has a permanent place on the torn, well-worn page of Psa. 139 - the comforting, ultimate "God-Knowing" affirmation of divine poetry.
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