July 30, 2020, Psalms 140, Acts cont...

What a joyful 140 days Reading the Psalms... thus far, 

The writers of the psalms include, David, Asaph, the sons of Korah, Solomon, Herman, Ethan, Moses and some unknown authors.

The traditional Hebrew title is Tehillim which means praise.

Sometimes it feels as if you are reading similar ideas over and over. The psalms seems to focus on topics common to the Christ follower. 

My list of reoccurring topics.

1. The history of Israel
2. The struggles of Israel
3. Words of instruction
4. David's love for God
5. God's love for man
6. David's' praise and worship to God
7. God's help (where does my help come from)
8. Deliverance out of troubles (Lord heed my voice)
9. Prayer for help in times of need (have mercy on me)
10. It is filled with prophecy
11. A contrast of the wicked and the righteous

NIV Study Bible list of Reoccurring Themes

1. God is the Great King; and executor of justice among humans.
2. He is a defender of the helpless.
3. There is no escaping his scrutiny. 
4. He is the faithful and good judge
5. God's is absolute sovereignty and he will not tolerate any power that opposes, denies, or ignores him. 
6. God will come to rule the nation.
7. God chose David to be his royal representative on the earth.
8. At the core of the theology of the Psalter is the conviction that the gravitational center of life (of human understanding, trust, hope, service, morality, adoration) but also of history and the whole creation is God (Yahweh).

Psalms 140

A psalm of David

Rescue me, Lord, from evil doers; protect me from the violent, who devise evil plans in their hearts and stir up war everyday. They make their tongues as sharp as a serpents the poison of vipers is on their lips. Keep me safe, Lord from the hands of the wicked, protect me from the violent, who devise ways to trip my feet. The arrogant have hidden a snare for me; they have spread out the cords of their net and have set traps for me along my path. I say to the Lord, you are my God. Hear, Lord, my cry for mercy. Sovereign Lord, my strong deliverer, you shield my head in the day of battle. 

Some people love spending long time in prayer and that is beautiful and however sometimes when I pray I say everything on my mind in about five minutes; but as I read the psalms I realize there are so many things to add to my pray. For example: Do not grant the wicked their desires, Lord; do not let their plans succeed. 

I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy.

Rescue me, Lord, from evil doers; protect me from the violent, who devise evil plans in their hearts and stir up war everyday. 

(there are some people who really stir up war everyday; I wonder sometimes do they get tired, do they take breaks from being wicked. Do they take turns. I don't know but I want to be rescued from it and what a great thing to pray.)

I say to the Lord, you are my God. Hear, Lord, my cry for mercy. Sovereign Lord, my strong deliverer, you shield my head in the day of battle.

Acts cont..

Stephen seized

Now Stephen a man full of God's grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freeman (As it was called)-Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as provinces of Cilicia and Aisa-who begun to argue with Stephen. But they could not stand up against the wisdom and Spirit gave him as he spoke. 

The Jews of Cyrene were Diaspora Jews, zealous in their ancestral faith, but much more open-minded and more comfortable with Hellenistic culture and Greek language. It appears that God used them to spearhead deliberate mission of the gospel to the non-Jews.

(God will use these people in a great way!)

This is not related to the passage but this man Simon was from the same area and it has been said that he was a man with dark skin. The Jews are a very special people because sometimes they look different but a real Jewish person understands Jewish culture. In the gospels Simon the Cyrene finds himself crossing paths with Jesus and at this point the Lord is weak and he is told to helped Jesus carry his cross. 

In the passage Stephen is seized by the Jews in Cyrene, The Jews in Alexandria, and the provinces of Cilicia and Asia.

Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, we have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words words against Moses and against God. So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. 

(They stirred up trouble with people with false words and false testimonies).

They produce false witnesses, who testified, "this fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us. All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel. 

Have an awesome Thursday!