About Psalm 19, what we found

Here are some of the comments we found on Thursday:

1. The Church teaches that God created the universe by His word, according to His wisdom. Does this concept appear in Psalm 19?
   1. Bob R.: I see it all over.
2. The second half of the psalm describes the Torah. Is there something in the first half that describes Jesus or the Gospel?
   1. Bob R.:Jesus the Bridegroom
   2. Dave: the tabernacle, pitching the tent for the sun
   3. Ken: the Word created the universe; also, the message going out over the earth is like the mission to evangelize.
3. Is there something about the message of Jesus that is inescapable to any man, woman or child, something that no man escapes?
   1. Ken: You cannot hide from the truth.
   2. Jim: How about, "No man comes to the Father except through me," for something everyone must experience?
   3. Al: The prophet Jeremiah recalled the Lord's vocation, "Before you were born, I knew you," something God could say to anyone.
   4. Jim: Spell it sun or son, it makes no difference.
4. The precepts or statutes of the Lord lead to rejoicing of the heart, but federal and state statutes are about crimes and misdemeanors, so how can the Lord's statutes lead to rejoicing?
   1. Ken: Holy fear leads to perfection and joy.

We had an excellent session.

Hebrew letters for the Lord's encouragement, "Fear not, for I am with you."

Next Thursday, Psalm 128, a mighty psalm, one of the greatest of all.

Thursday, Sept. 27, Psalm 19

Today we will ascend to greatness and consider Psalm 19. Here are a few study questions.

1. The Church teaches that God created the universe by His word, according to His wisdom. Does this concept appear in Psalm 19?
2. The second half of the psalm describes the Torah. Is there something in the first half that describes Jesus or the Gospel?
3. Is there something about the message of Jesus that is inescapable to any man, woman or child, something that no man escapes?
4. Does Jesus' view of the Torah lead to the conversion of souls?
5. The precepts or statutes of the Lord lead to rejoicing of the heart, but federal and state statutes are about crimes and misdemeanors, so how can the Lord's statutes lead to rejoicing? And by the way, how many statutes are on the books of the Lord?
6. WHAT THE --?! Fear endures forever? That does not seem quite right -- or does it?
7. In Acts 3, St. Peter with St. John mentions gold and silver by the "Beautiful Gate" of the temple. How does that series of events relate to God's judgements?
8. To whom will the Day of Judgement be sweet? To whom will it be bitter?
9. What makes sins hard to "detect," hard to comprehend?
10. What was the worst, most horrendous sin ever committed? Is it possible for a man to be complicit with that sin, even now?
11. How would Peter, the Rock, have prayed this psalm?

Let's have some coffee and talk it over, seeing deeper into the perfect Torah of freedom.

Psalm 54, one of the great Psalms

Last Thursday, we looked into Psalm 54, one of the great Psalms, asking these questions. A few comments follow.

1. David, as God called him, ‘a man after my own heart,’ wrote Psalm 54 in time of danger. How does this psalm show God’s heart?
2. The time of danger was mentioned in 1 Sam. 23:19 etc., when David (anointed in 1 Sam 16) was betrayed to Saul by the Ziphites. Was this similar to a time in Jesus’ life?
3. Ziphim -- meaning sprinkled in the face. How does sprinkling have to do with the Messiah?
   1. St. Hilary of Poitiers: Sprinkling on the face but not on the heart. People offer lip service but not their hearts, ‘they honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.’ This well describes the people who betrayed Jesus.
4. Did God the Father ever defend the cause of Jesus or vindicate Jesus in some way?
   1. Ken: Yes, especially at the resurrection and ascension.
5. Notice that David asks to be judged or defended by God’s strength and power, not by his mercy. Takes guts to do that. Most men would ask for mercy. Why does David ask for power?
6. Are the words of your mouth perfect and acceptable to God?
7. How does the voice of David change from v. 5 to v. 6?
   1. St. Hilary of Poitiers: it sets out the result of a heard prayer.
8. ‘They have not set God before their eyes,’ is visual, and Hilary says it is balanced by the foes having been turned back. Does this relate to the Exodus?
   1. Yes. It is like God casting a glance into the camp of the Egyptians, causing panic. Cf., Ex. 14:24. Also, the great Jewish commentator Rashi comments on Ex. 14:24.
9. David says that, in the end, he looked down on his enemies, probably from a lofty cliff or knoll in the hills. How does Jesus look down on His enemies?

The greatest psalms

We will begin a 6 week study of the greatest of all the psalms. We will follow the mighty footsteps of David and Solomon, who were themselves walking toward the Lamb.

James, chapter 6

This morning we will study up the 6th chapter of James. A few of the following questions might help our reading and discussions:

1. What is the most important concept in the first five chapters, in your opinion.
2. Which shows greater contempt, flattery or quarreling?
3. The sacrament of anointing with oil, does it have the effect of remission of sins?
4. Does the gift of wisdom correspond to the seventh beatitude?
5. Is there mercy and justice in each of God’s works, or sometimes justice and at other times mercy?

As always, we want to view God's perfect Torah of freedom in each of the scriptures He has sent to us.