Saul, the Spear, and the Disarmed Rulers
The link below is an article I contributed to the Calvary Chapel blog on literary motif in the Saul narratives of 1 Samuel. Continue reading Saul, the Spear, and the Disarmed Rulers
Psalms 34-41: The Deliverance of the King
Introduction In The Sixth Sense—you know, that “I see dead people” movie—the film is notably different the first time one watches it versus every subsequent viewing. The movie follows Dr. Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis), a child physiologist who suffered a gun wound from a former patient, as he treats Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment), a young boy suffering from what appears to be a tendency toward self harm and schizophrenia. The movie’s first twist comes when Crowe realizes that, rather than experiencing a mental illness, Sear can both see and speak with the dead. The second twist (spoiler alert) is … Continue reading Psalms 34-41: The Deliverance of the King
Psalms 25-33: The Righteous King on the Holly Hill pt. 2
Read Part one of “Psalms 25-33: The Righteous King on the Holly Hill” HERE A Flood of Justice (Ps. 29-30) Up to this point, this movement, in addition to the theme of confession, has featured enemies (Ps. 25:19; 26:9-10; 27:2-3, 6, 11-12). The poet petitions God not to “sweep my soul away with sinners, more my life with bloodthirsty men” (Ps. 26:9; ESV), and there is the repeated resolve to “wait for” for and “hope in” (Ps. 25:3, 5, 21; 27:14). The psalmist’s waiting pays off when Psalm 29 comes, as God answers his prayer not to be “swept away.” … Continue reading Psalms 25-33: The Righteous King on the Holly Hill pt. 2
Psalms 25-33: The Righteous King on the Holy Hill pt. 1
Introduction It would be difficult, dare I say impossible, to measure up to the portrait of the divine king Psalm 24, and yet that is precisely what Psalms 25-33 is about. This collection features the human king who longs to uphold the requirements of the holy hill: to have “clean” hands, speak truthfully, lift his soul to God, and walk in faithfulness. Though this is a noble desire, the psalmist knows that he is a far cry from actualizing this ideal. Therefore, Psalms 25-33 features, in the face of danger and the pursuit of enemies, the confession of sin, the … Continue reading Psalms 25-33: The Righteous King on the Holy Hill pt. 1
Psalms 15-24: Who Shall Ascend? pt. 2
If you have not read part 1 of “Psalm 15-24: Who Shall Ascend?”, you can find it HERE. Passing Through Death: Prayer and Response (Pss. 20-21) After a central meditation on the qualifications of God-ordained kingship (Ps. 19), we have a second triplet of poems (with Psalms 20-21 functioning as a joint unit). In contrast to Psalms 16-18 which first anticipates a passing through death and culminate in rescue from near death, Psalms 20-23 seems to narrate the actual experience of death. First, inspired by Psalms 16-18 and coming out of the central “word of the LORD” poem (Ps. 19), … Continue reading Psalms 15-24: Who Shall Ascend? pt. 2
Psalms 15-24: Who Shall Ascend? pt. 1
Introduction (Pss. 15, 19) The collection of psalms which span Psalms 15-24 are concerned with answering a question: who is capable of dwelling on the mountain of God? In fact, this whole collection is framed by this question, creating a fitting introduction and conclusion to the movement (Pss. 15:1; 24:3). The psalmist does not simply speak about a hike up a mountain; it is about kingship. Remember, Psalm 2 introduces the reader to God’s king when God says, “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill” (Ps. 2:6, ESV). It is to this hill, the … Continue reading Psalms 15-24: Who Shall Ascend? pt. 1
Psalms 10-14: The Wicked and Their Imagination
Introduction After a collection of psalms oriented around Absalom’s Rebellion (Pss. 3-9), we come to a movement of poems focused on the attitude of the “wicked.” Psalms 10-14 are framed by a similar sentiment: there is no God who will hold the wicked accountable for their actions (Pss. 10:4, 6, 11, 13; 14:1). This, of course, is the thought held by the evildoers who are featured in this collection, and the progression of psalms reveal both the response of the sufferer and of God to human wickedness. Does God See? (Pss. 10-11) Psalm 10 opens with the sufferer questioning why … Continue reading Psalms 10-14: The Wicked and Their Imagination
Psalms 3-9: Absolam’s Rebellion
Introduction After the introduction (Pss. 1-2), the first movement in the book of Psalms spans Psalms 3-9. We see a bracketing off of these psalms by means of the superscriptions at the head of each poem. It should be noted that these superscriptions are not the addition of a translator, but they are a part of the Holy Scripture itself. Therefore, these superscription are divinely inspired parts of the book which offer structural indicators intended by the original author. By attending to them, we are afforded a fresh, insightful perspective into how the manifold poems in the Psalms tell a … Continue reading Psalms 3-9: Absolam’s Rebellion
Psalms 38-40 pt. 1
With this post we begin a meditation on a series of poems: Psalms 38-40. These poems are so interconnected that, I’m convinced, we can’t fully appreciate one on its own without taking a step back and admiring the three together. In these three psalms we see a progression King David passes through. We see a man who passes from the agony of personal suffering, agony he connects in some way with his own sin, through the harrowing experience of wondering, “how long must I endure this suffering,” and onward into the heights of praise that comes when our God acts … Continue reading Psalms 38-40 pt. 1
Review: Clothed with Strength: Women Who Built the Church and Changed the World by Sarah Allen
I frequently forget how much I enjoy biographies until I read one. In her recent book, Clothed with Strength: Women Who Built the Church and Changed the World, Sarah Allen writes mini biographies of four women: Rebecca Protten, Hannah More, Ellen Ranyard, and Josephine Butler. Spanning from the 1700-1800’s, these remarkable women served Christ in various ways. These include missionary work in the Americas, educating working class people, serving the spiritual needs of the poor, and various facets of social reform. Clothed with Strength Part 1 tells the story of Rebecca Protten. Protten’s mother was a black slave and her … Continue reading Review: Clothed with Strength: Women Who Built the Church and Changed the World by Sarah Allen
Nephy Style 