Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

• “You who fear-him” - ‘These God-fearers’ were believers in Yahweh from the surrounding nations and would bless the Lord from the court of the Gentiles. Paul was nearly killed by a Jewish mob in Jerusalem because they mistakenly thought he had brought Gentiles into the court of the Israelites: “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple area and defiled this holy place.” (Acts 21:28) The miracle of the New Testament era is that all racial and ancestral distinctions of closeness to God have been broken; we each have equal access to God and his Most Holy Place through Christ his son and the grace of the Holy Spirit! “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” (Heb. 10:19-22)

1 Scroggie 2 Kraus 3 Scroggie 4 Keil & Delitzsch 5 Kraus 6 Keil & Delitzsch

7 Scroggie 8 Scroggie

PSALM 136: HIS FAITHFUL LOVE ENDURES FOREVER God’s Favorite Song

This psalm, known in Jewish Liturgy as the ‘Great Hallal’, 1 was the favored song of Israel that was sung both at the dedication of Solomon’s Temple and the rebuilt temple in the days of Ezra. ‘It contains nothing but praise. It is tuned to rapture, and can only be fully enjoyed by a devoutly grateful heart.’ 2 Its theme is the merciful love of God that motivated him to create the heavens and the earth, redeem Is- rael from Egypt, give them the promise land and deliver them from their captivity in Babylon. The psalm is an antiphonal song with a singer or the Levites singing the first half of the verse and the congrega- tion responding with: “His faithful love endures forever.” 3 The response is repeated 26 times which is the numerical equivalent of YAWEH, (YHWH) the Hebrew name that is most used for God in the Old Tes- tament. The wonders of his mercy and love are woven into the fabric of his eternal name.

Y Yodh

#10 in the Hebrew alphabet.

H He #5 W Waw #6 H He #5

_____ 26

It is outlined in four sections:

I THE SUN TO RULE THE DAY - 1-9

Creation

II STRONG HAND AND POWERFUL ARM - 10-16 III STRUCK DOWN MIGHTY KINGS - 17-22

Deliverance

Conquest

IV SAVED FROM OUR ENEMIES - 23-26

Mercy

I

THE SUN TO RULE THE DAY - 1-9

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords. His faithful love endures forever.” (1-3)

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