http://www.dignoscentia.com/2007/05/19/psalm-78-the-bigger-picture/ the power to discern Mon, 08 Sep 2008 02:27:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 http://www.dignoscentia.com/2007/05/19/psalm-78-the-bigger-picture/#comment-7319 Dignoscentia » Archive » Psalm 81: plenty of unheeded warning Sun, 16 Sep 2007 18:41:20 +0000 http://www.dignoscentia.com/2007/05/19/psalm-78-the-bigger-picture/#comment-7319 [...] I’m not sure whether the author of the psalm refers to the present or the past when he talks about the nation of Israel. I’m leaning toward the present — well, present for the author, not for us. Either way, this psalm, in particular verses 6-16, can be seen as a response from God to prayers like those in psalms 78, 79 and 80. Is it any wonder that the peoples’ prayers go unanswered when their behavior — and that of the nation as a whole — does not change? How can one expect favor from God when they show that they hate him through their behavior, as verse 15 says: “Those who hate Yahweh would woo His favour.” [...] [...] I’m not sure whether the author of the psalm refers to the present or the past when he talks about the nation of Israel. I’m leaning toward the present — well, present for the author, not for us. Either way, this psalm, in particular verses 6-16, can be seen as a response from God to prayers like those in psalms 78, 79 and 80. Is it any wonder that the peoples’ prayers go unanswered when their behavior — and that of the nation as a whole — does not change? How can one expect favor from God when they show that they hate him through their behavior, as verse 15 says: “Those who hate Yahweh would woo His favour.” [...]

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