Old Testament - Psalms 110, 116, 117, 118, 119 - August 23, 2002

 8/23/2022 – Psalms 110, 116, 117, 118

Psalm 110 is one of the psalms written by David. It is one that is difficult for me to understand. As I tried to find more information about this psalm I found this paragraph: “This is a very old psalm. Today, Bible students are not sure what many of the verses really mean. But it is a very important psalm. Jesus repeated part of it just before his enemies killed him. He was talking to the Pharisees, who were Jewish leaders. He asked them what they thought about the Christ. Christ is the Greek word for messiah. Messiah is the Hebrew word for "anointed". Anointed means "someone with oil poured over them". The oil came from plants called olives. It was not the oil that we use in our cars. The Jews anointed men when they made them kings. So "Christ" really means a king that someone has anointed.”

I also found this at www.easyenglish.bible: 

Psalm 110

“(This is) a Psalm of David.

v1   The LORD spoke to my Lord.

  "Sit on the right of me until I put your enemies under your feet", he said.

v2   The LORD will send your great power out from Zion.

  You will rule over all the enemies that are round about you.

v3   When you fight your enemies, your people will give you help.

  In the early morning (on the day of battle),

  your young people will be there, on the hills (round Zion).

v4   The LORD has made a special promise. He will not change it.

  "You will always be a priest, as Melchizedek was", (he said).

v5   The Lord is standing on the right of you.

  When he gets angry, he will destroy kings!

v6   He will be the judge of all the nations.

  There will be many dead people.

  He will destroy kings over all the earth.

v7   He will drink from the stream at the side of the road.

  And so, he will lift up his head.”

As I read this, I feel that He will always be available to us, as long as we keep our side of our connection with Him. The Lord knows our beginning and our end. 

We don’t know the writer of a Psalm 116, but he does write beautifully in v’s 8-9 and 16: “For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.” “O Lord, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds.”

Psalm 117 is a psalm of praise: “O praise the Lord, all ye nations; praise him, all ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord.”

Psalm 118 is about His mercy. V 6: “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me” and the writer goes on to encourage us that trusting in the Lord is the best way to go forward in life. (v 8-9)  “The Lord is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.” (v14)

Psalm 119 is long. Its main focus is that the Lord blesses those who keep His laws. V’s 8-9: “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.” V 14 “The Lord is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.” V 19 “Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord.” “Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that see him with the whole heart.” 

Our relationship with the Lord should not be casual.  This makes me think of my prayers in the temple: “Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.”  And a verse which makes me think of our missionary efforts: “Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.”  And then there are the verses that I call ‘Prayers for righteousness and prayer based on commitment: “Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statues; and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea I shall observe it with my whole heart. Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way. Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear. Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good. Behold I have longed after they precepts: quicken me I thy righteousness.”  And he expresses some of the thoughts I have, especially during the sacrament: “I thought on my ways and turned my feet unto they testimonies. I made haste and delayed not to keep thy commandments….” And then there are the blessings of obedience: “I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts….Through thy precepts I get understanding”.  “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

And a tender prayer: “Order my steps in thy word; and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.”  And a wonderful promise and our protection against offenses: “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.”


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