Category Archives: Psalms

I have two items for my blog post today about Psalm 143. 1.  I read an article by Richard B. Hays entitled “Psalm 143 and the Logic of Romans 3.”  It appeared in the March 1980 Journal of Biblical Literature. … Continue reading →

For my post on Psalms this week, I will post Psalm 142 in the King James Version (which is in the public domain), then I will briefly comment. 1 Maschil of David; A Prayer when he was in the cave.  … Continue reading →

There are a number of difficult passages in Psalm 141, but, in this post, I want to concentrate on v 5.  In the KJV, the verse reads: “Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him … Continue reading →

Psalm 140:11 states (in the King James Version): “Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.” The Hebrew that the KJV is translating as “evil speaker” is ish lashon, … Continue reading →

Psalm 139:8 states: “If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there” (King James Version). The Hebrew word that the KJV translates as “hell” is Sheol.  In the LXX, … Continue reading →

Psalm 138:2 states (in the KJV): “I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.” What does it mean for God … Continue reading →

Psalm 137 is most likely about the Jews’ exile in Babylon.  The Jews in this Psalm are upset that the Babylonians destroyed their capitol city and their temple, and that the Edomites betrayed them to the Babylonians.  V 9 states: … Continue reading →

Psalm 136:10 states in the King James Version (which is in the public domain): “To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever…” Jimmy Swaggart tries to argue that God’s smiting of the Egyptian firstborn … Continue reading →

Psalm 135:7 includes the statement that God “maketh lightnings for the rain” (KJV).  What does that mean?  In what sense is lightning “for” the rain?  Does lightning facilitate the rain, somehow? In reading various interpreters, I saw that some actually … Continue reading →

Psalm 134 states in the King James Version (which is in the public domain): 1 A Song of degrees.  Behold, bless ye the LORD, all ye servants of the LORD, which by night stand in the house of the LORD. … Continue reading →