his foes

July 4, 2016

The anger of Yahweh (Isa 1:24-1:25)

“Therefore,

The Sovereign,

Yahweh of hosts,

The Mighty One of Israel

Says.

‘O!

I will pour out my wrath

On my enemies!

I will avenge myself

On my foes!

I will turn my hand

Against you!

I will smelt away your dross

As with lye!

I will remove your entire alloy!’”

Now we have another oracle of Yahweh, the sovereign, Mighty One of Israel, via Isaiah. Yahweh, in the first person singular, was going to pour out his wrath on his enemies and bring revenge on his foes. He also was going to turn his hand against his own people by melting them down with lye so that they would be noting but worthless scum dross. He was going to take away all their alloys. This is an interesting description of God taking the Israelites apart.

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April 1, 2016

The Lord prepares for the battle (Wis 5:17-5:20)

“The Lord will take his zeal

As his whole armor.

He will arm all creation

To repel his enemies.

He will put on righteousness

As a breastplate.

He will wear impartial justice

As a helmet.

He will take holiness

As an invincible shield.

He will sharpen stern wrath

For a sword.

Creation will join with him

To fight against his frenzied foes.”

The Lord will prepare for this battle against the unjust. His zeal will be his armor. All creation will join him against his enemies. His breastplate will be righteousness. His helmet will be impartial justice. Holiness will be his shield. His sword will be his stern anger. Once again, all of creation will join with the Lord to fight his foes.

December 17, 2015

Yahweh is righteous (Ps 119:137-119:144)

Cade

“You are righteous!

Yahweh!

Your judgments are right.

You have appointed your decrees in righteousness.

You have appointed your decrees in all faithfulness.

My zeal consumes me.

Because my foes forget your words.

Your promise is well tried.

Your servant loves it.

I am small.

I am despised.

Yet I do not forget your precepts.

Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness.

Your law is the truth.

Trouble has come upon me.

Anguish has come upon me,

However your commandments are my delight.

Your decrees are righteous forever.

Give me understanding!

Thus I may live.”

The psalmist declared that Yahweh was righteous. His judgments and decrees were righteous and faithful. The zeal of the psalmist consumed him when he found out that his foes had forgotten the words of Yahweh. He, the servant of Yahweh, loved the decrees. Although he was small and despised, he never forgot the precepts of Yahweh. Yahweh’s righteousness was everlasting because his law was the truth. Even though he was in trouble and anguish, the psalmist delighted in Yahweh’s commandments. All he asked for was understanding, so that he might live. So ends this section on the eighteenth consonant letter of the Hebrew alphabet, Cade.

December 5, 2015

The trial (Ps 109:6-109:7)

“They say.

‘Appoint a wicked man against him.

Let an accuser stand on his right.

When he is tried,

Let him be found guilty.

Let his prayer be counted as sin!’”

They wanted to put David on trial. They wanted a wicked man to stand up against him. When he would be tried, he was expected to be found guilty. Even his prayer would be counted as a sin for him. This would seem to indicate that his foes were fellow Israelites who were wicked.

September 6, 2015

Praise to Yahweh (Ps 30:1-30:3)

“A psalm of David, a song at the dedication of the Temple

I will extol you!

Yahweh!

You have drawn me up!

You did not let my foes rejoice over me!

Yahweh!

My God!

I cried to you for help!

You have healed me!

Yahweh!

You have brought up my soul from Sheol!

You restored me to life

From among those gone down to the pit!”

Psalm 30 is another psalm of David, but explicitly mentioned as from the dedication of the Temple. However, the Temple was not completed until the time of King Solomon his son. Thus it is a thanksgiving psalm for the great works of Yahweh. David or this psalmist wanted to extol Yahweh. There was a specific reason for this thanksgiving. David had been healed in some way because his foes or enemies could not rejoice. He had cried for help and Yahweh healed him. He must have been on his death bed because he was brought back from Sheol or the pit, the underworld of death. He was restored to life, almost like a resurrection. He was saved from death.