praising

February 6, 2019

He built a synagogue (Lk 7:5-7:5)

“This centurion loves

Our people.

He built us

Our synagogue.”

 

ἀγαπᾷ γὰρ τὸ ἔθνος ἡμῶν καὶ τὴν συναγωγὴν αὐτὸς ᾠκοδόμησεν ἡμῖν.

 

Luke uniquely said that these Jewish elders continued praising this centurion, who loved the Jewish people, their people (ἀγαπᾷ γὰρ τὸ ἔθνος ἡμῶν).  He had built a synagogue for them (καὶ τὴν συναγωγὴν αὐτὸς ᾠκοδόμησεν ἡμῖν).  There were many instances of Roman soldiers adopting the religious practices of the people where they were staying.  However, building a synagogue seems a bit much.  It may have led to better community relations.  Although he was not Jewish, this centurion had been very favorable to the Jewish people by helping them build a new synagogue.  There was no mention of this synagogue in the Matthew story about the centurion.  Would you be favorable to a religion not your own?

January 23, 2019

Glorifying God (Lk 5:25-5:25)

“Immediately,

The paralytic stood up

Before them.

He took

What he had been

Lying on.

He went to his home.

He was glorifying God.”

 

καὶ παραχρῆμα ἀναστὰς ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν, ἄρας ἐφ’ ὃ κατέκειτο, ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ δοξάζων τὸν Θεόν.

 

The paralyzed man did exactly what Jesus told him to do.  He got up and went to his home.  Jesus had forgiven this man his sins and at the same time cured him of paralysis.  Normally, the power to forgive sins was what only God could do.  Luke said that this paralytic stood up before them (καὶ παραχρῆμα ἀναστὰς ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν).  He took his bed that he had been lying on (ἄρας ἐφ’ ὃ κατέκειτο) and went home (ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ).  At the same time, he was glorifying or praising God (δοξάζων τὸν Θεόν).  Mark, chapter 2:12, and Matthew, chapter 9:7-8, are similar to Luke, so that Mark might be the source of this saying.  Mark said that the paralyzed man did exactly as Jesus had told him to do.  He stood up and immediately took his pallet bed in front of everybody.  Jesus had forgiven this man’s sins and cured him of paralysis.  How was the power to forgive sins, which only God could do, related to his healing powers?  How were these powers related?

December 26, 2018

Multitude of angels (Lk 2:13-2:13)

“Suddenly,

There was

With this angel

A multitude

Of the heavenly host.

They were

Praising God.”

 

καὶ ἐξαίφνης ἐγένετο σὺν τῷ ἀγγέλῳ πλῆθος στρατιᾶς οὐρανίου αἰνούντων τὸν Θεὸν

 

Luke said that suddenly (καὶ ἐξαίφνης), a whole choir or a heavenly host of angels came to join this one angel (ἐγένετο σὺν τῷ ἀγγέλῳ πλῆθος στρατιᾶς οὐρανίου).  They were all praising God (αἰνούντων τὸν Θεὸν).  This one angel became a multitude of angels.

August 20, 2017

The fingers writing on the wall (Dan 5:5-5:5)

“Immediately,

The fingers

Of a human hand

Appeared.

These fingers

Began writing

On the plaster

Of the wall

Of the king’s palace,

Next to the lampstand.

The king

Was watching

The hand

As it wrote.”

Immediately, as they began to drink from the sacred vessels from the Jerusalem Temple, praising the various Babylonian gods, the fingers of a human hand appeared. These fingers of this strange hand started writing on the plaster wall of the king’s palace, next to the lampstand. The king watched as this mysterious hand wrote on the wall.

August 12, 2017

Let the earthly waters bless God (Dan 3:55-3:57)

“Bless the Lord!

You springs!

Sing praise to him!

Highly exalt him forever!   

Bless the Lord!

Seas!

Rivers!

Sing praise to him!

Highly exalt him forever!   

Bless the Lord!

You whales!

All that swim

In the waters!

Sing praise to him!

Highly exalt him forever!” 

The 3 men continued their hymn of praise. This time, they wanted the earthly waters, and all that live in them, to bless the Lord by praising and exalting him. The division of the waters was into springs, seas, and rivers, since there was never any thought of an ocean. However, the one fish that they do mention is a whale.

August 10, 2017

The three companions pray together (Dan 3:28-3:28)

“Then the three,

With one voice,

Praised,

Glorified,

Blessed God

In the furnace.”

After this brief description about the events in the furnace, this prayer then continued with all 3 companions together, not just Azariah. All 3 of them, Azariah, called Abednego, Shadrach who was Hananiah, and Meshach, originally Mishael, prayed together in the furnace, blessing, praising, and glorifying God.

September 3, 2016

A new victory song (Isa 42:10-42:13)

“Sing to Yahweh a new song!

Sing of his praise

From the ends of the earth!

Let the sea roar!

Let all that fills it roar!

Let the coastlands roar!

Let their inhabitants roar!

Let the desert lift up its voice!

Let its towns lift up their voice!

Let the villages that Kedar inhabits

Lift up their voice!

Let the inhabitants of Sela sing for joy!

Let them shout

From the top of the mountains!      

Let them give glory to Yahweh!

Let them declare his praise in the coastlands!

Yahweh goes forth

Like a soldier.

Like a warrior,

He stirs up his fury.

He cries out!

He shouts aloud!

He shows himself mighty

Against his foes.”

This section of Second Isaiah is like a hymn, a song, a psalm, a new victory chant to a victorious Yahweh, instead of an admonition directly from him as in the preceding section. They were to sing a new song to Yahweh praising him from the ends of the earth. The seas and everything in it should roar. The coastline with its inhabitants should roar praise for Yahweh. The desert and its towns should roar with praise for Yahweh. Even the Kedar Arab tribe and its villages should lift up their voices. Sela, the capital of Edom, and its inhabitants should also sing for joy. They should all shout from the mountain tops to give glory to the Lord, so that even the coastlands can hear it. The soldier Yahweh was a great furious warrior who cried out and shouted aloud as he showed his might against his enemies. This clearly was a military victory chant because of mighty Yahweh.

December 3, 2015

Prayer to save Israel (Ps 106:47-106:47)

“Save us,

Yahweh!

Our God!

Gather us from among the nations!

Thus we may give thanks to your holy name!

Thus we may glory in your praise!”

This is an obvious cry from the captivity when the Israelites were scattered into various Middle Eastern countries. The psalmist wants Yahweh, his God, to save them so that they might give thanks to his holy name and glory in praising God. However, there is no reason why they cannot praise and glory God in the time of their exile. It is however, inconvenient for them.

December 1, 2015

Sinners in Egypt (Ps 106:6-106:12)

“Both we with our ancestors have sinned.

We have committed iniquity.

We have done wickedly.

Our ancestors,

When they were in Egypt,

Did not consider

Your wonderful works.

They did not remember

The abundance of your steadfast love.

But they rebelled

Against the Most High

At the Red Sea.

Yet Yahweh saved them for his name’s sake.

Thus he would make known his mighty power.

He rebuked the Red Sea.

Then it became dry.

He led them through the deep

As through a desert.

He saved them from the hand of the foe.

He delivered them from the hand of the enemy.

The waters covered their adversaries.

Not one of them was left.

Then they believed his words.

They sang his praise.”

The psalmist associates himself with his ancestors in Egypt who doubted Yahweh with iniquity and wickedness. His ancestors did not realize the wonderful work that Yahweh was doing. They never understood the steadfast love of Yahweh. Thus they rebelled against the Most High God before crossing the Red Sea. However, Yahweh saved them so that they could go forth and proclaim his name. Yahweh made the Red Sea dry. Then they passed through it like it was a desert instead of a sea. They were saved from the hands of their foes and enemies. In fact, their adversaries were covered in water so that no was left. After this the Israelites believed in his words and sang praising his name.