“that they might keep his precepts and observe his laws. Praise the LORD”
– Psalm 105:45
Hi James and Ellen,
What is it about poetry that you do or do not like? Psalm 105 is a poem. A Levi tribal clan guy scribed this psalm poem. The Levi tribal clan guy scribed his psalm poem to be read by a guy from the Levi tribal clan during a religious festival – such as the Feast of Weeks or the Feast of Tabernacles, that God expected His specially chosen guys and gals to celebrate. The Levi tribal clan guy scribed his psalm poem as an exhortation to God’s specially chosen guys and gals that they faithfully worship and unconditionally trust in God. 40 of the 45 two line verses of this psalm poem that a Levi tribal clan guy scribed summarizes about 700 years of history that is specific to the Israelite people group guys and gals – who are God’s specially chosen guys and gals. The Levi tribal clan author of this psalm poem begins his psalm poem by admonishing his Israelite compatriots to always offer up thanks to God, to always call on God’s name no matter what the circumstance is and to always make God’s name known among all the other people groups. The Levi tribal clan author of this psalm poem – in the second verse of his psalm poem, charges his Israelite family members to be always singing praises to God and to be always telling their kids about God’s amazing acts. The Levi tribal clan author of this psalm poem – in the third and fourth verses of his psalm poem, instructs his Israelite kin to always glory in God’s name, to always let their hearts rejoice as they bask in God’s presence, to always rely on God’s strength to help them and to always seek God’s face. The Levi tribal clan author of this psalm poem – in the fifth verse of his psalm poem, reminds his Israelite companions to never forget all the wonders and miracles that God has done for them as well as all the judgments that He has pronounced on them.
The sixth verse begins with the Levi tribal clan author of this psalm poem going over the claim that God has on the Israelite people group guys and gals as being His specially chosen guys and gals. The Levi tribal clan author of this psalm poem begins with Abraham and the sworn covenant that the God gave him then which God swore as an oath with Abraham’s kid – who was Isaac, and then which God reconfirmed as a decree with Isaac’s kid – who was Jacob, that the land area of Canaan – which Abraham settled, would always remain for a thousand generations with his extended family. The Levi tribal clan author of this psalm poem then recalls Jacob’s kid – who was Joseph, having become the catalyst – after he was sold into slavery in the country of Egypt, for the Israelite people group’s numerical growth. The Levi tribal clan author of this psalm poem chose Joseph to be his hero in his psalm poem. Per the Levi tribal clan author of this psalm poem, Joseph was taken to the country of Egypt with a bruised body and ego, his feet in shackles and his neck in an iron. Because of what God led to happen, Joseph became known for his insights into dreams and integrity as a leader. To pave the way for the Israelite people group to grow exponentially, God had Joseph be raised up to be an Egyptian ruler, an instructor of Egyptian princes and a teacher of wisdom for Egyptian elders while at the same time God brought on a stoppage of rain throughout the land area of Canaan as well as in the country of Egypt. When God was ready for the Israelite people group guys and gals to move back to Abraham’s land – the land of Canaan, God sent plagues until the Egyptian Pharaoh had become persuaded to let Moses lead the Israelite people group guys and gal out of his land. The Levi tribal clan author of this psalm poem picked seven of the ten plagues to mention in his psalm poem. The other God-driven extraordinary interventions that the Levi tribal clan author of this psalm poem mentions in his psalm poem includes the cloud that God sent to cover His specially chosen guys and gals during the day as they began their trek to the land area of Canaan and the fire that He sent to give them light when they marched at night, the quail and bread – or manna, from heaven, which God gave His specially chosen guys and gals to eat and the rock out of which God caused water to gush out of for His specially chosen guys and gals to drink. Why do you think that God did all this for a specific people group of guys and gals? Verse 45 says, “that they might keep his precepts and observe his laws. Praise the LORD.”
When your grandmaa and grandpaa lived in Colorado Springs, they went to Mountain Springs Church. The pastor of Mountain Springs Church was Steve Holt. Your grandpaa listened today to the message that Steve Holt preached two weeks ago. Steve Holt saying in his message that Christianity is today a religion that is no different than other recognized religions really resonated with your grandpaa. What your grandpaa heard Steve Holt say and which your grandpaa agrees with is that being a Jesus-follower or Christ-follower is not professing a religion; it is confessing a relationship. Steve Holt in his message asserts that every religion is driven by sets of rules involving giving money, praying, obeying, faith effort, works, etc. while a Jesus-follower or a Christ-follower relationship is always driven by God. The belief paradigm that Moses received from God – as God the Father, on Mount Sinai for His specially chosen guys and gals was loaded with rules and regulations while the new belief paradigm that God has first His specially elected guys, gals and kids is to have them sacrificing their lives unconditionally to Him to use for whatever He desires. Internalized hope will take over when God – without thinking, is credited for everything.
Psalm 105 (1059)