The Book of Psalms
The Book of Psalms is the largest and perhaps most widely used book in the Bible. It explores the full range of human experience in a very personal and practical way. Its 150 "songs" run from the Creation through the patriarchal, theocratic, monarchical, exilic, and postexilic periods. The tremendous breadth of subject matter in the Psalms includes diverse topics, such as jubilation, war, peace, worship, judgement, messianic prophecy, praise, and lament. The Psalms were set to the accompaniment of stringed instruments and served as the temple hymnbook and devotional guide for the Jewish people.
The Book of Psalms was gradually collected and originally unnamed, perhaps due to the great variety of material. It came to be known as Sepher Tehillim--"Book of Praises"--because almost every psalm contains some note of praise to God. The Septuagint uses the Greek word Psalmoi as its title for this book, meaning "Poems Sung to the Accompaniment of Musical Instruments." It also calls it the Psalterium ("A Collection of Songs"), and this word is the basis for the term Psalter. The Latin title is Liber Psalmorum, "Book of Psalms."
Day Ten
One generation shall commend your works to another.
Psalm 145: 4
Some plants go in and out of style much like colors in home decor or clothing fashion. Take for instance, hens and chicks (Sempervivum). Thissucculent, very popular in early European times, came into vogue again during our country's "disco era." Hens and chicks , known for its hardiness and versatility, could be planted as groundcover. It could grow indoors as a houseplant. Now it has fallen out of favor again--perhaps because of its amazing ability to reproduce. And reproduce. And reproduce!
In a back corner of my gardening shed not long ago, I found the planter I used for hens and chicks when my children were young. Smilling with memories, I gently rubbed years of grime off the unique planter--a strawberry pot. Of medium size, the pot has five small pockets that protrude at equally spaced intervals all around the outside of the planter.
The hen, or mature plant, is usually planted in the middle of the pot. With a little care and good drainage, the hen soon sprouts little chicks--small replicas of herself. These chicks appear inside the pockets of the planter, and because of the unique design of the strawberry pot, when you water the hen, water runs down through the pockets to water the chicks, as well.
What a great illustration of God's continual grace the Sempervivum is! Semper means "always"; vivo means "i live." Jesus died for us and was raised from the dead, never to die again. He lives forever, and He continually gives the new life of faith to people, one generation after the next, pouring out the life--giving Word from mother to daughter, daughter to grandchild, grandchild to great grandchild, all the while nurturing faith through that same powerful Word.
As you complete this week's topic, "Nutured by Grace," take a moment to reflect:
--Can you name three people who have shared God's grace with you?
How might you thank them or honor their memory?
--Can you think of two or three people you yourself might encourage today with the Good News of God's grace, His undeserved love in the Crucified One? Find a way to do it!
Prayer suggestion. Pray Psalms 145 aloud as a prayer of praise to your Lord. </145494> </TruthinThinking>
One generation shall commend your works to another.
The Book of Psalms is the largest and perhaps most widely used book in the Bible. It explores the full range of human experience in a very personal and practical way. Its 150 "songs" run from the Creation through the patriarchal, theocratic, monarchical, exilic, and postexilic periods. The tremendous breadth of subject matter in the Psalms includes diverse topics, such as jubilation, war, peace, worship, judgement, messianic prophecy, praise, and lament. The Psalms were set to the accompaniment of stringed instruments and served as the temple hymnbook and devotional guide for the Jewish people.
The Book of Psalms was gradually collected and originally unnamed, perhaps due to the great variety of material. It came to be known as Sepher Tehillim--"Book of Praises"--because almost every psalm contains some note of praise to God. The Septuagint uses the Greek word Psalmoi as its title for this book, meaning "Poems Sung to the Accompaniment of Musical Instruments." It also calls it the Psalterium ("A Collection of Songs"), and this word is the basis for the term Psalter. The Latin title is Liber Psalmorum, "Book of Psalms."
Day Ten
One generation shall commend your works to another.
Psalm 145: 4
Some plants go in and out of style much like colors in home decor or clothing fashion. Take for instance, hens and chicks (Sempervivum). Thissucculent, very popular in early European times, came into vogue again during our country's "disco era." Hens and chicks , known for its hardiness and versatility, could be planted as groundcover. It could grow indoors as a houseplant. Now it has fallen out of favor again--perhaps because of its amazing ability to reproduce. And reproduce. And reproduce!
In a back corner of my gardening shed not long ago, I found the planter I used for hens and chicks when my children were young. Smilling with memories, I gently rubbed years of grime off the unique planter--a strawberry pot. Of medium size, the pot has five small pockets that protrude at equally spaced intervals all around the outside of the planter.
The hen, or mature plant, is usually planted in the middle of the pot. With a little care and good drainage, the hen soon sprouts little chicks--small replicas of herself. These chicks appear inside the pockets of the planter, and because of the unique design of the strawberry pot, when you water the hen, water runs down through the pockets to water the chicks, as well.
What a great illustration of God's continual grace the Sempervivum is! Semper means "always"; vivo means "i live." Jesus died for us and was raised from the dead, never to die again. He lives forever, and He continually gives the new life of faith to people, one generation after the next, pouring out the life--giving Word from mother to daughter, daughter to grandchild, grandchild to great grandchild, all the while nurturing faith through that same powerful Word.
As you complete this week's topic, "Nutured by Grace," take a moment to reflect:
--Can you name three people who have shared God's grace with you?
How might you thank them or honor their memory?
--Can you think of two or three people you yourself might encourage today with the Good News of God's grace, His undeserved love in the Crucified One? Find a way to do it!
Prayer suggestion. Pray Psalms 145 aloud as a prayer of praise to your Lord. </145494> </TruthinThinking>
One generation shall commend your works to another.
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