Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Book of Job 26-42, Psalms 1-35

"By his power he stilled the sea."  Jesus famously performed this act in the gospels.

Job's laments are eventually answered in a mainstream Jewish perspective, and then by God as if in a final test.  And then he gets everything he lost right back.  And thus ends the Book of Job.

Psalms is a bunch of psalms, a hundred and fifty of them, although thematically they're incredibly similar to Book of Job, which is hugely apparent when you read them back-to-back.  Historically they're associated with David, although not all of them date back to him.

Psalm 16 is very reminiscent of the 23rd Psalm.

Psalm 18 is a little like a whole New Testament preview, and even evokes Paul's later "I have run the race" lyrical statement.

Psalm 22 includes the phrase, "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?"  Psalm 31 includes, "Into thy hand I commit my spirit."  Psalm 22 is rich in Christian theology of the suffering servant variety, evoking the Isaiah prophecies.

Psalm 27 reads like a sequel to the 23rd Psalm.

Psalm 31 also includes the phrase, "Be strong,and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord."  Note Lord and not messiah.

This linking of David with Job also strengthens the link between Job and Jesus, and thus Jesus with David.

And because it's the most famous and best one, here is the 23rd Psalm in its entirety:

The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want;
he makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil;
for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff,
they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
thou anointest my head with oil, my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
for ever.

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