诗篇卅篇

诗篇卅篇

大卫在献殿的时候,作这诗歌。A song for the dedication of the House

1 耶和华啊,我要尊崇祢,因为祢曾提拔我,不叫仇敌向我夸耀。
2 耶和华我的神啊,我曾呼求祢,祢医治了我。
3 耶和华啊,祢曾把我的灵魂从阴间救上来,使我存活,不至于下坑。
4 耶和华的圣民哪,你们要歌颂他,称赞祂可记念的圣名。
5 因为祂的怒气不过是转眼之间,祂的恩典乃是一生之久,一宿虽然有哭泣,早晨便必欢呼。
6 至于我,我凡事平顺,便说:「我永不动摇。」
7 耶和华啊,祢曾施恩,叫我的江山稳固;祢掩了面,我就惊惶。
8 耶和华啊,我曾求告祢,我向耶和华恳求说:
9 「我被害流血,下到坑中,有什么益处呢?尘土岂能称赞祢,传说祢的诚实吗?
10 耶和华啊,求祢应允我,怜恤我!耶和华啊,求祢帮助我!」
11 祢已将我的哀哭变为跳舞,将我的麻衣脱去,给我披上喜乐,
12 好叫我的灵歌颂祢,并不住声。耶和华我的神啊,我要称谢祢,直到永远!

这篇诗篇是大卫为了献殿或献王宫而做呢?中文是译为献殿,但是在英文里是A song for the dedication of the House. 有拉比指出,神没有允许大卫为祂建殿,所以大卫这诗是为了 “house of cedar” ,也就是他用香柏木为自己所造的王宫而感谢神。

犹太人每天要做三次的祷告,分别称为Shacharit, Mincha and Maariv。Shacharit是指晨祷,Mincha是下午的祷告,Maariv是晚上献祭前的祷告。而在每天的晨祷或称为早晨的敬拜之前,会读经文或诗篇,在十七世纪之前,大卫写的这诗篇便是晨祷之前每天必读的诗篇。在庆祝Hanukkah(光明节)的当天,犹太人也要朗读此诗篇。

The God Who Sees All of Me

Hi GAMErs,

Have you signed up for the God And Me Experience Fast that’s starting tomorrow?  Sign up today by clicking here! 

Today’s passage is 2 Chronicles 13:1-22.  Let’s go!

2 Chronicles 13:18 (NIV) 
18  The men of Israel were subdued on that occasion, and the men of Judah were victorious because they relied on the LORD, the God of their fathers.

On verses 1-22:  King Abijah takes over from his father Rehoboam as king of Judah and goes to war against King Jeroboam of Israel.  Despite being grossly outnumbered (compare Abijah’s 400,000 soldiers to Jeroboam’s 800,000 troops) and despite Jeroboam’s attempt to ambush Abijah’s army, Abijah’s army gains a decisive victory over Jeroboam’s army.  The reason the Chronicler gives for Abijah’s victory is because he and his troops “relied on the Lord, the God of their fathers” (v18).

Here the Chronicler focuses on how Abijah relied on the Lord.  He even includes a speech from Abijah about how faithful he and his people of Judah are compared to Jeroboam and Israel.  In contrast, when 1 Kings 15 gives its account of Abijah’s reign as king of Judah, its treatment of Abijah is negative. The writer of 1 Kings says that Abijah “committed all the sins his father had done before him”, that “his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God”, and that it was for the sake of his father David that God allowed Abijah to have any strength at all (1 Kings 15:4).

诗篇第廿九篇

大卫的诗。

1 神的众子啊,你们要将荣耀、能力归给耶和华,归给耶和华!
2 要将耶和华的名所当得的荣耀归给祂,以圣洁的装饰敬拜耶和华!
3 耶和华的声音发在水上,荣耀的神打雷,耶和华打雷在大水之上。
4 耶和华的声音大有能力,耶和华的声音满有威严。
5 耶和华的声音震破香柏树,耶和华震碎黎巴嫩的香柏树。
6 祂也使之跳跃如牛犊,使黎巴嫩和西连跳跃如野牛犊。
7 耶和华的声音使火焰分岔。
8 耶和华的声音震动旷野,耶和华震动加低斯的旷野。
9 耶和华的声音惊动母鹿落胎,树木也脱落净光。凡在他殿中的,都称说祂的荣耀。
10 洪水泛滥之时,耶和华坐着为王;耶和华坐着为王,直到永远。
11 耶和华必赐力量给祂的百姓,耶和华必赐平安的福给祂的百姓。

「神的众子」从希伯来文译为英文是「O divine beings」,直译是「神圣的生命」,也是指所有从神来的生命,都是神的「众子」,广译的可以说是指世界上所有的人;狭义地说,便是神的选民和神的儿女们,应当把荣耀都归给神。

第三节说到「耶和华的声音发在水上,荣耀的神打雷,耶和华打雷在大水之上」,两次都提到水。有位犹太拉比Glazerson说:「水」这字在英文是「water」,在希伯来文是mayim (מים), mayim包含了两个字mem (מ),和 yud (י),正如英文写的水的号 H2O,代表两个氢原子围绕着一个氧原子;在希伯来文里也正是这个意思,两个mem (מ)代表两个氢原子,一个yud (י)代表氧原子。

Stay Desperate and Hungry for God

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Chronicles 12:1-16.  Let’s go!

 2 Chronicles 12:1-4 (NIV) 
1  After Rehoboam’s position as king was established and he had become strong, he and all Israel with him abandoned the law of the LORD. 
2  Because they had been unfaithful to the LORD, Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem in the fifth year of King Rehoboam. 
3  With twelve hundred chariots and sixty thousand horsemen and the innumerable troops of Libyans, Sukkites and Cushites that came with him from Egypt, 
4  he captured the fortified cities of Judah and came as far as Jerusalem.

On verses 1-4:  As soon as things got comfortable for Rehoboam, that’s when Rehoboam’s focus shifts away from the Lord.  Like a gazelle sitting comfortably by a brook only to be attacked by a lion, distracted and comfortable Rehoboam, along with all of Judah, falls prey to an attack by Shishak king of Egypt along with Libyans, Sukkites and Cushites.   Shishak captures the very cities whose defenses Rehoboam had built up years before. 

诗篇第廿八 篇

大卫的诗。

1 耶和华啊,我要求告祢!我的磐石啊,不要向我缄默!倘若祢向我闭口,我就如将死的人一样。
2 我呼求祢,向祢至圣所举手的时候,求祢垂听我恳求的声音。
3 不要把我和恶人并作孽的一同除掉,他们与邻舍说和平话,心里却是奸恶。
4 愿祢按着他们所做的,并他们所行的恶事待祂们。愿祢照着他们手所做的待他们,将他们所应得的报应加给他们。
5 他们既然不留心耶和华所行的和祂手所做的,祂就必毁坏他们,不建立他们。

6 耶和华是应当称颂的!因为祂听了我恳求的声音。

7 耶和华是我的力量,是我的盾牌,我心里倚靠祂,就得帮助。所以我心中欢乐,我必用诗歌颂赞祂。
8 耶和华是祂百姓的力量,又是祂受膏者得救的保障。
9 求祢拯救祢的百姓,赐福给祢的产业,牧养他们,扶持他们,直到永远。

有的人一生很平稳,有的人一生坎坷,好像大卫一样。平稳的生活固然好,但是坎坷的路往往可以迸出更多生命的果实。就像大卫一样,从小就被派去牧羊,碰到猛兽来袭,要靠自己去抵挡,那是何等地不容易。但也因为他从小倚靠神,他可以淬练出对神的信心,因而面对巨人哥利亚时毫不害怕。

在大卫请战歌利亚时,他对扫罗王说:「你仆人为父亲放羊,有时来了狮子,有时来了熊,从群中衔一只羊羔去,我就追赶牠,击打牠,将羊羔从牠口中救出来。牠起来要害我,我就揪著牠的胡子,将牠打死。 」因此,「耶和华救我脱离狮子和熊的爪,也必救我脱离这非利士人(歌利亚)的手。」狮子和熊与巨人歌利亚相比,哪个更危险?更可怕?但是大卫因为信靠神与他同在,因此不管面对多强大的对手,他总相信能靠着神得胜。这是一种我们渴望的信心,不是吗?

Protect What God Has Placed In Your Care

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Chronicles 11:1-23.  Let’s go!

2 Chronicles 11:4 (NIV) 
4  ‘This is what the LORD says: Do not go up to fight against your brothers. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing.'” So they obeyed the words of the LORD and turned back from marching against Jeroboam.

On verses 1-4:  King Rehoboam had a very spotty reign as king of Israel.  He is best known for failing to heed his elders’ advice at the beginning of his reign and as a result losing the entire kingdom of Israel (except for the lands of Judah and Benjamin) to Jeroboam.  But in verses 1 to 23, we see some good things that Rehoboam did as king. Let’s take a look starting with verses 1-4.   Here Rehoboam is about to go to war against Israel to regain the kingdom that he lost.  But the Lord speaks through the prophet Shemaiah, warning Rehoboam against going to war and encouraging Rehoboam to surrender his plans to God.  Rehoboam and his troops obey the Lord’s words, and thus save themselves from unnecessary losses and embarrassment. 

What can we learn from this?  Before waging war against someone, or making an important decision, seek the Lord’s advice and heed His warnings.  You are always better off following the Lord’s advice on any matter.

2 Things Great Leaders Do

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Chronicles 10:1-19.  Let’s go!

2 Chronicles 10:1-5 (NIV) 
1  Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all the Israelites had gone there to make him king. 
2  When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard this (he was in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), he returned from Egypt. 
3  So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and all Israel went to Rehoboam and said to him: 
4  “Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.” 
5  Rehoboam answered, “Come back to me in three days.” So the people went away.

On verses 1-5:  Solomon’s son Rehoboam succeeds Solomon as king of Israel.  Jeroboam son of Nebat leads a nation-wide campaign to ask Rehoboma for less stringent labor requirements on Israelite workers.   Rehoboam’s initial response is to ask for time to consider what to do: “Come back to me in three days”.  This was a wise first move by Rehoboam.  What can we learn from this?  As leaders, when people pressure you to make a leadership decision and you have no clear sense as to what to do, don’t succumb to the pressure and give a quick, rushed decision that you haven’t thought through.  Give yourself time to think before you decide.

诗篇第廿七 篇

大卫的诗。

1 耶和华是我的亮光,是我的拯救,我还怕谁呢?耶和华是我性命的保障,我还惧谁呢?
2 那作恶的,就是我的仇敌,前来吃我肉的时候,就绊跌仆倒。
3 虽有军兵安营攻击我,我的心也不害怕;虽然兴起刀兵攻击我,我必仍旧安稳。
4 有一件事,我曾求耶和华,我仍要寻求,就是一生一世住在耶和华的殿中,瞻仰祢的荣美,在祢的殿里求问。
5 因为我遭遇患难,祢必暗暗地保守我,在祢亭子里,把我藏在祢帐幕的隐密处,将我高举在磐石上。
6 现在我得以昂首,高过四面的仇敌。我要在祢的帐幕里欢然献祭,我要唱诗,歌颂耶和华。
7 耶和华啊,我用声音呼吁的时候,求祢垂听,并求祢怜恤我,应允我。
8 祢说:「祢们当寻求我的面。」那时我心向祢说:「耶和华啊,祢的面我正要寻求。」
9 不要向我掩面,不要发怒赶逐仆人,祢向来是帮助我的。救我的神啊,不要丢掉我,也不要离弃我!
10 我父母离弃我,耶和华必收留我。…….

在犹太人的以禄月(西历8-9月)里,也就是迎接新年和赎罪日的前一个月里,犹太人每天早晨(除了每周的安息日以外)都要吹羊角,背诵这首诗篇。吹羊角是为了唤醒人们的灵魂,背诵诗篇是为了提醒众人要仰望神。这样的作法一直要做到新年的来临。今年的犹太新年是西历九月29日开始,也就是说再过两三天就是以禄月的开始,犹太人要开始每天背诵这诗篇了。

诗篇第廿六篇

大卫的诗。

1 耶和华啊,求祢为我申冤,因我向来行事纯全,我又倚靠耶和华并不摇动。
2 耶和华啊,求祢察看我,试验我,熬炼我的肺腑心肠。
3 因为祢的慈爱常在我眼前,我也按祢的真理而行。
4 我没有和虚谎人同坐,也不与瞒哄人的同群。
5 我恨恶恶人的会,必不与恶人同坐。
6 耶和华啊,我要洗手表明无辜,才环绕祢的祭坛,
7 我好发称谢的声音,也要述说祢一切奇妙的作为。
8 耶和华啊,我喜爱祢所住的殿和祢显荣耀的居所。
9 不要把我的灵魂和罪人一同除掉,不要把我的性命和流人血的一同除掉,
10 他们的手中有奸恶,右手满有贿赂。……….

这诗篇很像是一个利未人在诗班赞美神时对神的倾诉,说到他对神不动摇的信靠,他不喜欢与恶人同行或同坐,他喜爱神的殿,并且在众会中称颂神。

大卫写这诗篇不是在自夸自己的清洁无辜,乃是在神面前不断地自省,求神察看,求神试验,因为他怕自己做得不够好,害怕有得罪神的地方。他诚然很努力地保守自己,但是在神面前,有谁能称自己是义人?因此即使他在日常生活里保守自己,在事奉前依然要先洗手,才敢环绕神的圣坛。

大卫在这诗篇提醒我们,自守是应该的,自洁是必须的,到神面前省察也是理所当然,让我们可以手洁心清地亲近神。那时我们才能明白神所住的殿何等神圣,神的荣耀何等可畏,而更加感谢神,更不能住口地传扬神奇妙的作为。