10 Psalms for Meditation

The book 10 Psalms for Meditation has been published and is available at Amazon for $8.35.  The first ten Psalms of the Hebrew Bible are considered in 27 meditations.  As noted on the back cover, this book grew out of the experience of Quaker Meeting for Worship.  The previous post on this blog is the first meditation in the book.  Enjoy thinking through these Psalms!

Psalm 1:1,2

Text

Blessed is the one who walketh not in the counsel of the unloving, nor standeth in the way with the selfish, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But whose delight is in thy law; and in thy law doth meditate day and night.

Text Notes

• During personal meditation in the Psalms, it is helpful not to be distracted with gender, so, "man" (1611KJV) is now "one" (K-JIV) in spite of the male root of the Hebrew word.
• Where possible in this version, the Psalmist addresses the Guide directly. So,in the verses above, there is "thy" (K-JIV) rather than "his" (KJV). That is, Psalms for Meditation, K-JIV, speaks first person (to our guide) rather than third person (about the guide). This is the spirit of prayer.
• The word "unloving" illustrates another type of updating. The underlying Hebrew word is not etymologically derived from a component of "god", as in the 1611's "ungodly". The word indicates those who have strayed from the basis of right living: wickedness, waywardness, unloving. To retain the flow of the KJV, "unloving" is used here.
• Similarly, K-JIV's "selfish" rather than the 1611's "sinner" is within the semantic range for the original word.

Reflection

Blessing (or happiness), says the Psalmist, often lies in avoiding those who counsel these three traits: scorn, selfishness or unloving acts. I don't have to look too far to find this counsel: its right in my heart! And, to compound my temptation, our culture sometimes places the highest value on just these traits except we tend to call them "healthy skepticism", "taking care of yourself" and "being pragmatic". My answer? It's the second verse: day and night meditation. Meeting for Worship is wonderful, but personal meditation is possible 24X7. That's the fun and dangerous part: meditation may break out at any moment!

The Size of Hell

Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure…

Isaiah 5

Like the elastic mouth of a ravenous boa, the jaws of hell open wide in anticipation of a full meal.  The picture that Isaiah paints of an insatiable sheol is one of infinite capacity.  The size of hell is a very significant theological issue.  Its ability to expand to unlimited proportions is of critical import.  For if the realm of hades has any limit, then it cannot truly be hell.  It is of the essence of hellishness that its carrying capacity have no absolute restriction. Without this potential to grow in size ad infinitum, hell could not keep up with humanity’s rapid growth.

But there is another reason for the need of an unimaginably super-sized hell.

The denizens of hell are not restricted to fallen angels and wayward homo sapiens.  There is a larger presence than that of whoremongers and liars and liberals within the halls of hell.  For God is also in hell.

And that is the least understood doctrine of the Bible: the God who is in hell.