Comments on: Psalm 39 http://rtbt.bostonvineyard.org/2008/08/29/psalm-39/ A Community of People Discussing the Bible Thu, 17 May 2012 15:54:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: brian http://rtbt.bostonvineyard.org/2008/08/29/psalm-39/comment-page-1/#comment-41 brian Sun, 31 Aug 2008 15:56:25 +0000 http://rtbt.bostonvineyard.org/?p=212#comment-41 I looked up Jeduthun. He was one of the 3 worship leaders David appointed from the Levites to provide music at the tabernacle/temple. I don't know why the psalm has a dual dedication: 'For the director of music. For Jeduthun.' Seems a bit redundant. But I like the idea that David wrote him a song--perhaps a welcome gift as he started his job? I can just imagine the talk of the day: 'Have you heard David's new one? Man, that guy Jeduthun sure can play.' I looked up Jeduthun. He was one of the 3 worship leaders David appointed from the Levites to provide music at the tabernacle/temple. I don’t know why the psalm has a dual dedication: ‘For the director of music. For Jeduthun.’ Seems a bit redundant. But I like the idea that David wrote him a song–perhaps a welcome gift as he started his job? I can just imagine the talk of the day: ‘Have you heard David’s new one? Man, that guy Jeduthun sure can play.’

]]> By: gyfung http://rtbt.bostonvineyard.org/2008/08/29/psalm-39/comment-page-1/#comment-40 gyfung Fri, 29 Aug 2008 12:46:38 +0000 http://rtbt.bostonvineyard.org/?p=212#comment-40 It's remarkable to me that even back in the day, folks were still rushing around trying to heap up wealth. (Personally, I find myself rushing around quite a bit though I've been less successful in terms of heaping up wealth.) It raises a question for me about just what kinds of wealth/things people were rushing around for. I don't know much about the Ancient Near East living standards, but I'm pretty sure there's almost nothing in the life of a middle to upper class Israelite from the Psalmist's time that would be remotely tempting to me today. Those clowns didn't even have electricity! However, if I flip the motivations from "wanting more stuff" to "desiring to escape suffering and poverty", this Psalm makes more sense to me. After all, when I think about the lifestyle of a poor Israelite of the day, I can understand the motivation to do anything to escape such a fate. And it seems closer to the author's own struggle with feeling the lack of God's blessing in some way or another. The message, then, for me is clear: whether it's wanting more stuff or escaping suffering, the only long term hope is to be found in the _source_ of all good things ... and not in hoarding the good things/accolades/experiences/power/relationships themselves. I hope I can take this to heart. I also wonder who Jeduthun was. It’s remarkable to me that even back in the day, folks were still rushing around trying to heap up wealth. (Personally, I find myself rushing around quite a bit though I’ve been less successful in terms of heaping up wealth.) It raises a question for me about just what kinds of wealth/things people were rushing around for. I don’t know much about the Ancient Near East living standards, but I’m pretty sure there’s almost nothing in the life of a middle to upper class Israelite from the Psalmist’s time that would be remotely tempting to me today. Those clowns didn’t even have electricity!

However, if I flip the motivations from “wanting more stuff” to “desiring to escape suffering and poverty”, this Psalm makes more sense to me. After all, when I think about the lifestyle of a poor Israelite of the day, I can understand the motivation to do anything to escape such a fate. And it seems closer to the author’s own struggle with feeling the lack of God’s blessing in some way or another.

The message, then, for me is clear: whether it’s wanting more stuff or escaping suffering, the only long term hope is to be found in the _source_ of all good things … and not in hoarding the good things/accolades/experiences/power/relationships themselves. I hope I can take this to heart.

I also wonder who Jeduthun was.

]]>