Wednesday Bible Study: Petitioning the Lord with Prayer

To me, one of the strangest conceits of religion -- and it seems to be pretty much universal among theists -- is that it's worth your while to beg The Almighty to conform to your wishes. He is supposedly all knowing, all powerful, and infinitely wise, but evidently he needs your advice in order to do what's right. Obviously, he doesn't always take it, but that doesn't stop people from continuing to give it, as in Psalm 28. 

 

Psalm 29 is a panegyric to God's power and greatness, quite reminiscent of parts of the Book of Job. However, if you read this literally it seems to refer to a natural disaster of some sort, probably an earthquake. Of course nowadays we know the explanation for earthquakes, and they don't have to do with God.

In Psalm 30, the singer has apparently recovered from a serious illness. He can thank his immune system.

A Psalm of David.

28 To thee, O Lord, I call;
    my rock, be not deaf to me,
lest, if thou be silent to me,
    I become like those who go down to the Pit.
² Hear the voice of my supplication,
    as I cry to thee for help,
as I lift up my hands
    towards thy most holy sanctuary.^[a]

³ Take me not off with the wicked,
    with those who are workers of evil,
who speak peace with their neighbors,
    while mischief is in their hearts.
⁴ Requite them according to their work,
    and according to the evil of their deeds;
requite them according to the work of their hands;
    render them their due reward.
⁵ Because they do not regard the works of the Lord,
    or the work of his hands,
he will break them down and build them up no more.

⁶ Blessed be the Lord!
    for he has heard the voice of my supplications.
⁷ The Lord is my strength and my shield;
    in him my heart trusts;
so I am helped, and my heart exults,
    and with my song I give thanks to him.

⁸ The Lord is the strength of his people,
    he is the saving refuge of his anointed.
⁹ O save thy people, and bless thy heritage;
    be thou their shepherd, and carry them for ever.

Footnotes

1. Psalm 28:2 Heb thy innermost sanctuary

A Psalm of David.

29 Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,^[a]
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
² Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;
    worship the Lord in holy array.

³ The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;
    the God of glory thunders,
    the Lord, upon many waters.
⁴ The voice of the Lord is powerful,
    the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

⁵ The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars,
    the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
⁶ He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,
    and Sir′ion like a young wild ox.

⁷ The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
⁸ The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness,
    the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

⁹ The voice of the Lord makes the oaks to whirl,^[b]
    and strips the forests bare;
    and in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

¹⁰ The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
    the Lord sits enthroned as king for ever.
¹¹ May the Lord give strength to his people!
    May the Lord bless his people with peace!

Footnotes

1. Psalm 29:1 Heb sons of gods
2. Psalm 29:9 Or makes the hinds to calve

 

 

A Psalm of David. A Song at the dedication of the Temple.

30 I will extol thee, O Lord, for thou hast drawn me up,
    and hast not let my foes rejoice over me.
² O Lord my God, I cried to thee for help,
    and thou hast healed me.
³ O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from Sheol,
    restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.^[a]

⁴ Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,
    and give thanks to his holy name.
⁵ For his anger is but for a moment,
    and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
    but joy comes with the morning.

⁶ As for me, I said in my prosperity,
    “I shall never be moved.”
⁷ By thy favor, O Lord,
    thou hadst established me as a strong mountain;
thou didst hide thy face,
    I was dismayed.

⁸ To thee, O Lord, I cried;
    and to the Lord I made supplication:
⁹ “What profit is there in my death,
    if I go down to the Pit?
Will the dust praise thee?
    Will it tell of thy faithfulness?
¹⁰ Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me!
    O Lord, be thou my helper!”

¹¹ Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing;
    thou hast loosed my sackcloth
    and girded me with gladness,
¹² that my soul^[b] may praise thee and not be silent.
    O Lord my God, I will give thanks to thee for ever.

Footnotes

1. Psalm 30:3 Or that I should not go down to the Pit
2. Psalm 30:12 Heb that glory