Tag: poem

O. Palmer Robertson on The “Poetic Pillars” of the Book of Psalms

~ Bob Hayton

The Flow of the Psalms by O. Palmer RobertsonI’m currently reading through a new book from one of my favorite authors: O. Palmer Robertson. I’ve reviewed his The Christ of the Covenants and The Israel of God, which both were influential in forming my theology. My love for biblical theology certainly was kindled in part by Robertson’s works.

His new book is The Flow of the Psalms: Discovering Their Structure and Theology (P & R Publishing, 2015). It promises to be an important book that may transform and sharpen my understanding and appreciation for the book of Psalms. After just the first two chapters, I know this is going to be a rewarding read.

I wanted to share an excerpt from this book. Robertson explains how the first two Psalms form a doorway into the Psalter as a whole, and help to shape how we should interact with this important book.

The Two “Poetic Pillars”

Of primary importance in Psalter structure are the two “poetic pillars”that escort the reader into the temple of the book of Psalms, Psalms 1 and 2. Taken together, these two very brief psalms anticipate major themes that permeate all five books. First among these themes is the contrast between the righteous and the wicked as they are judged on the basis of their response to God’s revealed Torah, the law, the teaching, the instruction of the Lord….

The second major theme found in these two poetic pillars that runs throughout the book of Psalms is the person of God’s Messiah, his perpetual dynasty and his permanent dwellingplace….

So these two opening psalms present in condensed poetic fashion the overarching message of the Psalter. God’s law, the contrary responses of two groups of people to that law, and the outworking of the consequence of their responses are interrelated themes that permeate the Psalter. At the same time, two kings and two kingdoms merge into each other through the repeating message of the Psalms. David and his descendants will be established in a perpetual kingship at a particular locale. Yahweh rules over heaven and earth from eternity and throughout all time. Eventually, Messiah’s kingship must merge with Yahweh’s kingship so that the kingdoms of earth and heaven, of time and eternity, are one. This merger of the two kings and the two kingdoms permeates the theology of the Psalter. This perspective alone can explain how the concept of kingship in Israel continues long after kings no longer exist in the nation. It also explains how the kingship of Jesus as Messiah could merge so perfectly with God’s kingship over the world. (from pp. 13-15)

Pick up a copy of this book from any of the following retailers:

Disclaimer: This book was provided by the publisher, via NetGalley.com. I was under no obligation to offer a positive review.

My Christmas Rhyme

~ fundyreformed ~ 4 Comments

This is day 2 of Bible Geek Gone Wild’s 12 Days of Christmas promotion. I’ve already won one free book, and am trying for some more.

I’d encourage everyone to stay tuned to Shaun’s blog these next 11 days, because I hear the prizes to be had (mostly lots of free books compliments of many fine Christian book publishers) are many and worthwhile.

Shaun has been keeping us all on our toes, as entering the contests aren’t as simple as leaving a comment. Yesterday we had to share a Christmas memory. Today you have to answer a brief Bible trivia quiz, or come up with a short (2-6 lines) Christmas poem (or rhyme, or jingle). You can do both today since there are two contests. I’m wondering, are there three contests tomorrow??

Well, I’d be fine with no one else entering these contests as I’d love to hog all the free books for myself. But it IS Christmas after all! So join in the fun and try your hand at a Christmas jingle today, or if you don’t see this post until Monday, I’m sure there will be some challenging means of entering a contest that you can have fun with then….

So here’s my Christmas rhyme entry. If you have a short one of your own, share it in the comments here after you get done submitting it for the contest.

All the joys of Christmas time–
Decorations and the pine,
Friends and loved ones gathering,
Gifts and cheer and caroling–
May these not avert our gaze.
Ponder Christ the babe, and praise!

Remembering the Mayflower: Happy Thanksgiving

~ fundyreformed

I thought I’d wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving today. And I want to remind us all to remember that first Thanksgiving in Plymouth, 1621.

Last year I provided my family line which goes back to John Alden on the Mayflower. If you’re interested, I scanned some articles from a really old World Book Encyclopedia set I have (1925) which gives an interesting look at the Pilgrims. Alden is, you will remember, famous for his stealing of Captain Miles Standish’s would be bride, Priscilla Mullins (known as “The Mayflower of Plymouth”). “Why don’t you speak for yourself, John?” was her famous line.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, another descendant of John and Priscilla memorialized this event in a somewhat embellished poem, The Courtship of Miles Standish. You can read that poem in its entirety here compliments of Google Books.

For now, if you have some time, scan through the brief articles here (all pdfs) and remember the first Thanksgiving.

The Mayflower & Me

~ fundyreformed ~ 10 Comments

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!

This Thanksgiving, I encourage us all to spend time thanking God for more than just the food on the table, or the football on TV. So often we sing generic songs of thankfulness for harvest come, and forget to be specifically thankful for God’s working in our lives and most of all for Jesus and his Death in our place on the Cross.

Keep in mind a harvest-thankful mindset means a lot more when harvests are chancy and food not as sure as the distance to the local corner store. It is important for us to remember that every good thing we have, including family comes to us from God. But let us not forget Him who gives such good blessings a sweet rather than a bitter taste. Without Christ, we would have no hope, and such familial joys and harvest blessings would be a bitter aftertaste as we contemplate a bleak outlook for eternity. Having been placed in Christ, who so completely and gloriously fulfilled God’s law and laid down his life to bear our sins, we have peace with God and abundant joy.

Now the point of my post is not to preach but to give an interesting tidbit about me and my connections to Thanksgiving history. Anyone remember the Mayflower and the Pilgrims? The majority of those on the ship weren’t strictly Pilgrims, but a good many of the outsiders chose to stay on with the religious community and join themselves to them, after weathering that terrible winter of 1620.

Anyways, one of those who stayed in Plymouth and became a Pilgrim was my ancestor John Alden. Now many people can say “I am descended from the Mayflower”, but how many can prove it? In my case I have dates and names, which I will showcase below. Note: I can take no credit for the research done to trace this lineage, I’m just a blessed recipient of it!

If you wonder who John Alden is, he is famously remembered in the Courtship of Miles Standish, a poem written by one of my distant cousins, a fellow-ancestor of Alden, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow himself. Other famous distant cousins include poet William Cullen Bryant, Presidents John & John Quincy Adams, and Vice President Dan Quayle.

Refresh yourself on the history of the Pilgrims here, check out this brief biographical sketch of John & Priscilla Alden, and check out this history of modern Thanksgiving celebrations. And again, Happy Thanksgiving!