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The Lord Shows Compassion as a Father Shows Compassion

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Brett Jordan (2019), public domain

Much of what we learn as humans happens through comparison and analogy. The biblical authors use this reasoning in several places; see Colossians 3:12–13 for an example where Paul exhorts his readers to forgive each other as the Lord has forgiven. Christians can understand their responsibility by looking to what God has done.

The Bible runs the comparison game in the other direction too, with some deep and surprising results. Instead of exhorting people to act more like God, we learn what God is like by looking at people! In this article I’ll discuss one example found in Psalm 103.

Describing the Lord’s Steadfast Love

Psalm 103 is majestic, and I’ve written about it before. As I was re-memorizing it recently, David’s logic gave me a start.

In one of the center passages of this psalm, David states a common, foundational truth about God.

The Lord is merciful and gracious,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. (Ps 103:8)

In verses 9–14 David then explains what these descriptions of God mean. That passage contains these memorable verses.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
    so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children,
    so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
For he knows our frame;
    he remembers that we are dust. (Ps 103:11–14)

Part of God’s steadfast love is his compassion, and this compassion is compared to a father’s for his children. I knew that, but I hadn’t observed the text carefully enough to feel the full impact.

A Supreme Example

When David wants to describe how great God’s steadfast love is toward those who fear him, he looks at how high the heavens are above the earth. Who could calculate that height?

When David wants to explain how far away God removes our transgressions from us, he reaches for the distance between the east and the west. Again, an immense (infinite?) distance!

Then, when David wants to illustrate how compassionate God is, he turns to fathers. In the context of the comparisons David is using, this means that the compassion of a father toward his children is a supreme example of compassion. Dare we say it: David couldn’t reach for a greater earthly example!

This text has turned me inside out over the past few weeks, mainly because I see how lacking I am in compassion toward my children. How can it be that God describes himself this way?

A Baked-in Assumption

What we have in Psalm 103:13 is evidence of an assumption made by a biblical author. This is not an exhortation for fathers to be compassionate; instead, it is an argument based on what good fathers are like.

So, any father looking for Biblical guidance won’t find a command here. Rather, David teaches about God relying on how God has made fathers. This means that fathers who have the indwelling Holy Spirit should be the best examples of all.

Note that we are not drawing this application from the main point of this psalm. And we do not want to build any theological pyramids on minor or tenuous conclusions from Scripture. We must tread carefully, meditating on and applying an author’s main point first.

However, it is hardly shocking to say that Christians in general and fathers in specific should be compassionate. This is part of what it means to be one of God’s people (Col 3:12).

How to be Compassionate

I’ll end this brief observation by noting that David offers additional help to those who wish to grow in compassion. We only need to read the next verse.

For he knows our frame;
    he remembers that we are dust. (Ps 103:14)

Let’s follow the grammar. The Lord’s compassion is connected by the word “for” to his knowledge of us. Because he knows our frame, he shows compassion to those who fear him.

From this I conclude that one of the best ways I can grow in compassion for my children is to know them better. As a loving father, I can make a study of them, learning their strengths and weaknesses, their fears and joys, their victories and vulnerabilities.

Like me, my children are dust. But the particular kind of dust they are matters, and the more I understand their frame, the better I will be able to show them a proper, fatherly compassion.

Psalm 104: Praise the Lord Who Governs the Earth and Cares for His Creatures

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Robert Lukeman (2016), public domain

Some of the psalms stick in our memories because of their vivid imagery or their just right phrasing of a meditation or longing of our heart. The psalms which have been set to recognizable music are especially memorable.

But we don’t always study those psalms which move us deeply. Today we’ll take a close look at Psalm 104.

Yahweh is Great

After exhorting his soul to “bless the Lord,” the psalmist begins his prayer with one of its main themes: “O Lord my God, you are very great!” (Psalm 104:1) The rest of this stanza—and the rest of the psalm—provide his reasoning.

The Lord is “clothed with splendor and majesty,” shining like light. He is also majestic in the way he governs heaven: riding on the clouds and the winds, putting them to work for his purposes (Psalm 104:1–4).

God Governs the Waters

The Lord is worthy of blessing because “he set the earth on its foundations” (Psalm 104:5). Verses 5–9 of this psalm describe the way God commands the waters on the earth, either at creation or after the flood (or both?). Regardless, God is the one who rebukes, appoints, and sets a boundary for the waters, “that they might not again cover the earth” (Psalm 104:9).

God Waters the Earth and his Creatures

God not only controls the oceans and seas, he directs each spring and stream. In verses 10–13 we see that God wants his creatures and even the mountains to be well-watered and satisfied. “Every beast of the field” drinks from God’s springs; the birds find shelter in the trees and sing a song of contentment (Psalm 104:11–12). God is the one who “water[s] the mountains” and “the earth is satisfied” with his provision (Psalm 104:13).

God Provides so Man can Provide

God governs the water so the earth will produce good things. The livestock benefit from the grass growing and man uses the plants to “bring forth food from the earth” (Psalm 104:14). God provides for necessities and more: wine, oil, and bread are given to “gladden” and “strengthen” his people (Psalm 104:15).

God Provides Shelter for Animals

God plants and waters the trees (Psalm 104:16). One of the reasons? So that the birds would have a place to build their nests (Psalm 104:17). But God cares for other animals too—the wild goats and the rock badgers find refuge in the mountains and among the rocks (Psalm 104:18).

God Governs the Seasons, the Sun, and the Moon

In this psalm, we get a tour of the earth and the heavens, all the different elements of creation that God’s hand controls. God made the moon and he makes darkness (Psalm 104:19–20). The darkness of night provides a time for “the beasts of the forest” to hunt for food (Psalm 104:20). In their roaring and in their retreat, the young lions are “seeking their food from God” (Psalm 104:21). The day and night are even markers for the labor of humanity (Psalm 104:23).

Earth is Full of Creatures Dependent on God

Verses 24–30 are the heart of the psalm. The psalmist takes another survey of all earth’s creatures and concludes that God is worthy of praise. God’s works are “manifold” and full of “wisdom.” “The earth is full of your creatures” (Psalm 104:24).

For the first time in the psalm, the writer turns to the sea, “great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great” (Psalm 104:25). God deserves praise for the ships in the sea as well as Leviathan (Psalm 104:26).

Verses 27–30 show just how dependent the creatures of earth are on their creator. They look to God for food, and they are filled with good things when he opens his hand (Psalm 104:27–28). But God can also hide his face or take away their breath, returning them to the dust (Psalm 104:29). In contrast, God renews the face of the ground as he sends forth his Spirit to create (Psalm 104:30).

Responding to the Great Creator and Ruler

The final five verses of this psalm represent the psalmist’s response to meditating on God’s creative, sovereign rule. He is to be praised!

The psalmist cries for God’s glory to endure forever (Psalm 104:31) even as we read what this glory involves: God can make the earth tremble and the mountains smoke by his glance and touch (Psalm 104:32). It is appropriate to sing long and loud to this God, to rejoice in the Lord (Psalm 104:33–34).

The final verse of the psalm contains a cry for the elimination of sinners and the wicked (Psalm 104:35). This may seem like a tangent, but the psalmist connects the Lord’s holiness to his ruling power and praiseworthiness. Such a powerful and pure God cannot dwell with sinners! They must surely be “consumed.”

As Christians, we confess that Christ is all and that the entire Bible points to him. Here is another such instance. How will sinners (and sin) be eliminated from the earth? Christ will come; the Spirit will come; the Father will transform sinners into glad and grateful children.

If you’re anything like me, the last line of this psalm is easy to say with the psalmist: “Bless the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord!” (Psalm 104:35)

The Impact of the Old Testament on Colossians

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The writers of the New Testament were saturated in the text and worldview of the Old Testament. So instead of trying to figure things out for ourselves, we’re usually better served by picking up on not only the quotations but also the allusions to the Old Testament.

For example, in this article, G.K. Beale explains three OT allusions in the book of Colossians that are easy to miss.

  1. Col 1:6, 10 – alluding to Gen 1:28
  2. Col 1:9 – alluding to Ex 31:3, 35:31-32
  3. Col 3:16 – alluding to the superscripts of Psalms 67 and 76

Beale doesn’t merely observe these allusions. He also explains how they illuminate Paul’s argument in Colossians.

Check it out!

Guidance for Psalms

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Ian Hamilton wants you to know 3 things about the Psalms.

  1. The book of Psalms was written over a period of one thousand years.
  2. Approximately 40 percent of the psalms are laments.
  3. The Psalms are all about God’s promised Messiah-King, Jesus Christ.

In only a few minutes, his brief article will provide a wealth of guidance to help you grasp the big picture of this glorious book of poems.

The Psalms portray the life of faith with searing honesty. They poignantly remind us that the pattern of death and resurrection that was etched into the holy humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ is the pattern that the Holy Spirit seeks to replicate in the lives of all God’s children. The book of Psalms is a divinely inspired songbook that reflects the highs and lows, the triumphs and tragedies, of God’s covenant people over a millennium. John Calvin described the Psalms as “an anatomy of all the parts of the soul.” Let us sing the Savior’s songbook, lest we risk impoverishing our worship and robbing ourselves of the rich spirituality contained within its songs.

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Units of Thought in Poetry

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The Bible’s poetry can seem so strange and foreign, until you realize how to follow their train of thought. Then you can see why so many of them are among the most moving and beautiful poems in the history of the world.

The trick is to learn to read them as poems and not simply as random collections of inspiring sentiments. Why is it encouraging to be assured that you will regularly traverse the valley of death (Ps 23:4)? Because you have a divine shepherd (Ps 23:1-4) who is a lavish host (Ps 23:5-6).

So how do we go about observing the structure of a biblical poem? How do we distinguish the stanzas or sections?

Photo by Trust “Tru” Katsande on Unsplash

Stanzas

The primary structuring device in a biblical poem is the stanza. A stanza is sort of like a paragraph in prose texts; it’s a collection of lines or sentences into a coherent unit of thought. So when seeking the structure of a poem, the first and primary goal is to divide the poem into stanzas.

Many modern Bible editions help immensely, since they put a blank space between stanzas for you. The main challenge is to figure out from the text whether your Bible’s editors are right.

For example, in Proverbs 3:13-35, every translation seems to have a different idea of where the thought-divisions occur. Though most treat Prov 3:13 as the start of a unit, the LEB includes verses 11-12 with the first stanza. There is some diversity as to whether to treat Prov 3:19-20 as its own unit or as part of what follows. Also, the ESV sees Prov 3:27 as the end of the stanza that begins with Prov 3:21, but nearly every other version considers Prov 3:27 as the start of a new stanza.

ESVCSBLEBNETNIV
13-1813-1811-1813-2613-18
19-2019-2019-3519-20
21-2721-2621-26
28-3527-3527-3527-30
31
32-35
Stanza divisions in Proverbs 3:13-35

How do we decide who is right? A few tools will help us make such a decision.

Refrains

The first and simplest structuring device in Hebrew poetry is the refrain. A refrain is a line or sentence that repeats at regular intervals to mark off units of thought.

Here are some examples of refrains:

  • “Restore us, O God, let your face shine that we may be saved” (Ps 80: 3, 7, 19) divides Psalm 80 into three stanzas.
  • “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress” (Ps 46:7, 11) divides Psalm 46 into two stanzas.
  • “Why are you cast down… Hope in God” (Ps 42:5, 11; Ps 43:5) divides Psalm 42-43 into three stanzas.
  • “For all this his anger has not turned away” (Is 9:12, 17, 21; Is 10:4) divides Isaiah 9:8-10:4 into four stanzas.
  • “Yet you did not return to me” (Amos 4:6, 8, 9, 10, 11) divides Amos 4:6-12 into six stanzas.

Inclusio

An inclusio is a word or phrase that occurs at the beginning and end of a passage. It is similar to a refrain, except that it occurs specifically at beginning and end, like bookends on a library shelf.

  • Some psalms use an inclusio at the beginning and end of the entire poem (e.g. Psalms 8, 103, 113, 118). That encompassing inclusio may help us to grasp the poem’s main idea, but it doesn’t help us break the poem down into subdivided stanzas or units of thought.
  • Other times, an inclusio marks off a stanza or unit of thought for us. For example:
    • “wisdom and instruction” repeated in Prov 1:2, 7—showing us that those verses all fit together as a unit of thought.
    • “gazelle or young stag on the mountains” bookends the poetic stanza in Song 2:8-17.

Metaphor Shifts

Often, a poet shifts gears in his thought when he shifts from one overriding metaphor to another.

  • In Psalm 23, there is a shift from the larger metaphor of shepherd (Ps 23:1-4) to the metaphor of host (Ps 23:5-6).
  • In Psalm 71, the poet seeks refuge in God (Ps 71:1-6), proves that enemies aren’t so scary (Ps 71:7-15), remembers God’s work in the past (Ps 71:16-18), and employs the past to provide hope for the future (Ps 71:19-24). The shifts in these metaphorical phases of life outline the poem’s train of thought.
  • In Isaiah 5, the metaphor of the vineyard dominates Is 5:1-7. Then the threat of curse (Is 5:8-23) turns into the metaphor of fire (Is 5:24-25), before the chapter concludes with the metaphor of signal or alarm (Is 5:26-30).

Grammar Shifts

Sometimes, the changes from stanza to stanza are evident through shifts in the grammar.

  • There could be shifts in subject, as in Psalm 24: God (1-2), God’s people (3-6), God together with his people (7-10).
  • There could be shifts in pronouns or audience, as in Psalm 29: speaking to heavenly beings (1-2), speaking about Yahweh’s voice (3-9), speaking about Yahweh’s enthronement (10-11).

Conclusion

To draw defensible conclusions regarding a poem’s main point, we must be able to identify the poem’s units of thought. Then we can show how each of those units builds a case and contributes to the main idea. The trick is that we can’t simply go with what “feels right.” We ought to have observable clues within the text that mark the divisions for us. Refrains, incusios, and shifts in metaphor may be among such observable evidence.

Back to Proverbs 3

So where does that leave us on the question of Proverbs 3:13-35? How do these tools help us identify the stanzas (see the chart above)?

Prov 3:13-18 has the inclusio of both “blessing” and the concept of finding or laying hold of wisdom. Prov 3:21-26 has an inclusio of “keeping” or being “kept.” That whole section of Prov 3:13-26 thus has a unified metaphor of finding and keeping wisdom. At the center of that section is a brief description of how Yahweh built wisdom right into the fabric of the universe at the moment of creation (Prov 3:19-20). This explains why it “works” that finding and keeping wisdom will result in great blessing.

Prov 3:27-28 has two prohibitions against “withholding good.” Prov 3:29-30 has two prohibitions against “planning evil.” The chapter ends (Prov 3:32-35) with a grammatical shift to four assurances (parallel to the four prohibitions) that Yahweh neither plans evil nor withholds good from the right people at the right time. In between those two four-verse chunks is a warning not to envy violent men (Prov 3:31)—those who constantly plan evil and withhold good from others when it suits them. So the entire section (Prov 3:27-35) sticks together under the larger metaphor of humanitarian dealings (love your neighbor as yourself).

So in the end, I agree with both the NET and the NIV (though the CSB is not far off). The NET is correct that there are two main units of thought. The NIV is correct that each of those main units has three subsections. We’d be greatly helped if there were a clear way to represent both the main stanzas and their subdivisions in the way our Bibles lay out the text.

The Art of Observing What’s Not Said

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We’ve mentioned it a thousand times: When we observe a passage of the Bible, we’re trying to figure out what it says. However, sometimes we won’t fully grasp what it says without first observing what it doesn’t say. Ryan has made this point in two recent posts with respect to characters’ names. But what’s not said applies to many other types of observation as well. Here are three examples.

Photo by HS Spender on Unsplash

Example #1: Luke 15:11-32

The parable commonly known as “The Prodigal Son” is really about Two Brothers. We’re told of the bad choices of the younger son (Luke 15:12-16), and his risky decision to come back home (Luke 15:17-19). We’re told about what happened upon his return (father runs to meet him, throws a party, etc., in Luke 15:20-24).

Then we’re told of the bad attitude and choices of the older son (Luke 15:25-30). We hear the father’s appeal to his grumbling son (Luke 15:31-32). But we never find out what he decided or what happened.

The two brothers are parallel to one another. Their stories are parallel. Up to the point where we expect to hear the choice and results of the older son’s decision. But that choice and its results are left unsaid. The parable simply ends on a cliffhanger.

What is the point of the omission? Jesus lets the end of the story play itself out in the response of the Pharisees and scribes who were grumbling (Luke 15:2). Luke 13-14 was all about the feast and joy of the kingdom of God. Will these grumbling scribes and Pharisees enter? Will those who are saved be few (Luke 13:23)?

Example #2: Psalm 55

This emotional poem is about the pain and paranoia of betrayal. The whole poem is rather scatter-shot, without a clearly discernible structure, perhaps reflecting the manic state David is in as he composes it.

David describes the anguish of his fear, terror, and horror (Ps 55:4-5). He wants nothing more than to get out of the situation (Ps 55:6-8). And he asks God to do something about the situation (Ps 55:9).

But look at the last line of the poem. As David’s complaints rise to their peak, notice where he finally lands. He does not put his trust in what God will do. That’s how I would end such a prayer; how about you?

Instead, he ends with a declaration of trust in God himself. This might not be how we expect the poem to end, so noticing what he doesn’t say makes what he actually says really pop.

Example #3: Philippians 4:4

Here is the verse in its entirety: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”

In this example, I encourage you to observe what is not present at the beginning of the verse. Something that nearly everyone who reads the passage presumes is there, or at least they act like it’s there.

What is this absent wonder of which I speak? A transition.

This verse has no transition. No connector word at all to link it, divide it, or contrast it with the previous verse. This absence of a transition is one reason I believe Paul is not changing the subject. There is a “finally” in verse 8, which could be a transition to a new unit of thought (or simply conclude the list practical suggestions). Verse 10 switches from present to past tense and has “now at length,” which certainly signals a transition to a new idea.

So noticing what’s not said may help us to follow Paul’s argument, so we might avoid separating his counsel (Phil 4:4-9) from the very situation to which he directed that counsel (Phil 4:2-3).

Conclusion

Observing what’s not said is definitely an art and not a science, so you need to use common sense. Identify what you might expect from a passage. Then make sure to observe how (and whether) the text subverts those expectations to sharpen its argument. The biblical authors are constantly working to subvert our expectations so they might better persuade us to trust the Lord and seek first his kingdom.

Hope for Weary Saints from Psalm 126

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Jacob Tanner offers an encouraging exposition of Psalm 126:

That Psalm 126 bears the heading “A Song of Ascents,” and is within the grouping of the Psalms of Ascent is a providential grace of God. Likely penned later than most other Psalms, it offers a great degree of hope and comfort to those weary saints who, like the Israelites of the Babylonian exile, long to be set free from their burdens and trials. It is a Psalm that promises the pious tears of troubled saints will turn to laughter and joy by the grace of God.

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Is There a Place for Christian Prayers of Cursing?

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The Psalms are often described as a hymnbook or prayer book for God’s people. Yet any reader of the Psalms can’t get far into the book without needing to ask a fundamental question: Are these prayers still fitting for God’s people who live after the cross and the teaching of Jesus? C. John Collins states the matter like this:

Many psalms call on God for help as the faithful are threatened with harm from enemies. In a number of places, the form of the requested help is God’s punishment of these enemies. Christians, with the teaching and example of Jesus (e.g., Matt. 5:38–48; Luke 23:34; 1 Pet. 2:19–23; cf. Acts 7:6), wonder what to make of such curses. How can it possibly be right for God’s people to pray in this way?

Collins’s answer is surprisingly thorough for how concise it is. I encourage you to see what he has to say.

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Delighting in the Psalms of Ascent

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Psalms 120 through 134 are known as a collection, entitled the Psalms of Ascent. Jeffrey Stivason briefly explains how they were used in Israel, how the collection is structured, and how it exalts the coming Messiah.

Brothers and sisters, the Psalms of Ascent are a reminder of what we possess in Christ.  So, let us take up these Psalms.  Let us read and remember that Christ built His house, laying Himself as the chief cornerstone.  What is more, each of us are living stones situated one beside another creating a beautiful house temple to His glory. Therefore, let each psalm take us on a pilgrimage to our Christ.  And there let us be glad and rejoice for we are safe in Him who is our God!

“Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways! You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you” (Ps 128:1-2).

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