Psalms 41 and 42 from my new book:

A NEW LOOK AT THE OLD PSALMS

Praying the Psalms: a modern interpretation

____________________

I present here a new perspective on the psalms. I have rewritten them from a New 
Testament Christ-centered point of view. I did not try to capture the poetry of the 
psalms – I leave that to more gifted writers – but I attempted to capture their message
with a more modern interpretation.

God bless,

John

____________________

Psalm 41

J

esus speaks to the Father about his death and resurrection. “Father, you have restored me to life.  My enemies falsely testified against me. Even my friend, with whom I shared my table, betrayed me. But you rescued me, healed my broken body, and took away my pain when you raised me from the grave. Good has triumphed over evil. You saved me and brought me into the glory of your kingdom.”

Thank you, Father, for saving us, protecting our souls from the evil one, and healing us who are sick from sin and guilt. Amen.¹⁰

Psalm 42

J

esus speaks from the cross to the Father about his baptism. “Father, I remember how the waves of the River Jordan swept over me at my baptism by John, and that refreshes my soul. But now I am overwhelmed with sadness and surrounded by my enemies. My heart breaks as these are the same people who cheered me as I rode on a donkey into Jerusalem. Then they sang songs of praise and thanksgiving and blessed me because I came in the name of the Lord. Perhaps some were there at my baptism when you said that I was your beloved Son with whom you were so pleased. And the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove appeared above me.

Now as I hang upon this cross, my enemies taunt me: ‘Where is this God of yours?’ Where are you, Father? Why have you forsaken me? Yet I know that each day of my life you bathed me in an ocean of unfailing love, and each night I thanked you for giving me this life, a life that would atone for the sins of so many. Now I long to be with you. I thirst – for souls and for you, Father. End this pain and bring me into your presence.”

Let us thank the Father for sending us his Son, “the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” John 1:29 (NLT) Amen.¹¹

____________________

Cover image: Christ the Saviour (Pantokrator)." Web. 25 Sept 2016.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spas_vsederzhitel_sinay.jpg
"Creative Commons License." Web. 18 May 2016.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

¹⁰The Orthodox Study Bible. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008), 709.

¹¹Ibid.

This book and other books I have written are posted for your reading pleasure at Booksie.

Scriptural quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 

copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois
60189. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2016 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material must 

be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact. This book is not for sale, but is 

offered to the public free of charge for the glory of God.

Psalms 39 and 40 from my new book:

A NEW LOOK AT THE OLD PSALMS

Praying the Psalms: a modern interpretation

____________________

I present here a new perspective on the psalms. I have rewritten them from a New 
Testament Christ-centered point of view. I did not try to capture the poetry of the 
psalms – I leave that to more gifted writers – but I attempted to capture their message
with a more modern interpretation.

God bless,

John

____________________

Psalm 39

L

ord, the wicked annoy me, but I am trying to keep quiet in their presence. I have reached a point where I cannot take it anymore. How long, Lord, will I have to endure this? I know I am just a pilgrim passing through this life, a life that is fleeting, only a breath in your eyes. Much of my life is spent in misery and pain. Save me, Lord. I do no evil myself, nor am I preachy, but these evil people ridicule me because I spoke up. I place all my hope in you, but you have made life so difficult for me that I am speechless from exhaustion. Your chastisement is just, but I am too weak to withstand any more of your discipline. My life is passing quickly. Give me some moments of peace before I must depart.

Psalm 40

J

esus speaks to the Father about his incarnation. “Father, I came into this world to carry out your plan. I spread the good news of your faithfulness, saving power, and unfailing love. Burnt offerings were no longer enough. You required a divine sacrifice, as it was written in the scriptures, to atone for the sins of the world and restore the covenant between you and man. I united my will to yours, Father, but that led to my betrayal, torture, crucifixion, and death. Yet you heard my prayer, lifted me out of the tomb, and restored my life. You have given me cause for rejoicing. May others see what great joy comes to those who trust in you.”

Let us all offer our own song of thanksgiving to the Father for all the innumerable and marvelous things he has done for us. Amen.⁹

____________________

Cover image: Christ the Saviour (Pantokrator)." Web. 25 Sept 2016.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spas_vsederzhitel_sinay.jpg
"Creative Commons License." Web. 18 May 2016.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

⁹The Orthodox Study Bible. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008), 709.

This book and other books I have written are posted for your reading pleasure at Booksie.

Scriptural quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 

copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois
60189. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2016 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material must 

be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact. This book is not for sale, but is 

offered to the public free of charge for the glory of God.

Psalms 37 and 38 from my new book:

A NEW LOOK AT THE OLD PSALMS

Praying the Psalms: a modern interpretation

____________________

I present here a new perspective on the psalms. I have rewritten them from a New 
Testament Christ-centered point of view. I did not try to capture the poetry of the 
psalms – I leave that to more gifted writers – but I attempted to capture their message
with a more modern interpretation.

God bless,

John

____________________

Psalm 37

Who will gain admittance to heaven? Those who do good, reject evil, and trust in the Lord; who follow his decrees faithfully and patiently; who are not jealous of the wicked; who delight in the Lord; who dedicate all they do to him; who do not give in to anger, rage or envy; who treasure holiness over possessions; who follow their conscience which is well informed by God’s teachings; who never stray from God’s path; the gentle and humble; the innocent and generous; the good, honest souls who love peace.

As for the ungodly, they will not enter the kingdom of heaven; they will fade away; be destroyed; lose what they cherish the most; find themselves weak and defenseless, the cause of their own undoing. The Lord will laugh at their defiance, for judgment day is coming. 

Psalm 38

Jesus takes the place of sinners on the cross and begs the Father for their salvation. “Father, as I suffer on this cross to atone for the sins of others, your rebukes and punishment are killing me. My health is failing because of the heavy guilt I bear for sinners. I am mortally wounded; filled with pain; burning with fever; exhausted, crushed and in anguish; my heart beats irregularly; I can no longer see; my appearance is abhorrent. I was betrayed by a friend who laid a trap for me. But I kept silent, for I am waiting for you, Father, to answer these false charges. You will not let them rejoice in my demise. Accept my sacrifice as payment owed by others, for I have done nothing wrong. Evil opposes me because I am good. Save me, Father. Do not leave me in the grave.”⁸

____________________

Cover image: Christ the Saviour (Pantokrator)." Web. 25 Sept 2016.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spas_vsederzhitel_sinay.jpg
"Creative Commons License." Web. 18 May 2016.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

⁸The Orthodox Study Bible. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008), 707.

This book and other books I have written are posted for your reading pleasure at Booksie.

Scriptural quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 

copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois
60189. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2016 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material must 

be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact. This book is not for sale, but is 

offered to the public free of charge for the glory of God.

Psalms 35 and 36 from my new book:

A NEW LOOK AT THE OLD PSALMS

Praying the Psalms: a modern interpretation

____________________

I present here a new perspective on the psalms. I have rewritten them from a New 
Testament Christ-centered point of view. I did not try to capture the poetry of the 
psalms – I leave that to more gifted writers – but I attempted to capture their message
with a more modern interpretation.

God bless,

John

____________________

Psalm 35

J

esus begs for his Father’s help as he is betrayed, tried, tortured, and crucified. “Father, come to my aid, for my enemies have disgraced and humiliated me. Although I have done no wrong, they have set a trap for me from which there is no escape. They falsely testify against me. They punish me in spite of all the good I did for them. I showed them compassion, healed them, prayed for them, and now they attack and mock me with profanity. My body cries out, ‘Why, Father, have you abandoned me?’ Mark: 15:34 (NLT) Your spirit within me knows that you will not leave me in the grave. On the third day, I and all who stood by me will rejoice. I may have lost the battle, but I won the war! Thank you, Father, for loving me and my brothers and sisters so much. Amen.”⁷

Psalm 36

T

he wicked are drawn to sin like a moth to a flame. They have no fear of you, Father, so they do as they wish. They do not even see their own wickedness. They are deceitful liars who refuse to follow your precepts or give a single thought to doing something good. Even at night they plan tomorrow’s evil deeds.

However, the godly are deeply grateful to you, Lord, for your unfailing love and boundless faithfulness, righteousness, and justice. You care for all your creatures and protect us with your strong right arm. You satisfy our physical hunger with the earth’s bounty and our spiritual hunger with the body and blood of Christ in Holy Communion. You provide water for our physical thirst and grace for our spiritual thirst. You are the light of the world, a beacon of hope. Thank you, Father, for loving us so much. Give us justice so that we may not be overcome by evil. May the wicked see the error of their ways before it is too late. Amen.

____________________

Cover image: Christ the Saviour (Pantokrator)." Web. 25 Sept 2016.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spas_vsederzhitel_sinay.jpg
"Creative Commons License." Web. 18 May 2016.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

⁷The Orthodox Study Bible. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008), 703.

This book and other books I have written are posted for your reading pleasure at Booksie.

Scriptural quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 

copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois
60189. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2016 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material must 

be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact. This book is not for sale, but is 

offered to the public free of charge for the glory of God.

Psalms 33 and 34 from my new book:

A NEW LOOK AT THE OLD PSALMS

Praying the Psalms: a modern interpretation

____________________

I present here a new perspective on the psalms. I have rewritten them from a New 
Testament Christ-centered point of view. I did not try to capture the poetry of the 
psalms – I leave that to more gifted writers – but I attempted to capture their message
with a more modern interpretation.

God bless,

John

____________________

Psalm 33

(A vision of the Holy Trinity as creator of the universe.)

Father, Son and Holy Spirit existed together from the beginning and all three persons participated in the creation of the world. The Father spoke and the Son and the Holy Spirit carried out his commands. God is the cosmic consciousness, the source of all creation. The Son is the wisdom and intelligence of God reflected in creation. The Holy Spirit is the vibratory force that caused everything to be made manifest.

"Father, you are the creator of the universe. You created the heavens, stars, seas, and oceans. You watch over your creatures who revere you. They can depend on your unfailing protection. You spoke the word, your Son, and breathed forth the Holy Spirit, and the universe was created. Therefore, the righteous worship you, Holy Trinity, because you created the world and will one day raise us from the dead. Amen.”⁵

Psalm 34

Jesus, you invite us to receive your body and blood in Holy Communion: “taste and see that the Lord is sweet.” (v 8) You said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matt 11:28 (NLT) Jesus, free from fear and anxiety those who need encouragement, seek peace, revere God, reject evil, do good, obey his decrees, and hope for salvation in the next world. Lord, you came to heal the sick and the sinner. May we who partake of your body and blood be healed in body and soul. Amen.⁶

____________________

Cover image: Christ the Saviour (Pantokrator)." Web. 25 Sept 2016.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spas_vsederzhitel_sinay.jpg
"Creative Commons License." Web. 18 May 2016.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

⁵The Orthodox Study Bible. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008), 702.

⁶The Orthodox Study Bible. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008), 703.

This book and other books I have written are posted for your reading pleasure at Booksie.

Scriptural quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 

copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois
60189. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2016 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material must 

be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact. This book is not for sale, but is 

offered to the public free of charge for the glory of God.

Psalms 31 and 32 from my new book:

A NEW LOOK AT THE OLD PSALMS

Praying the Psalms: a modern interpretation

____________________

I present here a new perspective on the psalms. I have rewritten them from a New 
Testament Christ-centered point of view. I did not try to capture the poetry of the 
psalms – I leave that to more gifted writers – but I attempted to capture their message
with a more modern interpretation.

God bless,

John

____________________

God of Wrath vs God of Love

The Jewish people were captured, enslaved by the Egyptians, and felt abandoned by God. Yet God revealed himself to Moses in the flaming bush as the great “I AM” and commanded Moses to arrange for the deliverance of his people.

Nevertheless, despite all that God had done for them to gain their freedom, the Israelites bitterly complained, disobeyed him, and even worshiped a golden calf. No wonder God himself called them a “stiff-necked people!”

So how was God to bring his people to an understanding of how much he loved them? My thesis is that God had to first get their attention (Moses before Pharaoh); demonstrate that he was the all-powerful God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (plagues of Egypt); and then lead them to the “promised land” (Exodus).

As we study the Old Testament, we see that God had to lay down strict rules (laws) for maintaining purity, for proper conduct, and for worship (Ark of the Covenant). The penalty for violating these rules was often death.

Now, we may ask ourselves, “Why didn’t God just punish them and let them live?” I don’t presume to know the mind of God, but believe that the people were so stubborn and self-centered, that only the harshest punishment (death) would get their attention and alter their behavior.  Remember, God had made a covenant with his people, a promise to make them more numerous than the stars in the sky. God began to prepare his people for their eventual salvation (the Bible is the record of salvation history) by establishing some ground rules (laws and punishment for violations).  Eventually that promise would be fulfilled through the Father’s greatest act of love, the death and resurrection of his son, Jesus.

So God was very strict in the Old Testament. For example, he killed anyone who touched the Ark of the Covenant without his permission and he had people stoned for adultery. God could have just told them, as Jesus did, to go and sin no more, but would that have been enough to correct their behavior? Probably not, given how persistently his chosen people disobeyed him.

God would eventually work his will and soften his approach. He would show how much he loved his people through the psalms and his prophets. In the fullness of time, the people would see God’s love in full bloom on earth when Jesus healed the sick and raised the dead.

But didn’t God have his own son killed? What kind of loving father would do that? Well, if God is the Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), he actually killed himself! Why would God kill himself? He did it out of love. Of course, God the spirit couldn’t die, but his son in the flesh could and that ultimate sacrifice by the Son of God and the Son of Man was God’s most powerful demonstration of his love for the human race: he would endure the suffering and death of his own son to save us from our own spiritual death — a soul forever separated from his Creator/Mother/Father. God would miss us terribly. Just as the father watched every day for the return of his prodigal son, God the Father is anxiously waiting for the return of each and every soul, now made possible by the loving sacrifice that he and Jesus and the Holy Spirit made on Calvary. One day God will place a ring on our finger, clothe us in the finest robe, and welcome us to the supper of the Lamb.

In summation, God had to work his plan of salvation through the law and revelation of the prophets in the Old Testament. That plan reached its fulfillment in the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus, an act of love that reopened the gates of heaven, reconciled us to the Father, and overcame our fear of death with the promise of eternal life. God is patient, God is kind, and above all, God is love. Amen.

Psalm 31

Lord, hear my prayer and rescue me from my enemies. Only you can help me now. I trust in you because you are ever faithful in responding to those who follow your decrees. My life is in your hands. Dispose of me as you wish.

Yet now I see that my crisis is over. You have saved me. Once I was blinded by fear; overcome with grief, sadness, and misery. I was hated by enemies, despised by neighbors, and shunned by friends. But now you have blessed me because I honor you. I praise you, Lord, and I encourage all the faithful to obey you, for you protect all those who do your will. Let the arrogant beware – they may find themselves without resource! Amen.

  

Psalm 32

Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven. My sins weighed heavily upon me. Yet once I confessed my sins, my guilt disappeared. What joy I felt. God-fearing souls should confess their sins before it is too late, and God judges them unworthy. As for me, I rejoice that God has delivered me from evil. Now that I am clean, the Lord will guide me along straight paths. He will teach me his ways and watch over me. The wicked will be harshly disciplined; the righteous will be blessed. So let us with pure hearts rejoice in our blessings. Amen.

____________________

Cover image: Christ the Saviour (Pantokrator)." Web. 25 Sept 2016.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spas_vsederzhitel_sinay.jpg
"Creative Commons License." Web. 18 May 2016.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

This book and other books I have written are posted for your reading pleasure at Booksie.

Scriptural quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 

copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois
60189. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2016 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material must 

be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact. This book is not for sale, but is 

offered to the public free of charge for the glory of God.

Psalms 29 and 30 from my new book:

A NEW LOOK AT THE OLD PSALMS

Praying the Psalms: a modern interpretation

____________________

I present here a new perspective on the psalms. I have rewritten them from a New 
Testament Christ-centered point of view. I did not try to capture the poetry of the 
psalms – I leave that to more gifted writers – but I attempted to capture their message
with a more modern interpretation.

God bless,

John

____________________

Psalm 29

(A vision of the Holy Trinity at Jesus’ baptism in the River Jordan.)

The Father’s voice above the waters penetrates the fiery flames of the Holy Spirit and reveals Jesus as his Son with whom he is very pleased. God announces to all nations that his beloved Son will reign as King forever, give his people strength, and bless them with peace. All the angels in heaven shout for joy as they witness the glory of God made manifest in Jesus, the King of kings and Savior of the world. Glory!⁴

Psalm 30

In gratitude for having restored his health, a sinner prays to the Father: “Thank you, Father, for having rescued me from the grave and prevented my enemies from gloating. You have restored my body to life. Your anger has abated. My weeping has turned into rejoicing. I was once very successful and thought that nothing could undo my accomplishments. I had forgotten that everything I have comes from you. Then I was shattered when my health failed and I feared the loss of everything. Yet you restored my life, my health, and my prosperity. Therefore, I will praise you unceasingly, Father. Amen.”

____________________

Cover image: Christ the Saviour (Pantokrator)." Web. 25 Sept 2016.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spas_vsederzhitel_sinay.jpg
"Creative Commons License." Web. 18 May 2016.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

⁴The Orthodox Study Bible. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008), 699.

This book and other books I have written are posted for your reading pleasure at Booksie.

Scriptural quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 

copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois
60189. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2016 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material must 

be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact. This book is not for sale, but is 

offered to the public free of charge for the glory of God.