Psalms 79 and 80 from my new book:
A NEW LOOK AT THE OLD PSALMS
Praying the Psalms: a modern interpretation
____________________
Psalms 79 and 80 from my new book:
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.
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
79
(A vision of the suffering Church.)
O
|
Lord, the enemy seeks to defile your Church and
destroy it. They have corrupted your ministers and martyred many of your
saints. Church members stay away because of our shame. The secular world scorns
us and makes fun of us. How long, Father, will you allow this to happen to us?
Will your resentment ever burn itself out? Instead, be angry with those who
deny your existence and reject you. They are the ones who are working to ruin
your Church.
Do not hold against us our past sins. Have mercy on
us, for we have been humiliated. Pity us, Lord, for you are our savior. Let
your intervention serve to add more glory to your reputation. Forgive our sins
and make it known to all peoples that you are our God. Show them there is a
limit to how much you will allow your servants to suffer. Free those in prison
because of their religious beliefs. Show your great power, Lord, and defend
your Church. Rebuke severely those who hate you. Protect your flock, and we will
thank you publicly from age to age, here and in the world to come. Amen.34
Psalm 80
(A vision of the
incarnation of Christ.)
Y
|
ou listened to us,
Father, and sent your Son, Jesus, to shepherd your flock. Almighty God, you
rose up and came down from heaven to save us. We saw your face in Jesus, and
you converted us. You were our salvation. Before Jesus came, we were suffering
greatly. The enemy scorned us and held us in contempt, but your Son rescued us.
He planted his vineyard, the Church, and its roots now extend throughout the
world.
But now you have left
your vineyard unprotected, and the devil is sifting your followers like wheat
in order to destroy your Church. Father, convert us again. Strengthen your
people, the Church you established, and make it more perfect. Jesus, the Son of
Man, came to empower your children against the evil one. But they have become
weak and face destruction. Rebuke the devil, Lord, and support the righteous
with your strong right arm. Then we will turn back to you, for you will have
given us new life, and we will praise your name. O Lord, convert us again and
save your people. Amen.35
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.
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34The Orthodox Study Bible. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008), 734.
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/
34The Orthodox Study Bible. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008), 734.
35Ibid., p. 735
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.
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.
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