For PsalmChallenge -- Psalm 40:
2. I most surely hoped in the LORD; He bent down toward me, and heeded my cry.
3. He lifted me out of the miry pit,
the slimy bog, and set my feet on a rock, steadying my steps.
4. He put a new song into my mouth, a hymn to our God. Multitudes see it and stand in awe and trust in the LORD.
5. Happy is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who turns not to the arrogant or to falsehood .
6. You, O LORD my God, have done multitudinous things. Your wonders and Your consideration of us—none can compare with You! I would recite and relate them, but they are more than can be told.
7. You do not desire sacrifice or grain-offering. You opened ears for me: You do not ask for burnt-offering or sin-offering.
8. Then I said, “See, I bring a scrolled book written about me.”
9. To do Your pleasure, my God, is my wish; Your teaching is in my innermost parts.
10. I proclaimed justice in a multitudinous congregation; see, I did not seal my lips; O LORD, You know.
11. I did not hide Your justness within my heart; I declared Your faithful deliverance; I did not conceal Your steadfast faithfulness from a multitudinous congregation.
12. You, O LORD, will not seal off Your compassion from me; Your steadfast faithfulness will always protect me.
13. For injuries without number envelop me; my iniquities have caught up with me and I cannot see; they are more plentiful than the hairs of my head; my heart deserts me.
14. Be it Your pleasure, LORD, to save me; O LORD, hasten to my aid.
15. May those who seek to destroy my life be disgraced and abashed one and all; may those who wish me injury fall back in shame.
16. May those who say “Aha! Aha!’’ over me be desolate because of their disgrace.
17. May all who seek You be glad and rejoice in You; may those who are eager for Your deliverance always say, “the LORD be exalted!’’
18. But as for me, I am lowly and needy; may the Lord consider me. You are my aid and my rescuer; my God, do not hold back.
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Photos:
Wading in wet concrete on Mt. Herzl, 2009. It hardened into the foundation for the light rail tracks.
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Translation by Rabbi Benjamin Segal.
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Hebrew original and an older English translation at Mechon Mamre.
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Dina excellent illustration for "the miry pit"...I've never walked in cement but I've watched others do so, appears to be like slogging in deep mud!
ReplyDeleteWhat impressive interpretation of the Psalm, probably life itself.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your kind participation. Please have a good Tuesday and please join again soon.
I had not thought that they might even have to walk in wet cement. Sounds like a dumb technique to me. However, your using these images with this Psalm, is the antithesis of dumb, Dina.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your Christmas wishes. May I wish you seasonal cheer, and hope that you look forward to a 2012 full of peace, contentment and reasonable health.
A favorite psalm!
ReplyDeleteAloha from Waikiki
Comfort Spiral
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Now whenever I read this Psalm I think of that book by Nogah Hareuveni, Desert and Shepherd in Our Biblical Heritage, where he describes the flash floods and miry pits and the need for rescue and a steadying foothold!
ReplyDeleteGracious! You certainly put meaning in that psalm.
ReplyDeleteHere you get extra points for creativity with pictures! Well done Dina
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