Rabbi’s Reflections – Monday, January 6, 2025
Shalom,
Rabbi Trail: I thought you might enjoy this video of Randall Thompson’s “Last Words Of David.” The lyrics come from 2 Samuel 23:3,4. My high school chorus did this piece about 55 years ago under the direction of Ike Terry at Pensacola High School. This is not us, but The Northern Lights Chorale, as you will see from their YouTube channel. Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Van7VC01p0
Psalms
Psalm 22:27 – Part 23
Psalm 22:27 Let the poor eat and be satisfied. Let them who seek after Him praise Adonai. May your hearts live forever!
Psalm 22 is the Psalm of the Suffering Servant. It is the Psalm of the first coming. Now, toward the end of the Psalm, King David transitions to look forward. What does the future look like. Our subject verse today contains three thoughts about the future. (1) The poor will eat and be filled. (2) Those who seek the Lord will praise Him. (3) Their hearts will live forever. Let’s do some “unpacking” here.
Who are the “poor” in the context of eating to satisfaction? We find Yeshua mentioning the poor in the first beatitude (which sets up the other seven).
Rabbi Trail: The “beatitudes” were spoken by Yeshua at the beginning of His Sermon on the Mount. There are eight of them that tell us how God’s kingdom operates. The first one goes like this… Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” End RT.
Biblically speaking, “poor people” is not a reference to any one’s bank balance. Spiritually poor people are humble, empty of pride. These are people who, because they are empty, are ready to be filled as they receive blessings from God. Jacob 4:6 But He gives greater grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” God can’t fill someone who is already full of him or her self.
The Lord’s table has “food” that is not found in the finest of restaurants. John 4:32 But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” …34 Yeshua tells them, “My food is to do the will of the One who sent Me and to accomplish His work.” May we all be filed with this “food” of His Spirit.
Now we turn to this… Praise the Lord, you who seek Him! My sense is that this is more of an imperative than the TLV translation indicates. Isaiah 55:6 Seek Adonai while He may be found, call on Him while He is near. To seek Him is to find Him, which is the eternal joy of our salvation. Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek Me and find Me, when you will search for Me with all your heart. This guides us to praise Him.
The name, Judah, means “praiser of Yah.” Judah is the fourth born son of Jacob/Israel. All their names tell the progression of the life of every believer. What comes after “Reuben” (see the Son), “Shimeon” (listen to Him), and “Levi” (you will be joined to Him)? And who’s next? Judah! Naturally, we will lift up our hands and praise Him in the sanctuary. All three verses of Psalm 134 tell this story…
Rabbi Trail: And notice, this is one of fifteen Psalms of Ascent. They were all sung by priests to prepare the hearts of worshippers, who ascended to the Temple Mount, to be in the presence of God. End RT.
Psalm 134:1 A Song of Ascents. Behold, bless Adonai, all servants of Adonai, who stand by night in the House of Adonai. 2 Lift up your hands in the Sanctuary and bless Adonai. 3 May Adonai bless you out of Zion—Maker of heaven and earth.
And finally, which hearts will live forever? Those who have humbled themselves and received Yeshua as their Lord and Savior will sing His praises. They can’t help themselves because His goodness compels us to praise Him. These are the ones who will praise Him forever. Isaiah 35:10a The ransomed of Adonai will return and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy upon their heads. Shalom shalom.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/
Mon 06-Jan-2025 6th of Tevet, 5785
Ge 48:10-16 2 Sa 12 Ps 84 Lk 8:1-25 (2 Co 7)