Psalms for Peacemakers

By Georgeann Allard

The psalms of the Bible are a beautiful collection of ancient songs, poetry, and prayers. However, in their present form they are troublesome. Following a truly inspirational line of verse will be a request for vengeance from God on all of one's enemies. The psalms call for a great deal of violence, hatred, anger, and vengeance. I have separated the inspirational verses from the vengeance to provide psalms for peace and meditation. Both peace and hatred are presented to us. It is up to us to choose peace. The Psalms are preserved in all the Bibles of the world for historical study. But for meditation, I have chosen the inspirational verses. This is not Old Testament versus New Testament. In the book of Jonah we are taught that God wants us to save our enemies rather than to destroy them. God spoke to Jonah and told him to go to Ninevah (Iraq) to save his enemies. Jonah preferred to disappear; however, he found that he could not escape from God.

Learn the Beatitudes from the Psalms: Blessed/Happy is the one who does not walk with corrupt people... Happy are they who trust in God...Happy are they who have concern for the poor... Happy the one whom you instruct... Happy are all who revere God...

Psalm 104 appears to be a re-writing of Akhenaten's hymn to the Aten...

"Seventy years is our life span, eighty if we are strong." This was written 2500 years ago, Psalm 90

"Save me, O God, for the waters threaten to overwhelm me..." 69

"As a deer longs for the running streams, so do I long for you, O God..." 42

"The heavens declare the glory of God. The starry sky reveals God's handiwork. Their message is
heard everywhere on earth, no matter what speech or language..." 19

"Out of the mouths of babes and nursing infants you have ordained strength..." 8

"Let me hear the words of God. God proclaims peace..."85

"Why are you so far off, O God? Why do you seem to hide yourself in times of trouble?..."10

"I am your guest, a sojourner, as all my ancestors were..." 39

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Aug 10, 2011
• ISBN: 9781463441371

Georgeann Allard

The following is the biography which I have written for the end of my book: Georgeann Allard has her B.Sc. in Physical Therapy and her M.A. in Russian Literature from The Ohio State University. She grew up in the Presbyterian church, and many years ago the Presbyterian Church declared peacemaking to be the believer's calling. She had Huguenot and Quaker ancestors and her husband's ancestors were Quakers. This background has strongly influenced her views on peace. The works of Tolstoy, the life of Gandhi, and the work of Martin Luther King, Jr. have added to this influence. She enjoys reading theology and has found the works of S.G.F. Brandon and Robert Eisenman especially interesting. She would recommend some other books, such as THE COURAGE TO BE, by Paul Tillich, BEYOND GOD THE FATHER, by Mary Daly, ORIGINAL BLESSING, by Matthew Fox, and I AND THOU, by Martin Buber. Georgeann and her husband live in Vero Beach, Florida. Note to the editor: (This format does not allow italics. Please put the book titles in Italics)

Book preview

Contents

Introduction

The Beatitudes from the Psalms

Commentary

Psalms Of Peace And Unity

85

87

120

122

125

133

A Psalm Of Submission

131

Psalms Of Praise

And The Glory Of Creation

8

19

29

33

36

47

48

57

63

65

67

84

92

93

95

96

97

99

100

103

104

111

117

138

148

150

Psalms For Disasters

46

How To Live

5

16

24

52

62

121

128

Psalms Seeking Forgiveness

Suffering, Sickness, Misfortune

30

41

43

88

116

Seeking Justice And Deliverance

From Evil

3

4

9

10

12

14

26

31

40

54

58

64

82

86

94

109

141

The Anointed King Of Israel

20

28

89

101

The Exodus From Egypt And The

History Of The Israelites

124

129

137

Curses From The Psalms

Angels In The Psalms

Afterlife

About the Author

FOR SOPHIA, COLIN, and JOSHUA

I will sing a psalm; awaken, my spirit. Awaken, lute and harp. I will awaken at dawn. I will praise you O God among the people. Among the nations I will raise a psalm to you; for your love is wide as the heavens, and your truth is eternal.

Psalm 57:7-10

Psalm 108: 1-4

Let me hear the words of God. God proclaims peace…

Psalm 85: 8

Seek peace and make it your quest.   Psalm 34:14

Introduction

The psalms are a beautiful collection of ancient songs, poetry, and prayers; however, in their present form in the Bible they are troublesome. Why? Because certain thoughts within the midst of a beautiful psalm totally destroy the whole effect. Following a truly inspirational line of verse will be a request for vengeance from God on all of one’s enemies. The psalms call for a great deal of violence, hatred, anger, and vengeance. The writers of the psalms were capable of inspirational prayers and poetry, but they were unfortunately caught up in the very human desire to destroy all of their enemies. This is not in keeping with the rest of our religious teaching. Later in the Bible, we are taught to love our neighbors and to care for the stranger in our midst. This teaching is not Old Testament versus New Testament.

For example, in the book of Jonah we are taught that rather than destroying our enemies, God wants us to be reconciled with our enemies, since even they are God’s children. Jonah was a prophet in the kingdom of Israel. God spoke to Jonah one day to tell him that the Ninevites were committing sins and would have to be destroyed unless someone would go to them and guide them to salvation.

Jonah was probably elated to hear that God might destroy the people of Nineveh. After all, they were the enemies of Israel, so Jonah probably approved of God’s plan of destruction. However, God wanted Jonah to go to the people of Nineveh and tell the people to repent of their sins. Jonah refused to go and decided to hide from God. He boarded a ship that was sailing across the Mediterranean. But a terrible storm arose and the sailors decided that someone on board was a jinx; that someone was Jonah. Jonah told them that he was trying to hide from God and that God was probably causing the storm. The sailors were frightened and decided to put Jonah overboard; and then Jonah was swallowed by a whale. Finally Jonah relented and told God that he would go to the ancient city of Nineveh, which is now called Mosul, Iraq. The whale deposited Jonah on shore and he went to Nineveh to preach to the people. They were greatly impressed by him, put on sackcloth and ashes, fasted, prayed, and asked God for forgiveness. God consequently forgave the Ninevites. But, Jonah could not forgive God. He sat under a tent and sulked. Jonah was human and did not appreciate the need to save his enemies. A vine grew up and shaded Jonah from the sun. Jonah was very pleased by the vine, and when it died, he grieved over its death. God pointed out to Jonah that he had not planted the gourd vine and yet he cared about it and was sorry that it died. Couldn’t he understand why God would be concerned about one hundred and twenty thousand people who could not tell right from wrong?

The psalms reflect both our human desires for vengeance and God’s call for peace. They are an important work of religion, literature, history, and poetry. And they are preserved for all time in all of the Bibles of the world. However, for meditation on God’s call for peace in the world, they can be frustrating. I have lifted out the inspirational messages of the psalms and left the curses behind. The curses themselves are quite interesting and I have listed some of the more colorful and poetic ones in the back of my book.

The Beatitudes from the Psalms

The Hebrew word can be translated as happy or blessed. It is happy in the sense of seeking spiritual happiness.

Happy is the one who does not walk with corrupt people, who does not stand with lawbreakers or sit with the scornful. Happy is the one to whom the law of God is a delight, and who meditates in the law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by choice beside a stream, which yields fruit in its season.   (Psalm 1:1-3)

Happy are they who trust in God.   (Psalm 2:12)

Happy is the one whose disobedience is forgiven, whose transgression is forgotten.    (Psalm 32:1-2)

Happy is the one who has no guilt in God’s sight and in whose spirit there is no iniquity.   (Psalm 32:1-2)

Happy is the nation whose God is the Creator. Happy are God’s chosen people.   (Psalm 33:12)

Happy are they who trust in God.   (Psalm 34:8)

Happy is the one who trusts God and does not turn to treacherous people or liars.   (Psalm 40:4)

Happy are they who have concern for the poor. God will save them in times of trouble.   (Psalm 41:1)

Happy are those of your choice, who are brought near to you, to dwell in your courts. They shall be satisfied with the blessings of your house.

(Psalm 65:4)

Happy are they who dwell in your house, always singing your praise. Happy are they whose hearts are seeking you. They pass through the dry valley and create a valley of springs.   (Psalm 84:4-6)

O God, happy are they who trust in you.   (Psalm 84:12)

Happy are the people who have learned to acclaim you, and who walk, O God, in your light. In your name they shall rejoice forever.

(Psalm 89:15-16)

Happy the one whom you instruct, O God, and teach your law.

(Psalm 94:12)

Happy are they who observe justice and always do what is right.

(Psalm 106:3)

Happy are those who revere God and find great joy in God’s commandments. Their descendants shall be mighty on the earth, a blessed generation of good people.   (Psalm 112:1-2)

Happy are they whose lives are blameless, who walk in the law of God. Happy are those who follow God’s teaching, who seek God with all their heart, have done no wrong and have lived according to God’s teaching.

(Psalm 119: 2-3)

Happy are all who revere God and live according to God’s will. They shall eat the fruit of their labors. They shall be happy and successful.

(Psalm 128:1-2)

Happy are we who are blessed. Happy are the people whose God is the Creator.   (Psalm 144:15)

Happy is the one whose help is the God of Jacob, Leah, and Rachel; whose hopes are in God, the Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them.   (Psalm 146:5-7)

Commentary

It becomes apparent after studying the beatitudes of the psalms that Jesus must have been influenced by them. It is also interesting to note how often Jesus referred to the psalms. A great deal of his teaching was taken from the Psalms. He debated with scholars the meaning of David’s psalm (110) in which David, the king, referred to the coming Messiah as my Lord. (Matt.22:41-46, Mark 12:36-37). Jesus identified himself as the stone which the builders rejected, and said, it has become the chief cornerstone. (Psalm 118:22, Mark 12:10-11).

Several of the psalms contain a phrase similar to that of Psalm 7:4, If I have returned a friend evil for good then I deserve thy judgment. (Psalms 7, 35, 109). Jesus may have meditated on that thought and then reversed it to say that we should return good even for evil. (Luke 6:27-36).

In Matthew 5:23-24 Jesus said, If, when you are bringing your gift to the altar, you suddenly remember that your brother has a grievance against you, leave your gift where it is before the altar. First go and make your peace with your brother, and only then come back and offer your gift. This sounds very much like the philosophy of Psalm 50 where God states that animal sacrifice is not necessary and that no gifts are desired from those who are at odds with their own mother’s sons.

While on the cross, Jesus apparently recited lines from two of the psalms: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Psalm 22:1) and Into thy hands I commit my spirit. (Psalm 31:5)

The beatitudes are especially interesting. Apparently this type of phraseology was common in Judea. Besides the beatitudes of the Psalms which must have served as prototypes for Jesus’ beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:1-12, Luke 6:20-25) there are also other beatitudes in the New Testament.

In Luke 1:42-45 Elizabeth greets Mary this way: Happy/Blessed are you above all women and happy/blessed is the fruit of your womb… How happy is she who has had faith that God’s promise would be fulfilled.

A woman says to Jesus, Happy the womb that carried you and the breasts that nursed you. (Luke 11:27) Jesus responded with, "Happy are