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Psalms 107-115

Chapter 107
First Psalm of Book 5, 107-150.
1st stanza.  Thanksgiving.
2nd.  He leads the wandering in the desert to a city.  He delivers the distressed who cry out to Him.
2021 - In vs 4 and again in 7 dwelling in a city is considered a good thing, a desirable thing.  And look at this last verse of the stanza:
9 For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things. [Psa 107:9 ESV].  Who would this not appeal to?  This is not a promise of God so much as an attribute of God.  This is what He does.  We might also say that if we are "fat, dumb, and happy", then our soul is not longing, and He perhaps gives us nothing.  Would this be why Israel deteriorated so many times?  God filled their every need, so they had no longing for God and His ways.  They didn't need Him - because they'd forgotten that it was He who had supplied them in the first place.  No longing soul, no hungering after God means he does not work in our lives.
Possible FB post.
Continuing this...these were the ones wandering in the desert, with no city to dwell in, no place to call home.  They longed for a "place" they could settle down.  This was their longing, their need.

3rd.  He frees those in slavery and bondage when they cry out to Him.
2021 - This is a new group being described.  There were the wanderers, and now the prisoners.  But note that they are prisoners because God made them prisoners as punishment for their rebellion.  These deserved what they got, and God is the one who dispensed justice.  As prisoners, they turn back to him, appeal to him, and he answers them.  This stanza closes like this:
16 For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron. [Psa 107:16 ESV]

4th.  Even those in trouble because of their own foolishness He delivers.
2021 - Seems to be about the foolishness of self-destructive behavior.  Indulgence in sin to our own detriment.  Says "they loathed any kind of food".  What would cause that?  MSB note is not much help.  He thinks this might refer back to a mass disease and then a mass healing in Numbers.  I have a hard time thinking it is about historical events on that scale.  Alcoholism, drug addiction, things like this lead to a denigration of nutrition.  Vs 20 says 20 He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. [Psa 107:20 ESV].  I guess it could have been a disease that they brought on themselves, but addiction seems to be much more in line with the context.  This one ends with this verse:
22 And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy! [Psa 107:22 ESV]

This phrase is repeated in each stanza:
21 Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! [Psa 107:21 ESV]

5th.  He saves distressed sailors from storms.  The storms show God's power.

2022 - This verse:
29 He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. [Psa 107:29 ESV].
I wonder if the apostles remembered this Psalm when Jesus just said "Peace be still" and the sea settled down.  Look who this verse says has the power to to still the waves.  Only God.  And they witnessed Jesus doing that with his words.  I never realized that this miracle of Christ tied back so directly to the OT, and should have established with certainty who he was.  It establishes that he was not just a man.  Only "God" could do this, so Jesus was fully God.  This is a good proof text for that position.  Also, consider this Psalm when Jesus answers the Pharisees that "If you don't believe me, believe the works".  Surely this one was way up on the list of works he had in mind when he made that statement!
Good FB post.

2021 - Another group is discussed.  Sailors.  So wanderers, prisoners, self-abusers?, and now sailors.  This does not seem like a correct understanding.  What is the common thread here?  Ends this way:
32 Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. [Psa 107:32 ESV]

6th.  This stanza breaks the pattern.  Here, it first shows God's power over nature - to make the barren productive, and the opposite.  
2021 - It is saying that God, through His power, can make a fruitful dwelling place from an awful place.  I think of that land out around Four Corners.  He can make that green and fruitful.

7th.  God helps the needy and afflicted, and brings low the power of the "mighty".
8th.  One verse:
    43 Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD. [Psa 107:43 ESV]
2021 - Look at this closing.  It is telling us there is deep meaning here, and that we need to understand these lessons.  This one is worth spending more time on, worth meditating on.  Because there is a common thread here that I am missing.  The steadfast love of the Lord is the stated theme...but that doesn't help me with the significance of the 5 group.  And why 5?  That is an unusual number for biblical things.  Maybe that is part of the key?

2022 - No matter what your position, high, low or in-between, God sees you, corrects you, saves you when you are low.  His steadfast love is there for all.  Hesed.  His steadfast love, according to Bobby Kelly's explanation of that word, is what is in view.  The fact that God's own hesed is available, lifts the weak, frees the prisoner, calms to seas, ought always to lead to praise for his name.

Chapter 108
David.
MSB note says David here combines two of his previous psalms - 57 and 60 - leaving out the laments.  That makes this almost entirely a commemoration of God's victories. 
1st Stanza, I will sing of your steadfast love.
2nd, Answer my prayers
3rd, God has promised the people Canaan.  Israel is God's.
4th, Asking God to go before them into battle.  David says this:
11 Have you not rejected us, O God? You do not go out, O God, with our armies. [Psa 108:11 ESV]
This followed with a prayer that God would help them against the foe.  There's no way to tell for sure what specific event this may be about.  David was constantly beset by enemies after his sin with Bathsheba, and this could have been just about any one of those - and I am sure there are many not recorded.  To me, the important thing is that here again God had "left Israel alone".  Removing His protection is what He often does when we turn away from Him.  It is not that He always pro-actively sends problems, plagues, pestilence and war so much as He stops protecting nations from the natural greed, violence, and deceit that characterizes fallen man. 

2021 - Those first 4 verses are another example of what a music lover David was.  He wants instruments playing, and he wants to sing songs.  Put the two together and you have the songs and music we use in worship today.  I really do think David is the one who introduced musical accompaniment to worship songs - to Psalms.  Perhaps that's why he wrote so many.  He was an accomplished song writer.

Chapter 109
David.
1st, David prays for help against his enemies.  David had real enemies, and lots of them apparently.  Perhaps this is a fact of life for those with massive political power.  There are always those who want to take it from you and they will do about anything to get it.
2nd, This section calls for the just punishments in the law towards those who told lies and made false accusations to bring people down.  To bring David down in this case.  The words are not about a specific person, nor about any political office, but about those who were trying to undermine David's place as king with their lies and deceit and scheming.  Here are a few of the verses:
[Psa 109:8-9 ESV] 8 May his days be few; may another take his office! 9 May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow!
[Psa 109:13 ESV] 13 May his posterity be cut off; may his name be blotted out in the second generation!
2021 - Looks like I totally missed this the first time.  This is quoted in the NT by Peter when he says they need a new "12th Apostle".  This is prophetically about Judas, a very specific man.  So the question is, should this NDP be prayed about anyone else?  Or has it done it's single task and finished already?

3rd, David prays that the evil intent of his enemies be visited on them instead.
2021 - David was speaking about his present circumstances.  Though Peter applied it to Judas, David was also speaking about his enemies in his own times.  This third stanza makes that very clear.  So yes, this is an NDP that we can pray.  I would go so far as to say we should pray it.
4th,   Prayer for God to intervene against the enemies because David is no longer physically able to do so.  He depends only on God for protection and help.
5th, Let the accusers receive the intended dishonor, and let all know that it is God who brought it about.
6th, Then I will give great praise to the Lord.
Vss 6-20 are a prayer asking God to return to David's accusers the things that they wish for him.  Surely we too can pray this prayer about those who want to undermine our country with violence and threats and crime.  It would be a good study to consolidate the prayers like this that David prayed about those trying to undermine his authority, which was undermining the civil authority of the land, and publish them on the website so others could pray that the violent receive what they dish out.

Chapter 110
David.
[Psa 110:1 ESV] 1 A Psalm of David. The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool."
Jesus quotes this one in the NT, to show that the He is both David's son, and so King of Israel, and David's Lord, pre-dating and pre-existing David.  He is the Son, in the form of mortal man.
The rest of this chapter is also about Jesus.  In this case, looking forward to the coming Messiah.
2nd, Jesus will rule from Zion, and also be priest, after the order of Melchizedek.  This is quoted in Hebrews.
3rd, He will be all powerful.  He will put down all who oppose him.

2024 - He will judge among the nations, vs 6
He will fill them with corpses.  also vs 6.  We don't talk about this one.  These two verses are about the second coming.  Filling nations with corpses is a pretty bleak picture of the return of the one who said "They will know you by your love".  

Chapter 111
No stanzas, just one section.
2 Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them. [Psa 111:2 ESV]
This whole Psalm is a praise to God for who He is and what He has done.  It would be an excellent prayer to begin thanking God for His works in our lives.

Chapter 112
There is a note saying this Psalm is an acrostic of the Hebrew alphabet.  That would not be obvious in any English translation.
The Psalm is a tribute to righteous men, who follow God in all that they do.  Here are some good verses, some uplifting, strengthening, confidence building, facing an unknown future without fear verses:
6 For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever. 7 He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD. 8 His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries. 9 He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn is exalted in honor. [Psa 112:6-9 ESV]
What a good FB post for uncertain times!  Noted 7/23/20

Chapter 113
2021
1st Stanza, Praise to the Lord.
2nd, God's power and majesty and help to His people.
2021 - The first two words of this psalm, transliterated from Hebrew, are Halal Ya.  Halal is a primitive root word most commonly translated praise, glory, or boast.  Ya is the shortened form of Yehova.  I am interested in whether this word Halal is the same one the Muslims use of acceptable food.  Their food must be Halal.  Sonny told me that means the animal was blessed before it was processed into food.  It is "praise food" maybe or something like that.  But this whole first verse in Hebrew just flows.  Here is the whole verse, in ESV, and then transliterated:
1 Praise the LORD!                                                                    halal Ya
Praise, O servants of the LORD,                                          halal ebed Yehova
praise the name of the LORD! [Psa 113:1 ESV]             halal et sem Yehova
Look how easily this could be memorized in Hebrew!  The ESV translation tries to keep the form of the verse by starting each verse with "praise", and ending each verse with "Lord".  A great translation...just not as succinct and memorable as the Hebrew.

Chapter 114
1st, 2 verses.  Israel became the Lords when they left Egypt.
2nd, 2 verses, Pictures of His miracles as he led them.
3rd, 2 verses, 2nd stanza in question form.
4th, 2 verses, Tremble at the presence of the God of Jacob.

Chapter 115
1st, Intro, let the glory be to God.
2nd, 2 verses, God is in heaven.
3rd, Idols are just things, that don't have any power even to speak or see, or hear.  Those who worship idols become like idols.  Putting in all the verses:
4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. 5 They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. 6 They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. 7 They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. 8 Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them. [Psa 115:4-8 ESV]
Look what this says!  Idols - the things that get worshiped as substitutes for God - are completely impotent.  They can't hear your prayers, they can't act on your prayers.  They have no influence or purpose or use in the universe.  And if you trust these idols, you become just as purposeless as they are.  If we feel purposeless, directionless, at a loss to "be somebody", maybe it is because we are to busy worshiping idols.
This is a FB post for sure.  Noted on 7/23/20.

4th, Trust in the Lord, He is our help and shield.  Written kind of like a chorus to a song would be.
5th, The Lord will bless those who fear him, both small and great.
6th, 2 verses, a blessing pronounced, presumably on the hearers of the Psalm.  A good benediction at the end of a class, a Bible study, or lunch with a good Christian friend.  The end of a text, an email, a letter.  Many places for this little blessing:
14 May the LORD give you increase, you and your children! 15 May you be blessed by the LORD, who made heaven and earth! [Psa 115:14-15 ESV]
7th, These last three verses:

16 The heavens are the LORD's heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man. 17 The dead do not praise the LORD, nor do any who go down into silence. 18 But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the LORD! [Psa 115:16-18 ESV]
A verse that could be used to show that heaven is free of Satan and his followers.  They could not be in the presence of God.  And then 17 says praise Him while you breath.  It is the basis for David's prayers asking that his life continue, so that he could praise God on the earth, and proclaim God on the earth.
2021 - So, space exploration, telescopes, astronomy, astrophysics....all those things and more are about man exploring the realm of God.  Geology, oceanography, meteorology, volcanology...all those are about man exploring his own realm.  Surely there are some implications to this.  Contrast them...the heavens are so vast we cannot explore directly but we must use remote means.  The earth we can explore with our own senses.  We cannot confirm our hypotheses about the heavens because the time scales are too long for experimentation.  We can experiment and confirm many - maybe even most - of our earthly hypotheses.  Still, even on earth earth we have hypotheses that also require this tremendously long time to be true.  Maybe the fact that the only way we can "explain" these things is to attribute time beyond comprehension to them is the stamp God put on them to identify them as His doing?  ((I really like that phrase!)))
Possible FB post.

Psalms 116-118

Chapter 116
1st, I love God because He hears my prayer.  When I was low he delivered me.
2nd, God answers the prayer of the lowly.
3rd, Too good to summarize:
8 For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling; 9 I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living. [Psa 116:8-9 ESV]
4th, 2 verses, proclaiming faith even in the worst of times.
5th, We repay by proclaiming, by publicly demonstrating God.  This goes back to vs 17 perhaps.
6th, Contains this verse, which is on Dad's tombstone, because Mom wanted it on hers:
15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. [Psa 116:15 ESV]
The verse praises God.
2021 - It seems this whole psalm is a praise.  It is about someone who was in dire straights, very depressed and down, who prayed, and was heard, and lifted up by God.  This is about answered prayer, and the proper response to it.  We pray because he hears.
 
Chapter 117
Two verses.
Praise.

Chapter 118
1st stanza, Intro.  Give thanks.

2nd, 3 verses, like the 4th stanza of 115.  It urges Israel, the house of Aaron, and those who fear the Lord to each say "His steadfast love endures forever".  Like a chorus again.

3rd, The Lord is with me, what can man do to me.

4th, 2 verses, Take refuge in the Lord, not man.

5th, The writer tells of being encompassed by enemies, and repeats the phrase "...in the name of the Lord I cut them off."  A responsive reading maybe?  The second stanza could be also.

6th, The Lord is my strength.

7th, 2 verses - 17,18.  God's mercy.  Really, can't summarize this one.  It is already succinct.
2021 - Well, it seems the psalmist believed his troubles were brought about by his own misdeeds.  The surrounding armies were God's discipline - His severe discipline.  I don't think these two are Messianic, because Jesus did die.  It was necessary, and it was not about discipline at all.  So through 18 I would deny messianic connotation.

8th, This stanza is about the Messiah.  The writer asks that the gates of righteousness be opened.  Then it says:
20 This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it. [Psa 118:20 ESV]
Surely this is a reference to the narrow gate, that so few find.  Gate implies entrance, an entrance to a place set off for those who come in through the gate.  A place not everyone can go.  Only the righteous can enter here.  This is where "I am the way, the truth, and the life" comes from.  It all ties back to Psalm 118.
Then verse 22:
22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. [Psa 118:22 ESV]
This verse confirms that the Messiah is being referred to.  See how the gate and the stone are the same?  Jesus is the gate through which the righteous have access to God, and is the cornerstone of the gospel, of the new, and at the time of this writing, covenant.  It was still far in the future, but look how these verses foretell and predict it. 
And finally, the last verse of the stanza says this:
24 This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. [Psa 118:24 ESV]
This "day" is the day of Messiah.  Maybe even more than that it is the coming of the New Covenant in Jesus Christ, a covenant of belief without the requirement of sacrifices and festivals.  It referred to a future time when He would come.  It is not about Sunday church...I don't think.  In context it is about the coming of the Messiah and the New Covenant in Him.  When Jesus says David wrote of him, surely this must be extremely high on the list of obvious references to Jesus.
I never knew that all this went together like this.  What an awesome stanza.  It really should be memorized.

9th, One verse, a prayer for success.

10th, 2 verses, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.  This too seems to be about Messiah, the one who is to come.  And then the second verse says bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.  Messiah, the future sacrifice, the perfect sacrifice.  How have I missed all this?!?!
11th, The closing two verses.  The very last verse is a repeat of the first verse of the Psalm.


2021 - So let's see...Beginning and ending with the same verse - bookend verses - implies that everything in between is related somehow.  The obvious tie would seem to be the prophecy of Messiah's coming.  
Here are the bookends:
  1 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! ...
29 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! [Psa 118:1, 29 ESV]

Later, 2021, 11/6:  I do think there is this theme in this chapter describing God's plan to redeem mankind from before the world began.  I think Old and New Covenant's are described and that the advent of Christ changing from old to new is clearly anticipated.  The gospel is here - but as a subset of the overall idea being presented.  God created us, planned to save us, did save us through his son, is all-powerful and worthy of praise, and we shall one day have an eternal opportunity to do just that.

Key paragraph:
20 This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it. 21 I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. 22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 23 This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. [Psa 118:20-23 ESV]
20, 22, and 23 certainly point to the future work of Christ.  Who is speaking in 21?  

MSB outlines the chapter, and has a "break" between vss 21 and 22.  Here is the outline:
1.  Call to worship 1-4
2. Personal praise 5-21
3. Corporate praise 22-24
4. Commitment to Worship 25-29

How would I outline it?
1. The opening bookend, 1
2. Three chosen (elect) groups, vss 2-4 - Israel - the chosen nation, the Aaronic priesthood - the chosen priesthood, others who fear God - the chosen Gentiles  Let all the saved praise God.
3. The response of the elect, vss 5-9:  vs 5, call upon the name of the Lord, vss 6, 7 trust in him,  vss 8,9. -  Abide in him.  This is about salvation and sanctification.  
4.
Not having much luck doing an outline.  Does that mean I have it all wrong?  I was so excited about this...


Vss 2-4 talk about three groups.  Israel, the Aaronic priesthood, and the Gentiles - the chosen nation, the chosen priesthood, and the worldwide gospel elect.  We are in that third group, anticipated even this far back.  All three groups - which encompass all the elect for all time, are to recognize God's plan through all history to include them.
2 Let Israel say, "His steadfast love endures forever."
3 Let the house of Aaron say, "His steadfast love endures forever."
4 Let those who fear the LORD say, "His steadfast love endures forever." [Psa 118:2-4 ESV]
BUT, I found this today:  19 O house of Israel, bless the LORD! O house of Aaron, bless the LORD! 20 O house of Levi, bless the LORD! You who fear the LORD, bless the LORD! [Psa 135:19-20 ESV].  Levi included as a third group.  This bothered me yesterday.  Why wouldn't Levi be included, it was certainly set apart as a separate group.  Here, there are four groups.  Levi is added.
You could also look at it as the old covenant and the new.  The Old covenant required a separate priesthood.  The priest were the earthly administrators of the covenant, and the people observed its requirements.  Under the new covenant, we are our own priests, speaking directly to the Father through the Son.  His love endures forever, through His plan for the redemption of all mankind - beginning with Israel, and continuing through the the Gentile age.  Yes.  This almost gets me back on track with the whole chapter being about the gospel.

Vss 5-7, another triad.  Starts with the plan of salvation:  call upon the name and be saved.  Walk with God in the world.  Fear him and not man.  As we saw in David's look toward eternity rather than earthly circumstances, the saved will be in heaven - the win - and the unsaved, the enemies will be in hell.
5 Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free. I called...for salvation.
6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?   I will not fear (man) in this life, but live in fear of the Living God.  Abide in Him, the lordship of Christ over our lives. We are his servants.  Sanctification?
7 The LORD is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me. [Psa 118:5-7 ESV]  I will live forever in the next life, in a far better place than my enemies.  Glorification?  (Enemies here in the sense of those who hate God.  See that verse where David hates those who hate the Lord and considers them his enemies.  I think that is the sense of enemies here.

Vss 8,9, Trusting in God is the best way, the right way, the true way.  Man, even princes, will ultimately fail us.  Trusting in God is better.
8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.
9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes. [Psa 118:8-9 ESV]
This is how we react to the trouble that ultimately, inevitably will come.  Don't look for earthly relief, don't turn to Senators or even Presidents for help.  Don't attack.  Take refuge in the Lord, trust in Him, and leave the details and the vengeance to Him.  Surely David lived this example for us.

Vss 10-13, Four verses, All three of the first ones start with "surrounded" and all three end with "in the name of the Lord I cut them off", the last ends with "the Lord helped me".  How does this one fit?  
10 All nations surrounded me; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
11 They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
12 They surrounded me like bees; they went out like a fire among thorns; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
13 I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the LORD helped me. [Psa 118:10-13 ESV]
The psalmist is surrounded and oppressed to the point of falling, and then God stepped in.  MSB just says it is obvious that the psalmist is the leader of a nation.  That doesn't seem to go far enough.  Three groups, united in salvation, surrounded by sinners - enemies from all over - who want them gone.  Surely those who would rather live in sin oppose those who love God.  This innate animosity is mentioned many times in scripture.  Jesus himself talks about how those who love darkness hate him because he is light, and they will hate his followers for the same reasons.  They will pursue and persecute the saved.  This constant attack will be common to all three groups.  It ends with God's help through these trials.
Here is another possibility, as found in the KJV translation:  10 All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD will I destroy them. [Psa 118:10 KJV]  ESV, ASV, and RSV all translate it "cut them off".  Pretty much every other translation is more like the KJV, indicating that the enemies were either destroyed or turned back/turned away.  The three V's use some additional manuscripts not available to KJV and other early translations.  

Just looked at the interlinear.  Wow.  The word they all have trouble translating is the transliterated word "mool"(rhymes with pool), Strong's H4135.  This word is used 36 times in the KJV.  Here's the kicker - 30 times this word is translated "circumcise". 3 times "destroy", and one each "cut down", "needs" and "cut in pieces".  So no scholar, it seems, has ever determined that this word that so predominately should be translated "circumcise", ever thought it ought to be translated that way  here.  Why?  Vs 10 would read "All nations surrounded me; in the name of the LORD I circumcised them."  What did it mean when God told Abraham to be circumcised?  What was God's reason?  Here are the verses:  10 This [is] my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. 11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. [Gen 17:10-11 KJV].  A token of mutual covenant between two.  It seems unlikely that David made a covenant with these people.  Same word is used in all three verses.  NASB doesn't really get into it at all.  Maybe we are to understand it in the sense of "I turned them into nasty cuttings from a penis".  He turned them into the part you throw away when you circumcise someone.  I bet this is the correct sense of it.  These enemies were about as much consideration as the cut off skin of a circumcision.  Oh my.  I think that is right.  And if that's what this means, the cut off translation is probably as close as you can get.
So continuing with the interpretation, earthly enemies, no matter how formidable or numerous, in God's eyes are nothing more than discarded foreskins from a circumcision.  This makes even more sense when we remember that David "paid" 100 Philistine foreskins for Saul's daughter's hand in marriage.  Whoever wrote this must have been familiar with that story, and indirectly referenced it here.  Oh yeah.  This is what this means!

Vss 14-16, Victory verses.  Remaining faithful to God through the trials of this world results in His lifting us up to eternal glory in heaven.  Again, we are evaluating our success in terms of eternity, not of this life in the world.  He, and He alone, will save us from hell.  When the story of earth is over, we will be in heaven forever.
14 The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.
15 Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous: "The right hand of the LORD does valiantly, [Psa 118:14-15 ESV]
16 the right hand of the LORD exalts, the right hand of the LORD does valiantly!" [Psa 118:16 ESV]
The repeated phrase is transliterated "ya mean, Yehova, ah sah, high yil".  The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.  The high starts with the throat noise/phlegm noise.
A triumphal life on earth depends entirely, completely on the power of God and on His unassailable power.

((Revisit the interpretation to this point:
2-4, God loves all people, His salvation extends to all people.
5-7, God's plan is for us to call on Him for salvation, to live our lives without fear of any man, and ultimately to live in perpetual triumph over the enemies of God.
8, 9, Leave peace, vengeance, aggression and wrath entirely to God.  Go hide from trouble in the refuge that is God, and let him worry about what is outside the walls.
10-13, There are no enemies more powerful than God, no enemies that are any threat to God.  In the writer's case, God allowed him to dispose of his enemies effortlessly.  
14-16, A triumphant life on earth depends entirely, completely on the power of God and His unassailable power.


Vss 17, 18, Ultimately, the saved have eternal life.  The saved do not die, but are saved from death and hell.  We have to live through some very difficult times on earth.  Discipline or sanctification?  The interlinear shows that this phrase about severe discipline is the word "yasar" repeated.  It would read "yasar, yasar, ya".  Look at that!  Disciplined, disciplined, God, but in Hebrew look at the alliteration!  This word can indeed mean discipline, and the repeated word means maybe severe, but it may also mean repeated and continuous discipline.  As in sanctification.  The word is never translated "disciplined" in the KJV in 43 occurrences.  Chastise (most common with 21), instruct, and correct are the three most common translations there.  Severely goes well with chastise and correct, but not with instruct.   Maybe that is why it is translated as it is.  Here is the KJV:  18 The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death. [Psa 118:18 KJV].  In almost all translations, the emphasizing adverb is some form of severe.  If you use severe instead of intense, than chastisement and discipline are in view.  If you use intense, then instruction and teaching might be in view.  In light of the universal agreement among translations that the right word is "severe", that's what we should go with.  But then, what do we make of this?  That life as a Christian, as a believer, and a living praiser of God results in "severe discipline" from Him?  I just cannot buy that.  I can buy that these verses are about the constant struggle to be what God wants us to be.  And I can buy that God helps  us down that path with His constant attention, constant correction, and developing insight and understanding of His word.  But I do not like severe here, I don't think that's what is in view.  I like intense or intensely .  Intensely instructed us seems to go far better in context than severely disciplined.

It may actually mean all of these.  It may be that the words were chosen just for their alliteration with the shortened form of Yehova.  It is poetry, and like poetry, the more it says in the fewest words, the better.
Further, there are two primary possibilities for the author of this Psalm - per MSB - Moses during the Exodus, or someone else after the Jews returned from exile.  Would Moses be likely to say that the Lord had disciplined him severely?  Well...maybe, if he wrote this Psalm just before his death, knowing he would never see the Promised Land.  Someone returning after the Babylonian exile?  Yes, that person too would likely feel severely disciplined, and feel lucky to be alive.    
The next three words, transliterated as "maveth low naw than".   These mean "but I didn't die".  It is unlikely that one would die from instruction.  Either chastisement or discipline would seem to be the best translation, after all, and though it is not my "pick" for what I'd like it to say.
So.  Disciplined severely, so severely it could have been fatal, maybe the writer fully expected it to be fatal, but God had not let him die.    
17 I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD.
18 The LORD has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death. [Psa 118:17-18 ESV]

Perhaps relating back to the fear of God, if we stray too far, He is faithful to chastise us, severely if necessary, even to the point of death if necessary, if we stubbornly disdain sanctification. He indeed did this with the people of Israel first, and then with His people in Judah.  These were national chastisements, with individual application.  If we take the time of this psalm as after the exile, and the author as one coming home from exile, then he is returning in peace and triumph, in forgiveness and mercy, and all by the valiant, powerful hand of God, and not in any way because of his own doing.  This is the life of the saved.  Our very best efforts in life will never save us, never perfect us, never make us worthy of God's gifts to us.  But no matter how severely we are corrected, if we are God's, He ultimately preserves and renews us and places us in the heavenlies with Him.

Vss 19-23, These seem to be obviously about the Messiah.  
We have seen that God has an eternal plan that includes all people.  It tells that calling on Him is the way to be saved.  It says choosing this course, as opposed to earthly pursuits, is the best way.  It warns that we will be opposed by the world for choosing God's way.  It says that if we keep eternity as our goal, that God's way leads to victory.  Then it says that God will sanctify us - make us over in his image - while we are in the world.
And how will he do this?  Jesus is the gate, the narrow way.  It ties directly to this verse I think:  1 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. [Jhn 10:1-2 ESV] .  Maybe, but this might be better:  6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. [Jhn 14:6 ESV].  He is the gate to righteousness before God.  This ties with vs 20:  20 This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it. [Psa 118:20 ESV].  This is telling us how God will accomplish all of the above.  Wow!  This is why the "cornerstone" verse is here.  This says Jesus is the key element in God's plan of reconciliation.  It ALL hinges on Jesus.  There is no other way to read this!  This is amazing!
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD.
20 This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it.
21 I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.
22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
23 This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. [Psa 118:19-23 ESV]
The writer asks God to provide a door into salvation.  Not for a quest full of ongoing and ever more difficult obstacles such that our overcoming them earns the right to glory.  It is not that at all.  It is one thing.  One place to enter.  It is one way.  God answered this request, envisioned as prophecy in this psalm, but ultimately in reality when He provided the cornerstone.  The way, the truth and the life.  It is marvelous in its conception, its duration, and its implementation.  Even here, in verses written 500 years before the birth of Christ, there is no mistaking that the plan was in place, and had long been in place.

Vss, 24, 25Then we get two single verses, 24, and 25.  The first says rejoice in the Sabbath.  Second says Save us we pray.  Is this about how we proclaim Jesus?  Are these a prophecy of the church that is to come?  The global, all inclusive church where you don't have to be a Jew to be saved?  Is this about that future vehicle that will replace the law as the one way to salvation, the vehicle through which the name of Jesus will be primarily proclaimed?    This is unbelievable!
24 This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Save us, we pray, O LORD! O LORD, we pray, give us success! [Psa 118:24-25 ESV]

Vss 26, 27,  26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD. [Psa 118:26 ESV]  Preachers, evangelists!  Again, this is the key way that the gospel will be spread in the world, a prophecy in Psalms, a reality today.  And vs 27 is their message.  God has sent a light into the darkness, and his name is Jesus Christ!  He was bound and sacrificed to pay for our sins.  The gospel is right here!  In Psalms we have the complete gospel, the complete process!
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD.
27 The LORD is God, and he has made his light to shine upon us. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar! [Psa 118:26-27 ESV]

Vss 28,29, They go together in praising this whole and complete plan that God has always had for the world.  A plan for which we should give exceeding thanks.
This whole 2021 Version needs to go on the website as "The Complete Gospel in the Old Testament"
28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you.
29 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! [Psa 118:28-29 ESV]


The first thing MSB does with 118 is send us to the comments on 113:1-9 (the entire 113th).  Here is what that says.  
Psalms 113-118 comprise a rich 6-psalm praise to God commonly called the "Egyptian Hallel". (Hallel means "praise" in Hebrew.)  These were sung at Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles, bu had the greatest significance at Passover, which celebrated the Jews' deliverance from Egypt.  Traditionally Pss 113, 114 were sung before the Passover meal and Pss 115-118 afterwards.  Psalm 118 would most likely be what Christ and the disciples sang before they left the Upper Room the night Christ was betrayed.  There are two other notable sets of praise in the Psalter:1) The Great Hallel (pss 120-136 and 2) The Final Hallel (Pss 145-150).
So wow again.  So much more to 118 than I thought.  And don't 120-136 include all 15 songs of Ascent?

Have I missed even more?  Is the whole chapter Messianic, or just that one stanza?  Who wrote this Psalm?  Its writer is not credited as in other Psalms.

2021 - As in 116, this is about - or at least includes - answered prayer.  As in 116, the psalmist was in a bad way, in desperate straights, apparently attacked and surrounded by enemies.  He prayed, and God heard and delivered, and this is the prayer of praise and thanksgiving for God's answer.

Psalms 119-120

Chapter 119

Per MSB this Psalm contains 22 sections of 8 lines each.  The sections are acrostic, and each line of a section begins with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet.  Other than that, there is no real outline.  

Section 1, Aleph, Blessed are those who follow the rules.  I will keep your rules.
   2021 - Ends with "do not utterly forsake me!".  
2, Beth, Store up the word, meditate on the precepts.  This is all about treasuring God's rules.
   2021 - Vs 10, "let me not wander from your commandments."
   2021-Ends with "I will not forget your word"
3, Gimel, Delight in God's law in all it's aspects and forms.  A craving for the just decrees of God.
   2021-Ends with 24 Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors. [Psa 119:24 ESV]
4, Daleth, Teach me your ways, give me deep understanding.
   2021 - Per TCR footnote, it ends with "for you set my heart free".  ESV says 32 I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart! [Psa 119:32 ESV].  An analogy to the physical?  Help me increase my aerobic capacity so I have stamina to keep running?  How interesting!
   2021 - So far, every stanza has been about following the rules, about orthodoxy, about not deviating from the law, about living every second by the law.  There is nothing here about the law evolving with the times.
5, He, I long for your precepts.
   2021 - 40 Behold, I long for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life! [Psa 119:40 ESV]
6, Waw, My hope is in your rules.
   2021 - 44 I will keep your law continually, forever and ever, [Psa 119:44 ESV]...because it never changes, I keep it forever.  This would not be possible if it changed.
   2021-Ends with 48 I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes. [Psa 119:48 ESV]
7, Zayin, Keep the law though it brings derision from the evil, blessings come from keeping the law.
   2021 - 51 The insolent utterly deride me, but I do not turn away from your law. [Psa 119:51 ESV].  This theme has shown up a few times in this Psalm.  Is the whole thing about the unchanging law of God being attacked by "forward thinkers".  Is their argument that the law should change with the times, that it should evolve?  And this whole psalm is written to refute that philosophy?
   2021 - Ends with 56 This blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept your precepts. [Psa 119:56 ESV]
8, Heth, I work hard to comply with your laws, because I love those laws.
   2021 - Ends with 64 The earth, O LORD, is full of your steadfast love; teach me your statutes! [Psa 119:64 ESV]
9, Teth, Writer suffered affliction, and turned to the law.  He was smeared with lies, but still keeps the law.
   2021 - I never noticed this little verse before: 71 It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes. [Psa 119:71 ESV]
   2021 - Ends with 72 The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces. [Psa 119:72 ESV]
   2021 - This chapter is what you read when you are thinking about compromise, when you're thinking well, this is ok these days.  Interesting that the longest chapter in the whole Bible is about the law, the rules, the commandments and the statutes being kept to the letter forever and ever.
10, Yodh, The rules are righteous
   2021 - Here is that theme again:  75 I know, O LORD, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. [Psa 119:75 ESV]
   2021 - Ends with 80 May my heart be blameless in your statutes, that I may not be put to shame! [Psa 119:80 ESV]
11, Kaph, The writer is persecuted severely, to the point of death.  A plea to God for help, salvation, continued life.  
   2021 - This is a plea for help from God against persecution.  The writer is feeling overwhelmed.  These two verses:  84 How long must your servant endure? When will you judge those who persecute me? 85 The insolent have dug pitfalls for me; they do not live according to your law. [Psa 119:84-85 ESV]
   2021 - Ends with 88 In your steadfast love give me life, that I may keep the testimonies of your mouth. [Psa 119:88 ESV]
12, Lamedh, The law endures forever.  I love Your precepts, therefore give me life.  There is this continual theme that because the writer is so devoted to all God commands - to all the rules - therefore God should save him.
   2021 - Again, the unchanging word: 89 [Lamedh] Forever, O LORD, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens. [Psa 119:89 ESV].  Where is there room for change.
   2021 - Ends with 96 I have seen a limit to all perfection, but your commandment is exceedingly broad. [Psa 119:96 ESV].  Hmm...what does this one mean?  Ahh, here it is!  96 I have seen a limit to all perfection, but your command is without limit.  [Psa 119:96 CSB]
13, Mem, From the rules comes understanding - more than elders, more than teachers.  Knowledge of the rules helps avoid doing wrong in anything.
   2021 - Ends with 104 Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. [Psa 119:104 ESV]
14, Nun, Though near death, the writer has not and will not forsake God's laws.  He will not break those laws to save himself.
   2021 - Ends with 112 I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end. [Psa 119:112 ESV]
15, Samekh, The rules are against the wicked, against those who try to circumvent them.
   2021 - Ends with 120 My flesh trembles for fear of you, and I am afraid of your judgments. [Psa 119:120 ESV]
16, Ayin, The writer is oppressed by someone, and asks God to deal with them, and to deal justly with the writer for his devotion to law.
   2021 - Wow.  Look at this one:  126 It is time for the LORD to act, for your law has been broken. [Psa 119:126 ESV].  A prayer I can get behind!
   2021 - 128 Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right; I hate every false way. [Psa 119:128 ESV].  If not God's precept, then it is false.
17, Pe, The writer asks God's attention and help.  He sheds tears when other break God's law.
   2021 - Ends with 136 My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law. [Psa 119:136 ESV]
18, Tsadhe, God's righteous rules endure forever.
   2021 - 142 Your righteousness is righteous forever, and your law is true. [Psa 119:142 ESV]  It does not change.  It is the only thing that doesn't!
   2021 - 144 Your testimonies are righteous forever; give me understanding that I may live. [Psa 119:144 ESV]
19, Qoph, The writer cries for help  from God, because he keeps God's statutes and laws.  His foes draw near, he asks for help, that he may continually abide by the law of God.
   2021 - Ends with 152 Long have I known from your testimonies that you have founded them forever. [Psa 119:152 ESV].  Again, the timelessness of God's perfect laws.
20, Resh, One verse (159) says "Consider how I love your precepts!  Give me life according to your steadfast love.
   2021 -Ends with 160 The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever. [Psa 119:160 ESV].  Forever again.  God's rules are perfect, nothing man does can make them wrong.
21, Sin and Shin, Despite persecution from Princes (govt, great men, those in power or authority) the writer holds to the law.
    164 Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous rules. [Psa 119:164 ESV].  Is this where Mohammad copied it from?
   2021 - Ends with 168 I keep your precepts and testimonies, for all my ways are before you. [Psa 119:168 ESV]
22, Taw, The very last verse:
    Ends with 176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant, for I do not forget your commandments. [Psa 119:176 ESV]
    I am a lost sheep, gone astray.  Pray to the Lord that he will come looking, and find us.
   2021-Now tell me I am wrong about the parable of the lost sheep being about the saved!
   
Here are the last verses of each stanza of Psalm 119:
8 I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me! ...
16 I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word. ...
24 Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors. ...
32 I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart! ...
40 Behold, I long for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life! ...
48 I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes. ...
56 This blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept your precepts. ...
64 The earth, O LORD, is full of your steadfast love; teach me your statutes! ...
72 The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces. ...
80 May my heart be blameless in your statutes, that I may not be put to shame! ...
88 In your steadfast love give me life, that I may keep the testimonies of your mouth. ...
96 I have seen a limit to all perfection, but your commandment is exceedingly broad. ...
104 Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. ...
112 I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end. ...
120 My flesh trembles for fear of you, and I am afraid of your judgments. ...
128 Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right; I hate every false way. ...
136 My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law. ...
144 Your testimonies are righteous forever; give me understanding that I may live. ...
152 Long have I known from your testimonies that you have founded them forever. ...
160 The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever. ...
168 I keep your precepts and testimonies, for all my ways are before you. ...
176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant, for I do not forget your commandments.  
   [Psa 119:8, 16, 24, 32, 40, 48, 56, 64, 72, 80, 88, 96, 104, 112, 120, 128, 136, 144, 152, 160, 168, 176 ESV]
This chapter is about God's perfect and timeless rules.  That is the whole point of it.  There are many lessons about the benefits of living by these rules, but it is the rules themselves that are the subject of the Psalm.  No way I can put this in FB, but it belongs on the website.

2022 - Just look at that last verse!  Try telling me that the parable of the lost sheep is not about those who are saved but get off the track, wander off in search of greener grass, decide to try it another way.  This verse just confirms it. 

Chapter 120
2021 - No previous notes on this Psalm.
A song of ascents.
This is one of fifteen Psalms that many believe were repeated as worshipers went up the steps to the Temple. There are 15 Psalms, but there are 27 steps at one end and 31 steps at the other.
120 has 7 verses, 121 has 8, 122 has 9, 123 has 4, and 124 has 8.  So that's 36 in all. So none of that really works out exactly.  I found this:  https://www.ritmeyer.com/2011/09/19/the-southern-steps-of-the-temple-mount/
It says that it may have been the Levites, not the worshipers, who sang these songs as the people came in.  It also says this might have been done not on the Southern Steps, but on the steps from the Court of the Women to the Court of Israel.  There were/are 15 steps here.
This is a psalm seeking deliverance from lying and deceit.  I asks for deliverance from living among those who prefer war to peace. 

Psalms 121-25

Chapter 121
2021 - Continuing the 15 songs of ascent.
Begins with these oft-quoted verses:
1 A Song of Ascents. I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? 2 My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. [Psa 121:1-2 ESV]
Almost like a responsive reading in these two verses, but that does not continue.  The psalm's theme seems to be that God takes care of us, that he is there 24/7, watching over us, every second of every day.  The verse does not say it, but the implication is that we need NEVER fear.

 

Chapter 122
A song of ascents of David.  I believe that the ascents are read as one ascends the stairs to the temple...even to this day.  There are 15 Psalms titled ascents.  There are many ideas as to what it means.  Some say it means they were sung in ascending notes, from low pitch to high.  So who knows.
Verse 1 is "I was glad when they said unto me..."
So a Psalm of anticipation.
Then a praise for Jerusalem itself.  Then vs 6-9:
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! "May they be secure who love you! 7 Peace be within your walls and security within your towers!" 8 For my brothers and companions' sake I will say, "Peace be within you!" 9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good. [Psa 122:6-9 ESV]
I like it better in KJV but the thought is the same.
2021 - I hadn't realized that the first verses of these two songs of ascent were so well known.  "I lift up mine eyes to the hills..." and "I was glad when they said unto me...".  And then to top it all off you get 6-9, as quoted above. 


Chapter 123
This psalm compares servants looking to their masters - from whom life's necessities come - with God's people looking to him.  All good things come from God, and He also has the power to end us.  The last few verses are a plea for mercy from God our master.
Only 4 verses long.

Chapter 124
Verses 1-5 acknowledge that the security of the nation has always been in God's hands, and the success of Israel and her armies against other nations that would destroy them is due to God's direct intervention in events.  The psalm ends with a blessing on God for his deliverance.  Implied is that God didn't have to do this.  He could have stayed out of these events, but he assured protection to His chosen people.

Chapter 125
This verse:
3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous, lest the righteous stretch out their hands to do wrong. [Psa 125:3 ESV]
Surely this is the conditional under which Israel existed.  They did not have a blank check any more than we do.  BUT, I think God deals with ungodly nations differently than he did with Israel.  God blessed Israel through nature - the rains came, the livestock reproduced in quantity, disease stayed away, and so on.  God did all these things for Israel, and if and as they strayed, so He measure out the withdrawal of His hand from these things.  They were supernaturally protected, so "the random" results of a corrupt and sinful world did not affect them...unless they did wrong.  We in the US did not have this supernatural protection on a natural basis to start with.  We, like all countries besides Israel, are alive on the planet, but we are completely and totally subject to the random.  Our fate is based on individual righteousness, not on national righteousness.  God blesses the righteous, and He punishes the unrighteous - in general.  However, the rain falls on the evil as well as the good, and the sunshine likewise.  So the upshot is that a nation where there are almost no righteous people is going to have very little of the intervention of God.  He only intervenes with individuals, and not with the whole nation.  Remember the Assyrians and the Babylonians.  They had great empires though they were almost entirely evil, but ultimately, because of the horrors those people practiced, they were wiped out.  A stronger nation conquered them.  They fell because all nations fall.

I seem to be blabbering.  This subject could use a lot of study.  There is a difference in God's treatment of Israel, and God's treatment of other nations.  There is a difference between God's treatment of nations and His treatment of individuals.  There is a difference between God's treatment of those under the Old Covenant and those under the New.  There will be consistency that crosses all these lines.  I would just like a better understanding of God's working in each of these situations.  Especially in light of the rioting, burning, looting and lawlessness that seems to be growing like a cancer in this country.  The evil is in "spots", tumors if you will, and seems to spread more widely every day.  It is metastasizing.  How can we treat it it, eliminate it, kill the cells, then the tumors, so that we are whole again?

Psalms 126-30

Psalm 126
A song of ascents.  This is about the stairs to the temple, stairs that still exist.
First section says that Israel was happy when God restored them.  The nations knew that God had blessed them.  And they knew it too.
Second section is a prayer that God will restore them to what they once were.

Chapter 127
This Psalm, in the Chronological Bible, comes after 1Chron 29.
Solomon.
Only two stanzas.
1st, Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.  Point is that man's efforts, without God, amount to nothing.

2022 - This verse, from Solomon!
2 It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. [Psa 127:2 ESV]
This ought to be on the visor of every "work" car in town, so that we could read it on the way in.  Elon has never read this verse.

2nd, Our children are a heritage from the Lord.  The more the better, essentially.  Catholics and Mormon's have this right.

2022 - This is yet another song of ascents.  I noticed that they are all quite short:
121 - 8 vs
122-9
123-4
124-8
125-5
126-6
127-5
128-6
129-8
130-8
131-3
132-18
133-3
134-3
I see no pattern.  How many steps are there at the temple?  Which of these do they memorize to say one on each step?  There are 94 verses here.

Chapter 128
After the discussion in 125, look how 128 opens:
1 A Song of Ascents. Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways! 2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you. [Psa 128:1-2 ESV]
God's dealing with individuals is very straightforward and simple.  Do as God wills, all will be well. 

Chapter 129
This psalm is basically a "curse" pronounced on the enemies of the nation of Israel.  vs 5 seems to be the central theme:
5 May all who hate Zion be put to shame and turned backward! [Psa 129:5 ESV]
Does this still apply to them, though their covenant is abrogated?  Surely in some measure it does. 

Chapter 130
3 If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? 4 But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. [Psa 130:3-4 ESV]
This psalm is an individual prayer for mercy.  None can stand before God, none at all.  His mercy and forgiveness is the only hope.

All of these are labeled "A song of ascent".  Not sure what that means.  Themes seem to be that God protects, and that we lift our eyes to Him.

From Wikipedia:
Many scholars believe the title indicates that these psalms were sung by worshipers as they ascended the road to Jerusalem to attend the three pilgrim festivals [2] (Deuteronomy 16:16). Others think they were sung by the Levite singers as they ascended the fifteen steps to minister at the Temple in Jerusalem.[3] One view says the Levites first sang the Songs at the dedication of Solomon's temple during the night of the fifteenth of Tishri 959 BC.[4] Another study suggests that they were composed for a celebration after Nehemiah's rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls in 445 BC.[5] Others consider that they may originally have been individual poems which were later collected together and given the title linking them to pilgrimage after the Babylonian captivity.[2]

So we have many ideas of what ascent may be about, but we have no certainty.

Psalms 131-135

Chapter 131
David.
Only three verses. 
David doesn't occupy himself with things too great for him, but instead he calms his soul within him.  This verse:
1 A Song of Ascents. Of David. O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. [Psa 131:1 ESV]
We need to content ourselves that God is in control always.  We need to humble ourselves and admit that we aren't even capable of understanding God's ways, plans, workings.  What we need to do is this:
2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. [Psa 131:2 ESV]
Is there a better picture of security in a higher authority than the trust a young child has in his mother?
Good one for FB.
In my own case, I spend more time trying not to occupy myself with things low and menial and worldly, but to calm my soul from the worry those things cause.

Chapter 132
For the Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling place: "This is my resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
Psalms 132:13‭-‬14 ESV
Who would be dumb enough to oppose the home of the Living God?!

Chapter 133
The only chapter on the reading plan today.  And only 3 verses.  David wrote it.  Referred to as a song of ascents.
Only this one little short chapter.  Two or three more Psalms on tomorrow's reading.  Why not combine, and cut down some of the really long days in the future - especially in the NT where I'd like to slow down and can't because there is so much material.

Chapter 134
Only  three verses.  Bless he Lord, all you servants of the Lord.
Says to lift up your hands.

Chapter 135
Not attributed.
Starts off praising the Lord of Jacob.
6 Whatever the LORD pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps. [Psa 135:6 ESV]
A lot of people have trouble with this.  Only because so many cannot accept that God is just and right and infallible in anything that He does.  If you don't accept this part, then you necessarily disagree that God has a right to do what He wants.  Such a position puts you in direct confrontation with Him.  Good one for FB.

I like these verses, especially the implication that those who worship false gods become like them - blind, deaf, and paralyzed in their own lives:
15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands. 16 They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see; ... 18 Those who make them become like them, so do all who trust in them. [Psa 135:15-16, 18 ESV]  I have a note in the margin of TCR that Psa 115:4-8 reads almost just like this.  So it is in two places.  We don't know who wrote 115 either.

I still don't see that verses like these apply to the US in 2019.  We don't worship idols as such.  We are indifferent to any god, putting our faith only in ourselves.  Where are the verses that speak to this kind of arrogance?  We make ourselves our own gods.

Psalms 136-140

Chapter 136
1st stanza, "...for his steadfast love endures forever."  This phrase was used repeatedly at the dedication of Solomon's Temple.  As I read it, the phrase originated with David, and it was David's wish that the songs used at the dedication should include this phrase.
2nd, Includes the phrase once in each of it's 6 verses.  I'm starting to guess David wrote this Psalm, and that this is the exact song that was used at the dedication.  These verses also are about creation.
3rd, This stanza retells God's actions as the people of Israel left Israel, escaped Pharoah at the Red Sea, and then came through the wilderness.
4th, This one is about the battles that God fought for Israel in conquering Canaan.
5th, He is the God who remembered Israel when they were low (Egypt), rescued them (brought them out), and fed them (manna, quail).
6th, Give thanks.
So this is an introduction, 3 stanzas of the history of Israel, one of thanks for God's presence with them at all times, and a last to give thanks to God.  What a great hymn for the dedication of the Temple, to remind them of who God was to them - the force behind their being a nation at all, because "His steadfast love endures forever!"

Psalm 137
Written about the experience of the exiled Jews.  They were sad, and wept about their homeland.  Though sad, their captors made them sing songs from the old days.  Making them sadder still I am sure.
Second section implores them to remember Jerusalem, to keep it first in their hearts.
Then it gets specific.  It is a prayer to God to remember what Edom did to them, "rooting" for the Babylonians to "lay it bare".  And then...it prays that God avenge them on the Babylonians, and bless the one who "takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock".  This is surely the kind of thing that would be said only in the culture of that time.  We have it so much easier today.
2021 - And surely this is a non-defensive prayer, offered by someone other than David.  David was long dead when this was written.  NDP.

 

Chapter 138
David.
1st stanza, David gives thanks, bows toward the temple, and exalts the name of God.  He says God answered on the day he called.
2021 - The first verse:  1 Of David. I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise; [Psa 138:1 ESV]
This bothered me a little so I went and checked the interlinear Hebrew.  David gives the Lord, except that Lord, which is usually the translation of Yehova, is not there.  All it really says is "I will praise thee with my whole heart".  Lord is implied. Then the two words transliterated "elohim zamar", translated "before the gods will I sing praise".  Elohim is translated lower case and plural as gods.  Who is David talking about?  I looked up Elohim, and it can be either plural, which is apparently what it is in this usage, or "plural intensive-singular meaning".  Now there is an interesting phrase.  Intensely plural means singular.  It is this plural intensive that is translated "God".  As in Genesis 1:1.  In the beginning God, is this form of the word.  This word, in some form, is used 2606 times in the KJV and 2346 of those times it is translated "God".  It is translated "god" 246 times.  I don't know Hebrew, but I do note that in Genesis 1:1, and indeed 32 times in Genesis 1, God is from Strong's 430.  The word used here in Psalm 138 is Strong's 433.  So there is something different.  This interlinear says the word in Psa 138:1 is exactly the same Strong's word as in Genesis, yet here, it is translated lower case "gods".  All I can figure out is that there is a modifier word in 138 that they know means gods.  430 is the plural of 433, and 433 is transliterated eloha.  It could also be that when the word means God, it has a definite article, making it "The God", and if that article is missing, then it just means "a god".  Buried in the definitions is an explanation that says "god" was sometimes used deferentially even of magistrates.  So the word is very broad, and is NOT reserved exclusively for God.  I wonder if  it is Yehova that is exclusively used for "Lord"?  There has to be something in the language that I don't understand.  There is certainly no definite article before "elohim" in 138.  Maybe that is why it is translated "before the gods"... well holy cow!  In ESV, they insert a definite article that is not in the text and add an s to show it's plural.  They do this instead of translating it "before God".  I mean that's the choice here really.  "Before God I sing praise" or "before the gods I sing your praise".  And the strict translation of zamar is "will I sing praise", NOT "I will sing your praise".  The definition of zamar implies these praises included stringed instruments accompanied by singing.  It might well have been translated "accompanied singing", but they left that out, maybe because it is only implied, and adding it would make it an interpretation, not a translation.  There are so many forms of zamar in the interlinear it makes one dizzy.
Here is a translation that seems to be trying to describe who "the gods" are:  1 I will give you thanks with all my heart; before the heavenly assembly I will sing praises to you. [Psa 138:1 NET]  That's the New English Translation, which does not claim to be word for word, but includes much interpretation, as this verse clearly demonstrates.  
After all this, I will have to punt because I just don't know Hebrew and this word elohim is apparently a very profound and complex word that requires specific expertise to translate.  To finish up, here is the word at Psalm 139:  אֱלֹהִים
Here is the word in Genesis 1:1: אֱלֹהִים
Not one bit of difference in the word itself.  
I looked some more, trying to take apart Gen 1:1 to find the difference.  There is no Hebrew word in Gen 1:1 that is called a definite article.  It isn't there.  It's exactly the same word.  How do they know where it is supposed to read God and where it should read god???  Very unsettling, given that the word is used 2606 times!!!  That's a lot of possible misses!!!  I just hate to give up without understanding this.  Maybe I need to write to a professor of Hebrew out at OBU?  Hmm...I might actually do that.  It looks like Dr. Heath Thomas would be my best bet, but he has moved up to President of OBU.  He used to be over languages.  The Asst Professor of Old Testament is Dr. Mario Melendez.  He has a PhD in Biblical Interpretation from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.  Rummage went thee, and so did Mom's preacher in Laneville.  Jury is still out on that place as far as I'm concerned.  But Melendez is probably the better place to start.  Nice to see that Dr. Kelly is now the Chair, School of Theology and Ministry.
Ok.  Moving on.

2nd, The kings of the earth will also give thanks.  God regards the lowly, but is far from the haughty.
2021 - Here is the last verse of this stanza:
6 For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar. [Psa 138:6 ESV]
Does God seem distant?  Does He not seem to be hearing your prayers.  Look to yourself, and your attitude and the way you're running your business.  Are you depending on yourself to keep things on the right track, because after all, you're pretty capable? (haughtiness)
Possible short FB post.

3rd, David knows it is God that protects him from his enemies, and he prays that God's work will continue.

Chapter 139
David
1st, God knows every movement, every thought, every plan of every man. He knows more than we can ever think to know.
2nd, There is no place to go from God's presence.  He is everywhere.  Even darkness is light to God.
3rd, Contains these verses:
[Psa 139:13-14 ESV] 13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
These verses are often quoted to say that babies in the womb are people, since God knows them already, and I believe that.  But note that it goes beyond that.  This stanza says David was known to God before he was conceived even.  And all of David's life was written before he was formed "in the depths of the earth".  In this sense, Life begins before conception.  Life begins before Genesis 1:1.  If life is defined by God having a plan for our lives, then we all began life before time began.  Some lives were begun to be aborted in the womb.  God already knew this end would come to those many lives.  Saying this doesn't make abortion right, it is still murder.  But these verses are not trying to establish a scientific argument for when life begins.  That isn't what they mean.

4th, An appeal for God to "slay the wicked".  David also says here that he hates those who hate God.  He loathes them.  So either things changed from OT to NT, with the whole love they neighbor as thyself teaching, or there are yet some that it is ok to hate.  Maybe David is making a difference here between those who are strangers to God, who haven't made up their minds about God, and those who openly actively oppose God, or worship gods besides him, and would set themselves to fight against God.  Perhaps we are still to hate this last group?  It needs more study.
2021 - Wow.  Look at these verses from David, a man after God's own heart:
19 Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me!
20 They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
22 I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies. [Psa 139:19-22 ESV]
This is a seriously non-defensive prayer!  NDP.  David wishes God would kill them.  He hates those who hate God.  Complete hatred!  Personal enemies.  This is pretty fierce stuff.  I still cannot Intertwine prayers like this with love your enemies.  I cannot believe it would change.  There is something that makes David's prayer acceptable despite Jesus saying to love your enemies?  Perhaps it is that hating those who hate God is a correct attitude, but hating our personal enemies is not.  This might be a key.  Perhaps I should go back now and review all my tagged NDP verses and see if this holds up.

Last, Search me, find my wrong thoughts, lead me in the way everlasting...
These verses are a fine prayer, one that might be prayed every single day:
[Psa 139:23-24 ESV] 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

 

Chapter 140

2021 - David is feeling threatened.  I'm sure it was not paranoia.  He asks for protection especially from the violent and the wicked, and he makes them somewhat interchangeable.  These verses:
6 I say to the LORD, You are my God; give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy, O LORD! ... 8 Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked; do not further their evil plot, or they will be exalted! Selah [Psa 140:6, 8 ESV]
Look at the contrast between these two verses.  David asks God to listen to him, because David serves the Lord, God is his God, and the wicked do not look to God.  David says God should hear his prayers, not theirs.

10 Let burning coals fall upon them! Let them be cast into fire, into miry pits, no more to rise! [Psa 140:10 ESV]  NDP
2021 - David is very creative with the prayers he prays about his enemies!
So it is ok to ask God to destroy your enemies.  Your true enemies.  But it is not ok for you to take care of their punishment on your own.

2024 - Think of the contrast here in what David says about his enemies, and what Solomon says.  21 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, 22 for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you. [Pro 25:21-22 ESV].  Seems like Solomon had a different idea than his Dad did.  Another obvious contrast is that David was at war his entire reign.  God granted Solomon peace all around during his reign.  Perhaps David is talking about attacks upon his person and Solomon is talking about diplomacy.  I can see the diplomacy angle.

Psalms 141-145

Chapter 141
David
2 Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice! [Psa 141:2 ESV]
I have always heard people say let their prayers be a sweet savor.  But I think I like letting my prayer be incense much better.  There was always incense burning before the ark of the covenant.
2021 - These verses:
3 Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips! 4 Do not let my heart incline to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with men who work iniquity, and let me not eat of their delicacies! [Psa 141:3-4 ESV]
David saw two sources of danger from which he asks God to protect him.  From his own words, from what he might say.  And from joining himself to evil men and adopting their ways.  We don't  have any trouble at all understanding that second one, but it is mentioned second!  David recognizes that what he says might get him into even more trouble than evil men.
Possible FB post.
2021 - This one:  5 Let a righteous man strike me--it is a kindness; let him rebuke me--it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it. Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds. [Psa 141:5 ESV]
The first part of this verse tells us how to accept criticism, how to look at critique.  Welcome it as kindness, as anointing, and never refuse it...when it is from a righteous man.  Here again, we all need someone in our lives that will be honest with us.  Not only will this person tell you when you have bad breath, but when you flirt with the waitress at lunch, they will tell you it is desensitizing.  We don't need to just hope such a person comes along.  We need to actively search for and recruit this/these person(s).
Possible FB post.
This is starting to shape up as a checklist for male behavior.
And here is the third:
8 But my eyes are toward you, O GOD, my Lord; in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless! 9 Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me and from the snares of evildoers! 10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by safely. [Psa 141:8-10 ESV]
Hide.  Seek refuge in God and let Him do your fighting.  Avoid traps.  Instead, let the enemy fall in his own traps.
Possible third of three FB posts.  This third one could use a little more work.
Also, this third is a non-defensive prayer, at least vs 10 is.  NDP.

Chapter 142
David
2 I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him. [Psa 142:2 ESV]
We are supposed to bring our troubles to God.  Our complaints even.
2021- A prayer to God for His help because there is no one else who will/can.  David seems to have been constantly opposed.  Many plotted to overthrown him and usurp his power, including his own son.  The evil hate the good, and never rest from trying to undermine them, push them out of power, and even to kill them to get rid of them.  David's sin gave them many openings, many reasons, much propaganda in this regard.  Powerful, god-fearing men must be as good as they possibly can be to keep these doors shut, or the Psalms of David will become their own.  You really don't want to be where David was in that regard.  They will be after you pretty aggressively even if you don't give them "backup" with your own actions.

Chapter 143
David
1st, David appeals for God to hear his prayer, and not to judge him because no one can stand before God and be judged righteous.  David understands this relationship of judgement to petitioners. He is King himself, and is the one "prayed to" many times.
2021 - Here is the verse: 2 Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you. [Psa 143:2 ESV]  Our prayers deserve no answers.  We constantly disobey and affront the King of Everything.  No earthly King would tolerate that, and then be generous towards those who are disdaining their laws.  David understands that he cannot be good enough - cannot be righteous enough - before God.  BUT, David also understands that God is not a man, and not as man.  God's mercy, God's righteousness goes beyond all that.  If it did not, there'd be no answered prayers.  Our prayers are not granted - or declined - based on what we do, but ONLY upon God's mercy and righteousness.  And here is one more thought.  God is righteous to answer the prayers of those who are not deserving.  This is a principle.  God can only do what it right, and he answers the prayers of those who offend Him.  We should strive to do the same!  Christ's blood covers the sins of sinners, so that God can righteously answer those prayers.  Because any sin against us is a lesser sin than any sin against God, yet God does not judge, we shouldn't judge either.  We have less reason - far less reason - to refuse the petitions of others than God does.  This is why we, too should forgive.  If you want your prayers answered, answer the prayers of others.
Possible FB post.

2nd, David asks this because his enemies are "winning", and his spirit faints.  He is very afraid of his enemies.  
2021 - This phrase:  "...he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead."  Psa 143:3b ESV.  I get a picture of David hiding in caves to escape Saul's soldiers during all those years, even AFTER David had been anointed King by Samuel.  Picture David praying the prayer above from such a place.  David understood that God was not unreasonable to have him hiding in a cave in the desert, even though he was King of Israel by God's own word.  He realized that even Kings on the earth deserve no better than this from God.  And from that humble place, David prays, David appeals for protection and help.
Possible follow-up to Psa 143:2 FB post.

3rd, David ponders the power of God, His past work.
4th, David asks for a quick answer to his prayers.
5th, David asks deliverance from his enemies.  He seeks refuge in God.  I get a picture of a child running behind his parent.
6th, David asks to be protected for God's namesake.  David is chosen of God, as God's favorite, David asks for protection.  (these last are my phrasing, not the Bible's.  Something seems not quite right about my phrasing.)

Chapter 144
David.
1st, Blessings to God, for the strength and protection he provides.
2 he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me. [Psa 144:2 ESV]
It seems there are many places where God is a fortress, stronghold, rock, and shield.  All these are defensive in nature.  God is not our spear, our arrow, or our sling.  God is not our trebuchet.  God is deliverer.  So when attacked, we are to "barricade ourselves" in God, and defend ourselves from there, and wait for Him to deliver us.  I see no verse (there may be one but I can't think of it) that says to take the offensive against enemies - physical or spiritual.  Even the "whole armor of God" is defensive.  I would think in light of all this that even the word, referred to as a sword, is for defensive use.  Interesting.  And David would know about warfare.  He didn't choose defense by accident.
2021 - Possible FB post.
And yet...we pray for God to smash the teeth of our enemies.  We don't pray "God is the smasher of my enemies' teeth.  

2nd, Man is nothing, yet God considers him.  Why?
3rd, Lord, exercise your great power to deliver from foreign enemies.
4th, I will sing a new song, deliver me from foreigners.
5th, May we be blessed with sons, daughters, produce, and livestock in plenty.  
    Blessed are those whose God is the Lord.

Chapter 145
2021 - TCR footnote says this Psalm is an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.  It is also the first Psalms of "The Final Hallel", the final praise, of three included in the Psalms, as noted in the discussion of Psalm 118.

David.
1st, Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised.  His works shall be commended generation to generation.
2nd, God is merciful, good to all.
3rd, All your saints shall bless you, and make known your deeds and your kingdom.  
    We are all to do this, if we are saints.
4th, All look to God, and he helps and preserves those who love Him.  Those who call on him in truth.
Last verse, Let all flesh bless the Lord.

Psalms 146-150

I found a note in my NKJV saying that "Praise the Lord" is "Hallelujah" in Hebrew.  So all these chapters are chock full of hallelujah's
.
Chapter 146
Continuing the Final Hallel, 145-150
1st Stanza, Praises to God
2nd, Don't trust princes, men instead of God, to help you.  When they die, they are gone, and their plans are gone.

2021 - This is the second time we've seen this line about not trusting princes.  The other was in a recent psalm.

3rd, Instead, trust in the God of Jacob, who made all that is, and who keeps faith, executes justice, and feeds the hungry.
4th, He sets prisoners free, restores sight to the blind, and so on.  He is the champion of the downtrodden, and He is the judge and executioner or the warden over those who do evil.

2021 - Here are those verses:
7 who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free; 8 the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous. [Psa 146:7-8 ESV]
Jesus tells the followers of John to tell John that these things are going on when they are sent from John to find out if Jesus is indeed the Messiah.  As I recall, the exact quote if from Isaiah, but this  looks very very similar.  Would be interesting to compare the two.

5th, The Lord reigns forever.

Chapter 147
Two long stanzas, 11 verses and 9 verses.
1st, Praise the Lord, for all the things he does.  Among them:

4 He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. [Psa 147:4 ESV]
2021 - Interesting.  That would mean that God determined Hubble's Constant.  He knows how much mass was needed to accomplish His purpose - and his time frame - in the universe.  Not that is very interesting.  We all know that God determines all things, but here is a practical way that He may have chosen to set the time limit on mankind.  Maybe it is all going to come crashing back together at the end?

Vs. 5 seems to be a break, a sort of chorus that says "Great is our Lord..."
2nd, God's power over nature - wind, rain, heat and cold.  His protection of Israel, unlike any other nation.  He has chosen them, and it is only them in all the world that are his chosen people.
We are just lucky to get in on the promises to them.

Chapter 148
1st, Praise the Lord, angels in heaven.
2nd, Praise the Lord, sun, moon, heavens.
3rd, Praise because He created you, created all things.
4th, Praise Him all the earth, sea creatures, and natures extremes - mist, snow, wind.  All work to fulfill His word.

2021 - Here is vs. 7, in both ESV and KJV for comparison:
7 Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps: [Psa 148:7 KJV]
7 Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps, [Psa 148:7 ESV]
Looks like ESV did not want to "go there" when it came to dragons.   Looked up the Hebrew word in the interlinear.  The transliterated word is "tan neen' ", accent on the second syllable.  Strong's 8577.  Here is what the word means:
1. dragon, serpent, sea monster
   1. dragon or dinosaur
   2. sea or river monster
   3. serpent, venomous snake
So it would certainly seem that the phrase "great sea creatures" is used to intentionally tone down the possibility that there are dragons, are sea monsters, etc.  In that day, when this Psalm was written, they very likely believed, and there very possibly were, sea monsters.  The psalmist meant this to be understood that way, to show that even these rarely seen, barely understood, barely credible creatures - if they existed - were also God's creation.  I believe ESV has done us a disservice here by reducing the scope of this phrase.  I don't see ESV do this very much, so it is an interesting thing to me, and prompted to me to look a little more at the Hebrew words of this Psalm.  Both KJV and ESV translate the last phrase as "and all deeps".  It is two Hebrew words, "kol", rhymes with coal,  and "teh home".  "kol" is "and all", and here is what "teh home" means:
1. deep, depths, deep places, abyss, the deep, sea
   1. deep (of subterranean waters)
   2. deep, sea, abysses (of sea)
   3. primeval ocean, deep
   4. deep, depth (of river)
   5. abyss, the grave
What about "Praise the LORD from the earth, you sea monsters and ocean depths". And even that does not convey how encompassing this is, but it seems better than ESV.  

5th, Mountains - physical things of the earth - geography itself should praise him, along with growing plants.
6th, People of the earth, all ages, all ranks, all sexes.  Praise Him.
7th, Praise Him, and only Him, people of the earth.

2021 - This is such an amazing Psalm.  Makes me think of  the phrase "all creatures great and small".  The phrase, not the book because I haven't read the book.  This Psalm attempts to solicit praise from all creation.  Animals, mists, monsters, and man.  It is almost an all-inclusive taxonomic classification of all that is.  It starts with the heavens, then moves to those that inhabit the heavens, then the objects in the heavens.  Then the earth, the creatures in the waters, the water itself, and manifestations of nature.    The land - mountains, hills and trees, land creatures - wild and domesticated, and all that flies.  Rulers of all levels, young men and women, little children and old men.  What is left out?  What isn't covered?  All creation is here in these first 12 verses.


Chapter 149
9 verses, no breaks.
Praise the Lord!
Praise Him, children of Zion, because he gives you a place above all nations.  
2021 - The previous Psalm called on all of creation to praise God.  This Psalm calls on Israel to both praise God and to act as His agents in the execution of his judgements on the earth.  

Chapter 150
Again, praise the Lord!  All these last Psalms are praises.  Good to remember, good to pray back to the Lord.
Two stanzas,
1st, Praise the Lord for his excellent greatness.
2nd, Praise Him with musical instruments.
And the Psalms conclude with this line:
6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD! [Psa 150:6 ESV]

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