When I translate the psalms, I make ’em rhyme because I can. Iambic octometer, anyone?
Psalm 3 KWL - 0 David’s psalm, while fleeing the presence of his son Absalom.
- 1 My enemies—ten thousand, L
ORD !—have multiplied and charge at me! - 2 The myriads say of my life, “God’s rescue? Not for he.” Selah.
- 3 But you, L
ORD , are my shield and honor, granting my authority. - 4 I call the L
ORD , who from his holy mountain answers me. Selah. - 5 I lay my head to sleep, and wake because the L
ORD has strengthened me. - 6 Do I fear opposition from ten thousand circling people? Nah.
- 7 You rose and saved me, L
ORD my God. Face-punched my every enemy. - Broke evildoers’ teeth. 8 You bless your own with rescue, L
ORD . Selah.
Psalm 3 is
It’s a vengeance psalm. One of many. David liked to write ’em, and he’s not the only one; a lot of the prophets wrote vengeance poetry too. Because the psalms are some of the better-known passages of the bible, it creates a lot of problems for Christians: We read this stuff, and have the darnedest time reconciling it with the way Jesus and his apostles describe his Father in the New Testament. In the
From The Simpsons episode 14.10, “Pray Anything.”
The title of this article comes from an episode of The Simpsons where Homer gets ahold one of those lenticular photos—a 3D image, some of which will change when you tilt ’em. One image is of God (or at least the old guy from the Sistine Chapel ceiling) looking wrathful. The other is of God giving a thumbs up. “Vengeful God… loving God,” Homer comments.
Bipolar God, apparently.
But is he? Nah.
So where do we get this idea? Simple: We’re