Psalm 74

The Temple is destroyed - Each verse from 1 - 12 could be followed by a hearty "Hasa Diga Eebowai!"

At verse 12, the psalmist (Asaph) gets away from the despair and reaffirms, "Yet God is from old, working salvation in the midst of the earth." He asks God to "Have recard for thy covenant" (20) and not to "forget the clamour of thy foes, the uproar of thy adversaries which goes up continually!" (23)

It's that extra step that the Ugandans in the South Park musical don't take.

Psalm 73

Note: "An upright person, disconcerted by the prosperity of the wicked decides to stay true to God."

28. "But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all thy works."

This one was written by Asaph. From Wikipedia:

He was the grandson of the Israelite prophet Samuel (1 Chronicles 6:24). He and his male descendants were set aside by King David to worship God in song and music (1 Chronicles 15:16-17). He authored Psalms 50, and Psalms 73 to 83.

Psalm 72

"A Prayer for the King and his Reign Petitioning All Kinds of Benefits"

I suppose this would be a good prayer for any leader. Give him (her) righteousness and good judgement

4. May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy . . ."

15 "Long may he live . . ." (no term limits)

18. "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone does wonderous things." (It's God who does the good, rather than the king (who does good through God)

Psalm 71

"A Prayer for help in old age"

Getting more and more relevant all the time.

3. "Be thou to me a rock of refuge, a strong fortress, to save me, for thou art my rock and my fortress."

15. "My mouth will tell of thy righteous acts, of thy deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge.
16. "With the might deeds of the Lord I will come, I will praise thy righteousness, thine alone."

Psalm 70

This is a short one - Notes say it is a "Prayer for Divine Help" and that it is "For Rememberence" or "A Memorial"

Favorite line: Let those be turned back because of their shame who say, "Aha, aha!"

Psalm 69

1 - 18 "Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck." The psalmist is suffering and it reminded me of this Radiohead video (especially from about 2:03 on).



18 - 28 - The psalmist asks for protection from God's enemies.

29 "I am in pain and distress; may your salvation, O God, protect me."

30 - 36 - Praises

This is an excellent psalm for times of great stress.

1 Kings 15

Four Kings - (3 bad/1 good)

In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijam became king of Judah and reigned for three years in Jerusalem. Like his father, he also committed many sins. Yet for David's sake, the Lord allowed Jerusalem to endure. There was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.

In the twentieth year of Jeroboam, Asa, king of Judah, began his 41 year reign. Asa pleased the LORD like his forefather David, banishing the temple prostitutes and removing all the idols his father had made. He also deposed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother, because she had made an outrageous object for Asherah. Asa cut down this object and burned it in the Kidron Valley. There was war between Asa and Baasha, king of Israel. Asa took all the silver and gold remaining in the treasuries of the temple of the LORD and of the royal palace. He entrusted them to his ministers, sent them to Ben-hadad (son of Tabrimmon, son of Hezion, king of Aram, resident in Damascus) and made a treaty, and he in turn broke his treaty with Baasha, king of Israel, that he withdrew from Asa. When Baasha heard of it, he left off fortifying Ramah, and stayed in Tirzah. Then with carried away the stones and beams with which Baasha was fortifying Ramah King Asa built Geba of Benjamin and Mizpeh.

In the second year of Asa, Nadab, son of Jeroboam, became king of Israel for 2 years. He did evil in the Lord's sight, plottin gwith Baasha. Once he was king, he killed off the entire house of Jeroboam, not leaving a single soul to Jeroboam but destroying him utterly.

In the third year of Asa, king of Judah, Baasha, son of Ahijah, began his twenty-four-year reign over Israel in Tirzah. He did evil in the Lord's sight.