Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Numbers 17 / Psalm 44

Numbers 17

1 - 12 The Budding of Aaron's Rod

The Lord tells Aaron to get 12 staffs from each tribe and place them in the tent before the covenant. The staff of the man the Lord chooses will sprout. Then next day, the staff of Aaron for the House of Levi had sprouted and bore ripe almonds. Moses gave all the staffs back, but the Lord told him to put Aaron's back before the covenant as a warning against further complaints. (Still, they seem to complain in verse 12, no?)

Psalm 44

National Lement and Prayer for Help

1 - 3 The nation has been afflicted and beaten.

4 - 8 The Psalmist affirms belief in God and dedication to him.

9 - 16 The pslamist says God has rejected his people and allowed them to be disgraced.

17 - 22 Still the psalmist's people have not forgotten God and they still praise him.

23 - 26 The psalmist asks the Lord to wake up and help his people.

This might seem blasphemous, but it displays real feelings and also real dedication from the psalmist. It reminds me of how I might have felt after 9/11.

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