"[Verse 5 is] very different [between the NCV and HCSB translations]: warfare vs. vocal confrontation"
Glance at the headings under both translations. To whom is this psalm attributed? "Solomon"
In Hebrew, the words are actually the name of God gave Solomon according to 2 Samuel 12:25: Jedediah, meaning 'Beloved of Jehovah.' The tone of the first two verses of Psalm 127 also rings with sounds of Solomon.
"I could do that too, by saying how much the Lord our Shepherd loves all his lambs – the males and the females (the Rachels)"
How are the words of King David's beloved son in Ecclesiastes 1:2 thematically similar to Psalm 127:1-2?
"Without the Lord, effort is pointless and all is meaningless"
Write a one-sentence synopsis of Franklin's point in your own words:
"We asked for and received God's help in our fight for freedom, now let's do so again as we lay down the foundation for this new nation."
When was the last time you realized you were wasting your energies? In Latin terms, when was the last time you experienced 'Nisi Dominus Frustra'?
"Maybe a little bit with the Valentine's Day babysitting. I felt like Henny Penny – lots of people thought it was a great idea, but few stepped up. I hoped it could be an outreach opportunity. Was it not God's will? Did I not surrender it enough?"
Personalize Peterson's modern translation of 'ifs' into your own creative words. If God doesn't "help with my work/approve of my work," I might as well put my efforts into "computer games." If God doesn't guard "my walk," I might as well "stay home."
Both of the following New Testament segments echo the concept. Read them and record what you believe God is saying personally to you.
John 5:17 "God works hard and I should, too."
John 15:4-5 "If I let Him guide my day, it will be fruitful and productive."
Let's spend our remaining moments on Psalm 127:2. In one phrase, what do you think this verse is saying? "Get more sleep."
Dearest Rachel -
I don't know if it's a matter of age (my parents' attitude toward life would suggest otherwise) or if it's just my natural cynicism, but as time goes by, I do relate much better to Solomon's later writings (i.e., Ecclesiastes as opposed to the Proverbs). So much of what we do in life seems to have little value or meaning; so much of what I've been doing (and telling you about) leaves me questioning the point of it all. Which is probably an indication that I'm not including God sufficiently in the plans I make.
But your mention of your attempt to spearhead a babysitting outreach event at church (which I recall the two of us benefiting from years before, and being able to leave Daniel at church while we went on a Valentine date together; I'm sure you saw that service as something that could be passed on to other people's benefit, and might encourage others to look into joining our fellowship as a result) suggests that, even when we think we're centering on God, we can't always get our plans off the ground.
Does that mean we're not actually following Him? I don't know, honey; if nothing else, I don't remember the circumstances of this particular situation and how it fell through, so I can't speak for why this didn't pan out. Something like this seems like a no-brainer, and that there's no way it wouldn't be part of His will that it come to pass. Maybe it needed better organization (something neither you nor I were ever particularly good at); I don't know.
There's also the fact that, as His 'sheep,' God acknowledges that we aren't particularly intelligent; we don't know what's good for us, and need a Shepherd to tend to our real needs. Whether we have too much wool in our ears to hear (and, more to the point, recognize) His voice when He calls and directs us is another question entirely. It may well be that, if we mistake our own ideas for His, we'd be better off not bothering to head in whatever direction we've purposed to go. At the same time, there's this feeling that we need to be heading in some direction…
…which is why I keep asking for you to keep an eye on me, and and wish me luck, honey; I'll need it, if I'm to know I'm headed in the right direction. And maybe a gentle nudge if I'm not would be appreciated, too.
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