Psalm 40
Don't Listen to the Mockers, Prepare for Something New
Listen
Those whose lives have been torn down,
who seem to be left with nothing that you once had;
Enlarge your tent,
Stretch out your cords,
strengthen your stakes,
expand your horizons!
Oh afflicted one,
storm tossed and uncomforted,
prepare for something new!
For though you may have lost
what once was valuable,
keep your eyes open
for greater things!1
The mocker in your time of trouble
will tell you it's all your fault,
that you will never win.
While Job was deeply suffering
Zophar mocked him.
Job replied, " Your empty nothings
do not comfort me, for many
wicked go unpunished and
the good go unrewarded."2
Who knows the working of God?
Who can predict the windows of
favor or distress?
The Great Mystery knows of
the tearing down and building up.
Nehemiah after prayer and repentance,
got permission from the king
to repair the walls and gates
at his home town of Judah.
His ancestors were buried there.
It was risky business,
with the threat of armies
thwarting their efforts
and people mocking them.
But he had half the people rebuilding
and half of them standing guard with weapons.3
This was united faith in action
and represented more than just
the physical repair.
Consider the gates--
likened to the passageways
of our inner spiritual temple:
The Sheep Gate (lamb of God) led by a Priest
and fellow priests.
The Fish Gate (fishers of men) repaired by the
sons of Hassenah (meaning "people of Israel")
The Old Gate (wisdom of old) repaired by
Jolada (meaning Jehovah favors) a High Priest
and Meshullam (meaning friend)
The Valley Gate (rich soil where seeds are planted)
repaired by Hanum (meaning gracious) a king who
David proclaimed war against and was victorious.
The Dung Gate (take refuse out and fertilize anew)
repaired by Malchijah (meaning the Lord my King) a
leader of Beth-haccherem (meaning house of the vineyard)
The Fountain Gate (Holy Spirit)
repaired by Shallum (meaning retribution) ruler
of the district of Mizpah (meaning "watch tower")
The Horse Gate (saddle up with God, chariot horses, to declare)
repaired by Priests.4
Though your fortress has
been torn down,
your temple has been made anew in God,
giving you shining new armor
with portals for the
Holy Spirit to enter.
Beloved,
Do not let mockers condemn you!
For greater understanding in
God's Mystery is in Christ.5
In Christ you die to the
elemental spirits of the universe,
why live as if you are still part of the world?
Do not let anyone tell you
how to be spiritual
or how your relationship with God should be.6
Rather, seek to deepen
that relationship ,
especially in trials,
so that you may reap the fullness
of the reward
in suffering change.
God meets us where we are,
not where someone else is.
His approach is as unique as His
creation of you!
Oh Great Mystery,
who knows what is best for us,
help us to surrender to the change,
expecting something better than before!
Oh great Master of Pentimento
(the artist changes his mind, root meaning repent)
improve the aritistry of your work in us!
Make us a masterpiece in your sight!
1 Isaiah 54: 2 Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; hold not back, lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. 3 For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left, and your descendants will possess the nations and will people the desolate cities.
11 "O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in antimony, and lay your foundations with sapphires. 12 I will make your pinnacles of agate, your gates of carbuncles, and all your wall of precious stones. 13 All your sons shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the prosperity of your sons.
2 Job 21: 1 Then Job answered: 2 "Listen carefully to my words, and let this be your consolation. 3 Bear with me, and I will speak, and after I have spoken, mock on. 4 As for me, is my complaint against man? Why should I not be impatient? 5 Look at me, and be appalled, and lay your hand upon your mouth. 6 When I think of it I am dismayed, and shuddering seizes my flesh. 7 Why do the wicked live, reach old age, and grow mighty in power?
21 For what do they care for their houses after them, when the number of their months is cut off? 22 Will any teach God knowledge, seeing that he judges those that are on high? 23 One dies in full prosperity, being wholly at ease and secure, 24 his body full of fat and the marrow of his bones moist. 25 Another dies in bitterness of soul, never having tasted of good. 26 They lie down alike in the dust, and the worms cover them
34 How then will you comfort me with empty nothings? There is nothing left of your answers but falsehood.
3 Nehemiah 4: 15 When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. 16 From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail; and the leaders stood behind all the house of Judah, 17 who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were laden in such a way that each with one hand labored on the work and with the other held his weapon. 18 And each of the builders had his sword girded at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. 19 And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, "The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. 20 In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us."
4 Nehemiah 3:1 Then the high priest Eliashib set to work with his fellow priests and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set up its doors; they consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred and as far as the Tower of Hananel. 2 And the men of Jericho built next to him. And next to them Zaccur son of Imri built. 3 The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate; they laid its beams and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 4 Next to them Meremoth son of Uriah son of Hakkoz made repairs. Next to them Meshullam son of Berechiah son of Meshezabel made repairs. Next to them Zadok son of Baana made repairs. 5 Next to them the Tekoites made repairs; but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work of their Lord. 6 Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah repaired the Old Gate; they laid its beams and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars.
13 Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate; they rebuilt it and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and repaired a thousand cubits of the wall, as far as the Dung Gate. 14 Malchijah son of Rechab, ruler of the district of Beth-haccherem, repaired the Dung Gate; he rebuilt it and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 15 And Shallum son of Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate; he rebuilt it and covered it and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars; and he built the wall of the Pool of Shelah of the king's garden, as far as the stairs that go down from the City of David
28 Above the Horse Gate the priests made repairs, each one opposite his own house
5Colossians 2: 2 I want their hearts to be encouraged and united in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ himself, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I am saying this so that no one may deceive you with plausible arguments
6 Colossians 2: 16 Therefore do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink or of observing festivals, new moons, or sabbaths. 17 These are only a shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Do not let anyone disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, dwelling on visions, puffed up without cause by a human way of thinking, 19 and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God. 20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the universe, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations, 21 "Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch"? 22 All these regulations refer to things that perish with use; they are simply human commands and teachings. 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-imposed piety, humility, and severe treatment of the body, but they are of no value in checking self-indulgence.
Don't Listen to the Mockers, Prepare for Something New
Listen
Those whose lives have been torn down,
who seem to be left with nothing that you once had;
Enlarge your tent,
Stretch out your cords,
strengthen your stakes,
expand your horizons!
Oh afflicted one,
storm tossed and uncomforted,
prepare for something new!
For though you may have lost
what once was valuable,
keep your eyes open
for greater things!1
The mocker in your time of trouble
will tell you it's all your fault,
that you will never win.
While Job was deeply suffering
Zophar mocked him.
Job replied, " Your empty nothings
do not comfort me, for many
wicked go unpunished and
the good go unrewarded."2
Who knows the working of God?
Who can predict the windows of
favor or distress?
The Great Mystery knows of
the tearing down and building up.
Nehemiah after prayer and repentance,
got permission from the king
to repair the walls and gates
at his home town of Judah.
His ancestors were buried there.
It was risky business,
with the threat of armies
thwarting their efforts
and people mocking them.
But he had half the people rebuilding
and half of them standing guard with weapons.3
This was united faith in action
and represented more than just
the physical repair.
Consider the gates--
likened to the passageways
of our inner spiritual temple:
The Sheep Gate (lamb of God) led by a Priest
and fellow priests.
The Fish Gate (fishers of men) repaired by the
sons of Hassenah (meaning "people of Israel")
The Old Gate (wisdom of old) repaired by
Jolada (meaning Jehovah favors) a High Priest
and Meshullam (meaning friend)
The Valley Gate (rich soil where seeds are planted)
repaired by Hanum (meaning gracious) a king who
David proclaimed war against and was victorious.
The Dung Gate (take refuse out and fertilize anew)
repaired by Malchijah (meaning the Lord my King) a
leader of Beth-haccherem (meaning house of the vineyard)
The Fountain Gate (Holy Spirit)
repaired by Shallum (meaning retribution) ruler
of the district of Mizpah (meaning "watch tower")
The Horse Gate (saddle up with God, chariot horses, to declare)
repaired by Priests.4
Though your fortress has
been torn down,
your temple has been made anew in God,
giving you shining new armor
with portals for the
Holy Spirit to enter.
Beloved,
Do not let mockers condemn you!
For greater understanding in
God's Mystery is in Christ.5
In Christ you die to the
elemental spirits of the universe,
why live as if you are still part of the world?
Do not let anyone tell you
how to be spiritual
or how your relationship with God should be.6
Rather, seek to deepen
that relationship ,
especially in trials,
so that you may reap the fullness
of the reward
in suffering change.
God meets us where we are,
not where someone else is.
His approach is as unique as His
creation of you!
Oh Great Mystery,
who knows what is best for us,
help us to surrender to the change,
expecting something better than before!
Oh great Master of Pentimento
(the artist changes his mind, root meaning repent)
improve the aritistry of your work in us!
Make us a masterpiece in your sight!
1 Isaiah 54: 2 Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; hold not back, lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. 3 For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left, and your descendants will possess the nations and will people the desolate cities.
11 "O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in antimony, and lay your foundations with sapphires. 12 I will make your pinnacles of agate, your gates of carbuncles, and all your wall of precious stones. 13 All your sons shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the prosperity of your sons.
2 Job 21: 1 Then Job answered: 2 "Listen carefully to my words, and let this be your consolation. 3 Bear with me, and I will speak, and after I have spoken, mock on. 4 As for me, is my complaint against man? Why should I not be impatient? 5 Look at me, and be appalled, and lay your hand upon your mouth. 6 When I think of it I am dismayed, and shuddering seizes my flesh. 7 Why do the wicked live, reach old age, and grow mighty in power?
21 For what do they care for their houses after them, when the number of their months is cut off? 22 Will any teach God knowledge, seeing that he judges those that are on high? 23 One dies in full prosperity, being wholly at ease and secure, 24 his body full of fat and the marrow of his bones moist. 25 Another dies in bitterness of soul, never having tasted of good. 26 They lie down alike in the dust, and the worms cover them
34 How then will you comfort me with empty nothings? There is nothing left of your answers but falsehood.
3 Nehemiah 4: 15 When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. 16 From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail; and the leaders stood behind all the house of Judah, 17 who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were laden in such a way that each with one hand labored on the work and with the other held his weapon. 18 And each of the builders had his sword girded at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. 19 And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, "The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. 20 In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us."
4 Nehemiah 3:1 Then the high priest Eliashib set to work with his fellow priests and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set up its doors; they consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred and as far as the Tower of Hananel. 2 And the men of Jericho built next to him. And next to them Zaccur son of Imri built. 3 The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate; they laid its beams and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 4 Next to them Meremoth son of Uriah son of Hakkoz made repairs. Next to them Meshullam son of Berechiah son of Meshezabel made repairs. Next to them Zadok son of Baana made repairs. 5 Next to them the Tekoites made repairs; but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work of their Lord. 6 Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah repaired the Old Gate; they laid its beams and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars.
13 Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate; they rebuilt it and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and repaired a thousand cubits of the wall, as far as the Dung Gate. 14 Malchijah son of Rechab, ruler of the district of Beth-haccherem, repaired the Dung Gate; he rebuilt it and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 15 And Shallum son of Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate; he rebuilt it and covered it and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars; and he built the wall of the Pool of Shelah of the king's garden, as far as the stairs that go down from the City of David
28 Above the Horse Gate the priests made repairs, each one opposite his own house
5Colossians 2: 2 I want their hearts to be encouraged and united in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ himself, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I am saying this so that no one may deceive you with plausible arguments
6 Colossians 2: 16 Therefore do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink or of observing festivals, new moons, or sabbaths. 17 These are only a shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Do not let anyone disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, dwelling on visions, puffed up without cause by a human way of thinking, 19 and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God. 20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the universe, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations, 21 "Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch"? 22 All these regulations refer to things that perish with use; they are simply human commands and teachings. 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-imposed piety, humility, and severe treatment of the body, but they are of no value in checking self-indulgence.
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Greatfullheart, another regular visitor and encourager, I'm glad you're blessed!