STRUGGLING THROUGH DAVID'S PSALMS

Does anybody else struggle with reading David's Psalms? I recently decided to read through Psalms after reading an article where Bono, the lead singer of U2, was being critical of Christian music for being perpetually happy and that this was a mask for not looking at the realities in our world.  Moreover, he talked about the Psalms and observed that the spectrum of emotions there is broad and included much darker emotions than what we hear in our Christian music today.

For me however, when I read the Psalms I often find myself offended and aghast.  Many of David’s Psalms are written from an exclusive, imperialistic perspective and I cannot help but think that is why David is held with such high esteem in our Western evangelistic world—David protected empire so we protect Empire--being able to point to David gives us justification.

I have often heard Jesus called the new Adam, but I don’t think I have ever heard Jesus called the new David.  David was the king of an kingdom and Jesus talked often of his kingdom and when you juxtapose the two I do not see where they have anything in common other than being able to refer to them both as a “kingdom.”  Perhaps it is time that we start looking at David and his kingdom through the lens of Jesus and his kingdom.

For an example contrast Psalm 18:36 with Matthew 5:44.

NOTES FROM BRANT ROSEN'S WRESTLING IN THE DAYLIGHT: NOTE ONE

I am currently reading Brant Rosen’s Wrestling in the Daylight.  Respecting that I have decided to resurrect my dormant blog to capture some of my longer Facebook thoughts and quotes.  What is below seemed like a good place to begin the resurrection.

The following quote is from American Jewish Rabbi Brandt Rosen on June 15, 2009.  It demonstrates that not much has changed with Israeli government’s policies and Netanyahu’s ideology in the last seven years.  Just this past Sunday the Israeli government approved $20 million in financing for the expansion of settlements in the West Bank; Settlements that are illegal under international law.  Why doesn’t the US stand up to these illegal actions?  One potential reason is that it is political suicide.  In 1992 George H.W. Bush stated that US Aid to Israel would be contingent upon Israel discontinuing settlement expansion. Later that year he would lose the presidential election to Bill Clinton. 

We are more than 20 years removed from that event and I believe the winds are shifting.  Bernie Sanders recently ran a very competitive campaign being open and honest about the oppression that Palestinians live under and being very critical of the disproportionate damage the IDF caused in the last Gaza War.  However, while the winds may be shifting toward justice and a recognition of international law here in the U.S.  I remain skeptical with respect to Israel: Brant’s quote:

“I’m in agreement with the pundits who conclude that there was absolutely nothing new for consideration offered in Netanyahu’s speech.  Perhaps he achieved a personal milestone by finally uttering the words ‘Palestinian state,’ but beyond this, it was a tune we’ve all heard before.  He offered ‘peace negotiations immediately without prior conditions,’ then proceeded to spell out the all-too-familiar prior conditions that everyone knows are nonstarters for the Palestinians (i.e. Jerusalem remains the united capital of Israel,’