Shows
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 69Psalm 69 – In the Pits and In the DeepPsalm 69 is a “stock” individual lament (complaint) psalm utilizing the basic structure we have seen more than two dozen times already: the lament (complaint) lifted up to G-d, the petition (fist shaking) demanding G-d do something, imprecations (curses) against the psalmist’s enemies, and acknowledgement/submission/trust/praise directed to G-d.But there are two interesting metaphors employed that make this psalm stand out to me and that point to two additional intertextual “conversations” with other texts. These references and hints to other texts, by the way, are called ‘...
2025-12-2208 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastPondering the Parables, The Podcast Edition: Episode 14 - Creating a Theology of HeavenA Theology of The Kingdom of “Heaven” which is a reverent way to say The Kingdom of G-d which, in turn, is a Theology of The Kingdom of G-d in Eternity:We live in the Kingdom NOW, but also NOT YET. We have the invitation and the opportunity to participate in the Kingdom by contributing every attribute and skill we have to its ever expanding reign. The Kingdom is a place, AND a state of being which is miraculously and automatically growing and developing in the least expected places, sometimes through G-d’s almighty Spirit alone, but often...
2025-12-1210 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastPondering the Parables, The Podcast Edition: The Growing Seed (Mark 4: 26-29)Pondering the Parables – Episode 13: The Parable of the Growing Seed (Mark 4: 26-29The Kingdom GrowsIn this episode, we tackle the 13th and last of “The Kingdom of Heaven is like …” parables. Generally known as The Parable of the Growing Seed, It is found in the Gospel of Mark, the fourth chapter, a chapter that includes 2 other agricultural parables, one of which does not start with that stock phrase “The Kingdom of Heaven is like …” but certainly seems to describe the Kingdom.And the other is a duplicate parable found in Matthew 13 … The Parable of the M...
2025-12-0108 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastPondering the Parables, The Podcast Edition - Episode 12: The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25: 14-30)We continue in this 11th episode, studying Jesus’s parables that begin with the phrase, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like …”As we have examined “The Kingdom of Heaven is like …” parables, we have developed quite a detailed theology about Heaven … or better stated, about Eternity. We will expand that theology today as we look at a famous parable commonly known as The Parable of the Talents, found in Matthew 25:14-30. After today’s devotional, we will delve into one more set of “The Kingdom of Heaven is like …” parables, and during that study, we will re-cap and put together our ful...
2025-11-2412 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 68Psalm 68 – Don’t Miss the Parade!By now, it should not surprise you that Psalm 68 is participating in yet another intertextual conversation with a passage found elsewhere in the “Ta-NAHK.” The Tanahk is the Hebrew Bible, what we, as Christians, call the Old Testament. Tanahk ( תָּנָ״ךְ ) is a Hebrew word created from an acronym. The three Hebrew consonants in the word sound like ‘T,’ ‘N,’ and ‘K.’ They stand for ‘To-RAH,’ the first five books of the Old Testament, ‘Nev-i-IM,’ the prophets, and ‘Ke-tu-VIM,’ the writings. Thus … TNK, which is pronounced “Ta-NAHK.”The contents of the Torah (the Pentateuch) are probably obvious: G...
2025-11-1011 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 67Psalm 67 – BlessingsPsalm 67 holds an interesting place in Judaism and exhibits some of the cool Jewish literary techniques that we have already noticed.There is repetition of a particular word which brings emphasis to that word: ‘ba-Rahk’ ( בָּרַךְ ), “to bless,” is repeated 3 times in the short text (vv. 1, 6 & 7);thus, we can say that this is a “G-d’s blessing” psalm.There is intertextual “conversation” with Numbers 6: 24-26, the great Aaronic priestly blessing that ties G-d’s blessings to our shalom (peace); this intertextual “conversation” further emphasizes the blessing theme.There are a total of seven lines (seven being...
2025-11-0412 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 66Psalm 66 - TestingToday’s psalm is a classic communal hymn of praise that morphs into an individual hymn of praise. There is nothing unusual about that (or the reverse). This structure reinforces Jewish theology that our communal salvation, praise, suffering, etc. is deeply intertwined with our individual salvation, praise, suffering, etc. I think Christianity has lost some of that mindset.I see a chiastic structure in this psalm. Chiasms are employed regularly throughout the Scriptures. A chiasm is a set of ideas set forth in a certain order leading the reader to a central po...
2025-10-2709 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away And Pondering the Parables: A Combined Special EditionIn this episode, Pastor D-Wach reflects on personal experiences and significant global events that have transpired since the last podcast. He shares updates about his family, a recent trip, and the sale of his parents’ house. The conversation also touches on the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the ongoing conflict in Israel, and the importance of spiritual awakening over political solutions. Pastor D-Wach emphasizes the need for continued devotion to scripture and the teachings of Jesus as a response to current events.Stay tuned for new devotional podcasts as we continue in the Psalms (Psalm 66 next) and the Pa...
2025-10-1505 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 65Psalm 65 – Who is this Man?We start our discussion today in the most logical place, which is in the New Testament Gospel of Matthew, chapter 8 verses 23-27. Jesus had been teaching in the villages around the Sea of Galilee. The text says, “Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him saying, “Lord, save us! We are going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faithfulness, why are you so...
2025-09-0905 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Episode 64Psalm 64 – God Wins!We start our discussion today in the most logical place, which is in the New Testament book of Philippians, chapter 2, verses 9 – 11: “Therefore God has highly exalted him [Jesus] and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”These are profound words of Truth that echo the summation of our psalm today with my empha...
2025-09-0405 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastPondering the Parables, The Podcast Edition: The Ten VirginsThe Parable of the Ten Virgins: Always Be PreparedWe turn our reflection today onto another of the Kingdom parables, this one traditionally entitled The Parable of the Ten Virgins. We find this story in Matthew’s fifth discourse, known as the Olivett Discourse, as Matthew locates it during Jesus’s last week on Earth and specifically occurring as Jesus and the disciples are traversing the Mt. of Olives heading to and from Jerusalem proper.As a reminder, Matthew structures his Gospel around these five discourses, or sermon series, plugging narrative detail and historical occurrences befo...
2025-08-2909 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 63Psalm 63 – Seeking DiscomfortI texted Steve “The Rev” Allen last night and asked, “Quick and off the cuff: three thoughts on what the Israeli desert means to you.” His answers:1. Discomfort is a teacher.2. Comfort is usually not.3. The Hebrew word for desert has as its root the word ‘da-VAR’ ( דָּבָר ) which means ‘word.’ If you listen in the desert, you can hear a word for your life.Today’s psalm is a “desert” psalm and a psalm of trust and confession of faith. Hear the psalmist proclaim: “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek...
2025-08-2407 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 62Psalm 62 – Strong AND LovingPsalm 62 gets little attention from modern Christian scholars. It is yet another psalm of lament and trust that follows the standard “formula” that we have seen numerous times to this point. But in the Jewish world, it has significant meaning, and I think we would be wise to pay attentionn. Verses 11-12a offer one of the most important theological concepts in all of Scripture (DWach’s opinion): “One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, God, are strong, and that you, God, are loving.”The ancient sages of Jud...
2025-08-1705 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 61Psalm 61 – Our Spiritual Heritage: Passing the BatonAfter experiencing numerous lament (complaint) psalms, we can easily recognize yet another example in Psalm 61. The psalmist cries out to G-d and beseeches G-d to hear his prayer. He longs to be in G-d’s tent, His Temple, and “take refuge in the shelter of [its] wings.” (v. 4) But as is the case with lament/complaint psalms, the text pivots at verse 5 and in the case of Psalm 61, the prayer becomes a prayer of acknowledgement of the psalmist’s spiritual heritage and a petition on behalf of the king. And as almost...
2025-08-1305 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 60Psalm 60 - TruthSteve “the Rev” Allen, a key member of the highly acclaimed Advanced Research Department of The Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away Community, alerted me to some interesting data regarding today’s lengthy superscript to Psalm 60. The intertextual Scriptural reference seems to be from II Samuel 8 and 10. The Rev noted several historical discrepancies between the superscript and the text from II Samuel: Was the foe Aram or Edom? Was the size of the enemy 12,000 or 18,000? Did David or Joab lead the Israelite army in to battle?What are we to make of these...
2025-08-1011 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastPondering the Parables, The Podcast Edition: The Wedding BanquetThe Parable of the Wedding Banquet (Matthew’s Version): Invitations and RSVPsHere in Episode 10 of Pondering the Parables, we turn our attention to yet another “The Kingdom of G-d is like …” stories. These occur mostly in Matthew’s Gospel. Today’s devotional and study on the Wedding Banquet (Matthew’s version in chapter 22: 1-14) parallels a similar parable in Luke chapter 14.Scholars believe that it is logical to assume that these stories bear the same inspiration from Jesus but given the different contexts of Jesus’s delivery of the parable, it seems clear that Jesus took a “st...
2025-08-0414 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 59Psalm 59 – Household IdolsThis is the third straight psalm where the superscript instructs the leader to play the song to the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” It is a very interpretive translation: all Jewish translators/interpreters, and some Christian ones, punt the attempt and simply retain the archaic Hebrew אַל־תַּשְׁחֵת֮ ‘al tash-HETH’ because no one really knows what it means. Such is the reality when trying to bring ancient languages to life!The superscript continues beyond the musical instruction and alludes to another passage of Scripture (it is nearly an exact quote of I Samuel 19:11). Once again, we see an example...
2025-07-3106 min
Musicianship Mastery with David LaneHow to Play Music Confidently in Public (with Michelle Wachter)Whether you find the thought of playing in front of people to be paralyzing or if you just get nervous when someone else is listening and don't play as well as you think you should, this episode is for you! Dr. Michelle Wachter, a piano teacher and executive director of the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra, shares her 3 stage strategy for how to understand your natural performance energy and turn it into an advantage!
Musicianship Mastery is formerly known as The Musician Toolkit.
Let me know your thoughts on this episode as a voice message to possibly s...
2025-07-2856 minMusicianship Mastery with David LaneHow to Play Music Confidently in Public (with Michelle Wachter)Whether you find the thought of playing in front of people to be paralyzing or if you just get nervous when someone else is listening and don't play as well as you think you should, this episode is for you! Dr. Michelle Wachter, a piano teacher and executive director of the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra, shares her 3 stage strategy for how to understand your natural performance energy and turn it into an advantage!
Musicianship Mastery is formerly known as The Musician Toolkit.
Let me know your thoughts on this episode as a voice message to possibly s...
2025-07-2856 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 58Psalm 58 - Leadership“O God, smash their teeth in their mouth; shatter the fangs of lions, O LORD.” That is the petition of the psalmist in verse 6. This isn’t the first psalm to articulate imprecations and curses upon one’s enemies and it won’t be the last! This is a strange text that doesn’t resonate well for us modern readers. It is doubtful that it is in anyone’s top five. Thus, it is easy to blow past this one and see if the next one can offer something more enlightening than asking G-d to crush our e...
2025-07-2605 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 57Psalm 57 - CornersThere comes a point in time, amid evil and chaos and crisis, when you KNOW that “it will all come out in the wash” as my grandfather used to say. You have “taken refuge in the shadow of your [G-d’s] wings”(v. 1) and you recognize that He “sends from heaven and saves me.” (v. 3)Our lengthy superscript alludes to this reality with yet another intertextual reference to David and Saul. The reference ties the psalm to the events narrated in I Samuel 24. I encourage you to take the time to read this incredibl...
2025-07-2205 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 56Psalm 56Do you believe in the power of prayer? Do you believe that G-d hears your laments (complaints) and petitions? The inspired writers of the Scriptures believed so. We start our reflection today in the most obvious place, which is in the New Testament book of Revelation. In chapter 4, John, the writer of the text, describes himself as being whisked away through a door of earthly existence into the realm of Heaven. He describes an incredible scene of heavenly beings worshiping The Lamb Who Was Slain. The scene continues into chapter 5 where we read, “[The Lamb] took th...
2025-07-1906 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 55Psalm 55 - BetrayalBetrayal is one of the tragic consequences of the fallen human condition. Husbands betray wives (and vice versa), children betray parents (and vice versa). Employers betray employees (and vice versa). Friends turn against each other and become enemies. In this unique lament (complaint) psalm, the complaint to G-d morphs from a complaint against enemies to a very personal complaint against a friend who has become the enemy: “It is not an enemy who reviles me – I could bear that; it is not my foe who vaunts himself against me – I could hide from him; but it...
2025-07-0905 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastFollowing the Footsteps of Paul Tour - 2026You are invited to join Reverend David Wachter on a Footsteps of Paul tour ofGreece and Ephesus!11 days / 10 nightsApril 29 – May 9, 2026Soak up Mediterranean sights, sunshine and history with all of these included features:* Professional Greek tour guide as well as Biblical teaching by Reverend David Wachter* Arrival transfer from Thessaloniki airport to hotel (if arriving with designated flights)* Two nights’ accommodation in Thessaloniki, including breakfast* Tour Thessaloniki and Philippi, plus stops at Beroia and Thermopylae* Three nights’ accommodations in Athens...
2025-07-0508 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastPondering the Parables, The Podcast Edition: The Unforgiving ServantThe Parable of the Unmerciful Servant: ForgivenessWe continue our Pondering the Parables reflection/Bible study by looking at yet another “The Kingdom of Heaven is like …” parable. There are between 12 and 15 “Kingdom” parables, depending on how you categorize a couple of them. Most are in Matthew (and as we have seen, there is a heavy concentration of them in Matthew 13); there are some that are duplicated in the Gospels of Mark and Luke, and there is one, The Parable of the Growing Seeds, that is recorded only in Mark.We turn our attention today to The Par...
2025-07-0212 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: Psalm 54Psalm 54 - SubmissionThe superscript tells us that this time it is the Ziphites that rat out David. He is deep in the hill country of the Judean desert hiding and avoiding Saul, the King of Israel, who is desperate to capture David because he is jealous of David’s anointing as the true King of Israel. Once again, the compilers of the Psalms have inserted an intertextual link in the superscript to a David/Saul story, this time from I Samuel 23: 14-28. The situation is dire. Saul has encircled David and his men. The end is ne...
2025-06-2906 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: Psalm 53SummaryIn this episode, I interview Boaz Shalgi regarding the current situation in Israel amidst ongoing conflict with Iran; we also reflect on Psalm 53 and its relevance to the present circumstances. We explore the dynamics of regional politics, the role of international players, and the spiritual implications of the events unfolding. The conversation emphasizes the importance of seeking G-d’s peace and maintaining solidarity with people of faith.TakeawaysBoaz shares insights on the current safety situation in Israel.The conversation highlights the unpredictability of regional conflicts, especially involving Iran....
2025-06-2316 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 52Psalm 52This is an atypical psalm in that it is not directed to G-d or to the faith community; rather, it is a “speech” directed to an “evil one” who is sarcastically referred to as “the hero,” the “mighty man,” the “brave fellow,” depending on your translation of verse one. That man is personified in the superscript as Doeg, who ratted out David to King Saul, when David had fled to the priest, Ahimelech, at Nob. This story is narrated in I Samuel 21 and 22. Saul’s reaction to Doeg’s report is to command Doeg to kill Ahimelech and slaughter...
2025-06-2008 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastPondering the Parables, The Podcast Edition: The SowerThe Parable of the Sower (from Matthew 13): The Kingdom of Heaven (God), An Executive SummaryThis is our 8th episode of the Pondering the Parables devotional series and six of them have focused on the “The Kingdom of Heaven is like …” parables found in Matthew chapter 13. This chapter constitutes the third of Matthew’s five discourses. Matthew organizes his Gospel around these discourses … and if you have a “red letter” Bible that highlights Jesus’s words by printing them in red, the five discourses are easy to spot … they are the big chunks of red in Matthew that are surrounde...
2025-06-1717 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastPondering the Parables, The Podcast Edition: The NetsThe Parable of the Net – Extreme JudgementWe saw a few weeks ago that the parables of the Hidden Treasure and The Pearl provide complimentary (but not identical) aspects of The Kingdom of God (in their case, the extreme joy and extreme cost of being a faithful member of The Kingdom. Likewise, last week’s The Parable of the Weeds and the story we will focus on today, the Parable of the Net, provide complimentary angles on an aspect of The Kingdom.Except, the complimentary focus is not extreme joy and extreme cost, rather extreme judg...
2025-06-0908 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastPondering the Parables, The Podcast Edition: The Parable of the WeedsThe Parable of the Weeds – Patience and JudgementSome of my favorite childhood memories center around planting the family garden with my dad. From the time I was in early grade school onwards, we lived out in the country so that my mom and sister could pursue their horse hobby. Dad and I had zero interest in that … so, we decided early on to start a vegetable garden, which is interesting now that I think about it … because my dad was kind of a city boy growing up (well, as much as a kid growing up in a smal...
2025-06-0512 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastPondering the Parables, The Podcast Edition: Extreme Value / Extreme CostExtreme Value / Extreme CostWelcome to the devotional series, Pondering the Parables, The Podcast Edition, Episode 5, subtitled “Extreme Value / Extreme Cost.” And I am Pastor D-Wach.We return to our parables devotional series picking up on the of collection of parables recorded for us in chapter 13 of Matthew’s gospel … all of these stories expound on The Kingdom of Heaven … this is obvious, since almost each on starts with “The Kingdom of Heaven is like …”And we’ll start today by once again commenting on the euphemistic phrase “The Kingdom of Heaven.” To remind everyone, the B...
2025-05-2811 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 51Psalm 51Yes … this one is a top fiver on everybody’s list! Technically, Psalm 51 is categorized as a lament (complaint) psalm, but immediately one recognizes a different tone. There is no shaking of fists at G-d because of the writer’s plight as is typical of most laments. This prayer is the psalmist’s confession of sin. It is stark, real and vulnerable. The psalmist is totally empty and spent as a result of his transgressions. He kneels before the Great I AM with nothing to offer. He is submitting to G-d in desperate need of forgiveness and salv...
2025-05-2608 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 50Psalm 50 – Grace First, Then ObedienceWe note right from the beginning that Psalm 50 is different. First, the superscript attributes the text to Asaph, who was a Levitical priest serving in the Temple in Zion (Jerusalem). Second, the text is prophetic and oracle-like, morphing from Asaph’s poetic description of the Holy One’s entrance into the presence of His people in the Temple to G-d’s direct words to His people, “Gather to me my consecrated ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” (v. 5)There is a pregnant pause as the people gather (denoted in t...
2025-05-2106 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 49Psalm 49 – The Redemption of Our Fragile LivesIn 2023, during our second cycle through the Psalms, we came to Psalm 49 in mid-July. It had been a rough start to the week: we were with our daughter Hannah at a couple of hospitals dealing with a non-life-threatening issue that ultimately required a series of surgeries; we had also learned about a tragic and fatal car accident involving a dear friend of one of our Psalm a Dayers. And this year, my family and I are dealing with the aftermath of a bizarre accident that put my parents in the ho...
2025-05-1605 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 48Psalm 48 - MountainsIn 2022, with a group of intrepid travelers (all of whom are Psalm a Dayers), we woke up in the middle of the night, bussed to the base of Moses Mountain near St. Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai, Egypt, and commenced a 4 mile climb to the summit; it is the probable “Mountain of God” so central to the Exodus story. Led by Ahmed, our Bedouin guide, a group of us made it to the top about a minute before sunrise (see attached pictures). We were seeing “the face of G-d!” The feeling was emotional...
2025-05-1405 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastPondering the Parables, The Podcast Edition: Matthew 13: 31-32Dearest Subscribers … this episode is fully a video podcast … there is not a written text devotional nor are there any notes … you will have to listen (and watch) this episode!Godspeed,D-Wach This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goforth0913.substack.com
2025-05-1222 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: Psalm 47Psalm 47 – Clap Your HandsWe have noted that while there are hints of an overall structure to the ordering of the psalms, no one has been able to articulate what it is. We have also observed that within the psalms there are “mini structures” or themes that span a particular grouping. I believe that Psalm 47 is the logical extension of Psalm 46. Yesterday, we recognized G-d’s transcendent power and might over His Creation and over all kingdoms of the earth. Our exhortation was to submit (be still) before G-d Almighty and recognize that He is with you and for...
2025-05-0904 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastSpecial Edition: Following the Footsteps of PaulHey Folks!Listen to the podcast episode for a recap of our recent trip to Greece and Turkey This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goforth0913.substack.com
2025-05-0608 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: Psalm 46Psalm 46 – A Mighty Fortress Is Our GodWe have noted already the preponderance of lament psalms in the Psalter. More than a third of the Psalter’s 150 poems are laments (complaints), all written within a certain structure that we have noted and studied.But sometimes, in the midst of lamenting and complaining, in the midst of shaking your fist at G-d, you have a day where you recognize the power and might of the G-d we serve. You wake up, the sun is shining, it’s not too humid out, the coffee is especially comforting, there...
2025-04-2305 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: Psalm 45Psalm 45 – Spiritual LeadershipNow that we have read and reflected on 44 psalms, it is instantly clear that Psalm 45 is different. The purpose of the psalm is not to complain to G-d, to praise G-d, to thank G-d or to marvel at His Word or Temple. Psalm 45 is classified as a royal psalm because its focus is on the king, and specifically, it is a liturgical poem that seems to have been recited at the king’s wedding (note the superscript). The king’s name is not mentioned but scholarly speculation is that it may have been originally create...
2025-04-2105 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: Psalm 44Psalm 44 – The ChurchA faith community worships together, loves together, lives together, serves together and … suffers together. Doesn’t it feel like the Christian community is on the ropes today and is suffering? Post-COVID, church attendance (which was already on the slide) is plummeting, gross indiscretions by church leaders derail any positive momentum that the church can muster, the education system seems hell-bent to oppose any inclusion of spirituality in the development of our youth, inter- and intra-denominational strife and discord are tearing the church universal apart … the list could continue for several pages. The church is under pr...
2025-04-1907 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 43Psalm 43 - CommunityIn addition to the repeated chorus in both Psalms, further evidence that Psalms 42 and 43 were originally one text is that Ps. 43 does not have a superscript, whereas Ps. 42 (and most others in this section of the Psalter) does have a superscript, implying that the poem should continue without a separation. Also, thematically, the desire in Psalm 42 for the writer to be in the presence of G-d in His house on His holy hill carries through in the lone stanza that comprises Psalm 43. And, as mentioned, the psalm ends with the common refrain from Ps. 42...
2025-04-1705 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: Psalm 42Psalm 42 - The Face of G-d“As a deer pants for water, so my soul pants for you, O God.” These opening lines to Psalm 42 are some of the most cherished words in all of Scripture. This is the soul cry of so many G-d believers and they need little commentary on my part.But I would be remiss to not offer some reflections on this top-fiver. Almost certainly Psalms 42 and 43 were originally one psalm with a set of three stanzas, each followed by a repeated refrain (Ps. 42: 5, 11 and Ps. 43:5). Psalm 42 consists of the first two...
2025-04-1009 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastCreating a Christian Seder WorshipAvailable on Amazon.Com via the link below:https://www.amazon.com/Creating-Christian-Worship-Reverend-Wachter/dp/B0F3J717MT/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3ELI1EQ1OW6Q8&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.EseRp30dwc6ohJQRZzNLKw.IRoX4buG23h4GakvWRfio_TyA7VExkXDBLV1ydhAUfI&dib_tag=se&keywords=creating+a+christian+seder+worship+david+wachter&qid=1744164181&sprefix=%2Caps%2C113&sr=8-1For more than 3,000 years, our Jewish brothers and sisters have celebrated a Passover Seder as instructed by God in Exodus 12. As Christians, we acknowledge our own spiritual heritage in the events of the Exodus, and we recognize that those events...
2025-04-0906 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastPondering the Parables, The Podcast Edition: Matthew 13: 33The Kneading Woman, Matthew 13: 33 – Leaven and Bread (Radical Hospitality)As I introduced our first parable, The Workers in the Vineyard, I mentioned I was drawn to that particular story because its main theological point is to demonstrate that the Kingdom of G-d is a place where His grace and mercy, His notion of righteousness and justice, reigns supreme, in direct contrast to Humanity’s concept of righteousness and justice, which if we are honest with ourselves, always has a healthy dose of self-interest intertwined with it.If you remember, Matthew has Jesus framing this parable with...
2025-04-0812 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastPondering the Parables: The Workers in the Vineyard, Matthew 20: 1-16The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard, Matthew 20: 1-16 - Join the “Workforce”This parable is a metaphor for the kingdom of heaven. Early in the morning, a landowner hires men to work in his vineyard and they agree to a wage: one denarius for the day (a subsistent but typical wage for first century Palestine). The landowner makes repeated trips to the marketplace to hire additional workers throughout the day, telling them that he would pay them “whatever is right” (Matthew 20:4). At the end of the day, the landowner pays his day laborers, starting with the last...
2025-04-0212 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastPondering the Parables, The Podcast Edition: The ProlegomenaPondering the Parables – The Prolegomena (The Stuff We Need to Know Before We Go)Finally, some new content! After promising new devotional/Bible study content for what seems like ages, I have finally found the energy and confidence to create the first entry. Today kicks off our journey through the parables. We will focus on their historical and Biblical context, their form and structure, their significance in teaching theological truths and how Jesus used them to affect the thinking and behavior of His followers. We will also spend some time regarding how parables have been taken out of...
2025-03-2714 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 41Psalm 41 – Amen and AmenFun fact about the psalms: they are divided into five "books." Psalm 41 ends the first “book” of Psalms. Scholars speculate that the reason is that those who compiled the psalms wanted to mirror the five books of Torah.Note the way the psalm ends in verse 13: “Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel. Amen and Amen.” The “Amen and Amen” is repeated at the end of Book II and Book III causing most scholars to conclude that these were edited additions to round out the structure. How old the “additions” are i...
2025-03-2404 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 40Psalm 40 – A New SongPsalm 40 is a top fiver for sure! Many scholars believe that it consists of two psalms: a thanksgiving psalm in verses 1-10 and a lament psalm in verses 11-17, with the lament portion being duplicated in Psalm 70. Given that duplication, we will focus on the thanksgiving portion for now.The psalmist begins by recounting a period of helplessness. He is metaphorically stuck in the mud and mire (v.2) and has cried out to YHWH, who sets the psalmist’s feet on a rock, which elicits a new song of praise. The lang...
2025-03-2107 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 39Psalm 39 – The Brevity of Life … and MitzvahsTrivia question: Given Israel’s long and storied past, with heroes of the faith like Abraham, Moses and David, and with amazing events like the parting of the Red Sea, what day is considered the greatest day in Jewish history?You might note a different tone and mood to this psalm. It is melancholy and reflective as the psalmist contemplates the brevity of life. The rhythm may seem a little disjointed as well. Typically, in the Hebrew poetry of the Old Testament, the lines are dyadic (the verse consis...
2025-03-2008 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 38Psalm 38 - ConfessionBy now, you know my fascination with the psalm superscripts. Today’s psalm includes an interesting one. The NIV translates/interprets the superscript as “A Psalm of David. A petition.” If you have a phone Bible app, toggle amongst the NASB, the NRSV, the ESV and some other translations and you will see a wide variety of translations/interpretations of מִזְמ֖וֹר לְדָוִ֣ד לְהַזְכִּֽיר The variation focuses on the word לְהַזְכִּֽיר ‘le-hatz’KIR.’ As mentioned, there is a wide variety of translations/interpretations: petition, memorial, memorial offering, etc. The JPS (Jewish Publication Society) doesn’t even bother to try and translate it! They simply say “A Psalm of David. Le...
2025-03-1907 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 37Psalm 37 – The Next Right/Just Thing … AgainPsalm 37 is yet another acrostic structure that has been masked in translation. It is most definitely a top fiver for me. It is classified as a wisdom psalm, and as you read, you can also imagine it being part of Proverbs, with a bunch of pithy and random do’s and don’ts stitched together. Yet the acrostic structure gives it a foundation upon which several themes can be detected (several of which we have discussed as red threads throughout not just the psalms, but throughout all of Scripture).Here a...
2025-03-1808 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 36Psalm 36 – Righteousness/Justice/Peace/LoveVerse 1 presents another translation/interpretation challenge. Evil/Sin/Transgression seems to be personified, and Evil/Sin/Transgression seems to be speaking to the ungodly. This is a strange construct for the Scriptures, so much so that the NIV totally rejects the personification and puts these words completely onto the lips of the psalmist. Compare the NIV to the ESV and you will see the different interpretations.Regardless of the translation/interpretation issues that arise, this psalm, which defies categorization (it combines elements of lament, wisdom and hymn of praise), continues to...
2025-03-1706 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 35Psalm 35 – Righteousness/Justice/PeaceOccasionally, in attempting to bring some theological clarity to the text, my mind drifts. That happened while reading verse 21: “They gape at me and say, “Aha, Aha!” The question I asked myself is, how does one decide to translate such an utterance? The Hebrew phrase is הֶאָ֑ח הֶאָ֑ח and is pronounced ‘hay-YAH, hay-YAH.’ All the major English translations go with “aha, aha.” Eugene Peterson’s The Message goes with “Ha-ha, Ha-ha.” Robert Alter’s translation goes with “Hurrah, Hurrah.” My curiosity was piqued, so I looked at my German Bible and it says “Ha-Ha.” And in French, it is “Ah-Ah.” The lesson of this...
2025-03-1410 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 34Psalm 34 - CommunityFun fact about Psalm 34: it is the fourth acrostic psalm (each line beginning with a consecutive letter of the Hebrew alphabet) that we have read. EXCEPT there is no line for the ‘vav’ which is the sixth letter of the alphabet! There are very few Hebrew words that start with a ‘vav.’Fun fact #2 about Psalm 34: the superscript at the beginning is quite lengthy and recounts an event between David and Abimelech. The narrative comes from 1 Samuel 21, except the King’s name is Achish in that text. This is another interesting example of interte...
2025-03-1312 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 33Psalm 33 – Transcendence and ImmanenceThis psalm declares itself to be a new song (v. 3) to be sung by the congregation of YHWH believers. Fittingly then, the predominant metaphor employed by the psalmist uses Creation language and images from Genesis 1 and the worshipers singing this hymn re-orient themselves as a community to a perfected Creation filled with His righteousness and justice and ruled by His steadfast love (v. 4-5).Having spoken the Creation into being (Genesis 1), YHWH looks down from heaven and sees all of humanity and He watches (Ps. 33: 13-14). In brilliant metaphoric language, in co...
2025-03-1115 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 32Psalm 32 – The SequenceWe start our commentary today on Psalm 32 (another top fiver) in the most logical place, which is Genesis 15. A frustrated Abram (he was not yet Abraham) was lamenting to the LORD that the life YHWH had promised him if Abram would “go, go forth to the land I will show you” (Gen. 12:1) had not yet materialized. Where were the children and where was the blessings of a great nation that G-d had promised Abram? In Genesis 15 YHWH doubles down on His promise; So, Abram believes/trusts in the LORD and “the LORD credited/reckoned it to Ab...
2025-03-1007 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: A Bunny Trail About LentHello Again, Psalm-a-Dayers! It’s been 35 days since my last devotional entry. As mentioned in the podcast portion from January 31, Noelle and I journeyed to NZ and Australia for the better part of February. Since returning, and having gotten out of the habit of writing and recording, I have struggled to return to my normal spiritual formation disciplines. And that’s the faith lesson for today: if you are desiring a deeper relationship with G-d and a life of sanctification, one needs to practice some of the tried and true spiritual discipline activities on a consistent basis. It is SO E...
2025-03-0814 min
Restoring DarknessDavid and Goliath with Michael CalhounThey say, “You can’t fight city hall.” Well, young David Calhoun is. In the small town of Vernonia Oregon, David is on a quest to reduce light pollution in and around the town. His focus so far has been on the main street, where they have switched to 5000K LED’s. Even from his home in the woods 3 miles out of town he can see the sky glow growing. Once David becomes a state senator, which Michael Colligan is sure will happen one day, he can take the fight state-wide and save ALL of Oregon from Light Pollution!
2025-02-1940 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 31Psalm 31- Rabbis and Disciples“Father, into your hands I commend my Spirit.” These are some of Jesus’s last words as he died on the cross, praying from Psalm 31:5 (confer with our discussion on Psalm 22, the other psalm that Jesus prayed as he died). Remember the rabbinic mantra that we discussed with Psalm 22: learn the text, live the text, teach the text, pray the text, die the text. As disciples of Rabbi Yeshua, it is our mandate to do the same because we want to be like our rabbi. My hope in executing this ‘Psalm a Day Keep...
2025-01-3110 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 30Psalm 30 – Tenacity, Thanksgiving, ConfessionOn February 11, 1986, a Ukrainian born Jew named Natan Sharansky stood on the tarmac at Bykovo Airport outside of Moscow. He was about to board a plane that would take him to East Germany where he would be part of a well-publicized prisoner exchange between the then Soviet Union and the West. Sharansky, a dissident of Soviet authoritarianism, had been imprisoned for 9 years in a forced labor prison camp where he spent much time in solitary confinement in a 6-foot square damp basement cell. His one possession was a book of The Psalms that ha...
2025-01-3005 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 29Psalm 29Fun fact about Psalm 29: Scholarly consensus is that the source of this psalm is a Canaanite hymn to Ba-al, the storm god of whom much is written about in both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. This makes many Christians squeamish: why would the ancient Israelite psalmists use a ‘secular’ song and violate the purity of our belief in the One True God? The reality is that the Scriptures were not inspired and written in a vacuum. G-d place Israel where it was (is) to be a witness and testimony to all the nations. Ancient Isra...
2025-01-2908 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 28Psalm 28This psalm follows the classic lament structure of complaint/petition, deprecation against enemies, and affirmation/trust in YHWH. How many times have we seen this pattern just in the first 28 psalms?The psalmist in verse 1 begs G-d to not be silent lest he n(the Psalmist) be “like those who have gone down to the pit.” This implies others have gone down in the pit and as verse 3 says, they have been “dragged away with the wicked.” Who could these others be? A quick word comparison reveals that the Hebrew word translated/interpreted as “pit” in Ps...
2025-01-2806 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 27Psalm 27 - Be Strong and CourageousIn our reflections we have talked about passages of orientation/re-orientation towards YHWH which affirm our trust and confidence in G-d, and we have talked about passages of disorientation which describe times of trouble and suffering (and these passages often show the psalmist shouting at G-d and shaking his fist at G-d). We have also noted that in the psalms that are categorized as laments (disorientation), the psalm always ends (with one notable exception which we will address in time) with a statement of confidence and trust in G-d....
2025-01-2717 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 26Psalm 26 - BlamelessPsalm 26 gives us our first opportunity to circle back to a question that I raised in our Psalm 15 reflection: what is the difference between being blameless and being sinless? The Hebrew Bible (what we call the Old Testament) speaks of many blameless people (i.e., Job and Noah), but no one that I recall who was sinless.Today’s psalm is a lament. The psalmist needs vindication from YHWH because he has led a blameless life (v.1). He repeats that lament in at the end of the psalm: “But I lead a blam...
2025-01-2608 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 25Psalm 25 - The ACT of RememberingToday is a good day for another lesson in Hebrew. Psalm 25 is our first example of an acrostic psalm (each line starts with a consecutive letter of the Hebrew alphabet – in English, it would be line 1 starts with “A,” line 2 starts with “B” and so on). Sadly, that structure is lost in most translation/interpretations. I have attached a picture from my Hebrew bible so that you can visualize the psalm in its original language (except there are no chapters and verses in the original manuscripts) and so that you can se...
2025-01-2514 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 24Psalm 24 – A Big, Big God!Imagine being a Jewish slave in ancient Egypt, arguably the greatest empire ever to exist. You and your people work tirelessly to build great monuments to the gods of the empire like the Edfu temple in the attached picture (notice the height of the gate, which was built to accommodate the greatness of Horus, the Egyptian “protector god” of Pharaoh). You cry out to the unseen Creator of the Universe, the One True G-d, the One who was and is and is to come. You and your people cry out for hundreds of yea...
2025-01-2405 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 23Psalm 23Close your eyes and create a mind picture of the iconic opening verse of Psalm 23: “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.” Bask in the vision that you have created internally in your spirit. How would you describe that painting to someone?Having grown up in a very rural area replete with acres upon acres of beautiful pastureland and hay fields, my description would focus on the “greenness” and tranquility of my homeland and would be supplemented by the next verse with a slowly meanderi...
2025-01-2309 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 22Psalm 22 – Learn the Text, Live the Teach, Teach the Text, Pray the Text …And Die the TextThe core of Jewish religious life centers on “the text” (the Hebrew Bible – what Christians call the Old Testament) and on the Rabbi-Disciple relationship. Disciples dedicate their lives to knowing G-d better and deeper and they do so by following a rabbi, “sitting at his (or her) feet” as the rabbi expounds upon the text. Knowing the text is an all-consuming endeavor. For the rabbi, the mantra goes like this: “learn the text; live the text; teach the text; pray the t...
2025-01-2208 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 21Psalm 21Psalm 21 must be read in conjunction with Psalm 20 (another small “mini-series”). We recognize the same superscript from Psalm 20 in this Psalm. We have the same translation issue regarding whether the psalm is ‘of David’ or ‘for/to David.’ We noted that Psalm 20 is a prayer asking for the king to be blessed before going into battle (and we made the bridge to the battles in our realities that each of us fight every day); Psalm 21 seems to be a ‘post battle’ prayer of exultation: the king has been victorious over Israel’s enemies. Twice the psalmist recognized the ric...
2025-01-2106 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 20Psalm 20 – The BlessingPsalm 20 is categorized as a Royal Psalm (meaning that it is directed to the King of Israel). It is clearly a prayer of blessing, dedicated to a non-identified king who is ready to go off into battle to face Israel’s enemies. The superscript reads in every translation “For the leader; a psalm of David.” But given that David was the king who often went to battle and remembering the ambiguity of translating the preposition ‘le,’ it seems more appropriate to render the superscript as a “psalm for (to) David.” Oh, those pesky prepositions!Psalm 20 is...
2025-01-2004 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 19Psalm 19 – The Heavens Declare … His Commands Are RadiantPsalm 19 is in my top five. Its style and structure create a theological statement that is awesome and inspiring to me. The structure is pretty evident. After a standard superscript “For the leader; of (for/to) David” (remember our preposition discussion from yesterday), we have two interconnected sections: the first is a Creation Hymn (v.1-6) that describes in majestic terms the magnificence of the Creation and the second is a Torah Hymn (v.7-11) that describes in very physical terms the beauty and significance of G-d’s Word (Torah). Ea...
2025-01-1907 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 18Psalm 18 – My Rock, My Fortress, My DelivererThe superscript informs us that the psalm is “For the director (of music); of David the servant of the LORD.” Here is that text in Hebrew: לַמְנַצֵּ֤חַ׀ לְעֶ֥בֶד יְהוָ֗ה לְדָ֫וִ֥דNoteworthy is the preposition לְ (and its variant לַ)Hebrew is read and written right to left. See if you can find the first and last uses of לְ and לַ. The first appearance of “li” is translated ‘for.’ The last “li” is attached to David’s name לְדָ֫וִ֥ד and is translated ‘of.’ Both translations are correct. How do we know when to translate ‘li’ as ‘for’, as ‘of’ or as its third sense, ‘to’? And is this important? It could be...
2025-01-1810 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 17Psalm 17 – The Apple of His EyeWe have our first translation decision right in verse one. One of our favorite Hebrew words, צֶ֗דֶק ‘tza-DEEK’ appears. Remember from Psalms 7 and 9 that the primary translation is ‘righteous,’ or ‘righteous one.’ The secondary meaning is ‘just/justice or just one.’ The word appears again in the last verse (v.15). In Hebrew, this inclusio (the bookend use of a word or phrase at the beginning and end of a passage) frames the text and gives it an overriding theological theme and structure. Your challenge is to review several translations, note the revision date of the translation...
2025-01-1709 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 16Psalm 16 – The Outcome: Trust and PeaceIn our Psalm 1 discussion, I mentioned that the first two psalms lay out a quasi-thematic outline for the psalter. Psalm 1 describes the benefits of a life lived according to Torah (the law/instruction/guidance/education of G-d’s Word); Psalm 2 mandates that we, the representatives of G-d in an often-hostile world, be a witness and testimony to all that is good about Him.Beyond this quasi-introduction, scholars have tried in vain to detect a literary structure encompassing the complete psalter that would support the theological themes described above. If ther...
2025-01-1604 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 15Psalm 15 – The ListYesterday’s Psalm 14 starts out mocking “the fool” whose deeds are corrupt. YHWH searches the planet for anyone seeking G-d (Ps. 14:2). And the psalm ends with an exclamation of desire that salvation “would come out of Zion” (the Holy Hill that is Jerusalem).And what is the first verse of Psalm 15? A pair of questions (remember, the theology is always in the questions) in reference to YHWH’s Holy Hill, His Temple in Jerusalem. Who can enter the Temple? Who can live on His Holy Hill? The “conversation” started in Psalm 14 continues.This is a Tem...
2025-01-1508 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 14Psalm 14 - FoolsWell, guess what? Psalm 14 is NOT in my top 5 yet! I have been doing this exercise for four years now (it started as a COVID project). My practice when reading and meditating (remember our Hebrew word ‘ha-GAH’?) is to read and meditate with pen in hand; my Bibles are full of notes, underlines, circles, exclamation points, etc.It strikes me that after four and a half years (9 readings) of daily devotionals in the Psalms, I have jotted not a single word regarding Psalm 14. This bothers me! My scholarly Bible conversation partners have noth...
2025-01-1408 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 13Psalm 13 – I Trust, Rejoice and SingPsalm 13 is in everyone’s top 5. It merits a term paper of commentary despite it being just 6 verses (don’t worry, I will resist the urge!). It exhibits the classic lament psalm structure and clearly conveys the psalmist’s disorientation in his relationship with YHWH. He blasts YHWH with four rhetorical questions blaming G-d for all that is wrong with life (remember, the theology is always in the questions). It is clearly G-d’s fault! Yes, Brothers and Sisters, this psalm gives us permission to blame G-d!But on it goes! T...
2025-01-1306 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 12Psalm 12- Lips, Tongues and LiesThis one should be entitled “Lips, Tongues, and Lies” and seems like it was written exactly for our times. There are so many voices and opinions and words uttered forth with reckless abandon these days. And which one of us has NOT uttered oaths against Facebook, IG, TikTok and all the other media outlets that shout in our face. The psalmist is correct: “Everyone lies to his neighbor; their flattering lips speak with deception.” (v. 2)The psalmist then quotes his deceitful neighbor (thus providing us with yet another great theologi...
2025-01-1206 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 11Psalm 11 – Seek His FaceAs one reads this psalm, it seems disjointed. It doesn’t follow the standard formulaic structure of the laments that we have seen so far. And did you notice? YHWH is referred to in the third person, not the second person. This psalm is like a conversation between two brothers or sisters of the faith; they are talking about YHWH not to Him. And the setting seems to be the temple in Jerusalem, the place of refuge in ancient Israel (v.1, 4) and the place where you would approach YHWH and “see His face.” (v. 7)
2025-01-1109 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 10Psalm 10 – Good Things for Bad People?This psalm could be entitled “Why Do Good Things Happen to Bad People?” and it includes another great question in v. 13: “Why does the wicked man revile God?” If we really dig deep into our souls (and keeping in mind the difference between human and Godly justice that we discussed yesterday), we really want “human” answers to these types of questions! We do our best to be obedient to G-d; we do our best to care for those mentioned in this psalm: the innocent, the victims, the helpless, the fatherless, the afflicted, the...
2025-01-1008 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 9Psalm 9 – Righteousness/Justice … pursue itOur comments on Psalm 9 start at the most logical place, which is, Deuteronomy 16:20. This text says in Hebrew צֶ֥דֶק צֶ֖דֶק תִּרְדֹּ֑ף “tza-DEAK tza-DEAK tor-ah-DEAK.” ‘Tza-DEAK’ should sound familiar to you; we discussed this word in conjunction with Psalm 7. It is the Hebrew word for ‘righteousness’ and alternatively, justice. Most (not all) translations interpret Deuteronomy 16:20 as “Justice, and justice alone shall you pursue.” But you could translate it literally: “Righteousness (justice), righteousness (justice) … pursue it.”The ancient sages of old pondered this passage. Why, they asked, is the term ‘justice/righteousness’ repeated and why should we just pursue it? Wouldn’t G-d actually want...
2025-01-0909 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 8Psalm 8 – How Majestic is His NameFinally! Something other than a lament psalm! Psalm 8 is top five on everyone’s list. It is a Creation psalm and another example of the ‘inter-textuality’ of the Scriptures. The links to Genesis 1 and 2 are pretty clear. This psalm also comes to mind in Job’s conversation with his friends in Job 7:17-21.The psalm utilizes a very tight structure and employs an ‘inclusio’ of praise (the identical phraseology at the beginning and ending of the text – a sort of bookend refrain). There is praise and wonder and awe at what G-d has...
2025-01-0812 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 7Psalm 7: Righteousness and JusticeSurprise, surprise! Psalm 7 offers us yet another lament with enemies pursuing the psalmist! Many of the lament elements that we previously discussed are present, including a clarion call for G-d to judge and decree justice according to His righteousness. In fact, there are five references to righteousness (along with one reference to wrath).And so, we have the first of MANY passages in the psalter that bring together justice and righteousness (vv. 6-11). Bringing together these two terms is a major theme not only in the psalms but in all of...
2025-01-0706 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 6A Brief Comment on SuperscriptsSuperscripts are brief informational notes that PRECEDE many of the psalms. Sometimes they deal with historical references (i.e., Ps. 3); sometimes they are instructions for worship (like yesterday’s Ps. 5 and today’s Ps. 6); sometimes they are “by-lines” or “tributes” to an historic figure like King David. Psalm 6, today’s psalm, has a superscript geared towards worship liturgy. The superscript says, “For the director of music. With stringed instruments. According to sheminith. A psalm of David.”There is much to say about superscripts. We will continue to discuss them in due time. If you s...
2025-01-0609 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 5Psalm 5: Disorientation/ReorientationPsalm 5 is the third consecutive individual lament psalm placed at the beginning of the psalter after the initial two “introductory” psalms. Walter Brueggemann, a notable Old Testament scholar, describes these psalms as songs of “disorientation.” Life isn’t working out the way it is supposed to (especially when you put your faith in YHWH). And so, the psalmist laments/complains to G-d.Lament psalms exhibit a standard structure: a plea and calling out to YHWH; an expression of a problem causing the disorientation; a petition to YHWH to eliminate the predicament causing the compla...
2025-01-0510 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 4Psalm 4: Be GoodPsalm 4 starts with an aggressive demand from the psalmist that G-d must answer the psalmist’s call and prayer. This aggressiveness seems too harsh for those of us who have been instructed to approach G-d with reverence and respect. But, as elsewhere in the psalms, we see a true and totally transparent relationship between G-d and His people. Of course, we should approach G-d with reverence! But we can also approach Him with the full force of our emotions when we are scared, frustrated, and angry (sometimes even angry with Him). Sometimes, we just do...
2025-01-0405 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 3Psalm 3: A LamentAfter two introductory psalms that set the stage for the rest of the psalter, we get the first of many, many lament psalms. About one-third of the Psalter consists of this genre. In Psalm 3, the psalmist cries out to God about his predicament (enemies that are arrayed against him). The writer demands deliverance by G-d (v. 7) and affirms his belief that his fate is in the hands of the LORD and his deliverance is assured (v. 8). Compare and contrast the size of the forces arrayed against each other: G-d versus “tens of thousands” – it’s not a...
2025-01-0307 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away, The Podcast Edition: Psalm 2Psalm 2: ResponsibilityA fun fact to start today’s reflection: Psalm 2 is quoted four times in the New Testament, making it one of the most quoted psalms in those texts.As we saw in yesterday’s commentary, Psalms 1 and 150 complement each other as bookends to the psalter. Psalm 1 exhorts the reader to a life of obedience to G-d’s law/guidance/education/instruction, which if accomplished, leads to the unadulterated praise of Psalm 150. Psalm 2 and 149 seem to work in conjunction with each other as well, giving the psalter a second level bookend.Psalms 2 and 14...
2025-01-0207 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The Podcast Edition - Psalm 1 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goforth0913.substack.com
2025-01-0110 min
A Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: The PodcastA Psalm a Day Keeps Satan Away: Prologue Episode This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goforth0913.substack.com
2024-12-3107 min
Der Adventskalender für KinderTürchen 6 - Der schlafende WächterDer Podcast Adventskalender für Kinder
Die Weihnachtszeit ist schön und zugleich auch schwer für Kinder. Sie sind gezwungen zu Warten bis zum Heiligen Abend, die Aufregung und Ungeduld steigen. Um diese Wartezeit zu verkürzen, gibt es diesen Adventskalender. Jeden Tag öffnet sich ein Türchen. Hinter den Türchen verbergen sich die Geschichten von den Tieren aus dem Wunderwald. Sie erhalten eine geheimnisvolle Einladung und begeben sich auf eine weihnachtliche Reise mit vielen Erlebnissen.
Ab dem 1. Dezember, jeden Tag bis zum Heiligen Abend.
Viel Freude beim Anhören und schöne Weihnachten.
In Ster...
2024-12-0606 min
Restoring DarknessIt’s a Feeling, Not a Statistic with David LefevreLouis the XIV made Paris the first city to be lit at night and now, ironically, it seems France may be the leader in mitigating light pollution. David tells us about France’s law that shops must turn off their lights after the store is closed. Of course we have local ordinances in North America for that, but France seems to be better at enforcing the law. David contends that our cultures’ fear of night and the dark is Alfred Hitchcock’s fault. David is a French engineer, musician, amateur astronomer, and motorcycle enthusiast who speaks 3 languages and has worked...
2024-10-0939 min
Restoring DarknessCan You See The Stars Tonight? With Anna Terreros-MartinOur host, Michael, has learned a lot from reading children's books to his kids. Anna’s book, “Can You See The Stars Tonight?” we’re sure, is no exception. We are always hopeful for the next generation, so let’s teach our children about the impact of light pollution with Anna’s book. And you can’t go wrong with cute little puffins! Anna is a children's book author and illustrator who is passionate about animals and wildlife. She received a first class degree in Illustration from Sheffield Hallam University and a Masters in Children's Book Illustration from Cambridge School of Art...
2023-08-2332 min
Office Hours with David MeltzerChristian Wachter, Laura GerrtisChristian Wachter [00:28]Founded as a German university spin-off at Saarland University, imc learning provides holistic support to more than 1,300 companies, public & educational institutions from all sectors & of all sizes in the planning & implementation of digital training strategies. While imc is rooted in Germany, they’re a global company through & through, with over 400 employees worldwideLaura Gerrits [14:46]Overhauling hierarchy & mentoring executives to build a more impactful leadership style, she rebuilds a fitter company with a flatter structure & purpose. It leads to bigger profits, better talent retention, and increased unity among employees. Innovation and more cu...
2023-06-1530 min
Praxis Contour PodcastPraxis Contour Podcast: Schlaf ... der Wächter unserer Gesundheit und SchönheitIn dieser Folge beschäftigt sich Dr. Nicole David mit dem Thema Schlaf ... der Wächter unserer Gesundheit und Schönheit.
Wir empfehlen euch dazu als Lektüre "Das große Buch vom Schlaf" von Prof. Dr. med. Matthew Walker.
Absoluter Experte in Sachen Schlaf ist Dr. med. Stefan Kniele (MVZ Pneumologie und Schlaflabor) in Kaiserslautern/Pfalz.
Schlaft gut!
Praxis Contour Fulda:
Friedrichstrasse 13
36037 Fulda
Tel. +49-(0)661-9426926
Praxis Contour Frankfurt:
Steinweg 10
60313 Frankfurt am Main
Tel. +49-(0)69-92038991
w...
2022-10-1317 min
Kleiner Minecraft PodcastAbenteuer Ozeanmonument (Live) - Teil1Im ersten Teil des Ozeanmonument baut Papa einen Aquisator und platziert ihn auf das Gebäude des Ozeanmonument. Dann muss er unzählige Wächter vernichten um ausreichend Prismarinscherben zu sammeln. Mit den erzeugten Prismarinblocken und Seelaternen kann er dann einen Ring um den Aquisator bauen, damit dieser aktiviert wird. Durch die Effekte ist es dann möglich einen Seiteneingang in das Ozeanmonument zu schlagen und direkt zum großen Wächter vordringen zu können. Sei live dabei...
2021-10-1028 min
Active Topical Banter ShowRPG Backtrack 228: Hedgehog AgeBioWare was on top of the world in the late 2000s. Then it got the bright idea to make a portable game with a certain blue hedgehog, and the internet rejoiced… or did it? Join us along with guests David McBurney and Mike Moehnke as we take a deep dive into Sonic’s first (and last) RPG adventure! Spoiler alert: Sonic’s first RPG didn’t go well.
The post RPG Backtrack 228: Hedgehog Age appeared first on RPGamer.
2021-03-121h 14
The Cognitive Bias PodcastSara Wachter-BoettcherOn this latest episode of the live podcast, we talk to Active Voice founder Sara Wachter-Boettcher about leadership, white supremacy, and the ways in which design perpetuates systems of oppression.
2020-09-1053 min