Psalms 144. A few comments.

I read this Psalm today, and found some very interesting things.

I love the opening verse:

"Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:"

That's characteristic of David, a man, who knew his role in life was that of the warrior. All men are tought by God to fight. It's called being competetive. On a boys toys list, you would expect to see Water Balloons (hand grenades), Squirt Guns (m16's), A football helmet (hand to hand combat) and of course a tool set (building a home).

A little later, it talks about what he wants boys and girls to be. He says that boys should like plants, and girls like corner stones of a palace.

Without going too deep, I could see that my younger brother Gator is very much like a plant. Or maybe I should say he tends to be down in the dirt, and he's very determined not to move.


Going deeper we can see that boys are to be like plants, in that plants don't move, they're firmly rooted, and they don't need structure to hold them up, and mankind doesn't need to shape them. Rugged. Alone. Growing to be powerful, while retaining marvelous glory for God.

Where the confusion lies, is with the line about daughters becoming like cornerstones.

144:12 That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our
daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace:

Well, we read Mathew Henry's commentary, and he said something interesting.

By daughters families are united and connected, to their mutual strength, as the parts of a building are by the corner-stones; and when they are graceful and beautiful both in body and mind they are then polished after the similitude of a nice and curious structure. When we see our daughters well-established and stayed with wisdom and discretion, as corner-stones are fastened in the building,-when we see them by faith united to Christ, as the chief corner-stone, adorned with the graces of God's Spirit, which are the polishing of that which is naturally rough, and become women professing godliness, - when we see them purified and consecrated to God as living temples, we think ourselves happy in them.

(from Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible: New Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1991 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.)

Now, I think that's all fine and everything, but it sure doesn't say much.

Well, after looking up that verse, at the greek words that were translated into 'corner stones', 'polished' and 'palace', I found some interesting things. While the verse is poetic, it had a lot of depth to it.

The word 'polished' came from 'to cut down, or to hew from wood', which is interesting after reading about sons being plants. Trees stand alone, but pillars have been cut out of that rugged roughness, and do not stand alone.

The word 'palace' meant a large building for many residents, not so much a place of the kings abode. And of course, the 'corner stone' was something that never moved, and was the most glorious thing about the palace.

It's very easy to interpret all this the way I do, which is, Women are not like the plants. They do not stand alone, they are carefully polished, and placed as the most foundational and glorious element of the dwelling place of a large number residents. Ooh, hey, you know what this sounds like? It sounds like a home. Sounds to me, like she is never moving, and 'holds down the fort', if you will, at home.

Very interesting thoughts.

It is interesting that She is fashioned, while he grows wild. He doesn't need polishing and fashioning. A man can live alone with a bible, and no spiritual authority other than God himself, and do just fine. But a woman must be carefully polished out of that natural ruggedness, and stand to support something. She must have a spiritual leader.

Now I of course, believe that everybody should have a spiritual authority, but you'll note that while Jesus fasted in the desert for 40 days and nights, and while Paul was in the desert learning from the spirit for 2 years ( I think... I may have gotten that number wrong), we never see a woman going into the desert to learn from God. The times when women are mentioned alone, it shows a man of God miraculously intervening in her life to save her from disaster, or it shows her as BEING the disaster.

ANYWAY, those were just some thoughts I've been having this morning. If you dislike them, stone me, if you think they're inaccurate, show me. I'm always ready to learn. :-)

David and I are eager to get together and do some audio tests, and find out how to get the best possible sound from my camera and dual microphones. My camera is the restriction. Audio in the mic jack is TERRIBLE. Ugg.

And very shortly, our family will be official members of the First Presbyterian Reformed Church of Rowlett. To hear a sermon by Dr. Richard Bacon, the pastor of the church, you can download one for free, right here. Just click the link and follow the instructions. I recommend you listen to it.

Well, I gotta run, you all have a good time!

God Bless!

~ In Christ, John.