Psalms for Turbulent Times - Part 1
by Pastor Jim Jester
November 8, 2020
Scripture Reading: Psalm 3
“1 [A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.] LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! Many are they that rise up against me.
2 Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. [Selah.]
3 But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
4 I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. [Selah.]
5 I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.
6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.
7 Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheekbone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. 8 Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. [Selah.]” – Psalm 3
Good News
It appears we may have a significant personality on our side – Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano. I kept the whole letter. I could not edit anything out because he reveals so many truths, most of which we already know.
OPEN LETTER
To the President of the United States of America
Donald J. Trump
Sunday, October 25, 2020
Solemnity of Christ the King
Mr. President,
Allow me to address you at this hour in which the fate of the whole world is being threatened by a global conspiracy against God and humanity. I write to you as an Archbishop, as a Successor of the Apostles, as the former Apostolic Nuncio to the United States of America. I am writing to you in the midst of the silence of both civil and religious authorities. May you accept these words of mine as the “voice of one crying out in the desert” (Jn 1:23).
As I said when I wrote my letter to you in June, this historical moment sees the forces of Evil aligned in a battle without quarter against the forces of Good; forces of Evil that appear powerful and organized as they oppose the children of Light, who are disoriented and disorganized, abandoned by their temporal and spiritual leaders.
Daily we sense the attacks multiplying of those who want to destroy the very basis of society: the natural family, respect for human life, love of country, freedom of education and business. We see heads of nations and religious leaders pandering to this suicide of Western culture and its Christian soul, while the fundamental rights of citizens and believers are denied in the name of a health emergency that is revealing itself more and more fully as instrumental to the establishment of an inhuman faceless tyranny.
A global plan called the Great Reset is underway. Its architect is a global élite that wants to subdue all of humanity, imposing coercive measures with which to drastically limit individual freedoms and those of entire populations. In several nations this plan has already been approved and financed; in others it is still in an early stage. Behind the world leaders who are the accomplices and executors of this infernal project, there are unscrupulous characters who finance the World Economic Forum and Event 201, promoting their agenda.
The purpose of the Great Reset is the imposition of a health dictatorship aiming at the imposition of liberticidal measures, hidden behind tempting promises of ensuring a universal income and cancelling individual debt. The price of these concessions from the International Monetary Fund will be the renunciation of private property and adherence to a program of vaccination against Covid-19 and Covid-21 promoted by Bill Gates with the collaboration of the main pharmaceutical groups. Beyond the enormous economic interests that motivate the promoters of the Great Reset, the imposition of the vaccination will be accompanied by the requirement of a health passport and a digital ID, with the consequent contact tracing of the population of the entire world. Those who do not accept these measures will be confined in detention camps or placed under house arrest, and all their assets will be confiscated.
Mr. President, I imagine that you are already aware that in some countries the Great Reset will be activated between the end of this year and the first trimester of 2021. For this purpose, further lockdowns are planned, which will be officially justified by a supposed second and third wave of the pandemic. You are well aware of the means that have been deployed to sow panic and legitimize draconian limitations on individual liberties, artfully provoking a world-wide economic crisis. In the intentions of its architects, this crisis will serve to make the recourse of nations to the Great Reset irreversible, thereby giving the final blow to a world whose existence and very memory they want to completely cancel. But this world, Mr. President, includes people, affections, institutions, faith, culture, traditions, and ideals: people and values that do not act like automatons, who do not obey like machines, because they are endowed with a soul and a heart, because they are tied together by a spiritual bond that draws its strength from above, from that God that our adversaries want to challenge, just as Lucifer did at the beginning of time with his “non serviam.”
Many people – as we well know – are annoyed by this reference to the clash between Good and Evil and the use of “apocalyptic” overtones, which according to them exasperates spirits and sharpens divisions. It is not surprising that the enemy is angered at being discovered just when he believes he has reached the citadel he seeks to conquer undisturbed. What is surprising, however, is that there is no one to sound the alarm. The reaction of the deep state to those who denounce its plan is broken and incoherent, but understandable. Just when the complicity of the mainstream media had succeeded in making the transition to the New World Order almost painless and unnoticed, all sorts of deceptions, scandals and crimes are coming to light.
Until a few months ago, it was easy to smear as “conspiracy theorists” those who denounced these terrible plans, which we now see being carried out down to the smallest detail. No one, up until last February, would ever have thought that, in all of our cities, citizens would be arrested simply for wanting to walk down the street, to breathe, to want to keep their business open, to want to go to church on Sunday. Yet now it is happening all over the world, even in picture-postcard Italy that many Americans consider to be a small enchanted country, with its ancient monuments, its churches, its charming cities, its characteristic villages. And while the politicians are barricaded inside their palaces promulgating decrees like Persian satraps, businesses are failing, shops are closing, and people are prevented from living, traveling, working, and praying. The disastrous psychological consequences of this operation are already being seen, beginning with the suicides of desperate entrepreneurs and of our children, segregated from friends and classmates, told to follow their classes while sitting at home alone in front of a computer.
In Sacred Scripture, Saint Paul speaks to us of “the one who opposes” the manifestation of the mystery of iniquity, the kathèkon (2 Thess 2:6-7). In the religious sphere, this obstacle to evil is the Church, and in particular the papacy; in the political sphere, it is those who impede the establishment of the New World Order.
As is now clear, the one who occupies the Chair of Peter has betrayed his role from the very beginning in order to defend and promote the globalist ideology, supporting the agenda of the deep church, who chose him from its ranks.
Mr. President, you have clearly stated that you want to defend the nation – One Nation under God, fundamental liberties, and non-negotiable values that are denied and fought against today. It is you, dear President, who are “the one who opposes” the deep state, the final assault of the children of darkness.
For this reason, it is necessary that all people of good will be persuaded of the epochal importance of the imminent election: not so much for the sake of this or that political program, but because of the general inspiration of your action that best embodies – in this particular historical context – that world, our world, which they want to cancel by means of the lockdown. Your adversary is also our adversary: it is the Enemy of the human race, he who is “a murderer from the beginning” (Jn 8:44).
Around you are gathered with faith and courage those who consider you the final garrison against the world dictatorship. The alternative is to vote for a person who is manipulated by the deep state, gravely compromised by scandals and corruption, who will do to the United States what Jorge Mario Bergoglio is doing to the Church, Prime Minister Conte to Italy, President Macron to France, Prime Minster Sanchez to Spain, and so on. The blackmailable nature of Joe Biden – just like that of the prelates of the Vatican’s “magic circle” – will expose him to be used unscrupulously, allowing illegitimate powers to interfere in both domestic politics as well as international balances. It is obvious that those who manipulate him already have someone worse than him ready, with whom they will replace him as soon as the opportunity arises.
And yet, in the midst of this bleak picture, this apparently unstoppable advance of the “Invisible Enemy,” an element of hope emerges. The adversary does not know how to love, and it does not understand that it is not enough to assure a universal income or to cancel mortgages in order to subjugate the masses and convince them to be branded like cattle. This people, which for too long has endured the abuses of a hateful and tyrannical power, is rediscovering that it has a soul; it is understanding that it is not willing to exchange its freedom for the homogenization and cancellation of its identity; it is beginning to understand the value of familial and social ties, of the bonds of faith and culture that unite honest people. This Great Reset is destined to fail because those who planned it do not understand that there are still people ready to take to the streets to defend their rights, to protect their loved ones, to give a future to their children and grandchildren. The leveling inhumanity of the globalist project will shatter miserably in the face of the firm and courageous opposition of the children of Light. The enemy has Satan on its side, He who only knows how to hate. But on our side, we have the Lord Almighty, the God of armies arrayed for battle, and the Most Holy Virgin, who will crush the head of the ancient Serpent. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom 8:31).
Mr. President, you are well aware that, in this crucial hour, the United States of America is considered the defending wall against which the war declared by the advocates of globalism has been unleashed. Place your trust in the Lord, strengthened by the words of the Apostle Paul: “I can do all things in Him who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13). To be an instrument of Divine Providence is a great responsibility, for which you will certainly receive all the graces of state that you need, since they are being fervently implored for you by the many people who support you with their prayers.
With this heavenly hope and the assurance of my prayer for you, for the First Lady, and for your collaborators, with all my heart I send you my blessing. God bless the United States of America!
Carlo Maria Viganò
Tit. Archbishop of Ulpiana
Former Apostolic Nuncio to the United States of America
------------------[End of letter]
Wow, someone is standing up – besides us – and he is Catholic! He has a good grasp on what’s happening, even condemning the Pope and all of judeo-Churchianity. It is great to hear some good news for a change; and we can expect to hear more good news in God’s time.
Introduction
Some of us have expressed how depressing it is to follow the news and all that is taking place behind the scenes in our country that sometimes makes us frustrated or angry because the destruction of Christian civilization seems to never end. Truly, it is our responsibility as a church to inform our people of current events so they can properly prepare for what seems to be the inevitable. However, I want to take a break from this pattern and lighten up with this series on the Psalms.
Jesus said to His disciples in Mark 6:31, “Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.” We are mortal and busy; we get tired and do not always get time to fellowship and ponder the Word of God. Someone has said, “If you don’t come apart for rest, you’ll just simply come apart.” Thus, more the reason to gather for morning worship in the Lord’s assembly and hear the Scriptures under the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. Our prayer is, Lord, renew us and grant us courage and faith to do your will in the coming days.
Introducing the Book of Psalms
In these troubled times, it is good to temporarily forget about what is happening and just relax with the Psalms: the laments and prayers of God’s Covenant people. In so doing, we shall become more familiar with the hymns of the Bible. Our love for, and frequent use of the Psalms is nothing new. We follow in the train of our fathers in the faith throughout the centuries.
The books of Isaiah and Psalms are the most often quoted by the writers of the New Testament. The hymn that Jesus sang with his Apostles at the Last Supper was likely the Egyptian Hallel (Pss. 113-118) or a part of it. In the agony of the cross, Jesus meditated upon Psalm 22:1, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46; Mk. 15:34). And, according to Luke 23:46, it was with the words from Psalm 31:5, “Into thine hand I commit my spirit…” that He died. The hymns that Paul and Silas sang in the Philippian jail (Acts 16:25) were probably some of the Psalms. Paul recommended the singing of Psalms to the congregations addressed in Ephesus (Eph. 5:19) and Colossae (Col.3:16).
Interesting facts about the Psalms:
- Webster, “PSALM, n. s`am. [L. psalmus; Gr. to touch or beat, to sing.] A sacred song or hymn; a song composed on a divine subject and in praise of God.”
- The word “psalm” comes from the Greek “psalmos” and means “praise.” The Book of Praises is also called The Psalter.
- The Septuagint (LXX) entitled them “psalmoi,” or “psalms,” i.e., lyrical pieces to be sung to a musical instrument.
- When you look in your Bible (hard copy), you will discover that there are no chapters in the Book of Psalms – it is the exception – only Psalms are in the Book of Psalms. Each Psalm is autonomous (it stands on it’s own merit).
- The Psalms are the faith of the Old Testament set to music.
- Thus, the Book of Psalms is the hymnbook of the Bible.
At this juncture, since we are looking at words and what they mean, I should mention the word “Selah”, which is often found in the Psalms.
What About Selah
The word “Selah” appears 71 times in the Book of Psalms. It is a very mysterious word. Bible scholars seem to be very puzzled about it and they do not agree on its meaning. Most people have been taught that it means “to pause”, meaning to take a pause to reflect upon what was said. That is only one possibility and is unlikely. The fact is that “Selah” is not Hebrew, but Assyrian Aramaic . It did not appear in the original Scriptures, because the original Old Testament was in Paleo-Hebrew.
According to the 1907 Jewish Encyclopedia, “selah” is highly debated, but one of the theories is that it is a eulogy/praise. Since it is in the Assyrian language, then it must be praising Allah! The article also concludes that it does not mean “pause” but rather “destroy.” Selah is also said to be a word made from initials, just as yahweh is made from yhwh. The Jewish Encyclopedia also says that it could mean “delete”, i.e., it was a note that a person made to a scroll to remind them to delete something. Yet, the context in the Book of Psalms shows that it is a eulogy, or praise. Therefore, it is praise to Allah, the god of destruction (delete?). Selah could also be spelled “salah,” which is the pronunciation of Salat, the Islamic name for prayer.
The Latin Vulgate used the word “semper” in place of Selah. Semper means “always” or “forever.” The Greek Septuagint used the word “diapsalma” which meant “apart from the psalm” which might be thought to be a musical interlude, instruction on how to sing, or it could have been a notation that something had been deleted there. A person would not say “musical interlude,” nor would they say “Selah” (which means praise Allah). They would just simply pause in their music, or sing as instructed by the conductor.
The NIV of the Bible accurately removes “Selah” from the Scriptures and places it only in the footnotes. Their reasoning is that Selah was a musical instruction (such as “rest”), rather than something that was meant to be read aloud as part of the song. The Latin Vulgate also does not include the word “Selah.” It was not until the 1500’s that the translator Pagninus, who was influenced by jewish Babylonian witchcraft (Kaballah), that “Selah” was reintroduced into Latin translations; and from there found its way into the King James Bible.
The Assyrian word “Selah” doesn’t belong in Scripture. What should we say when reading the Psalms and we come across the word “Selah?” We should say nothing at all.
Origin of “Amen”
There are people that claim that the origin of Amen is the Egyptian god Amen-Ra or Amun. However, these claims are not true.
The Egyptian god Amen-Ra would not have had the letter alpha as we see in amen, but rather in the Egyptian language would have begun with the y sound. The origin of the Egyptian god “ was actually Yah/Yahweh. The claim that the Egyptian god’s name was “Amen” is a misunderstanding of the ancient Egyptian language. The sun god Yah-Ra was related to the Assyrian worship of Yahweh. In Freemasonry, we see both the sun god and moon god on the left and right side of YHWH (thus they are connected). There is no evidence that amen is actually the Egyptian god. Aman/Amen is actually true ancient Paleo-Hebrew, not Egyptian. Whereas, both the Egyptians and the Assyrians called their sun god and moon god, “Yah,” the Egyptian way of speaking would say Yah-Ra. Not amen.
Jesus called himself “The Amen.” He would not use a pagan name!
Revelation 3:14, “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God.”
The word “Amen” is found 78 times throughout the Scriptures and is found in all of the earliest ancient manuscripts of Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic. It was never inserted. It is the original true Paleo-Hebrew.
Prelude
Psalm 1 is an appropriate preface (Prelude?) to the Psalter because it reveals two main groups of people most often mentioned in the Psalms. The dividing line between the two is not based on geography or nationality, but rather is drawn upon a Covenant relationship with the God of the Bible. In other words, this is major evidence of the existence of good seed and bad seed.
“1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” – Psalm 1
Thus, there is a division between the “righteous” and the “ungodly.” The righteous (not necessarily “perfect”) are those in Covenant relationship with God, and in contrast, the “ungodly” (sinners by habit and intent) are those outside of God’s Covenant.
The lament of David in our opening Scripture (Psalm 3:1) is a personal call for salvation from his enemies; “Many are they that rise up against me.” In verse 8, the psalmist confesses his membership in the Covenant community; “Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people.” Deliverance of person and people is in the hands of God. The parallelism of this verse indicates that “deliverance” and “blessing” are synonymous.
Psalm 12 – Supplication in a Time of Degeneracy
“1 [To the chief Musician upon Sheminith (eight stringed harp), A Psalm of David.] Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. 2 They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.
3 The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: 4 Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?
5 For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.
6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
8 The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.” – Psalm 12
This Psalm is a lament of the community of Israel in a time of moral and spiritual bankruptcy. It is also an imprecation of the community against their enemy. It’s as if the righteous and faithful are extinct. Where is the godly person who will stand in the face of widespread corruption? There must be someone out there who will speak for the truth.
The wicked with their smooth talk boast of their rebellion against God, saying in effect, “What I do is nobody’s business but mine.”
God promises to step in and help his suffering nation. In contrast to the lying wicked, God’s words are true and pure, as silver tried in the fire.
When men of vile character are placed in authority, the wicked have free reign in society.
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” – II Tim. 3:1-5
This is truly America today; is it not. It is a very dark time. “Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble.” – Ps. 10:12
A Dark Age
‘The golden age of a nation may be a “dark age” in the estimate of a saint. “The time of David, incomparably the best age in the history of Israel, and yet, viewed in the light of the spirit of holiness, an age so radically corrupt.” – Delitzsch. The age of David was in many respects the “golden age” of Israel: then it was great in literature, commerce, statesmanship, music, architecture, and arms. And yet David bemoans it, and sighs amid all its splendour. The true glory of a country is moral, and where the moral element is wanting, all other glories are dim. David felt that whilst palaces, people, chariots, gems, and gold, were on the increase, pious, honest, true-hearted men were on the decrease; nay, they seemed in danger of disappearing altogether, and he felt the gravity of the situation. David lamented over Jerusalem in the supreme hour of its material and political greatness; Paul overlooked the museums, pictures, statues, palaces of Athens, and “his spirit was stirred in him when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry;” and when we survey the magnificence of our country, we must weep to think of the atheism, the sin, the folly of the people. Philosophers, poets, commanders, artists, orators, statesmen, millionaires, do not make “a golden age,” but the presence of many virtuous and godly men, and where these are wanting, colours, marbles, jewels, domes, and plumes, are but dust and ashes. The age that we call “golden,” Heaven may call “dark;” the age that is written down in human histories as supremely august may be an age which angels record in Heaven’s “Book of Lamentations.”’ – From the Preacher’s Homiletical
Conclusion
I will conclude with this:
I. TROUBLE MOVES MEN TO PRAYER (Ps. 12:1). As the child instinctively cries to its father, so we cry to God. Society may wax worse and worse. The righteous may fail out of the land. It is hard to serve alone. Falsehood and lust prevail. There are fears on every side. In God alone is our help found.
II. PRAYER STRENGTHENS FAITH (Ps. 12:3-4). There is some relief in telling our grievances. Further, we are cheered by the assurance of God’s love. He must ever be on the side of truth and right. More particularly we are encouraged by the record of God’s mighty works, and his promises to stand by his people. In communing with God, and casting our cares upon him who cares for us, our faith gains force and grows in ardor and activity.
III. FAITH INSPIRES HOPE (Ps. 12:5-6). We remember God’s word, on which he hath caused us to place our hope. God’s promises are good, for he is love; they are certain, for he is faithful; they are sure of accomplishment, for he is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think. Thus, our hearts are revived. There may be delay, but not denial. There may be silence long, but never refusal. God has his own time and his own way.
IV. HOPE CULMINATES IN ASSURANCE (Ps. 12:7-8). Light arises. The sky becomes brighter and brighter. “If God be for us, who can be against us?” All things are working to a perfect end. The prosperity of the wicked is vanity, and his triumph endures but for a little while. The end of the righteous is peace. “Thou shalt preserve them for ever.” – Homilies by W. Forsyth
All of this furthers our growth as Christians and increases our faith.
Psalm 12, by Isaac Watts. Tune: TRYGGARE KAN INGEN VARA (Used in, “Children of the Heavenly Father”)
Lord, if thou dost not soon ap-pear, Vir-tue and truth will fly a-way; A faith-ful man a-mong us here Will scarce be found, if thou de-lay.
But lips that with de-ceit a-bound Shall not main-tain their tri-umph long; The God of ven-geance will con-found The flat-tering and blas-phem-ing tongue.
The Lord, who sees the poor op-pressed, And hears the op-pres-sor’s proud strain, Will rise to give his child-ren rest, Nor shall they trust his word in vain.
Thy grace shall in the dark-est hour De-fend the ho-ly soul from harm; Though when the vi-lest men have power, On ev-ery side will sin-ners swarm.
II Peter 3:18, “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.”
