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>>Eric Flickinger:
Welcome to "Sabbath School,"
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brought to you by It Is Written.
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We're delighted that
you could join us today.
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We're beginning a
brand new journey,
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a 13-week journey,
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delving deep into
the book of Psalms,
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one of the most beloved
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and well-quoted
books in the Bible.
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We are in for an
incredible journey.
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As we begin,
let's start with prayer.
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Father, we want to thank
You for giving us an opportunity
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to delve into
the book of Psalms.
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We ask now that, as
we begin this journey,
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You would help us to
understand the psalms better
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and more deeply
than we ever have before
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and, in doing that, may
we also understand Jesus
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and the plan of salvation.
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We thank You in
Jesus's name, amen.
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Well, this quarter,
we are delighted to have
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the author of this quarter's
"Sabbath School" Bible study
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with us, Dr. Dragoslava Santrac.
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She is the managing editor
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of the encyclopedia of
Seventh-day Adventists.
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Slava, thank you so
much for joining us.
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>>Dragoslava Santrac: Thank
you very much for inviting me
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and I'm delighted to be here.
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>>Eric: So this is
an exciting quarter,
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and you've been
studying the psalms,
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you've been
writing about the psalms,
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you've been sharing some
of the blessings of the psalms
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for quite some time.
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Why are the psalms so--
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why are you so
passionate about them?
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What makes them so special?
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>>Dragoslava: Yes, well, as
you mentioned, the psalms are
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one of the most-quoted
books of the Old Testament,
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maybe even of the Bible,
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and the most-beloved book
of the Bible for many people.
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I grew up with
the image of Jesus
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as the good shepherd in my room
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and I believe Psalm 23 was
the first psalm I memorized,
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first biblical text
I memorized as a child.
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So the psalms have always
been very close to my heart.
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And as I was growing up,
my interest in the book grew
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and I did my
doctoral dissertation
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on the book of Psalms.
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I studied the correlation
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between the
piety of the psalmist
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and the sanctuary.
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How the sanctuary
and worship and prayer
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builds and shapes our piety.
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And I never left
the book of Psalms.
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I always wanted to
go to something else
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but the psalms just keep
drawing me back and back.
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>>Eric: So this has really been
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a lifelong journey for
you through the psalms,
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and now you have an opportunity
to share those experiences
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with, well, with
millions around the world.
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How did this quarter's
adult Bible study guide,
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how did it come into being?
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When were you contacted?
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How did that all happen?
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>>Dragoslava: Yes,
well, prior to writing--
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prior to being
invited to contribute
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to this adult Bible study guide,
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I was invited to contribute
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to the Seventh-day
Adventist Bible Commentary,
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the new series,
and was asked to write
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a commentary for
Psalms 76 to 150.
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And I believe in that
process somebody must have liked
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what I wrote and
heard about my passion,
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and I received a call
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to contribute to this
"Sabbath School" guide.
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It was in late 2018, and
it took me about 2 years,
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a little bit under 2 years,
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to pray and
study and put together
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this study guide.
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>>Eric: And so here we are now,
something that started in 2018,
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we're now in 2020--
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well, it will be 2024
that we're looking at this.
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And it's gonna be
an incredible journey,
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so give us a little overview
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of some of the things
that we can expect to find
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as we're going
through this quarter's lesson.
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>>Dragoslava: Yeah,
so this quarter's study
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attempts to introduce
the world of the psalms
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to the modern readers.
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Many people perhaps think,
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"Do we really need
to study the psalms?
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"We know that they
are prayers and songs.
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"Aren't they
straightforward enough?
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Do we really need to
study and devote 13 weeks?"
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The book of Psalms is
not like, for example,
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the book of Daniel.
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However, the book of Psalms,
like the rest of the Bible,
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was written in its
specific historical,
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theological, and
literary context,
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and as such, we need to study
in order to properly understand
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its words, its
images, its messages.
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And also let us not forget
that even though the psalms
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are widely known as
people's prayers to God,
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the psalms are the Word of God,
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which means that they are
God's revelation to humanity.
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And by studying the psalms,
we want to learn and discover
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with the Holy Spirit
everything that God did,
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does, and will
do in Jesus Christ.
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>>Eric: So that gives us
an idea of where we're going.
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As we think of some of the main
objectives for this quarter,
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would you add anything to
what you've already shared?
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What are we
hoping to accomplish?
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You've already
touched on some of that,
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but any other big things
that we wanna try to accomplish
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during this quarter's time?
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>>Dragoslava: Yes, so
very early in our quarterly,
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we will study about the
prayer usages of the psalms.
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That aspect of the psalms
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seems to have been
neglected over the time,
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and many
believers don't appreciate
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and don't even know maybe
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about the value
psalms have as prayers.
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But beyond that,
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we will be exploring
the world of the psalmists.
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How they viewed God, how
God revealed Himself to them,
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how did the psalmists
and the people they represent
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react to God's
presence in their life
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with praise, thanksgiving,
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but also what did they
do when hard times hit,
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when God seemed to be absent?
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So how is this relationship
between God and His people
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evolving and developing
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in good and bad
times in the psalms?
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And I think this is something
that we can relate to very much
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because, of course, the
entire Bible is like that
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but especially the psalms.
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They have that emphasis
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on a living
relationship with God.
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You cannot read the psalms
and not want to really meet
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the God to whom you
cry, "My God, my God."
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How do we read these
words and not desire to meet Him
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and to love Him and please Him?
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>>Eric: Slava, you mentioned
the worldview of the psalmist
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and--compared to our worldview.
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How would you say
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those two
worldviews are different,
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and how do the psalms
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kind of bridge those
two different worldviews
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to give us some hope today?
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I know we're gonna delve
into that more deeply coming up,
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but just
briefly how would that--
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what does that look like?
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>>Dragoslava: Yes, this is
actually a very good question.
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Today it's--the
question of a worldview
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is something that
philosophers, social scientists,
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scientists of
religions and topologies
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are trying to understand
from cultural point of view.
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But when we look at the psalms,
the worldview is theocentric.
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It means that everything
in life revolves about--
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around the
questions involving God.
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There is no aspect of
life in the psalmists' world
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that's not brought to God
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and is not under the scrutiny
of God and His attention.
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Unlike in modern times
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where we kind of
tend to separate religious
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or spiritual life
and put it in one box
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and then I have
my professional life,
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I have maybe my
family life, my friends.
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So spirituality,
religion, is one aspect of.
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There is one day of the week
when perhaps we go to church,
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our viewers, I hope so,
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and there is a
time during the day
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when some people will set aside
time to pray and read the Bible.
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But these are more
like different compartments.
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The psalmists' worldview
is that all that breathe,
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every breath that I take,
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is rooted in the
knowledge of God,
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in the awareness
of God in their life.
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And not just individuals
but the community as well.
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Everything revolved
around worship and around God.
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>>Eric: So this
book is different
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from other books in the Bible.
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Certainly there are
parallels, there are likenesses,
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but this book is different.
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What are some ways that it
is--that it separates itself
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from other books in the Bible?
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>>Dragoslava: Yes,
well, some people say
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and I've read that,
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unlike the rest of the
Bible where God speak to us,
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in the psalms
God speaks with us,
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meaning the psalms give
us words to speak to God
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but it also shares the
words that God speaks to us.
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And that's why I believe
many people can truly enjoy
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and find peace and rest
and consolation in the psalms
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because while you
are reading the psalms,
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you can feel that your
words are coming right.
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"Yes, that's exactly how I feel.
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That's exactly
what I want to say."
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But at the same
time, as you read,
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as if the pages are--the
words are bouncing back to you
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and you hear God
answering your pleas,
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answering your prayer.
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>>Eric: So God is
speaking with us in the psalms,
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kind of drawing us
into a conversation,
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a relationship,
something very much shared,
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and we're gonna
be experiencing that
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over the course
of the next 13 weeks
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as we look at that.
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Now, Slava, in addition
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to the adult "Sabbath
School" Bible study guide
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that we're going through
week by week and day by day,
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there is also a companion book
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that goes along with
this quarter's lesson.
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Share with me a little
bit about that companion book:
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what's contained in it,
why would somebody want to get
00:11:07.20\00:11:11.37
that companion book
in addition to this.
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What benefits are
there in the companion book?
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>>Dragoslava:
Yes, companion book
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is a wonderful addition
00:11:18.31\00:11:21.14
to the "Sabbath
School" quarterly
00:11:21.18\00:11:24.15
or "Sabbath School" guide.
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For the psalms, it was
written by Dr. Martin Klingbeil,
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an expert in the Old Testament,
and as I--as far as I've heard,
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a wonderful
teacher of Old Testament.
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And it's a wonderful
book because it provides
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a more in-depth study
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of what we are studying
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in the "Sabbath
School" quarterly.
00:11:43.47\00:11:45.33
Of course, those of you
who ever studied the quarterly,
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you know that each day
has just a tiny paragraph,
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and I know when I was writing,
00:11:53.07\00:11:55.08
I always struggled to put
everything I wanted to say
00:11:55.11\00:11:58.71
in that little
paragraph with few questions.
00:11:58.75\00:12:02.08
But with the companion book,
00:12:02.12\00:12:04.59
all those thoughts
are better explained.
00:12:04.62\00:12:07.99
Some examples are provided,
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and I think people
will benefit greatly
00:12:10.36\00:12:13.53
by studying the study guide
and the companion book together.
00:12:13.56\00:12:18.57
>>Eric: So the
study guide is wonderful.
00:12:18.60\00:12:21.14
The companion
book is phenomenal.
00:12:21.17\00:12:23.27
And now we have the benefit
00:12:23.30\00:12:25.04
of having you
here to share more.
00:12:25.07\00:12:27.68
As you mentioned, you
could only fit so much
00:12:27.71\00:12:29.44
in the little paragraphs,
00:12:29.48\00:12:30.78
or three, on each of those days.
00:12:30.81\00:12:32.58
But now, during our time
together in "Sabbath School,"
00:12:32.61\00:12:36.12
you're going to be
able to elaborate on more
00:12:36.15\00:12:38.35
and fit more into,
00:12:38.39\00:12:40.29
so think of it as supplemental
pages in the quarterly
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that we're
gonna be able to enjoy
00:12:44.79\00:12:46.36
as we study together
00:12:46.39\00:12:48.36
over the course
of the next 13 weeks.
00:12:48.40\00:12:51.20
And you are going to be excited
00:12:51.23\00:12:52.83
as you continue the
study with us as well
00:12:52.87\00:12:56.10
because, week by week,
00:12:56.14\00:12:58.07
we're going to be
delving into the psalms.
00:12:58.11\00:13:00.34
Each week, we'll
pull that together,
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we'll pull it apart, we're
going to study more deeply,
00:13:03.14\00:13:06.28
and we're going to
add much more depth
00:13:06.31\00:13:09.75
to the study of
the book of Psalms.
00:13:09.78\00:13:11.92
So we're going to
come back in just a moment
00:13:11.95\00:13:14.06
after this short break,
00:13:14.09\00:13:15.42
and we're going to continue
looking at week number 1
00:13:15.46\00:13:19.13
as we take our journey
through the book of Psalms.
00:13:19.16\00:13:21.70
We'll be right back.
00:13:21.73\00:13:23.06
¤¤¤
00:13:23.10\00:13:25.67
>>John Bradshaw: Unfortunately,
athletes do it all the time.
00:13:26.74\00:13:29.80
Runners, swimmers,
wrestlers, and more,
00:13:29.84\00:13:32.54
in their quest to be the best,
00:13:32.57\00:13:34.98
resort to taking
performance-enhancing drugs.
00:13:35.01\00:13:38.18
They do it
because, without the drugs,
00:13:38.21\00:13:40.35
they wouldn't be
good enough to win.
00:13:40.38\00:13:42.82
Feeling they need extra
help, they cross a line,
00:13:42.85\00:13:45.95
often leading to disgrace.
00:13:45.99\00:13:48.09
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00:14:26.43\00:14:31.13
>>Eric: Welcome
back to "Sabbath School"
00:14:31.17\00:14:32.47
brought to you by It Is Written.
00:14:32.50\00:14:34.57
We are continuing our look
here at the book of Psalms,
00:14:34.60\00:14:37.37
the first of 13 studies
that we're going to be doing.
00:14:37.41\00:14:40.21
And Slava, you
mentioned a few things
00:14:40.24\00:14:42.18
that we can dig
more deeply into.
00:14:42.21\00:14:44.01
We, of course,
have the companion book,
00:14:44.05\00:14:45.41
there's the study guide,
00:14:45.45\00:14:46.75
there's this that we're
talking about right now.
00:14:46.78\00:14:48.92
But there's also a commentary.
00:14:48.95\00:14:50.65
Tell us a little bit
about that commentary.
00:14:50.69\00:14:52.29
>>Dragoslava: Yes, I
wholeheartedly recommend
00:14:52.32\00:14:54.59
that commentary to
you and to our viewers.
00:14:54.62\00:14:58.19
That's the new series
00:14:58.23\00:15:00.76
of "The Seventh-day
Adventist Bible Commentary."
00:15:00.80\00:15:04.27
Volume 6 was released recently,
00:15:04.30\00:15:08.40
and it's on the
wisdom literature
00:15:08.44\00:15:11.51
and the poetic
literature of the Bible.
00:15:11.54\00:15:15.04
And the segment on
the psalms contains,
00:15:15.08\00:15:18.18
verse by verse,
detailed explanations
00:15:18.21\00:15:21.82
of the book of Psalms
with the literary analysis,
00:15:21.85\00:15:25.72
with historical
cultural analysis.
00:15:25.75\00:15:28.29
It's an Adventist resource
that I wholeheartedly recommend.
00:15:28.32\00:15:32.69
>>Eric: And how
would somebody find that?
00:15:32.73\00:15:34.36
How could they come across it?
00:15:34.40\00:15:36.50
What's the best way?
00:15:36.53\00:15:37.83
>>Dragoslava:
Yes, I--the commentary
00:15:37.87\00:15:39.43
was published by Pacific
Press, and I believe it's
00:15:39.47\00:15:42.94
in all Adventist
bookstores by now.
00:15:42.97\00:15:45.87
>>Eric: All right, very good.
00:15:45.91\00:15:47.64
Now, the book of Psalms,
as we're going into it now,
00:15:47.68\00:15:51.21
kind of an
introduction as it were.
00:15:51.25\00:15:53.11
It's not a typical book
that has an introduction
00:15:53.15\00:15:56.69
and a body and a conclusion.
00:15:56.72\00:15:58.69
It's a different type of book.
00:15:58.72\00:16:01.52
What type of book is it
and why is that significant?
00:16:01.56\00:16:04.99
>>Dragoslava: Yes,
well, that can represent
00:16:05.03\00:16:07.23
a challenge to many readers
00:16:07.23\00:16:09.10
because we love to have
a book with introduction,
00:16:09.13\00:16:12.33
that there is a
storyline, a progression.
00:16:12.37\00:16:15.40
And then we can't wait to
see what's going to happen
00:16:15.44\00:16:17.94
to the protagonist of the story.
00:16:17.97\00:16:20.01
We reach the conclusion.
00:16:20.04\00:16:21.74
The book of Psalms, obviously,
even though it's called a book,
00:16:21.78\00:16:25.05
is not a typical
book in that sense.
00:16:25.08\00:16:27.88
And for the
greatest period of time,
00:16:27.92\00:16:31.39
people viewed the book of Psalms
00:16:31.42\00:16:33.56
as a haphazard
collection of poems and prayers.
00:16:33.59\00:16:38.16
However, more lately,
more and more biblical scholars
00:16:38.19\00:16:42.53
and preachers and students
00:16:42.56\00:16:44.73
have realized that
there is some model
00:16:44.77\00:16:48.54
or that there is some logic
00:16:48.57\00:16:50.47
in how the
psalms are put together.
00:16:50.51\00:16:53.41
So it is not by chance
we would like to think now
00:16:53.44\00:16:57.95
that Psalm 1 is the first psalm
00:16:57.98\00:17:00.72
and that Psalm
150 is the last one
00:17:00.75\00:17:04.39
and in between
the psalms that come,
00:17:04.42\00:17:07.16
that the book of
Psalms has been collected
00:17:07.19\00:17:11.96
and the psalms have
been arranged in such a way
00:17:11.99\00:17:14.86
as to illustrate
a spiritual journey
00:17:14.93\00:17:18.27
that is common to
most of God's children.
00:17:18.30\00:17:22.80
We notice that in the
first half of the book of Psalms
00:17:22.84\00:17:26.24
mostly laments and
psalms describing trouble
00:17:26.27\00:17:31.81
and seeking God and
going through tough times,
00:17:31.85\00:17:35.08
they dominate the
first part of the book.
00:17:35.12\00:17:38.22
But then we have
some kind of bridge
00:17:38.25\00:17:41.29
that leads us to,
for example, Psalm 73.
00:17:41.32\00:17:45.19
It's, like, in the
middle of the book.
00:17:45.23\00:17:47.86
Maybe if I can just briefly
say where the psalmist says:
00:17:47.93\00:17:51.17
"I was wondering how is
it that the evil prosper
00:17:51.20\00:17:55.84
"and that the
good people suffer.
00:17:55.87\00:17:59.37
Am I in vain, keeping my
heart and my hands clean?"
00:17:59.41\00:18:04.85
That's in the middle
of the book of Psalms
00:18:04.88\00:18:07.35
and then he comes,
enters the sanctuary,
00:18:07.38\00:18:09.68
and gets a revelation saying,
00:18:09.72\00:18:12.02
"Now I see that
the Lord is in control
00:18:12.05\00:18:15.06
and that there is
a judgment coming."
00:18:15.09\00:18:16.99
And it looks like
that, from that point on,
00:18:17.03\00:18:20.36
we have more
psalms on God's sanctuary,
00:18:20.40\00:18:24.70
on God's judgment.
00:18:24.73\00:18:26.23
We have the royal
psalms, Psalms 93 to 99,
00:18:26.27\00:18:30.71
the Lord reigns and
announcing His judgment,
00:18:30.74\00:18:33.68
culminating in
the psalms of praise,
00:18:33.71\00:18:37.25
Psalms 145 to 150.
00:18:37.28\00:18:40.35
So, as I said, this is
not something set in stone,
00:18:40.38\00:18:44.39
people are still studying,
00:18:44.42\00:18:46.22
but there seems to
be that progression,
00:18:46.25\00:18:48.96
something that we can relate to:
00:18:48.99\00:18:51.86
faith that
begins almost naively,
00:18:51.89\00:18:54.83
believing that
everything is in God's control,
00:18:54.83\00:19:00.40
good gets
rewarded, evil gets punished.
00:19:00.44\00:19:03.77
But then we realize
00:19:03.81\00:19:05.11
that the world is not
black and white; it's complex.
00:19:05.14\00:19:08.08
And the book of Psalms
deals with that complexity,
00:19:08.11\00:19:12.81
wants to challenge that
and find answers from God
00:19:12.85\00:19:16.65
and gives us the answers.
00:19:16.69\00:19:18.32
>>Eric: So we have a book
that has some sort of an order.
00:19:18.35\00:19:22.16
It has a direction that it goes.
00:19:22.19\00:19:24.29
Not necessarily a
chronological order,
00:19:24.33\00:19:26.46
but if someone was
coming to the book of Psalms
00:19:26.49\00:19:29.03
and understanding that
it's not a chronological book,
00:19:29.06\00:19:32.90
how would they
approach reading it?
00:19:32.93\00:19:35.04
Are there different ways
00:19:35.07\00:19:36.37
that they could
approach reading it
00:19:36.40\00:19:38.54
in order to gain a
blessing for themselves,
00:19:38.57\00:19:42.91
rather than
introduction, body, conclusion?
00:19:42.94\00:19:45.91
How might they do that?
00:19:45.95\00:19:47.42
>>Dragoslava:
Yes, well, people can--
00:19:47.45\00:19:49.42
and this is my favorite
way of reading the Psalms:
00:19:49.45\00:19:52.75
reading them chapter by
chapter as the chapters come,
00:19:52.79\00:19:57.23
instead of just
selecting how I feel.
00:19:57.26\00:19:59.93
I like to read it that
way and allow that progression
00:19:59.96\00:20:03.67
to kind of get deep into me
and becomes part of my fiber,
00:20:03.70\00:20:11.44
all right, of my being.
00:20:11.47\00:20:13.38
As one theologian said, the
progression from orientation
00:20:13.41\00:20:18.88
when we think that
we have all the answers,
00:20:18.91\00:20:22.15
then we get into the
phase of disorientation
00:20:22.18\00:20:25.75
when our worldview, when
our faith, is challenged.
00:20:25.79\00:20:29.39
Then we are led to
the new orientation
00:20:29.42\00:20:33.03
when God leads us
to new understandings,
00:20:33.06\00:20:35.66
teaching us that He
cannot be put in a box
00:20:35.70\00:20:39.30
and that all the
answers we think we have,
00:20:39.33\00:20:42.64
we don't rely on them
but always on seeking God.
00:20:42.67\00:20:46.37
So however, people
00:20:46.41\00:20:48.01
can also choose
to read the Psalms
00:20:48.04\00:20:50.78
according to
their current situation.
00:20:50.81\00:20:53.35
I like to say that the
Psalms have a song and a prayer
00:20:53.38\00:20:57.59
for every season in life.
00:20:57.62\00:21:00.22
So if currently
you've been blessed,
00:21:00.26\00:21:03.32
your cup is
filled and overflowing,
00:21:03.36\00:21:06.09
take the psalms of
praise, praise God,
00:21:06.13\00:21:09.33
give Him thanks.
00:21:09.36\00:21:11.13
However, if you're going through
the valley of shadow of death,
00:21:11.17\00:21:14.70
maybe you are ill or I
can tell my--our viewers,
00:21:14.74\00:21:19.17
if you are ill or
someone you know is ill,
00:21:19.21\00:21:22.68
take the psalms of
lament, take the psalms
00:21:22.71\00:21:25.98
that when you cry
out to God for help,
00:21:26.01\00:21:29.58
and God will hear you.
00:21:29.62\00:21:31.29
God is here for you.
00:21:31.32\00:21:33.52
So there is a
song for every season.
00:21:33.56\00:21:37.39
>>Eric: So there's a lot
in there for different people
00:21:37.43\00:21:39.53
at different
times in their lives.
00:21:39.56\00:21:42.40
You mentioned some of
the ways that it is written,
00:21:42.43\00:21:45.60
so there are some
Hebrew poetic imagery
00:21:45.63\00:21:49.90
and forms in there.
00:21:49.94\00:21:51.27
How does that really
enrich our study of the psalms,
00:21:51.31\00:21:55.68
because the way that we
think or consider poetry,
00:21:55.71\00:21:59.11
may be a little different
than what we find in psalms.
00:21:59.15\00:22:01.45
How does that help us today?
00:22:01.48\00:22:04.45
>>Dragoslava: Yes, yes.
00:22:04.49\00:22:05.85
Well, being a piece of
poetry, even poetry in English
00:22:05.89\00:22:09.79
sometimes can be challenging
00:22:09.82\00:22:11.83
because the poets
have this liberty to use
00:22:11.86\00:22:14.60
the words and
metaphors that suit them
00:22:14.63\00:22:19.87
and, like painters, they paint
certain images using words.
00:22:19.90\00:22:25.47
Well, likewise, the psalmists.
00:22:25.51\00:22:28.11
Some images are
almost self-explanatory.
00:22:28.14\00:22:32.21
When the psalmist says
the Lord is my shepherd,
00:22:32.25\00:22:35.15
we get pretty much
the idea of what that is:
00:22:35.18\00:22:39.55
someone who cares,
someone who protects.
00:22:39.59\00:22:43.69
But then there are
some harder images,
00:22:43.73\00:22:45.69
and that's why it is
good for us to dig in
00:22:45.73\00:22:48.33
and try to understand
what did the psalmist mean
00:22:48.36\00:22:52.10
when he used a certain imagery?
00:22:52.13\00:22:56.17
But then there are some images
00:22:56.20\00:22:57.51
that are hidden
in the Hebrew text,
00:22:57.54\00:23:00.11
and I don't know, Pastor Eric,
00:23:00.14\00:23:01.44
if we have time,
maybe to share one example.
00:23:01.48\00:23:03.71
>>Eric: Sure,
yeah, let's take a look.
00:23:03.75\00:23:05.71
>>Dragoslava: Yes, in Psalm
76, I love this one very much.
00:23:05.75\00:23:12.75
Psalm 76, verse 2.
00:23:12.79\00:23:16.29
It says: "In Salem
also is His tabernacle,
00:23:16.32\00:23:21.23
and His dwelling place in Zion."
00:23:21.26\00:23:24.93
Well, here is a parallelism:
tabernacle, dwelling place,
00:23:24.97\00:23:30.34
referring obviously to
the sanctuary to the temple.
00:23:30.37\00:23:34.64
However, the Hebrew text
gives us a little bit more
00:23:34.68\00:23:38.61
and it's actually a
very beautiful image here.
00:23:38.65\00:23:42.75
In the first line, the word
"tabernacle," the psalmist uses
00:23:42.78\00:23:47.16
a little bit unusual word
00:23:47.19\00:23:50.36
that's not really used for
tabernacle or the sanctuary,
00:23:50.39\00:23:53.93
and that's the word
"sukkah," which means booth.
00:23:53.96\00:23:58.87
Now, in the Old
Testament, we know the holiday,
00:23:58.90\00:24:03.00
the Feast of Tabernacles,
00:24:03.04\00:24:04.84
when the ancient
Israelites build their booth
00:24:04.87\00:24:08.18
to remind them of their
sojourn in the wilderness,
00:24:08.21\00:24:12.28
and the booths, the "sukkahs,"
00:24:12.31\00:24:14.08
were well known
in biblical times
00:24:14.12\00:24:17.42
as places where people
could find shade from the sun,
00:24:17.45\00:24:21.12
and workers usually
would leave their tools,
00:24:21.16\00:24:23.89
or maybe when there is rain,
00:24:23.93\00:24:25.63
they would come and
find a dry place and to rest.
00:24:25.66\00:24:30.50
So "sukkah," by telling
that God's temple is "sukkah,"
00:24:30.53\00:24:35.97
that image immediately pictured
something to the ancient people,
00:24:36.00\00:24:41.14
knowing, "Wow,
that's that place,
00:24:41.18\00:24:43.41
"when I am in
need I go to 'sukkah.'
00:24:43.45\00:24:46.78
It protects me, it shields me."
00:24:46.82\00:24:49.52
And then in the next
line, his dwelling place.
00:24:49.55\00:24:56.16
In Hebrew
that's the word "maon."
00:24:56.19\00:24:58.93
What's wonderful here
00:24:58.96\00:25:00.70
is that "maon"
describes a lion's den
00:25:00.73\00:25:04.93
and there are many
biblical texts that I can quote,
00:25:04.97\00:25:07.87
Job 38, Psalm 104,
songs for Isaiah 31.
00:25:07.90\00:25:14.01
The word "maon" describes,
depicts, a lion's den,
00:25:14.04\00:25:18.88
and here it says that
His dwelling place in Zion
00:25:18.91\00:25:23.62
is like the den of a lion.
00:25:23.65\00:25:27.39
And this is so
prominent because in the psalms
00:25:27.42\00:25:30.46
we hear this clamor and noises
00:25:30.49\00:25:33.50
made by enemies who
blaspheme against God,
00:25:33.53\00:25:38.07
who torture God's
people, who oppose
00:25:38.10\00:25:41.00
everything that is
right and good in the world.
00:25:41.04\00:25:44.34
But now we have here
God who, like a lion,
00:25:44.37\00:25:48.71
roars out of His
tabernacle of His sanctuary,
00:25:48.74\00:25:53.11
and the world stands still.
00:25:53.15\00:25:55.85
He is the one who rules.
00:25:55.88\00:25:57.79
He is the Sovereign,
and we praise Him for that.
00:25:57.82\00:26:00.96
>>Eric: So these are some things
00:26:00.99\00:26:02.29
that we might just skip
over without realizing it,
00:26:02.32\00:26:04.69
if we don't go
and pull that out.
00:26:04.73\00:26:06.36
So that's exciting.
We're gonna look at that.
00:26:06.39\00:26:08.33
Let me ask you this question.
00:26:08.36\00:26:09.66
We don't have
too much time left,
00:26:09.70\00:26:11.13
but why are the psalms
important for Christians today?
00:26:11.17\00:26:14.44
Why do we need to
spend time in this,
00:26:14.47\00:26:16.77
put effort into it?
00:26:16.81\00:26:18.11
What are we
going to get out of it?
00:26:18.14\00:26:19.94
Why is it
important for us today?
00:26:19.97\00:26:21.41
>>Dragoslava: Yes, we are
aware of some sad tendencies
00:26:21.44\00:26:25.91
that people
regard the Old Testament
00:26:25.95\00:26:28.48
as an old book.
00:26:28.52\00:26:30.52
"Why do we need
the Old Testament
00:26:30.55\00:26:32.25
when we have the New?"
00:26:32.29\00:26:33.92
Well, let me tell you
that the book of Psalms
00:26:33.96\00:26:37.59
is one of the most-quoted
books in the New Testament.
00:26:37.63\00:26:42.16
Jesus quoted it so
many times, the apostles,
00:26:42.20\00:26:46.87
all the writers
of the New Testament.
00:26:46.90\00:26:49.84
So that should be one
big inspiration for us
00:26:49.87\00:26:53.81
to turn to the book of Psalms.
00:26:53.84\00:26:55.98
Also, one of the last
words our Lord Jesus spoke
00:26:56.01\00:27:00.78
while he was on
this world, on the cross,
00:27:00.82\00:27:04.25
"My God, My God, why
have You forsaken Me?"
00:27:04.29\00:27:08.46
It's a prayer from the psalms.
00:27:08.49\00:27:10.63
Jesus prayed the psalms.
00:27:10.66\00:27:12.46
The psalms are
Jesus's prayers that He prayed
00:27:12.49\00:27:16.36
as the incarnate Lord
and Son of man, our Savior.
00:27:16.40\00:27:21.40
But the psalms are
also prayers about Jesus.
00:27:21.44\00:27:25.41
And from the psalms,
00:27:25.44\00:27:27.48
we can learn so
much about our Lord.
00:27:27.51\00:27:30.25
So when we read the
psalms, we come closer
00:27:30.28\00:27:33.45
to the One who
inspired them, prayed them,
00:27:33.48\00:27:37.69
and invites us to join Him
00:27:37.72\00:27:41.52
in praying these
psalms for the world.
00:27:41.56\00:27:44.19
>>Eric: So we're going to
get a clear picture of Jesus
00:27:44.23\00:27:46.43
as we take this
journey together.
00:27:46.46\00:27:48.50
And we're excited about
sharing this journey with you.
00:27:48.53\00:27:50.87
This is just the beginning.
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This is week 1 of 13 weeks
that we're going through this.
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And you don't want
to miss a single week.
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Thank you for joining
us here on "Sabbath School"
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brought to you by It Is Written,
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and we look forward to
seeing you again next week.
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