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Is There More to Psalm 23 Than Words of Solace and Comfort? (Gospel Doctrine Lesson 25A)

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James Tissot: David Singing and Playing the Harp

An Old Testament KnoWhy relating to the reading assignment for Gospel Doctrine Lesson 25: “Let Every Thing That Hath Breath Praise the Lord” (Psalms) (JBOTL25A)

Question: Is there more to Psalm 23 than words of solace and comfort?

Summary: Bible readers have long looked to the book of Psalms as a source of solace and comfort. Countless books have been written about the psalms in a devotional mood, including many volumes devoted specifically to the twenty-third psalm — the main subject of this article. These beautiful and useful works of comfort and meditation focus on what we can read outof Psalm 23 by applying it prayerfully to our own situation. By way of contrast, this article explores can be read into it prayerfully based on our (admittedly limited) knowledge of its ancient setting. Ultimately, the more we can read into the psalm from our prayerful study, the more we can take out of it for application in our personal lives. Careful examination of the structure of the psalms will reveal that Psalm 23 is inseparably connected to the psalms that immediately precede and follow it. In order to enter fully into the peace of Psalm 23, one must first journey through the distress of Psalm 22. This journey culminates in the joy of exaltation in the presence of God depicted in Psalm 24. This sequence of events is replicated in the ritual journey of the priest-king, the redemptive journey of the Messiah, and the salvific journey of each one of the faithful. With this overarching picture in mind, a detailed verse-by-verse commentary on the psalm will be provided.

The full article may be found at the Interpreter Foundation website: KnoWhy OTL25A — Is There More to Psalm 23 Than Words of Solace and Comfort?

Part 2 of 2: Why Is the Story of David and Bathsheba Significant? (Gospel Doctrine Lesson 24B)

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Angelika Kauffmann: “Thou Art the Man!”

 

An Old Testament KnoWhy relating to the reading assignment for Gospel Doctrine Lesson 24: “Create in Me a Clean Heart” (2 Samuel 11-12; Psalm 51) (JBOTL24B)

This article continues a detailed commentary begun in article JBOTL24A on 2 Samuel 11-12, the story of the fall of David. Robert Alter summarizes this tragic story as follows:

The Book of Samuel is one of those rare masterworks that … evinces an unblinking and abidingly instructive knowingness about man as a political animal in all his contradictions and venality and in all his susceptibility to the brutalization and the seductions of exercising power. And yet, David is more than a probing representation of the ambiguities of political power. He is also an affecting and troubling image of human destiny as husband and father and as a man moving from youth to prime to the decrepitude of old age. The great pivotal moment of the whole story in this regard is when he turns to his perplexed courtiers, after putting aside the trappings of mourning he had assumed for his ailing infant son, now dead, and says, ‘I am going to him. He will not come back to me.’ These … words … have no conceivable political motive[; they] give us a glimpse into his inwardness, revealing his sense of naked vulnerability to the inexorable mortality that is the fate of all humankind. For the rest of the story, we see David’s weakness and his bonds of intimate attachment in fluctuating conflict with the imperatives of power that drive him as a king surrounded by potential enemies and betrayers.

The full article may be found at the Interpreter Foundation website: KnoWhy OTL24B — Why Is the Story of David and Bathsheba Significant? (Part 2 of 2)

 

FairMormon Conference Podcast #9 – Matthew Bowen, “Semitic Semiotics: The Symbolic, Prophetic, and Narratological Power of Names in Ancient Scripture”

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This podcast series features a past FairMormon Conference presentation each month. Please join us for the 2018 FairMormon Conference coming up August 1-3. You can attend in person or purchase the video streaming.

Matthew Bowen, Semitic Semiotics: The Symbolic, Prophetic, and Narratological Power of Names in Ancient Scripture

Transcript available here.

Matthew L. Bowen is an assistant professor of Religious Education at Brigham Young University–Hawaii where he has taught since 2012. He holds a Ph.D. in Biblical Studies from the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, where he also earned an M.A (Biblical Studies). He previously earned a B.A. in English with a minor in Classical Studies (Greek emphasis) from Brigham Young University (Provo) and subsequently pursued post-Baccalaureate studies in Semitic languages, Egyptian, and Latin there. In addition to having taught at Brigham Young University–Hawaii, he has previously taught at the Catholic University of America and at Brigham Young University. Bowen is the author of numerous peer-reviewed articles on scripture- and temple-related topics and two forthcoming books on scriptural onomastics. Bowen grew up in Orem, Utah, and served a two-year mission in the California Roseville Mission. He and his wife, the former Suzanne Blattberg, are the parents of three children, Zachariah, Nathan, and Adele.

Audio and Video Copyright © 2017 The Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research, Inc. Any reproduction or transcription of this material without prior express written permission is prohibited.

Part 1 of 2: Why Is the Story of David and Bathsheba Significant? (Gospel Doctrine Lesson 24A)

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James Tissot: David Sees Bathsheba from the Roof

An Old Testament KnoWhy relating to the reading assignment for Gospel Doctrine Lesson 24: “Create in Me a Clean Heart” (2 Samuel 11-12; Psalm 51) (JBOTL24A)

Question: Why is the story of David and Bathsheba significant?

Summary: Chapters 11 and 12 of 2 Samuel are among the treasures of scripture. There are several reasons for their importance:

  • Historically, these chapters constitute the turning point that marks the end of the rise and the beginning of the fall of the house of David;
  • Doctrinally, the setting provides a context for discussions of the consequences of adultery and murder, and of abuses stemming from David and Solomon’s often politically motivated taking of “many wives and concubines”;
  • As a literary composition, we can experience and appreciate how an inspired and skilled author selectively presents details with incredible focus and economy of expression, thus revealing with exceptional clarity the central messages of the story;
  • As a tragic personal account of the steps leading to temptation and damning sin, we can draw moral lessons that can fortify and protect us against similar mistakes.

Because of the incredible richness of this account, it is best discussed verse by verse. Before entering into detailed commentary, three questions relating to the story will be discussed as background.

The full article may be found at the Interpreter Foundation website: KnoWhy OTL24A — Why Is the Story of David and Bathsheba Significant? (Part 1 of 2)

From convert, to anti-mormon, to reconversion – Interview with Dusty Smith

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Dusty Smith with Elder L. Tom Perry
Dusty Smith (right) with “pen pal” Elder L. Tom Perry (left)

Welcome to the LDS MissionCast. To those of you who are new listeners to our show, thank you for listening. We hope you enjoy what this podcast has to offer as education and inspiration for missionary work in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Each week we try to bring you interviews that can help you to be a better missionary, or to help you feel inspired in missionary work. This week features an interview with Dusty Smith. While that may not be a name you immediately recognize, this is a story you won’t want to miss. This story is filled with the hand of God, and is an amazing, extraordinary example of how simple acts of missionary work can have a profound impact on literally hundreds of thousands of people throughout the world.

Shawn Rapier Ryan Snarr Latter-day Lives Podcast LDS MissionCast
Shawn Rapier (left) host of Latter-day Lives Podcast, Ryan Snarr (right) guest for the Latter-day Lives segment.

Occasionally we have Shawn Rapier from the always entertaining, Latter-day Lives podcast who records a special side interview with his guests about their mission experiences, or missionary-related experiences that can make you laugh, feel nostalgic for your own mission, or just leave you feeling inspired. This week Shawn had on artist Ryan Snarr, who tells a story about the enduring relationships that can be created from serving a mission, and how rich and fulfilling those relationships can be as they extend beyond the years of missionary service.

Each episode we try to feature different music or different LDS Musicians. This week we are showcasing a website and service called Music For Missionaries.net. Heather Bosshardt arranges and performs some great arrangements of the hymns. She sends you firesides in your inbox each and every week. It is FREE to missionaries while they are on their missions. This is music and spiritual messages that are sent to you each week that you can use for your own inspiration or you can share it with those being taught, or wards where you serve. Check out, www.musicformissionaries.net

Thank you to FairMormon for the continued sharing of LDS MissionCast.

Music for LDS Missionaries

Videos of Dusty Smith’s story:

 

FairMormon Conference Podcast #8 – Janiece Johnson, “Restoring the Tapestry of the Restoration: Early Mormon Women’s Witness”

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This podcast series features a past FairMormon Conference presentation each month. Please join us for the 2018 FairMormon Conference coming up August 1-3. You can attend in person or purchase the video streaming.

Janiece Johnson, Restoring the Tapestry of the Restoration: Early Mormon Women’s Witness

Transcript available here.

Janiece Johnson is a transplanted Bay Area, California, native who loves history, design, art, good food, and traveling. She has master’s degrees in American Religious History and Theology from Brigham Young University and Vanderbilt’s Divinity School respectively. She finished her doctoral work at the University of Leicester in England. Janiece has published work on gender and American religious history—specializing in Mormon history and the prosecution for the Mountain Meadows Massacre. She is a co-author of The Witness of Women: First-hand Experiences and Testimonies of the Restoration (Deseret Book, 2016) and general editor of the recently published Mountain Meadows Massacre: Collected Legal Papers (University of Oklahoma Press, 2017). A visiting professor in Religious Education at BYU-Idaho for the last three years, Janiece will begin as a research fellow for the Maxwell Institute’s Laura F. Willes Center for Book of Mormon Studies at BYU this fall.

Audio and Video Copyright © 2017 The Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research, Inc. Any reproduction or transcription of this material without prior express written permission is prohibited.

How Does the Story of David’s Loyalty to Saul Apply in Our Day? (Gospel Doctrine Lesson 23A)

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David Cuts Off a Corner of Saul’s Robe

An Old Testament KnoWhy relating to the reading assignment for Gospel Doctrine Lesson 22: “The Lord Be Between Thee and Me Forever” (1 Samuel 18-20; 23-24) (JBOTL23A)

Question: How does the story of David’s loyalty to Saul apply in our day?

Summary:The story of David’s rise to power “is designed to demonstrate David’s innocence of wrongdoing in his conflict with the house of Saul and to explain his dramatic ascent to the throne as a consequence of divine favor.” His self-restraint in the face of both Saul’s murderous intentions and his own anointing to become king “shows his respect for God’s appointment of Saul and his patience to wait for God’s timing.” David never speaks of Saul as his enemy, and his declaration to Saul after he cuts off a part of the old king’s cloak make it clear that “what David wanted was not to harm Saul but to demonstrate his own loyalty.” Though it is unlikely that any of us will encounter the sort of challenges faced by David in his relationship with Saul, his story serves as a reminder of the attitude of love and respect that should be maintained with regard to “the Lord’s anointed.” It is hoped that the suggestions collected in the discourse below will be a helpful resource for members who seek to resolve differences with Church leaders in the Lord’s way.

The full article may be found at the Interpreter Foundation website: KnoWhy OTL23A — How Does the Story of David’s Loyalty to Saul Apply in Our Day?

FairMormon Conference August 1-3

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Register now for the FairMormon Conference in Provo, UT on August 1, 2 & 3.  You can attend live, or via streaming. Many people attend live AND also purchase the streaming so they can share the best talks later with their friends and family.

Speakers include Elder Kevin W. Pearson of the First Quorum of the Seventy, Brad Wilcox, Daniel C. Peterson, Jenny Reeder, Lisa Olsen Tait, Jenny Lund, Matt McBride, Steven Harper, Randall Spackman, Spencer McBride, John Gee and more.

A partial list of presentations is as follows:

  • “We all must be crazy”: The Plight of a 19th-Century Mormon Missionary Wife
  • ’Fire In My Bones’: Women’s Stories on churchhistorianspress.org
  • Women’s Stories in Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days
  • Mormon Women in India
  • Peter and Paul’s Paradoxical Passages on Women
  • “Even as Moses’ Did”: the Use of the Exodus Narrative in Mosiah 11-18
  • “Have You Been Saved By Grace?” How Do We Respond?
  • Barriers to Belief
  • Stories of the Saints in the DR Congo
  • Making Saints: A Look into the Writing of the New Church History
  • Chronological structure and symbolism in the small plates of Nephi
  • Joseph Smith in Van Buren’s White House: Lessons in Electoral Politics and Religious Freedom
  • Horses in the Book of Mormon
  • Strengthen they Brethren. Bolstering those in Faith Crisis
  • “Arise from the Dust”: Digging into a Vital Book of Mormon Theme
  • Selling Our Birthright for a Mess of Pottage: The Historical Authenticity of the Book of Abraham
  • Thinking Differently About Same-Sex Attraction
  • Apologetics: What, Why and How?

Go to https://www.fairmormon.org/conference/august-2018 to register and to get more information.

If you are a Seminary or Institute instructor (volunteer or paid), there is a discounted rate. You can get that discount code from your S & I representative, or you can email us directly at [email protected].

Please note: The conference discounted hotel rate is only available until 4 July. So, please register now.

What Was the Religious Role of Music in the Life and Times of David? (Gospel Doctrine Lesson 22A)

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Lyrist from the tomb-painting of Khnumhotep II, Beni-Hasan, Egypt. Twelfth Dynasty, ca. 1900 BCE

An Old Testament KnoWhy relating to the reading assignment for Gospel Doctrine Lesson 22: “The Lord Looketh on the Heart” (1 Samuel 9-11; 13; 15-17) (JBOTL22A)

Question: What was the religious role of music in the life and times of David?

Summary: From the earliest times, music has played a central role in religion. The book of Samuel is a good example. Before Saul became king, music enabled the Spirit of the Lord to come upon him in the company of prophets; afterward, in Saul’s misery, David’s harp — or, more accurately, lyre (Hebrew kinnôr) — invited the Spirit into his palace once more. Later, in likeness of other nations in the ancient Near East, music and dance became an inseparable part of the institution of kingship in Israel. The Psalms, in a tradition that stretches back to David, contain some of the most significant prophecies of scripture and became the backbone of temple liturgy. In this article, we will explore all these themes and will finish with examples of how the combination of inspired singing and playing continue as important mainstays of the religious life of the Saints today.

The full article may be found at the Interpreter Foundation website: KnoWhy OTL22A — What Was the Religious Role of Music in the Life and Times of David?

Church History as a Missionary Tool with Casey Griffiths

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Casey Paul Griffiths - LDS MissionCast
BYU professor of church history Casey Paul Griffiths discusses the 100 most important events in Latter-day Saint history at his Education Week class.

Welcome to a select episode of the LDS MissionCast right here on FairMormon. This episode is hosted by Nick Galieti. The guest on this podcast is Casey Griffiths a professor from BYU, and one of the contributing authors to the book, What You Don’t Know about the 100 Most Important Events in Church History. We discuss the importance of knowing the history of the church and how our unique history can be used as a proselyting tool.

After that interview we have a funny segment from Shawn Rapier from the Latter-day Lives podcast. Shawn interviews a hilarious comedian, Steve Soelberg, who tells a funny story from his mission when he was…shall we say, caught in an awkward moment.

Music for this episode comes from Anne Britt. You can find her beautiful piano arrangements and this music on her site, http://annebrittmusic.com.

 

What you don't know about the 100 most important events in church history

Make sure to check out the full interview with Steve Soelberg on Shawn’s podcast, Latter-day Lives. 

Shawn Rapier and Steve Soelberg
Shawn Rapier and Steve Soelberg

Thank you for listening to the LDS MissionCast. You can reach out to LDS MissionCast on their Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram pages.