Book 3.1: The Beginnings of the Old Covenant Kingdom of Zion

Complement    Part 1: From Abraham through Egypt and the wilderness to the Promised Land

Unique   Chapter 1.1: Jehovah protected and blessed his people from Abraham to the Promised Land (Psalm 105)

§Complement   Introduction: Give thanks to Jehovah

¹O give thanks to Jehovah; call upon his Name, and make known his deeds among the people. ²Sing to him; sing psalms to him; talk of all his wondrous works. ³Glory in his holy Name; let the heart of them rejoice that seek Jehovah. ⁴Seek Jehovah, and his strength; seek his face evermore.

⁵Remember his marvelous works that he has done; his wonders, and the Judgments of his mouth.

⁶O you seed of Abraham his servant, and you children of Jacob his chosen, ⁷he is Jehovah our God; his Judgments are in all the earth.

§Complement   Body: Israel sojourned in Egypt for 400 years until the Exodus

⁸He has remembered his Covenant forever (the Word which he commanded to a thousand generations), ⁹which he made with Abraham, and his oath to Isaac; ¹⁰and he confirmed the same to Jacob for a Law, and to Israel for an everlasting Covenant; ¹¹saying, “To you will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance”, ¹²when they were but a few men in number; moreover, very few, and strangers in it.

¹³When they went from one nation to another, and from one kingdom to another people, ¹⁴he allowed no man to do them wrong; yea, he reproved kings for their sakes, ¹⁵saying, “Touch not my anointed; and do my prophets no harm.”

¹⁶Moreover he called for a famine upon the land; he broke the whole staff of bread. ¹⁷He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold as a slave; ¹⁸whose feet they hurt with fetters; he was laid in iron, ¹⁹until the time that his word came; the Word of Jehovah tested him. ²⁰The king sent and released him, even the ruler of the people, and let him go free. ²¹He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance: ²²to bind his princes at his pleasure, and teach his senators wisdom.

²³Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham; ²⁴and he increased his people greatly, and made them stronger than their enemies.

²⁵Then he turned their heart to hate his people, and to deal craftily with his servants. ²⁶He sent Moses his servant, and Aaron whom he had chosen; ²⁷they showed his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham. ²⁸He sent darkness, and made it dark; and they did not rebel against his Word. ²⁹He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish. ³⁰Their land brought forth frogs in abundance, even in the chambers of their kings. ³¹He spoke, and there came diverse sorts of flies, and lice in all their territory. ³²He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land. ³³He also smote their vines and their fig trees, and broke the trees of their land. ³⁴He spoke, and the locusts came, and caterpillars, and that without number, ³⁵and ate up all the herbs in their land, and devoured the fruit of their ground. ³⁶He also smote all the firstborn in their land, the chief of all their strength.

§Unique   Conclusion: Jehovah brought Israel out of Egypt into the Promised Land

³⁷He also brought them forth with silver and gold; and there was not one feeble person among their tribes. ³⁸Egypt was glad when they left: for the fear of them fell upon them.

³⁹He spread a cloud for a covering, and fire to give light in the night. ⁴⁰The people asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of Heaven. ⁴¹He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; it ran in the dry places like a river: ⁴²for he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant.

⁴³And he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness; ⁴⁴and gave them the lands of the heathen; and they inherited the labor of the people, ⁴⁵that they might observe his Statutes, and keep his Laws. Praise Jehovah!

Complement   Chapter 1.2: Give thanks for the mercy of the Lord, for he brought his people out of Egypt (Psalm 136)

§Unique   Introduction: Give thanks to Jehovah, the supreme God of all gods: for his mercy endures forever

¹O give thanks to Jehovah, because he is good: for his mercy endures forever.

²O give thanks to the God of gods: for his mercy endures forever.

³O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endures forever.

§Complement   Body: Jehovah brought Israel through the wilderness and gave the land of Sihon and Og to them: for his mercy endures forever

⁴To him who alone does great wonders: for his mercy endures forever; ⁵to him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endures forever; ⁶to him that stretched out the earth above the water: for his mercy endures forever; ⁷to him that made great lights: for his mercy endures forever; ⁸the sun to rule by day: for his mercy endures forever; ⁹the moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endures forever.

¹⁰To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endures forever; ¹¹and brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endures forever; ¹²with a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endures forever.

¹³To him who divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endures forever; ¹⁴and made Israel to pass through its midst: for his mercy endures forever; ¹⁵but overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red sea: for his mercy endures forever.

¹⁶To him who led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endures forever.

¹⁷To him who smote great kings: for his mercy endures forever; ¹⁸and slew famous kings: for his mercy endures forever; ¹⁹Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endures forever; ²⁰and Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endures forever; ²¹and gave their land for an inheritance: for his mercy endures forever; ²²even an inheritance to Israel his servant: for his mercy endures forever.

§Complement   Conclusion: Jehovah remembered and redeemed Israel, and feeds all flesh: for his mercy endures forever

²³Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endures forever; ²⁴and has redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endures forever;

²⁵who gives food to all flesh: for his mercy endures forever.

²⁶O give thanks to the God of Heaven: for his mercy endures forever.

Complement   Chapter 1.3: Sing aloud to Jehovah, for he brought his people out of Egypt (Psalm 81)

§Unique   Introduction: Make a joyful sound to the God of Jacob and blow the trumpet in the new moon

¹Sing aloud to God our strength; make a joyful sound to the God of Jacob. ²Take a psalm, and bring here the timbrel, and the pleasant harp with the psaltery.

³Blow the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day: ⁴for this was a Statute for Israel, and a Law of the God of Jacob.

⁵He ordained this in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt, where I heard a language that I did not understand.

§Complement   Body: I am Jehovah your God who brought you out of Egypt: open your mouth wide, and I will fill it

⁶“I removed his shoulder from the burden; his hands were delivered from the pots. ⁷You called in trouble, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah.

⁸Hear, O my people, and I will testify to you; O Israel, if you will listen to me: ⁹‘No strange god shall be in you; neither shall you worship any strange god.

¹⁰I am Jehovah your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt: open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.’

¹¹But my people would not listen to my voice, and Israel wanted none of me.

¹²So I gave them up to their own hearts’ lust, and they walked in their own counsels.

§Complement   Conclusion: If my people had listened to me, I would have subdued their enemies and fed them with honey out of the rock

¹³Oh that my people had listened to me, and Israel had walked in my ways! ¹⁴I would soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.

¹⁵The haters of Jehovah should have submitted themselves to him, for then their time would have endured forever.

¹⁶He would have fed them also with the finest of the wheat; and with honey out of the rock would I have satisfied you.”

Opposite   Chapter 1.4: The God of Jacob subdued nature for the sake of his people Israel (Psalm 114)

¹When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, ²Judah was his Sanctuary, and Israel his dominion.

³The Red sea saw God, and fled; Jordan was driven back;

⁴the mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs.

⁵What frightened you, O you sea, that you fled? You Jordan, that you were driven back? ⁶You mountains, that you skipped like rams; and you little hills, like lambs?

⁷Tremble, you earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob; ⁸who turned the rock into a standing water: the flint into a fountain of water.

Opposite   Chapter 1.5: The God of Jacob shall subdue the Gentiles under his people Israel (Psalm 47)

¹O clap your hands, all you people; shout to God with the voice of triumph: ²for Jehovah most High is dreadful; he is a great King over all the earth. ³He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet. ⁴He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellence of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.

⁵God has gone up with a shout, Jehovah with the sound of a trumpet.

⁶Sing praises to God, sing praises.

Sing praises to our King, sing praises: ⁷for God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with understanding.

⁸God reigns over the heathen; God sits upon the throne of his holiness. ⁹The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong to God; he is greatly exalted.

Complement    Part 2: From the wilderness to the Kingdom of David

Unique   Chapter 2.1: Jehovah led Israel out of the wilderness and gave them David as their king (Psalm 78)

§Complement   Introduction: Jehovah commanded Israel to teach their children to learn from the errors of their fathers

¹Give ear, O my people, to my Law; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. ²I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, ³which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. ⁴We will not hide them from their children, showing to the generation to come the praises of Jehovah, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he has done.

⁵For he established a Testimony in Jacob, and appointed a Law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children, ⁶that the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born, who should arise and declare them to their children;

⁷that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his Commandments; ⁸and might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that did not prepare their heart for God, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God.

§Complement   Body: Jehovah continued to bless Israel in spite of their continual rebellion and unbelief against Him

⁹The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle. ¹⁰They did not keep the Covenant of God, and refused to walk in his Law; ¹¹and they forgot his works, and his wonders that he had shown them.

¹²He did marvelous things in the sight of their fathers; in the land of Egypt, and in the field of Zoan. ¹³He divided the Red sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as a heap. ¹⁴In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire. ¹⁵He opened the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths of the sea. ¹⁶He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.

¹⁷And they sinned still more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness. ¹⁸And they tested God in their heart by asking food for their lust. ¹⁹Yea, they spoke against God; they said, “Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? ²⁰Behold, he struck the rock, so that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed. Can he also give bread? Can he provide flesh for his people?” ²¹Therefore Jehovah heard this, and was furious; so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel, ²²because they did not believe in God, and did not trust in his salvation, ²³though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of Heaven, ²⁴and had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the bread of Heaven. ²⁵Man ate angels’ food; he sent them food to satiation. ²⁶He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven, and by his power he brought in the south wind. ²⁷He also rained flesh upon them as dust, and feathered birds like as the sand of the sea; ²⁸and he let it fall in the midst of their camp round about their habitations. ²⁹So they ate, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire; ³⁰they were not deprived from their lust. But while their food was still in their mouths, ³¹the wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and struck down the chosen men of Israel.

³²For all this they sinned still more, and did not believe for his wondrous works. ³³Therefore he consumed their days in vanity, and their years in trouble. ³⁴When he slew them, then they sought him; and they returned and inquired early after God. ³⁵And they remembered that God was their Rock, and the high God their Redeemer. ³⁶Nevertheless they flattered him with their mouth, and they lied to him with their tongues: ³⁷for their heart was not right with him; neither were they steadfast in his Covenant. ³⁸But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy them; moreover, many a time he turned his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath: ³⁹for he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passes away, and does not come again.

⁴⁰How often they provoked him in the wilderness, and grieved him in the desert! ⁴¹Moreover, they turned back and tested God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. ⁴²They did not remember his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy: ⁴³how he had done his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan; ⁴⁴and had turned their rivers into blood; and their streams, so that they could not drink. ⁴⁵He sent diverse sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them. ⁴⁶He also gave their increase to the caterpillar, and their labor to the locust. ⁴⁷He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycamore trees with frost. ⁴⁸He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts. ⁴⁹He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them. ⁵⁰He made a way to his anger; he did not spare their soul from death, but gave their life over to the plague; ⁵¹and struck all the firstborn in Egypt, the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham. ⁵²But he made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. ⁵³And he led them on safely, so that they did not fear; but the sea overwhelmed their enemies. ⁵⁴And he brought them to the border of his Sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased. ⁵⁵He also cast out the heathen before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents. ⁵⁶Yet they tested and provoked the most high God, and did not keep his Testimonies, ⁵⁷but turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers; they were turned aside like a deceitful bow: ⁵⁸for they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their carved images. ⁵⁹When God heard this, he was furious, and greatly abhorred Israel, ⁶⁰so that he forsook the Tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men; ⁶¹and delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy’s hand. ⁶²He gave his people over also to the sword; and was furious with his inheritance. ⁶³The fire consumed their young men; and their virgins were not given to marriage. ⁶⁴Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.

§Unique   Conclusion: Jehovah chose David to feed Jacob his people and Israel his inheritance

⁶⁵Then the Lord awoke like one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouts by reason of wine. ⁶⁶And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts; he put them to a perpetual reproach.

⁶⁷Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim; ⁶⁸but chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved. ⁶⁹And he built his Sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he has established forever.

⁷⁰He also chose David his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds; ⁷¹from following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. ⁷²So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.

Complement   Chapter 2.2: Israel was oppressed by the surrounding nations (Psalm 83)

§Unique   Introduction: Hold not your peace, O God

¹Keep not silence, O God;

hold not your peace;

and be not still, O God.

§Complement   Body: The enemies of Israel conspired together to destroy them

²For, look, your enemies make a tumult; and they that hate you have lifted up the head.

³They have taken crafty counsel against your people, and consulted against your hidden ones. ⁴They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be in remembrance no longer.”

⁵For they have conspired together with one consent; they have allied against you: ⁶the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagarenes, ⁷Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek, the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre, ⁸Assyria also is joined with them; they have aided the children of Lot. Selah.

⁹Do to them as to the Midianites; as to Sisera, and as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison, ¹⁰who perished at Endor; they became as dung for the earth.

¹¹Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb; yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna, ¹²who said, “Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession.”

§Complement   Conclusion: O God, persecute them with your tempest, and fill their faces with shame

¹³O my God, make them like chaff; as the stubble before the wind. ¹⁴As the fire burns a wood, and as the flame sets the mountains on fire, ¹⁵so persecute them with your tempest, and make them afraid with your storm.

¹⁶Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek your Name, O Jehovah.

¹⁷Let them be disgraced and troubled forever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish; ¹⁸that men may know that you, whose Name alone is Jehovah, are the most High God over all the earth.

Complement   Chapter 2.3: Jehovah brought Israel into a wealthy place (Psalm 66)

§Unique   Introduction: Through the greatness of your power, your enemies shall submit themselves to you, and worship you

¹Make a joyful sound to God, all the earth; ²sing forth the honor of his Name; make his praise glorious. ³Say to God, “How dreadful you are in your works!

Through the greatness of your power shall your enemies submit themselves to you.

⁴All the earth shall worship you, and shall sing to you; they shall sing to your Name.” Selah.

§Complement   Body: Jehovah dried up the Red Sea and the Jordan river; He rules by his power forever

⁵Come and see the works of God; he is dreadful in his doing toward the children of men.

⁶He turned the Red sea into dry land; they went through the Jordan river on foot; there we rejoiced in him.

⁷He rules by his power forever; his eyes behold the nations; let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.

⁸O bless our God, you people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard, ⁹who holds our soul in life, and does not allow our feet to be moved. ¹⁰For you, O God, have tested us; you have refined us, as silver is refined. ¹¹You brought us into the net; you laid affliction upon our loins. ¹²You caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water, but you brought us out into a wealthy place.

¹³I will go into your House with burnt offerings; I will pay you my vows, ¹⁴which my lips have uttered, and my mouth has spoken, when I was in trouble. ¹⁵I will offer burnt sacrifices of fattened beasts to you, with the incense of rams; I will offer bulls with goats. Selah.

§Complement   Conclusion: I cried to God with my mouth; truly God has heard my prayer

¹⁶Come and hear, all you that fear God, and I will declare what he has done for my soul. ¹⁷I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.

¹⁸If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me; ¹⁹but truly God has heard me; he has attended to the voice of my prayer.

²⁰Blessed is God, who has not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.

Opposite   Chapter 2.4: Jehovah surrounds his people like the mountains surrounding Jerusalem (Psalm 125)

¹They that trust in Jehovah shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but remains forever.

²As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so Jehovah surrounds his people from henceforth, even forever.

³For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous, lest the righteous put forth their hands to iniquity.

⁴Do good, O Jehovah, to those that are good, and to them that are upright in their hearts. ⁵As for such as turn aside to their crooked ways, Jehovah shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity.

But peace shall be upon Israel.

Opposite   Chapter 2.5: Jehovah commanded the blessing upon the mountains of Zion (Psalm 133)

¹Behold, how good and how pleasant is the dwelling of brethren in unity!

²It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard; even Aaron’s beard, that went down to the skirts of his garments.

³It is like the dew of Hermon;

and it is like the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion:

for there Jehovah commanded the blessing, even Life forevermore.