Carol reminded me that I had this blog.
The Psalms-study also reminded me of Psalm 3.
When the 'Quilting the Psalms' group had their most recent read, this one started quite a lot of thoughts in me, and, being who I am, I decided to share.

As some might (not) know, I am a pastor, but I am also a biblical scholar, specializing in Hebrew Old Testament, teaching at University, longhaired and ivorytowered; this means, that I can (and do) read the psalms in the original format as well as in translation. And one of the things that have - recently - crystallized in my mind is the fact that when reading the Old Testament (in translation), we also translate the name of God. We read 'The Lord' rather than the name, but ... I am a christian.
And one of the things about being a christian is, that I call God by name. God gave me that right when he was born as a man, as a human being. When God chose to become flesh and blood, all human, God also chose to become my brother, and made me free with his name.
I know the name of God, and God himself gave me leave to use it.
Now, what I will suggest is anathema to scholarship. If any of my students at university attempted it, I would flog them alive.
Why?
Because the scholarly study of a text is an attempt to read what is there, however inconvenient it might be (and it is occasionally) it is not a reading of faith. This blog, however, is very much about faith, so ... This is my meditation on Psalm 3 :

Lord Jesus Christ
There are many against me, and I am just one
There are many who call me an idiot, because I seek you
They laugh and say : God never answers anyone

But you are Christ, my saviour
You protect me where I walk and where I stand
You fill my life with meaning, so I don't have to fill it all on my own
You give me meaning
You make me someone
You give me a voice, when there are no words left to me

When I call on you, you answer
When I feel like death, you resurrect me

Some attack me in the open
Some oppose me under cover
But with you, my fear disappears
In your love, I am never alone

Lord Jesus Christ
You are God, and I know you by name
With you in my life, the idiots and their idiocy becomes harmless, nameless, meaningless

Almighty, eternal God
Father, Son and Spirit
You are salvation - I am yours
You are blessing - I am yours
You are abundance - I am yours
You are God - I am yours

Amen

P.S. And the name of God, in the Old Testament, is Yahweh, not 'Jehovah'; the latter is a misconception (that I can elaborate on if wanted). To me, however, God's name is Jesus Christ.