This is a psalm that makes absolutely no sense to me. It praises YHWH up one side and down the other, but in contradictory terms, making Him out to be a jealous god who is more of a bully.
“[The Lord] does not delight in the strength of the horse; / He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man. / The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, / In those who hope in His mercy.” What?
I mean, why wouldn’t a proud Creator love Secretariat? (Did YAH adore Man o’ War?) And why isn’t He proud of Roger Bannister or Hicham El Guerrouj? (What if they had Betty Grable legs?)
Earlier in the song, the royal psalmist had written, “[YHWH] counts the number of the stars; / He calls them all by name. / Great is our Lord, / and mighty in power; / His understanding is infinite.”
Then, “The Lord lifts up the humble; / He casts the wicked down to the ground.” But isn’t that the story of Big Red or the lone wolf miler — losing the toss of a coin, trailing until the very last turn?