Carefully Examining the Text

“This psalm celebrates the deliverance of God’s people at the exodus- a fitting song to be sung at Passover which was instituted at that time (Ex. 12 )” BK, 876. “This is a hymn, but a unique one. It contains no imperative call for worship.” Broyles, 426. This psalm is “a fierce delight and pride in the great march of God gleams through every line of this poem” Kidner, 402-403. “The psalm celebrat...

“This is the first of six psalms collectively known as the hallel that are recited in synagogues during the festival service” Alter, 403. Psalms 113-118 are the Egyptian Hallel. “ Psalms 113-114 are sung before the Passover meal and Psalms 115-118 after it.  These psalms are also sung at the feast of Pentecost, Tabernacles, and Dedication (Hanakuah, or Lights)” Miller, 373. These psalms were “used...

This "is a wisdom poem based on the nature of God set forth in Psalm 111” Miller, 372. It is an acrostic as Psalm 111. “ Like the preceding psalm, this one is also an acrostic in which every colon begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet, again indicating order and complete coverage of the topic” Longman, 387. This psalm “anticipates the exaltation of the righteous and the griev...

Psalms 111 and 112 are connected in their subject matter and vocabulary . “Both are acrostic containing twenty-two lines, each succeeding line beginning with the following letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Psalm 111 describes God as reflected in His works, and Psalm 112 the man who fears God and properly responds to Him. Some of the phraseology used in Psalm 111 to describe God is repeated in Psalm 1...

“In the second century, Jewish teachers applied it to Hezekiah (Justin Martry, Dialogue with Trypho , 33, 83)” Lewis, Matthew 14-28 ; 108. 110:1 seems quoted or alluded to in Matt. 26:63-64; Mark 16:19; Acts 2:34-35; 5:30-32; 7:55-56; Rom. 8:34; I Cor. 15:25; Eph. 1:20; Col. 3:1; Heb. 1:3, 13; 8:1; 10:12-13; 12:2; I Peter 3:22. Lessons from this section Mark 12:35-37 paralleled by Matthew 21:41-46...

The Psalm is based on the two decrees in vs. 1 and vs. 4. Every word of vs. 1 will prove important and two different words for Lord are used. Notice the use of "right hand" in vs. 1 and vs. 5. Melchizedek only appears in the OT elsewhere in Genesis 14:18-20. Melchizedek is king and priest.  He blessed Abram. Abram paid tithes to him. The psalm gives different words to refer to the foes o...

Some have described this as the longest sustained imprecatory prayer. A Psalm of David 109:1-5 He describes his mistreatment at the hands of others They spoke against him constantly- vs. 2, 3, 4. They lied about him- vs. 2 . They spoke words of hatred- vs. 3 . He did good to them, but they did evil to him- vs. 5. 109:6-20 He prays that judgment may fall on them. Notice how many of these judgments...

This Psalm combines sections of Psalm 57:7-11 and Psalm 60:5-12. Psalm 57 and Psalm 60 are in their titles tied to specific circumstances in the life of David. There are some 13 Psalms that do this and these are two of them. This Psalm stresses 108:3 Giving thanks to the LORD 108:4 God's lovingkindness and faithfulness 108:7-9 God's complete sovereignty over Israel and their neighbors 10...

Give thanks to the LORD for He is good for HIs lovingkindness is everlasting. 107:1-3 is an answer to Ps. 106:47 107:4-32 Four stanzas that follow a standard procedure. The 2 and 4 lines are refrains in this Psalm.  1. There is a statement of a specific problem (107:4-5, 10-12, 17-18, 23-27). 2 .Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, He delivered them out of their distress (107:6 , 13,...

This episode of Psalm 106 begins with verse 24. Nine portions of Israel's history and Israel's Scriptures  are used to stress Israel's unfaithfulness and God's mercy in spite of their sin. 106:6-12 The events in Egypt and at the Red Sea- Exodus 14-15 106:13-15 The lusting or craving for quail in the wilderness - Numbers 11 106:16-18 T he rebellion of Dathan and Abiram - Numbers...

This psalm is a twin to Psalm 105 but a fraternal twin and not an identical one. The emphasis on Psalm 105 is on God's goodness and mercy to Israel. The emphasis in Psalm 106 is on the wickedness and sinfulness of Israel.  God's grace is even more amazing in light of Israel's sin and Israel's sin looks even more hideous against the background of God's lovinigkindness. Prai...

This is a historical Psalm. We studied Psalm 78 previously and it has two points. God's goodness to Israel and Israel's sin against God. This psalm emphasizes only God's goodness to Israel.  Psalm 106 will emphasize Israel's sin against God. Israel's sin looks all the more evil in contrast to God's goodness and God's grace to Israel looks all the more amazing aga...

The Psalm, as the one before it, begins and ends with "Bless the LORD,  O my soul!" 104:1, 35. The Psalm speaks of God's work in creation and nature. All of this is to motivate us to praise God. The idea of pantheism is that God is to be equated with the forces of nature.  This psalm speaks of a God who is transcendent, who is far greater than the world He has made. He is clothed in...

This psalm is an inclusio, beginning and ending with the same words- 103:1, 22 . It is a David's call to himself to bless the LORD with all that is within Him. Vs. 3-5 describes God's benefits 1. He forgives all your sins 2. He heals all your diseases 3. He redeems your life from the pit 4. He crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion 5. He satisfies you with good things vs. 9-10 Tel...

The heading for this is unique. It describes a specific situation in which the psalm can be prayed. It mentions no individual or group generally associated with the psalm nor any musical terms. 102:1-2 An urgent call for God to hear his prayer 102:3-11 His crisis. He is overwhelmed by life's brevity, pain, his suffering and loneliness. God's anger seems behind it all. 102:12-22 But You.....

This is usually considered a Royal Psalm.   In the Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England, Psalm 101 is prescribed for use at the anniversary of the monarch’s ascension- Allen, 8; Goldingay, 139 The Psalm describes the kind of person the king longs to be and who he hopes to surround himself with. The people we surround ourselves with influence us for good or evil and the people the king su...

The LORD is mentioned in vs. 1, 2, 3, 5. The emphatic personal pronoun "He" is used twice in vs. 3 to emphasize the LORD. Seven imperatives are used in the first four verses to direct us to the proper attitude and actions toward the LORD. 100:3 Know that the LORD He is God- Deut. 4:35, 39; 7:9; I Kings 18:39. It is He who made us- He is our Creator and we are accountable to Him. We are.....

What does this Psalm show us about the nature of God? 99:1 God is a king who reigns over the whole earth and all peoples- 99:1, 2 .  99:2, 3 The LORD is great  99:2, 5, 9 Though God of all the earth, God reveals Himself in a special way in Zion, His holy footstool or hill. 99:4 God is a God of justice, righteousness- Ps. 89:14; 97:2; and equity - 96:10; 98:9   99:3, 5, 9 God is holy. Where He reve...

98:1-3 God's own arm has brought salvation and all the earth witnesses His lovingkindness and faithfulness to Israel. 98:4-6 All the earth is called to praise God When a king came to the throne there was a ceremony with blowing of trumpets and shouting (I Sam. 10:24; I Kings 1:39-40) and clapping of hands (II Kings 11:12). All nature responds this way to God’s kingship. 98:7-9 There are sligh...

This psalm calls the earth to rejoice that the LORD reigns The fact "the LORD reigns" ( Ps. 93:1; 96:10; 97;1; 99:1 ) or God is King ( Ps. 95:3; 98:6) is emphasized repeatedly in the psalms through this section. 97:2 The LORD dwells in thick darkness- Sinai- Exod. 19:16-19; 20:18-21; Deut. 4:11-12; 5:22; Heb. 12:18. Solomon's prayer stresses the same in I Kings 8:12; II Chron. 6:1....

I Chron. 16:23-33 records this virtually word for word. That chapter is describing the moving of the ark to Jerusalem. “In recapturing for us the triumphal entry of the ark to Jerusalem, the Chronicles writes out nearly the whole of this psalm, with part of two others (105, 106), as the centerpiece of his chapter” Kidner, 346.  Invitations to praise are found in vv. 1-3, 7-10a, 11-12a and reasons...

This is both a call to worship and praise and a prophetic rebuke. vs. 1-2, 6 are exhortations which continually cry "Let us" (6 times). We are called to praise, thank, and bow showing our humility before God. vs. 3-5, 7 give reasons to praise, thank, and bow before God.   vs. 7c-11 is a prophetic rebuke quoted in Hebrews 3:7-11 in the NT. New Testament use of this psalm Heb. 3:7-4:11 “Ch...

94:1-7 God of vengeance shine forth 94:1 O Lord, God of vengeance- This is the only time in the Bible that the LORD is addressed this way. Deut. 32:35; Ps. 58:10; 79:10; Prov. 20:22; Isaiah 35:4; Jer. 51:6; Ezek. 25:12, 14, 17; Nah. 1:2; Rom. 12:19; Heb. 10:30. He is the God who rights wrongs that wicked men bring upon those helpless to resist.   94:8-11 A warning to those who think they can hide...

The LORD reigns is declared in Ps. 93:1; 96:10; 97:1; 99:1. The LORD is King is said in Ps. 95:3; 98:6. The word King is the noun and reign the verb of the same Hebrew root word. The only Psalm between Psalms 93-99 that do not state God is King or He reigns in Psalm 94 and it must be associated in some way with His reign. We will see more about that, LORD willing, when we cover that text. Psalm 89...

There is no title like the one in Psalm 92. I t was used for worship on the Sabbath days . Lev. 23:3 shows us that the Sabbath was a day of worship.     The Psalm praises God’s lovingkindness and faithfulness. These attributes of God are especially highlighted in the Psalms. Recently in our study of the Psalms, Psalm 89 used both of these terms 7 times. The last time these words were used the auth...