The Psalms are poems, and poems intended to be sung, not doctrinal treatises, nor even sermons (C.S. Lewis).
The Psalms start during the time of Israel described in 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles. They are a collection of prayers, poems, and hymns that focus the worshiper's thoughts on God in praise and adoration. Parts of this Book were used as a hymnal in the worship services of ancient Israel
The Psalms span a period of many centuries. The earliest Psalm in the collection is probably the prayer of Moses (90), a reflection on the frailty of man as compared to the eternity of God. The latest Psalm is probably 137, a song of lament, clearly written during the days when many in the Hebrew nation were being held captive by the Babylonians, from about 586 to 538 B.C.
It is clear that many different people wrote the 150 individual Psalms across a period of a thousand years in Israel's history. They must have been compiled and put together in their present form by some unknown editor shortly after the captivity in Persia ended, about 537 B.C.
While it is clear that David wrote many of the individual Psalms, he is definitely not the writer of the entire collection. Two of the Psalms (72; 127) are attributed to Solomon, David's son and successor. Psalm 90 is a prayer assigned to Moses (see Exodus 15:1-18; Deuteronomy 32:1-43). Another group of 12 Psalms (50; 73-83) is ascribed to the family of Asaph. The sons of Korah wrote 11 Psalms (42; 44-49; 84-85; 87-88). Psalm 88 is attributed to Heman (see 1 Kings 4:31; 1 Chronicles 15:19), while Psalm 89 is assigned to Ethan the Ezrahite (see 1 Kings 4:31). With the exception of Solomon and Moses, all these additional authors were priests or Levites who were responsible for providing music for sanctuary worship during David's reign. Fifty of the Psalms designate no specific person as author. Many different people probably wrote them.
Sharing:
- David was in love with the Lord. It shows through his writings. He was ‘smitten’ with God, as a man would love his wife. That is most impressive.
- What does a man after God’s own heart do? He tells Him he loves Him!
Follow the pattern of David in the Psalms: Turn your pain into a prayer. Express in writing what you are feeling and ask God to meet you in your place of turmoil. Then put down your pen and rest in His presence.
The pattern is simple: Express your problem, followed by a painful pause; turn your problem and pain into prayer, followed by a trusting pause. Receive the provision God has for you at the moment and then pause to rest in His love with a grateful heart.
Be aware of how the Psalms are divided in five different books, each one ending with a doxology:
- Psalm 41:13: this closes the songs of worship.
- Psalm 72:18-19: this closes the hymns of national interest.
- Psalm 89:52: this closes songs used by the choir.
- Psalm 106:48: this closes anthems of praise.
- Psalm 150:1-6: this closes anthems of praise, primarily from David.
- Laments: e.g. Psalm 3.
- Thanksgiving: e.g. Psalm 65.
- Hymns of Praise: e.g. Psalm 8.
- Salvation: e.g. Psalm 78.
- Celebration: e.g. Psalm 50.
- Wisdom: e.g. Psalm 36.
- Songs of Trust: e.g. Psalm 11.
Especially important is to understand the ‘Imprecatory Psalms’, better understood as ‘Curses in the Psalms’ (e.g. Psalm 4:4). These Psalms harness our emotions; especially those of anger. They help us express them to God.
There is a chart at the end that give all the Psalms according to their different categories and places in history.
Sharing:
- Psalm 29 is a praise of God’s greatness and power.
- Psalm 23 describes a personal relationship with God. It starts with “my” Shepherd. It ends with eternity: I shall dwell in His presence forever. God is always with us as a Shepherd, personal, transcendent God.
- Think of Psalm 23 grouped with 22 and 24: Together they give a triple picture: Psalm 22 speaks of the past: the Shepherd who gave His life; 23 speaks of the present: He is my Shepherd; 24 speaks of the future: the Chief Shepherd.
- Psalms 42 and 43 taken together (as they were originally rendered) help with depression. If it is read during times of stress in life it reminds us: “yet will I praise Him.”
- Psalm 123: We are sheep – servants – who may lament before God.
- Psalm 119:11, 105: This describes why I desire God so much. It describes how David trusted God. They are inspiring because they describe how God is helpful in the midst of trials. He is with me, giving me power in times of tribulation.
- Psalm 119 is an ‘acrostic’ Psalm in Hebrew. Each of the 22 divisions starts with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This is an aid to memorization.
- Psalm 91 describes God as a fortress. He protects us.
- Psalm 145 is a hymn of praise of God’s glory and majesty. How great He is! No words in our language grasp how great He is.
- The Psalms are a biography of God!
- There are many attributes of God in the Psalms. All God’s names and attributes help us live better. When we pray, do we know what kind of God we are praying to? We are sheep, following our own desires. If you know God, you want to be better. The more you know Him, the easier it is to stand up to temptation.
As you read the Psalms, reflect on the many images of God, such as the following:
IMAGES | PSALMS |
Shield | 3:3; 28:7; 119:114 |
Rock | 18:2; 42:9; 95:1 |
King | 5:2; 44:4; 74:12 |
Shepherd | 23:1; 80:1 |
Judge | 7:11 |
Refuge | 46:1; 62:7 |
Fortress | 31:3; 71:3 |
Avenger | 26:1 |
Creator | 8:1,6 |
Deliverer | 37:39,40 |
Healer | 30:2 |
Protector | 5:11 |
Provider | 78:23-29 |
Redeemer | 107:2 |
Vineyard owner | 80:8-16 |
Warrior | 68:7-8 |
Alphabetic acrostics are used in certain psalms, including 25, 34 and 119. In an acrostic psalm, each line or section begins with one of the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet, arranged in alphabetical order. This is why Psalm 119 has 176 verses, in twenty-two groups of eight verses. The first eight verses all begin with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the next eight verses all begin with the second letter, and so on.
We may think of the Psalms as a description of our human responses to God. Psalm 68:32 portrays joy; Psalm 23:4 reflects sorrow; and Psalm 22:2 displays discouragement. At times God is presented in all His majesty and glory. Our response is wonder, awe, and fear: Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth (68:32). But other Psalms portray God as a loving Lord who is involved in our lives. Our response in these cases is to draw close to His comfort and security: I will fear no evil; for You are with me (23:4).
God is the same Lord in all the Psalms. But we respond to Him in different ways, according to the specific needs of our lives. We worship a marvelous God who is high and lifted up beyond our human experiences but also one who is close enough to touch and who walks beside us along life's way.
But even in these strong Psalms of lament, the Psalmist is never totally engulfed by a feeling of despair. The fact that he uttered his protest to the Lord is a sign of hope in God and His sense of justice. We can bring all our feelings to God, no matter how negative or sorrowful they may be. And we can rest assured that He will hear and understand. The Psalmist teaches us that the most profound prayer of all is a cry for help as we find ourselves overwhelmed by the problems of life.
The Psalms also have a great deal to say about the person and work of the coming ‘Messiah’. This is usually translated in the Old Testament as the ‘Anointed One’, which is a reference to the coming deliverer who sets his people free from sin and death. In Old Testament times, part of the ritual of commissioning a person for a special task was to anoint him with oil. The phrase anointed one was applied to a person in such cases. In the Old Testament, ‘the anointed of the Lord’ were kings and sometimes prophets. The ancient Hebrews looked forward to the coming of a Davidic king who would be specially anointed by God to bring in his kingdom. To this figure was given a name borrowed from the Hebrew word for anointing: the ‘Messiah’.
Psalm 22 contains a remarkable prophecy of the agony the Messiah would face. Other statements about the Messiah from the Psalms predict that His throne would be established forever (Psalm 45:6); and He would be a Priest like Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4).
The messianic prophecies in the Psalms take on several forms and refer to the Messiah in a variety of ways:
- Typical Messianic: The subject of the Psalm in some respects reference to the Messiah (for example, Psalms 34:20; 69:4, 9).
- Typical Prophetic: The Psalmist uses language to describe his present experience, which finds its fuller meaning in a coming Messiah (for example, Psalm 22).
- Indirect Messianic: At the time of composition the Psalm refers to a king or the house of David in general but awaits final fulfillment in a coming Messiah (for example Psalms 2, 45, 72).
- Purely Prophetic: This refers solely to the Messiah without reference to any other son of David (for example, Psalm 110). Nevertheless, like all other royal Psalms, this one does address the time in which it was first composed. It is likely that it was sung at the time of the coronation of the king. The composition seems to have been written after David defeated Jebus (Jerusalem), and celebrates his victory and enthronement in that city, explaining why he also inherits the royal priesthood of Melchizedek.
- Enthronement: Anticipates the coming of Yahweh and the consummation of His kingdom, which will be fulfilled in the coming Messiah (for example, Psalms 96-99).
Literary Forms
It is also important to understand the Psalms as literature. In your reading and thinking, keep these literary forms in focus:
- Different types: The Psalms consist of different types. The Israelites knew these types, and the differences between a Psalm of lament and a Psalm of thanksgiving.
- Particular form: The form of each Psalm is determined by the structure that it shares with all other Psalms of its particular type. It is important to see such things as the transition from subject to subject, and the way the Psalmist gives attention to issues so as to convey an appreciation for the message the Psalm conveys.
- Given function: Each of the types of Psalms intends to have a certain function in the life of Israel. Each Psalm should be applied to the context it was intended for, such as a celebration of Israel’s kingship, or a wedding ceremony.
- Various patterns: The Psalmists took certain arrangements or repetitions of words. For example, some are acrostic – the initial letters of each line or verse work through the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, such as Psalm 119.
- Read as a literary unit: The Psalms are to be treated as wholes; do not reduce them to single verses. Follow the flow and balance of the Psalm as it is presented, developed, and concluded. Look at Psalm 105:34 as an example. The Lord’s use of locusts does not make them His special agents whenever they appear.
We use the Psalms correctly when we:
- Remember they are a guide to worship. They are a formal means of expression of our thoughts and feelings.
- Use them to relate honestly to God. We can learn from the Psalms to be honest and open in expressing joy, disappointment, anger, or other emotions.
- Use them to reflect and meditate upon things that God has done for us. They invite us to prayer, to proper thinking upon God’s Word (mediation), and reflective fellowship with other believers. Our cry to God for help is not a judgement on His faithfulness, but an affirmation of it.
- We understand they are not a guarantee of a pleasant life. God deserves praise for His greatness and goodness in spite of and in the midst of our misery.
Come prepared to share from Proverbs in our next session. Create a ‘string’ of Proverbs around a particular theme so that you use the Proverbs according to their combined truths about a topic.
For example, here is a ‘pearl necklace’ for learning what is involved in order to fear the Lord:
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
But fools despise wisdom and instruction (1:7)
Be not wise in your own eyes;
Fear the Lord and depart from evil (3:7).
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil;
Pride and arrogance and the evil way
And the perverse mouth I hate (8:13).
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding (9:10).
The fear of the Lord prolongs days,
But the years of the wicked will be shortened (10:27).
In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence,
And His children will have a place of refuge (14:26).
The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
To turn away from the snares of death (14:27).
In mercy and truth
Atonement is provided for iniquity;
And by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil (16:6).
Do not let your heart envy sinners,
But be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day;
For surely there is a hereafter,
And your hope will not be cut off (23:17-18).
My son, fear the Lord and the king;
Do not associate with those given to change;
For their calamity will rise suddenly,
And who knows the ruin those two can bring? (24:21-22).
CATEGORY OF PSALMS
BOOK I | BOOK II | BOOK | BOOK IV | BOOK V | |
PSALMS | 1 - 41 | 42 - 72 | 73 - 89 | 90 - 106 | 107 – 150 |
AUTHOR | |||||
NUMBER | 41 | 31 | 17 | 17 | 44 |
CONTENT | Songs of Hymns of National Interest | Anthems | |||
LIKENESS TO PENT. | Genesis: Man/Creation | Exodus: Deliver/Salvation | Leviticus: Worship | Numbers: Wilderness | Deuteronomy: Scripture/Praise |
DOXOLOGY | 41:13 | 72:18-19 | 89:52 | 106:48 | 150:1-6 |
DATES | 1020-970 BC | 970 – 610 BC | UNTIL 430 BC | ||
Fit the Psalms not specified below into the ‘book’ categories above: 1,9,17,25,26,74,77,80,82,86,94,108,115,119,126,129,130,134,141 |
David’s life in Psalms | |
Early years as a shepherd | 8, 19, 23, 29 |
Persecution under Saul | 11-14, 27, 31, 34, 52-59 |
Wars | 20, 21, 60 |
Reign in Zion | 15, 18, 24, 68, 101, 132 |
Sin and repentance | 32, 38, 51 |
Flight from Absalom | 3-7, 41, 64 |
Last years | 37, 61, 62, 65 |
Messianic Psalms | ||
Typical Messianic | In some respects a ref. to a coming Anointed One | 34:20, 69:4, 9 |
Typical Prophetic | Present experience and future fulfillment | 22 |
Indirect Messianic | Refers to David and awaits final fulfillment | 2, 45, 72 |
Purely Prophetic | Only a future fulfillment, yet sung for present kings | 110 |
Enthronement | Anticipates fulfillment of God’s kingdom | 96-99 |
Imprecatory (curses) | 7, 10, 12, 35, 40, 55, 58, 59, 69, 70, 79, 83, 109, 137, 139, 140, 144 |
Laments | 3,22,31,39,42-43,57,71,102,120,123,139,142,143 |
Thanksgiving | Community: 65,67,75,107,124,136 Individual: 18,30,32,34,40,66,92,116,118,138 |
Hymns of Praise | Creator: 8,19,104,148 Protector: 66,100,111,114,149 Lord of History: 33,103,113,117,145-147,150 |
Salvation Psalms | 78,105,106,135,136 |
Celebration and Affirmation | Covenant renewal: 50,81 Service of renewal: 89,132 Royal: 2,18,20,21,45,72,101,110,144 Enthronement: 24,29,47,93,95-99 Pilgrim: 46,48,76,84,87,122 |
Wisdom Psalms | 36,37,49,73,112,127,128,133 (Pr.8) |
Songs of Trust | 11,16,23,27,62,63,91,121,125,131 |
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