SESSION 30: Proverbs

INTRODUCTION

The “wisdom” of which Proverbs speaks is literally “skill” in living.

What are some proverbs that you’ve personally experienced?

• Write down the advice of him who loves you, though you like it not at present.
• Blessed are the husband and wife
  who work out their problems of adjustments
  without the interference from relatives.
• Be with wise men and become wise. Be with evil men and become evil.
• He who knows, and knows he knows -He is wise – follow him.He who knows, and knows not he knows -He is asleep – wake him.He who knows not, and knows not he knows not -He is a fool – shun him.
  He who knows not, and knows he knows not -He is a child – teach him.
• A woman deserves no credit for her beauty at sixteen but beauty at sixty is her own soul’s doing.
• I was so bright my mother called my sunny (my father’s humor).
• You may give without loving, but you can’t love without giving.
• The brain is no stronger than its weakest think.
• Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.
• Keep the blue side up (aviation proverb).
• Haste makes waste.

Proverbs have been helpful throughout history and all around the world:

• The English say about sleep: Six hours sleep for a man, seven for a woman and eight for a fool.
• The Spanish say about contentment: He who is contented is not always rich.
• The French say about greed: The more one has, the more one wants.
• The Scottish say about frugalness:

 Penny and penny,

Laid up will be many,

Who will not save a penny,

Shall never have many.

• The Danish say about children and riches: A rich child often sits in a poor mother’s lap.
• The Indians say about marriage:

Pray one hour before going to war,
Two hours before going to sea,
And three hours before getting married.

• The English say about a virtuous wife: A clever wife makes her husband an apron.

As we read God’s Story, and come to the books of wisdom writings, such as Proverbs, be aware that they were written by a distinctive group of people in Israel's history who grappled with some of the eternal questions of life. Wisdom was not only a type of writing in ancient Israel; it was first and foremost a way of life and of understanding the world.

What are Proverbs?

A proverb is a brief, particular expression of truth. They do not state everything about a truth, but they point toward it. This truth is phrased in a certain way so as to be learned by anyone. Here are some definitions passed down:

• A portable wisdom saying.
• The physical relating to spiritual truth.
• A reflection on the way life tends to work.
• A homespun teaching on an everyday issue.
• A small statement teaching enormous truth.
• An electrifying flash of perception.
• The wit of one and the wisdom of many.
• A flash of light into a dark, unknown place.

Sharing:

Proverbs are:

• Easily memorized statements.
• Often repeated.
• Folk wisdom.
• Pithy teaching.

Setting

The proverbs flourished during Solomon’s time. Fit the proverbs into 1 Kings 1-11 and 2 Chronicles 1-9. Solomon was known as the wisest of the wise throughout the ancient world: Thus Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the men of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men... and his fame was in all the surrounding nations (1 Kings 4:30-31).

Writers

Proverbs opens with: The proverbs of Solomon the son of David. He spoke three thousand proverbs, of which about 800 are included in Proverbs. Other writers are referred to as: The Sayings of the Wise (Heading, 22:17); Agur, an unknown writer, possibly a teacher instructing his pupils Ithiel and Ucal (30:1); The words of King Lemuel, the utterance which his mother taught him (31:1).

Solomon’s Personal Life

1 Kings 4:30 (GNT): Solomon was wiser than the wise men of the East or the wise men of Egypt. The fact that Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the sons of the east and of Egypt, did not prevent him engaging in plural marriage to utter excess – 700 wives and 300 concubines! This led to evil in the eyes of the Lord. What do we make of this?

Solomon was a man of surprising wisdom but also of surpassing folly so far as his private life was concerned. His life is a solemn reminder that wisdom is not equivalent to godliness – the fear of the Lord. And yet without godliness no wise man will use his wisdom to a consistently good purpose, so far as his own life is concerned. There is an evil in the human heart, and it can coexist with a perfect knowledge of God’s truth. How does God relate to this?

1 Kings 11:9 says: the Lord became angry with Solomon, because his heart turned from the Lord God of Israel. God’s anger was doubly justified, for He had spoken to Solomon twice concerning his sins, but he did not keep what the Lord had commanded. Nevertheless, God was merciful to Solomon – He did not divide His kingdom until after his death.

Sharing:

• When we look at the life of Solomon, we realize that:
• Proverbs are easier said than done.
• It is easier to say, ‘Do as I say, not as I do.’
• It is different to say and do than to say. Doing shows belief.
• There is worldly wisdom in proverbs.
• Just because Solomon was wise didn’t mean he made wise choices.
• He may have been thinking that his proverbs were good for someone else.
• It is tragic to see the path Solomon took over his life.
• We are to cry aloud for wisdom – pursue it!

Counsel for Kings and Rulers

Solomon was without excuse. Moses gave Israel clear instructions regarding future kings of Israel (Deuteronomy 17:14-20):

• Self-control: guarding the tongue prevents trouble (Proverbs 21:23).
• Integrity: a good reputation is better than riches – your name goes on; your wealth stops at death (22:1).
• Counsel: careful plans and good advice are more reliable than personal opinions (15:22).
• A Wife:  the choice of a good wife is extremely important to a peaceful life (25:24).
• Gossip: to kill gossip, don’t feed it, just like a fire goes out without wood (26:20).
• Procrastination: there is no tomorrow for sure, so do what you must today (27:1).
• Understanding: leadership positions do not guarantee understanding (28:16).
• Bribes: bribes destroy a nation; justice strengthens it (29:4).
• Security: true security comes through a proper knowledge of God’s Word (30:5).

Making Good Choices

The only good choices are godly choices. This is why Proverbs opens with: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. This is not distrustful terror of God, but rather the reverent awe and worshipful response of faith to the God who reveals Himself as Creator, Savior and Judge. Knowing God is the very first step in biblical wisdom. To ‘know’ God is to commit ourselves to Him. This introduces us to a life of wisdom. It is not so much that we seek to learn how to be wise, but rather that we seek to get wise.

Hebrew Proverbs

In Hebrew many of the proverbs have some sort of rhythm or sound repetition that makes them easy to learn.

Proverbs is one of the few biblical books that clearly spell out its purpose: to impart moral discernment and discretion (1:3-5), and to develop mental clarity and perception (1:2, 6). Wisdom is more than shrewdness or intelligence; it relates to practical righteousness and moral intellect. It can be stated simply as practical righteousness before God in every area of life.

Interpreting Proverbs

Remember these things about Proverbs:

• Proverbs are not guaranteed promises from God, but poetic guidelines for good behavior. The blessings, rewards, and opportunities mentioned are likely to follow if one will choose the wise courses of action outlined in the proverbs. See 22:6.
• Proverbs are often figurative, pointing beyond themselves. Specific language that exaggerates is often used to make a point. See 15:19.
• Proverbs are practical, not theoretical to be used to develop systems of belief. See 31:10.
• Proverbs are worded to be memorable, not technically exact. See 10:12.
• Proverbs strongly reflecting ancient culture may need sensible translation so as not to lose their meaning. See 6:20-22.
• Proverbs rightly used will provide practical advice for daily living. If wrongly used, they can promote a ridiculous, materialistic lifestyle. See 16:3
• Proverbs must be read as a collection. Each proverb must be balanced with others and understood in comparison with the rest of Scripture. The more in isolation one reads a proverb, the less clear its interpretation may be. This leads us to…

Using Proverbs

Stringing Proverbs together to build on a particular blessing, reward, warning, or opportunity will help interpret individual proverbs so that you have a very useful ‘pearl necklace’ of truth.

In its 31 chapters, Proverbs discusses many practical matters to help us live in harmony with God as well as his fellow man. They include:

• Relating to God, parents, children, neighbors and government.
• Choosing the right kind of friends.
• The perils of adultery.
• The value of hard work.
• Dealing justly with others in business.
• The dangers of strong drink.
• Treating the poor with compassion.
• The values of strong family ties.
• The folly of pride and anger.
• The characteristics of genuine friendship.

Typical of the proverbs in the ancient Near East, many proverbs seem to have arisen in the context of the home. The term son (better translated as child) appears in 44 verses in the book, father in 15 and mother in 11. Husband and wife are admonished to be united joyfully in a clearly monogamous union. Both parents are directed to share in the training of their children and nurturing them in faith. Sins that attack the order of the home are straightforwardly exposed.

Here are some ‘pearl necklaces’ from Proverbs 5 for…

A Husband

The lips of another man’s wife may be as sweet as honey

and her kisses as smooth as olive oil,

but when it is all over,

she leaves you nothing but bitterness and pain (3-4).

She will take you down to the world of the dead;

the road she walks is the road to death (5).

Keep away from such a woman!

Don’t even go near her door!

If you do, others will gain the respect you once had,

and you will die young at the hands of merciless men (8-9).

Yes, strangers will take all your wealth,

and what you have worked for will belong to someone else (10).

You will lie groaning on your deathbed,

your flesh and muscles being eaten away,

and you will say,

“Why would I never learn?

Why would I never let anyone correct me?

I wouldn’t listen to my teachers.

I paid no attention to them.

And suddenly I found myself publicly disgraced” (11-14).

 Be faithful to your own wife

and give your love to her alone (15).

Children that you have by other women

will do you no good.

Your children should grow up to help you,

not strangers (16-17).

So be happy with your wife

and find your joy with the girl you married-

pretty and graceful as a deer.

Let her charms keep you happy;

let her surround you with her love (18-19).

The sins of a wicked man are a trap.

He gets caught in the net of his own sin.

He dies because he has no self-control.

His utter stupidity will send him to his grave (22-23).

Here is a ‘pearl necklace’ from various chapters for …

A wife

Beauty in a woman without good judgement

is like a gold ring  in a pig’s snout (11:22).

A good wife is her husband’s pride and joy;

but a wife who brings shame on her husband

is like a cancer in his bones (12:4).

Find a wife and you find a good thing;

it shows that the Lord is good to you (18:22).

A nagging  wife is like water

going drip-drip-drip (19:13).

A man can inherit a house and money

from his parents,

but only the Lord can give him

a sensible wife (19:14).

Better to live on the roof

than share the house

with a nagging wife (21:9).

Better to live out in the desert

than with a nagging, complaining wife (21:19).

Better to live on the roof

than share the house

with a nagging wife (25:24).

This is how an unfaithful wife acts:

she commits adultery,

takes a bath,

and says,

“But I haven’t done anything wrong!” (30:20).

Sharing:

• Wisdom is personified as a woman, always calling out, with no excuse to seeking wisdom.

• Pearl necklace for marriage:

Proverbs 9:10: start with the study of wisdom.

2:16: Wisdom saves you from adultery.

11:23: Warning about discretion.

19:13: Deal with a nagging wife.

14:7: Wise vs. foolish woman.

18:22: A good wife is favor from the Lord.

5:18: Rejoice in the wife of your youth.

• Proverbs 17:28 and 18:6,7 reminds me of politicians!
• Proverbs are a description of righteousness and of evil.

NEXT SESSION

Come prepared to share from Ecclesiastes in our next session. Look for the meaning of life in its poetry.

SESSION 29: Psalms

INTRODUCTION

The Psalms are poems, and poems intended to be sung, not doctrinal treatises, nor even sermons (C.S. Lewis).

Setting

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. There are 60 prayers, six poems, and 120 hymns. The musical heritage of the Psalms is demonstrated by its title. It comes from a Greek word that means "a song sung to the accompaniment of a musical instrument." The Selah which occurs in the body of many psalms (e.g. Psalm 3) seems to indicate a musical interlude of some kind (a rest), perhaps a pause in the singing while the instruments continued to play. Another theory is that it marks a point of praise.

Dates

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.

Writers

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!

Approach

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.

Learn the seven categories of the Psalms and use them correctly:

• 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.

Attributes

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

Acrostics

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.

Emotional Responses

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.

Other Psalms might be described as outcries against God and the circumstances of life rather than responses to God because of His glory and His presence in our lives. The Psalmist admits he sometimes feels abandoned by God as well as his human friends (88). He agonizes over the lies directed against him by his false accusers (109). He calls upon God to deliver him from his enemies and to wipe them out with His wrath (59). Whatever else we may say about the Psalms, we must admit they are realistic about human feelings and the way we sometimes respond to the problems and inequities of life.

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.

Messianic Psalms

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.

Benefits of the Psalms

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.

NEXT SESSION

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 III	BOOK IV	BOOK V
PSALMS	1 - 41	42 - 72	73 - 89	90 - 106	107 – 150
AUTHOR	David	David/Korah	Asaph	Anonymous	David/anon
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