PSALMS
The most quoted book of the Bible.
The hymnal of Israel. Many worship songs originated here.
Typical to divide the 150 Psalms into 5 divisions
1-41 About man (Genesis)
42-72 Deliverance (Exodus)
73-89 Sanctuary (Leviticus)
90-106 Unrest and wandering (Numbers)
107-150 Word of the Lord (Deuteronomy)
Contains strong theology (as do the hymns of the reformation)
Jesus Christ - crucified, dead, buried, risen.
He appeared to two on the road to Emmaus.
Luke 24:38 He appeared to eleven frightened disciples asking “...Why do doubts arise in your hearts?...”
Luke 24:44 Then he places a particular book of the Bible on equal footing with the Law and the Prophets “... Now He said to them, "These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled..."
Messianic predictions are sprinkled throughout the Psalms.
Ps.1
1:1 Blessings for those who avoid wicked counsel, sinful paths, and sitting with scoffers.
Do we sit with scoffers? [TV?]
What should we do? 1:2 “...But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night...”
1:3 fruit bearing.
1:6 wicked and righteous have different ends.
Ps.2
1-3 Earthly rulers devise systems to eliminate the strands of God’s truth, but it actually unravels their existence.
4-6 God’s response? [not hand wringing, He laughs, scoffs]
7-9 Messianic reference. Who gives and Who receives the nations as an inheritance? Satan offered Jesus the kingdoms of the world: Matt.4:8-10, Luk 4:5-6. Were they his to offer?
Ps.3
3:3 “... But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head...”
3:5 “... I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustains me...”
When do you think David wrote this? [probably when running]
Ps.4
4:2 “... O sons of men, how long will my honor become a reproach? How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception? Selah...”
Explain ‘love what is worthless’ and ‘aim at deception’.
How do people end up loving worthless things?
Selah? In Psalms 73x, Habakkuk 3x. Some say musical pause. Some say to praise or lift up. From root word meaning ‘to hang’, as in weigh on a balance. Possibly an exhortation to be wise and measure or weigh what has been said to understand its true meaning.
4:3 “...But know that the Lord has set apart the godly man for Himself; The Lord hears when I call to Him...” Are we His?
4:7 “... You have put gladness in my heart, More than when their grain and new wine abound...” [superior to a good potluck or feast]
Ps.5
5:3 “...In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch...” [Praying in the morning]
5:8 “... O Lord, lead me in Your righteousness because of my foes; Make Your way straight before me...”
5:11 “... But let all who take refuge in You be glad, Let them ever sing for joy; And may You shelter them, That those who love Your name may exult in You...” [Special joy in being His]
Ps.6
6:2 “... Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am pining away; Heal me, O Lord, for my bones are dismayed...”
6:4 “... Return, O Lord, rescue my soul; Save me because of Your lovingkindness...”
Ps.7
7:12 “... If a man does not repent, He will sharpen His sword; He has bent His bow and made it ready...”
Are there consequences to unrepentant arrogance?
Ps.8
8:1,9 “... O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth, ...”
Is God’s name majestic in all the earth? Is it majestic regardless of man’s perception?
8:4 “... What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him?...”
Messianic reference. Quoted in Heb.2 with warning to not drift from focusing on the Lord Jesus.
Recognizing how amazing it is that God cares.
Ps.9
9:1 “...I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders...” How thankful?
9:7 “... But the Lord abides forever; He has established His throne for judgment,..”
9:15 “... The nations have sunk down in the pit which they have made; In the net which they hid, their own foot has been caught...”
9:18 “...For the needy will not always be forgotten, Nor the hope of the afflicted perish forever...” Implication is that they appear to be forgotten at times. Are they? [by God’s people, but not by God]
Ps.10
10:1 “...Why do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?...” Does this sound like Job’s question?
10:3-15 the wicked boasts of his hearts desire, act as if God hasn’t established His throne. What does the throne signify? [authority and judgement] Is it established?
Ps.11
11:3 “...If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?..." What can the righteous do?
11:5-7 Who gets tested? [everyone] hated? [the one who loves violence - Radical Islam?] Who sees God? [righteous].
Ps.12
12:3-4 “... May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, The tongue that speaks great things; Who have said, "With our tongue we will prevail; Our lips are our own; who is lord over us?..."
Not just politicians and lawyers.
Ps.13
13:1”...How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?...”
Another Psalm that parallels the cry of Job.
Ps.14
14:1 “...The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good...”
14:3 “... They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one...” The word translated corrupt is literally spoiled or soured - no longer good for anything. Rom.3:12, 3:23
Ps.15
Who has the privilege of abiding (dwelling) with God?
15:2 “...He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, And speaks truth in his heart...”
15:4”...In whose eyes a reprobate is despised, But who honors those who fear the Lord; He swears to his own hurt and does not change;...” Own hurt? [Keeping his word? Rather be wronged? 1 Cor.6:7]
Ps.16
16:6 “...The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me...”
When do you think David wrote this?
16:11 “...You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever...”
Messianic reference: Peter quotes 8-11 on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:25-28), and Paul quotes v.10 in Acts 13:35-37
Ps.17
Both 16 and 17 talk of things happening at night:
16:7 “... I will bless the Lord who has counseled me; Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night...”
17:3 "...You have tried my heart; You have visited me by night; You have tested me ..."
What transpires in your nights?
Ps.18 THE LORD
18:1,2 “... I love You, O Lord, my strength." The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold...”
18:18,19 “... They confronted me in the day of my calamity, But the Lord was my stay. He brought me forth also into a broad place; He rescued me, because He delighted in me...”
18:28 “...For You light my lamp; The Lord my God illumines my darkness...” Do we have darkness? Does it matter?
18:36 “...You enlarge my steps under me, And my feet have not slipped...”
18:48 “...He delivers me from my enemies; Surely You lift me above those who rise up against me; You rescue me from the violent man...”
Ps.19 THE LAW
19:1 "...The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands..."
19:7,8 "...The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes..."
19:11 "...Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward..."
19:14 "... Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer..."
Difference between words and meditation?
Ps.20
20:7 "...Some boast in chariots and some in horses, But we will boast in the name of the Lord, our God..."
In what do people boast? [that of which they are proud]
Ps.21
21:2 "...You have given him his heart's desire, And You have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah..."
Why was the king glad? 21:4 "...He asked life of You, You gave it to him, Length of days forever and ever..." [He received his request. Have we asked?]
Are we asking for the life God has planned for us?
Ps.22 - 1st if three Shepherd Psalms - The Suffering Shepherd
John 10:11 "...I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep..."
Messianic references:
22:1 "...My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning..."
22:18 "...They divide my garments among them, And for my clothing they cast lots..."
Ps.23 - 2nd of Shepherd Psalms - The Living Shepherd
Heb.13:5-6 "...He Himself has said, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you," so that we confidently say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?..."
The whole Psalm is Messianic
23:6 "...Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever..."
Ps.24 - 3rd of Shepherd Psalms - The Reigning King
24:1 Who owns the earth? "...The earth is the Lord's, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it..."
24:3,4 Who can approach God? "...Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood And has not sworn deceitfully..."
Who qualifies? Messianic reference - The King of Glory
Ps.25
25:4,5 "... Make me know Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; For You I wait all the day..."
25:9 Who gets to learn God's ways? "... He leads the humble in justice, And He teaches the humble His way..."
25:14 Who gets to know God's secrets? "...The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him, And He will make them know His covenant..."
25:21 What can preserve us? "... Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For I wait for You..."
Ps.26
26:2,3 Are we willing to be tested? "... Examine me, O Lord, and try me; Test my mind and my heart. For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, And I have walked in Your truth..."
What will God find?
Ps.27 Living in an evil world!
27:1,3 Where is our hope in the midst of an evil world?
27:4 "...One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord And to meditate in His temple..." What is our desire?
27:8 "...When You said, "Seek My face," my heart said to You, "Your face, O Lord, I shall seek...." What do we seek?
What is the answer for depression and despair? 27:13,14 "...I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord..."
Ps.28
28:1 Again a recognition of the need for God "...To You, O Lord, I call; My rock, do not be deaf to me, For if You are silent to me, I will become like those who go down to the pit..."
28:7 "...The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him..."
What is the difference between strength and shield? [Strength-ability, Shield-protection]
Ps.29
Simple Psalm to direct one's heart to worship.
Give credit where credit is due.
Do you think God's voice is powerful, majestic, and involved in all things?
Ascribe? Can we ascribe things incorrectly?
Ps.30
What did God do in answer to David's cry?
30:2 "...O Lord my God, I cried to You for help, and You healed me..."
30:3 "...O Lord, You have brought up my soul from Sheol; You have kept me alive, that I would not go down to the pit..."
30:5 "...For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning..."
30:11 "...You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness,..."
Ps.31
Messianic reference?:
31:5 "...Into Your hand I commit my spirit;..."
Just as Jesus said in Luke 23:46
31:14,15 "...But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord, I say, "You are my God." My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me..."
31:19 "...How great is Your goodness, Which You have stored up for those who fear You, Which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You, Before the sons of men!..."
31:20 Explain this verse "...You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the conspiracies of man; You keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues..."
31:24 "...Be strong and let your heart take courage, All you who hope in the Lord..." We should be always encouraged
Ps.32
Ten years ago I quoted this Psalm from memory as my last teaching before stepping down from teaching Sunday School to focus on my son's senior year of high school, and my father's last year of battling cancer.
God has been faithful to 32:8 "...I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you...."
Ps.33
33:4,5 "... For the word of the Lord is upright, And all His work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the Lord..."
33:10 "...The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples..." Why all the fretting about politics?
33:18 "...Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope for His lovingkindness,.."
Ps.34 FEAR of THE LORD
What does it mean to "fear the Lord" and what are the benefits?
34:7 "...The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, And rescues them..."
34:9 "...O fear the Lord, you His saints; For to those who fear Him there is no want..."
34:13,14 What is our part? "...Keep your tongue from evil And your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it..."
34:15,16 "...The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous And His ears are open to their cry. The face of the Lord is against evildoers, To cut off the memory of them from the earth..." Are these just man's expressions or does God have these features?
Ps.35
David asking for deliverance from his enemies.
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