Psalms

HYMNAL AND PRAYER BOOK OF ISRAEL

The Book of Psalms has 150 psalms which are songs and prayers. The book is much like our church hymnals with hymns, prayers, readings, etc. In these psalms we see a wide range of human emotions being expressed. Here you will find the writer’s expressions of anger, fear, doubt, joy, anguish, etc. Do these emotions sound familiar to you? Mankind has always had to deal with the stresses and joys of life which manifest themselves in a wide range of emotions. Some of these Psalms, those who express anguish, confusion and grief, sound as if they could have been written by Job or Habakkuk. Both were troubled by the fact that bad things were happening to good people while evil people appeared to coast through life without problems.

Some Psalms are identified as being written by David when he was being pursued by Saul or later as king when he was being pursued by his son Absalom. Many were written by unknown writers for unknown reasons.

The traditional Hebrew title for this book is Tehillim, meaning “praises,” though most of them are prayers. Expressions of praise are what today we call doxologies. “Doxology” literally means a saying of praise or glory.

There are doxologies found elsewhere in Scriptures. In the New Testament some doxologies are used to praise God for His blessings (Eph. 1:3), ascribing to Him all glory (Rom. 11:36; Eph. 3:21), and affirming the Trinity (Matt. 28:19).

A well-known doxology is found in Luke 2:14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” Another one that is common in churches is called the Common Doxology, written in 1674 by Thomas Ken, an Anglican priest:

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him, all creatures here below;

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Some of the Psalms have what are called superscriptions at the beginning of them. These are comments which tell us who wrote it, or the type of Psalm it is. Some have musical notations much as we have today where the composer tells the musician to play the music softly (pianissimo), or at an increasingly fast pace (accelerando), or loudly (fortissimo). It might also tell the occasion that led to the composition, such as a holy day.

In some you will come across the term “Selah.” It’s seen in nearly 40 Psalms. Scholars are still trying to figure out what that term means.

Let’s take a look at a few of the Psalms to give you a feel for them.

Ps. 1:1 “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked.” The word “blessed” can be translated to mean “happy.” This sounds much like what you would find in the book of Proverbs. It’s also similar to the beatitudes of Matt. 5, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

Ps. 3-4, were both written by King David when his son Absalom seized the throne (2 Sam. 15-17). David speaks of his confidence that God would restore him to his rightful position.

Ps. 6:6, “I am worn out from groaning all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.” Here it seems that David is having a “Job moment.” Like Job, he is in both physical and mental distress and wonders if he is being punished for something he has done. He also expresses his confidence in God, verse 10 “All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed; they will turn back in sudden disgrace.”

Does this sound like you at times? Are you a worrier? Have you ever stayed up most of the night worrying about what might happen tomorrow? Mark Twain once said, “I have known many troubles in my life. Most of which never occurred.” I wish there was a switch that I could flip to turn off worry.

Ps. 8:3 “Then I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him?”

David had time to sit and look up at the stars and think. Today, there is so much light and noise pollution; you can hardly see the stars anymore or be alone with your thoughts.

Ps. 10 This passage reminds me of Habakkuk where he asked God, “Why do you allow the evil to continue? Why don’t you answer our prayers? I think we can all relate to this passage and the concerns of Habakkuk when we read the world news each day.

Ps. 12 is another Psalm of David. Verses 1-2, “Help, Lord, for the godly are no more, the faithful have vanished from among men. Everyone lies to his neighbor; flattering lips speak with deceptions. This one reminds me of the time Elijah fled Queen Jezebel in I Kings 19 and became despondent, thinking that he was the only one left who really worshipped God and wished that he was dead. Fatigue will do that to us. He was suffering from what we called in the military Battle Fatigue or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). A little R & R (rest and recuperation) helped Elijah and helps our soldiers today. And when we are stressed out and in despair, helps us, also.

Ps. 13 is another Psalm of David when he felt forgotten by God. Verses 1-2, “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide our face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart?”

Ps. 14:1 “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” Christians and Jews have many holidays such as Christmas and Passover. Now atheists have one, also. It’s April Fool’s Day.

Ps. 15 gives the attributes of a righteous man. They include living without blame, doing righteous acts, speaking the truth, not slandering others, keeping his word, lending money without interest and not accepting bribes. This is a check list for women looking to find a man. Being good looking, wealthy or a great dancer is not listed. Proverbs 31 gives a description of the ideal women.

Ps. 22:14 “I am poured out like water and all my bones are out of joint.” The Apostle Paul used a similar expression in 2 Tim. 4:6-7 as he was nearing death. Paul wrote, “for I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Did you notice that as he reviewed his life, he didn’t wring his hands in regret. We should live our lives so that when we die even the undertaker will be sorry.

Ps. 23 is so familiar widely known by Christians that many Jews assumed that it is in the New Testament. There is a tradition that teaches that Moses’ behavior towards his flock convinced God to appoint him as Isrrael’s leader. Tradition claims that Moses would allow the smaller sheep to graze on the tender grass before the larger sheep were let loose to eat the tougher grass.

This Psalm speaks of our lives as preparatory to our eternal life with God, (verse 6), “and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever,” this Psalm is frequently recited at funerals.

Let’s spend more time on this Psalm. It has been described as a Psalm of trust and confidence, probably written by a king, perhaps David during the time when he was fleeing Absalom, his son.

Let’s read the 23rd Psalm:

“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

You can draw many analogies between the shepherd and Jesus. The Gospel teaches us that our Lord is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11). He is pictured as a shepherd who is interested in each sheep, and he is like a host who has prepared a lavish banquet.

The image of a shepherd arouses emotions of care, provision, and protection. Like a good shepherd God leads, protects, provides for and cares for us in this life and in the world to come.

The shepherd carried a rod and a staff. The rod was like a club to throw at wild animals that threatened the sheep, and the staff was used to keep the sheep under his control. The green pastures were a seasonal phenomenon. The quiet or still waters were wells and springs where the sheep could drink without being rushed.

Leading in the path of righteousness can be understood, “the paths that bring the sheep most directly to their destination.” The idiom “the shadow of death” “has stirred up some discussion.” The imagery of death is consistent with the idea that the shepherd leads the flock through ravines and wadis where the steep slopes keep out the light. In spite of this, the shepherd (God) is still with them. The presence and guidance of the Lord go together. The underlying etymology of Yahweh is the promise, “I will be present with my people” (Ex. 3:12).

The Lord is the host at a banquet prepared for his people. Before entering the banquet hall, the host would anoint the honored guest with oil which was olive oil with perfumes added. The banquet here brings to mind the marriage supper of the Lamb found in Rev. 19:9, “Then the angel said to me, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’” This supper occurs between the rapture and the second coming (during the tribulation on earth).

Attending the wedding feast will be not only for the Church, which is the Bride of Christ, but others as well. The “others” include the Old Testament saints—they will not have been resurrected yet, but their souls/spirits will be in heaven with us.

Ps. 28:2 “Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.” Lifting one’s hands in prayer is also mentioned in I Tim. 2:8. But keep in mind; this is a description, not a prescription.

Ps. 30:4, “Sing to the Lord, you saints of his.” The term “sing” refers more to a chant than singing. It is more like reciting the words, called “talk singing.” This is good, since chanting requires less musical talent. In the movie My Fair Lady, one of its stars, Rex Harrison played the role of Professor Henry Higgins. He wasn’t a singer, but he had to sound as if he could sing. Perhaps that was what “singing” was like in times past.

Ps. 34:8, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” Accepting an invitation to a worship service is sometimes too big a step for many. Sometimes people need to simply get a taste of what Christianity is like. Perhaps inviting someone to join a church group in some project helping others or the community as a whole would be a way of giving some a taste of Christian fellowship. Some people have a negative view of Christians so offering a “taste” might be more positively received than a full meal.

Ps. 35 Gossip and slander were used to destroy King David. Scripture has much to say in condemnation of gossip and slander. Deut. 27:24, Moses wrote, "Cursed is the man who kills his neighbor secretly." Now how can someone kill another "secretly"? The answer is gossip and slander. It destroys people, their reputation, their ministry, their relationships.

Lev. 19:16 "Do not go about spreading slander among your people."

Ps 101:5, "Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, him will I put to silence."

In 2 Cor. 12:20 Paul wrote, "I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder." Paul is speaking of the church in Corinth, which he described as a group of immature Christians. What about your church?

Ps 37:1 “Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither.” Sure, they will wither, but not soon enough for most of us.

Ps. 44 addresses the plight experienced by Job who thought that “God hid his face from him.” The writer reviews the times of old when God was with his people, but verse 9, “But now you have rejected and humbled us; you no longer go out with our armies.” Verses 23-24, “Awake, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever. Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression.”

Ps. 45 is a wedding song sung for a king. Do you remember what music you had at your wedding? In this wedding song both the king and queen are described in extravagant terms with regards to their appearance as well as the decorations and the wedding ceremony itself. And, as is seen in other Psalms, this description can be applied to the King of Kings (Heb. 1:8-9 and Rev. 19:6-9).

Ps. 51:16-17 is David’s expression of repentance after his adultery with Bathsheba (2 Sam 11). He makes no excuses for his behavior and fears most being separated from God. He asks that he be forgiven (verse 7) and that he would be given a “pure heart.” Verse 16, “You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”

Ps. 53:1, “The fool says in his heart ’there is no God.’” This was said in Ps. 14:1.

Ps. 60:8 “Moab is my washbasin; upon Edom I toss my sandal; over Philistia I shout in triumph.” To call someone a “washbasin” was one of many insulting terms. The washbasin was the lowly vessel in which a servant washed someone’s feet. In the middle east, to toss a shoe at someone is to insult them. Some years ago, the president of the U.S. held a press conference in a middle eastern country. One of the reporters threw a show at him. This was an insulting gesture that many in the west may not have understood.

Ps. 105:15 “Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.” I heard a prosperity preacher misuse this verse to teach that no one should even question his teachings. But these prosperity prophets are not anointed of God nor are they true prophets. Rather than accepting what they teach without question, we are to examine Scripture and question what is being taught (Acts 17:11).

Ps. 126:1-3, “When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.” This psalm was written when the Jews returned from Babylonian captivity to Jerusalem. This psalm could be read or sung as four Israeli hostages who were kidnapped from the Nova music festival on Oct. 7th, 2023 were rescued after 245 days in captivity.

Ps. 137:1, “By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion. Verse 5, “If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill. May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not consider Jerusalem my highest joy.” This was written by the Jews who were taken to Babylon. To help remember what happened to them and their temple a ritual developed where even during what is the happiest hours of a couple’s life, their wedding, a glass is shattered to remind the celebrants that the Jerusalem Temple has still not been rebuilt.

Ps. 139:16 “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” How are we to understand this verse? It seems to me that we all have a genetic potential for longevity which we can experience if we don’t live a lifestyle that shortens it. I’ve known people who lived a very healthy life only to die young because they inherited a predisposition to early heart disease.

Ps. 145:18 “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.”

In Ps. 34:8 mentioned earlier, it says, “Taste, see that the Lord is good.” This brief survey of the Book of Psalms is a way for you to “taste and see that the Book of Psalms is good.” Perhaps by tasting it, you feel more comfortable with it and will dig deeper into these passages.