DBG - June 17 - Psalms 1-8

The Book of Psalms is a collection of 150 Hebrew songs.  There is a wide range of types and purposes among them.  Practically, the Psalms serve to form our mind and affections.  We see honest and true expressions for practically any human emotion, and these are guided to turn the heart and head back toward God.  Put yourself in the place of the writer of each.  See how well these words guide us when in situations like them.

A few quick facts about Psalms:

This psalm is the key to the entire book.  Everything that follows is built on the themes introduced here of the righteous being blessed and the wicked being cursed.  I think of these as two paths which man may choose to travel.

vs. 1-2 – The opening lines establish a division between the righteous and the wicked.  The righteous man is blessed by God.  He is separated from sinners.  He loves the Law of God and allows it to guide to his steps. 

vs. 3-4 – We now contrast the righteous and the wicked.  The righteous are compared to a tree that is healthy and growing.  They are succored by God, established firmly, produce fruit, and are faithful.  The wicked, on the other hand, are the complete opposite.  They are like the chaff, the dried husks that fell away from harvested grain and were counted worthless. 

vs. 5-6 - The ends of righteous and wicked are displayed.  God will uphold the righteous in this life or the next.  God will punish the wicked in this life or the next.

Psalm 2 is attributed to Davd in Acts 4:25.  It is meant to be paired with Psalm 1.  The connections between the two are numerous.  Here we see the climax between the two paths in Psalm 1.  It is also prophetic in pointing to the Messiah and the establishment of His kingdom.

vs. 1-3 – The wicked of the earth are united in their rebellion against God.  They rebel against His authority.  In contrast to the righteous who mediate on the Word of God, these spend their time trying to free themselves from the dictates of an almighty God.

vs. 4-6 – God responds to the rebellion of the wicked by laughing at them.  Did they possibly think they could do anything against Him?  His plans will still be accomplished.  This is specifically seen in the establishment of a king in Jerusalem.  Who is this king?  It is not David or the other historical kings.  It is Christ the Messiah.

vs. 7-9 – God proclaims the coming of the Messiah and His work.  He is the Son of God.  He will rule over the entire world.  He will vanquish all His enemies before Him.  This was not fulfilled when Christ first came but will be true when He returns to establish His Millennial Kingdom.

vs. 10-12 – Here is the declaration of God’s expectations from mankind.  They are to cease their rebellion and surrender to Him.  They are to serve Him and fear Him.  How is this done?  By embracing Christ the Son.  He is the division between the righteous and wicked.

This psalm was written while David was on the run during Absalom’s rebellion (II Samuel 15:17-23).  David is drawing a parallel between his situation and the machinations of the wicked from 2:1-3.

vs. 1-2 – David surrounded by his enemies and all hope seems lost.  There is some debate on the meaning of Selah, but I believe it means to pause and meditate on what was just said.  In this case, to consider how those around David lack the faith he has.

vs. 3-4 – David expresses his faith in God, that God will hear and respond in his time of distress.

vs. 5-6 – Here is the fruit of David’s confidence in God.  He could rest peacefully.   He would not fear though surrounded by what seems a hopeless situation.

vs. 7-8 – David calls on God to deliver him and defeat his enemies.  He knows that his only hope is in God and that He cares for His own (the righteous).

This psalm by David is addressed to the chief musician of the Levites, showing that it was purposed as a song to be used in public worship in the Temple.   It is to be accompanied by stringed instruments (neginoth).  It appears to be paired with Psalm 3, fulfilling its calls for deliverance with calls to witness it.

vs. 1 – David desires that the Lord hear his present and future cries for aid just as He had in the past.

vs. 2 – David calls the wicked to turn from their empty pursuit of him.  It is a vain thing to attempt to destroy the righteous.

vs. 3-5 –  David calls on the wicked to stand and see the Lord’s power in his deliverance.  They should stop and ponder the evidence and turn their hearts to God.

vs. 6 – Still there were many who denied God.  To these David calls for God to shine his favor on and reveal his goodness to them.

vs. 7-8 – David compares the joy of the Lord to that of thanksgiving celebrations after harvest time.  He declares his confidence in God and rests in His care.

This psalm of David was to be used in the Temple accompanied by wind instruments (Nehiloth).  In this psalm the differences between the righteous and wicked are contrasted.

vs. 1-2 – David calls on God to hear his not only his prayer but the content of his meditation.  His mind has been consumed with the things of God, and it is now overflowing. 

vs. 3-7 – David recognizes the character of the God on whom he calls.  God will not uphold the wicked and will punish them.  David knows he is not among them and confidently approaches God.

vs. 8-11 – David appeals directly to God.  He asks for deliverance and guidance among his numerous enemies.  He draws a line between himself and them.  He is the righteous that will be blessed, they are the wicked that will be cursed.

vs. 12 – David closes his prayer in the confidence of God’s character and promises.  God will deliver David and the righteous.

This psalm by David is another for singing in the Temple.  It is to be accompanies with instruments on Sheminith, (“eighth”) .  The exact meaning is obscure, probably having something to do with the manner the psalm was sing and played.  Some think this is the name of a tune, but the pairing of tune and text like that was unknown in ancient Israel and impractical with Hebrew poetry.  This psalm may be classified as penitential, being the words of one humbly seeking forgiveness and deliverance from God.  David is pleading that God does not treat him like the wicked that attack him.

vs. 1-3 – The purpose and setting of these words is not given. If it to be observed in context of the psalms building to this, it may be related to David being attacked and oppressed by the wicked.  He does not point any blame at them directly but acknowledges that they are moving at God’s approval.  Therefore, he pleads with God for mercy and not his enemies.

vs. 4-5 – David calls on God to turn from chastening him to blessing him.  He pleads that God will not receive glory if he is killed.

vs. 6-7 – What dramatic words here describe David’s state!  David is broken, lacking the confidence he stated in Psalm 5. 

vs. 8-10 – David ends with a call for God to deliver him.  God would hear his prayer and his enemies would be vanquished. 

This psalm was written by David as a Shiggaion.  The exact meaning of that term is obscure; it has something to do with the structure  and purpose of the psalm.  The occasion is for its composition is not immediately clear.  Cush the Benjaminite is not found in Scripture.  He could be one that accused David before Saul while he was on the run from him.  There are some parallels to the words of Shimei in II Samuel 16:5-8, but the evidence is not conclusive to resolutely tie it to that event.  David had many enemies and many that plotted against him throughout his life, and this very well could be an occasion not preserved in the record of Scripture.  The content of the psalm is a cry for deliverance and punishment of the wicked that oppress him.

vs. 1-2 – David trusts in God and relies on Him to deliver him from his enemies.  He acknowledges that without God he would easily be destroyed.

vs. 3-5 – Here it is revealed that the accusation made against David was that he had hurt someone who was in good standing with him.  David knows his innocence in regards to the charges.  He calls on God to punish him if it were true.  He only says that because he is confident it is not.  He would otherwise readily submit to God’s judgment.

vs. 6-8 – David calls God to action to judge the wicked as promised in Psalm 1.  He puts himself at God’s mercy know that he would not be judged as the wicked.

vs. 9-10 – David’s desires are not selfish.  He is calling for justice to be done.  He knows that he is safe from God’s fury because he is among the righteous.

vs. 11-13 – God is the supreme Judge.  The wicked will be punished and cannot escape it.  But notice here also in vs. 12 that God gives the wicked the opportunity to repent.  No man is fated to remain wicked.  All may repent of the sin and find salvation in God.

vs. 14-16 – While David was innocent and avoiding the traps set by his enemies in the opening of this psalm, he now sees the machinations of the wicked turning on their maker.  The evil they thought to pour out on David would be returned to them.

vs. 17 – David will praise the Lord when His righteous judgment is poured out, so that the wicked are punished and the righteous exalted.  He is confident in his faith that this will happen.

This psalm is another by David that was written for use in the Temple.  It is to be sung with Gittith, which are stringed instruments that originated in Gath.  This psalm is an outpouring of praise, perhaps that which was promised by David in 7:17.

vs. 1 – David praises God for His marvelous name and acknowledges His exalted position above all creation.

vs. 2-4 – This is a most interesting section.  Out of the weakness of infants God gives strength to overthrow the enemy.  It is an artistic was of saying,  “my strength is made perfect in weakness.” (II Corinthians 12:9).  Could man deliver himself?  No more than a helpless infant could!  The contrast is set up and expounded on between the weakness of man and the might of God.

vs. 5-8 – Through His grace, God exalted feeble man to a place “a little lower than the angels” in strength and empowered them to subdue the earth.  All other life on earth was made inferior to man.  How did this happen?  Because God willed it and performed it.  Otherwise, we could not accomplish anything beneficial to our race.

vs. 9 – The psalm closes with a repetition of its opening words of praises.

I close today by reinforcing a claim I made.  I am convinced that the key to understanding the psalms is Psalm 1.  Everything that follows may be categorized into its discussion of the righteous and the wicked.  The best life is to walk in the way of righteous set forth in 1:1 and both illustrated and described in everything that follows in the next 149 psalms.  I go so far as to say that if I had to choose one book of the Bible to guide the Christian life it would be Psalms.  If I had to choose one chapter, it would be Psalm 1 (as a side note, do not refer to these as chapters because they are rightfully identified as psalms).  In God’s eyes there are only two classifications of man as shown in these verses.  Walk in the way of righteous and abhor the seat of wickedness.    

Our hymn today is a metrical versification of Psalm 1 by Isaac Watts.  I chose it first, because I want to again reiterate the importance of that psalm to understanding everything that follows it, and second, because I think it illustrates how beautiful the psalms are.  These words were penned by perhaps the greatest English hymn writer, yet they are no match for David’s own.  I love the idea of adapting the texts of the psalms into our poetical and music styles, but they remain pale imitations of the original masterpiece.

Blest is the Man who shuns the Place
Where Sinners love to meet;
Who fears to tread their wicked Ways,
And hates the Scoffer's Seat:

But in the Statutes of the Lord
Has plac'd his chief Delight;
By Day he reads or hears the Word,
And meditates by Night.

He like a Plant of gen'rous Kind,
By living Waters set,
Safe from the Storms and blasting Wind,
Enjoys a peaceful State.

Green as the Leaf, and ever fair
Shall his Profession shine;
While Fruit of Holiness appear
Like Clusters on the Vine.

Not so the Impious and Unjust;
What vain Designs they form!
Their Hopes are blown away like Dust,
Or Chaff before the Storm.

Sinners in Judgment shall not stand
Amongst the Sons of Grace,
When Christ the Judge at his right Hand,
Appoints his Saints a Place.

His Eye beholds the Path they tread,
His Heart approves it well;
But crooked Ways of Sinners lead
Down to the Gates of Hell.