Introduction to the Book of Psalms - Bible Study...

http://www.BibleStudyWorkshop.com 1

Introduction

to the

Book

of

Psalms

Landmark Publications, Inc., 1045 Maynor Street, Nashville, TN 37216, U.S.A., John C. Sewell, Ph.D., Editor.

http://www.BibleStudyWorkshop.com


Introduction

to the

Book

Psalms I. Psalms, containing 150 chapters, is the longest book in the Bible and the one by far which has the most chapters.

A. Smith wrote that, “. . . although a variety of hymns from Egypt and Mesopotamia have been preserved, no comparable collection of songs from biblical times has come to light.” B. “The Book of Psalms is a collection of prayers, poems, and hymns that focus the worshipper’s thoughts on God in praise and adoration.” (Youngblood, Bruce and Harrison)

II. Designation of Psalms (according to Tesh and Zorn): A. Sepher Tehillim, “The Book of Praises.”

1. Psalm 40:3, And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. 2. “The Hebrew term translated ‘hymn of praise’ appears some twenty-eight times in the Psalms.” 3. Smith wrote, “In Jewish literature the universally accepted Hebrew name for this book is Sepher Tehillim, “Book of Praises.”

B. Tephilloth, “Prayers.”




1. Psalm 72:20, The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

C. The Psalter, “Song for Musical Accompaniment.”

1. Psalm- 33:1-3, Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright. Praise the Lord with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. Sing unto him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise. 2. The word psaltery comes from the Greek psaterion. 3. This book is also traditionally called Psalter derived from the Greek word Psalteriou found in the 5th century Codex Alexandrinus. Smith wrote that the word Psalter refers to “a stringed instrument which was normally used in psalm accompaniment.”

D. Psalmoi, “Psalms.”

1. Luke 24:44, And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets and in the psalms concerning me.

2. Acts 1:20, For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein; and his bishoprick let another take. 3. This Greek translation of the Hebrew appears in the titles of fifty-seven of the psalms.




4. The New Testament refers to this book, as just noted, as Psalms.

E. Shir, “Song.” 1. This “term is used to identify twenty-nine psalms.” 2. “The Psalms were written to be sung.”

3. George A. F. Knight wrote, “The word psalm in the original Hebrew just means song.”

III. Smith wrote that psalms were prevalent in Old Testament worship; for example, A. Lamech.

1. Genesis 4:23, 24, And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron; and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah. And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.

B. Moses and Miriam.

1. Exodus 15:18-21, The Lord shall reign for ever and ever. For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the Lord brought again the waters of the sea upon them; but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea. And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the Lord, for




he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

C. Deborah.

1. Judges 5:1-31, Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying, Praise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves. Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the Lord; I will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel. Lord, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water. The mountains melted from before the Lord, even that Sinai from before the Lord God of Israel. In the days of Shamgar the Son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways. The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel. They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel? My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the Lord. Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way. They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the Lord, even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel: then shall the people of the Lord go down to the gates. Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam. Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the Lord made me have dominion over the mighty. Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came




down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer. And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart. Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches. Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field. The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money. They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera. The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength. Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the prancings, the prancings of their mighty ones. Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty. Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent. He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish. She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples. At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead. The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the wheels of his chariots? Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself, Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a




prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil? So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goest forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.

D. Saul and Jonathan.

1. 2 Samuel 1:19-27, The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen! Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil. From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty. Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel. How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places. I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant has thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!

E. Isaiah.

1. 2 Kings 19:21-28, This is the word that the Lord hath spoken concerning him; The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of




Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee. Whom has thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel. By thy messengers thou hast reproached the Lord, and hast said, With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon, and will cut down the tall cedar trees thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the lodgings of his borders, and into the forest of his Carmel. I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places. Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it, and of ancient times that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste fenced cities into ruinous heaps. Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the house tops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up. But I know thy abode and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me. Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.

IV. Smith observed that singers, guilds were associated with temple worship.

A. 1 Chronicles 6:31, 32, 39, And these are they whom David set over the service of song in the house of the Lord after that the ark had rest. And they ministered before the dwelling place of the tabernacle of the congregation with singing, until Solomon had built the house of the Lord in Jerusalem: and then they waited on their office according to their order. And his brother Asaph, who stood on his right hand, even Asaph the son of Berachiah, the son of Shimea,




B. 1 Chronicles 15:16, And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy.

C. Ezra 2:65, 70, Beside their servants and their maids, of whom they were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and there were among them two hundred singing men and singing women. So the priests, and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.

D. Isaiah 5:1-7, Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein; and he looked that it should bring forth grapes and it brought forth wild grapes. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and breakdown the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.




V. As to authorship of the Book of Psalms Smith wrote, “. . . at least seven individuals wrote psalms which have been included in this biblical book.” A. Seventy-three psalms are attributed to David.

1. David, even “in his youth, was a skillful player on the harp.” “He invented certain musical instruments,” Smith wrote. (Smith)

a. 1 Samuel 16:16, Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee to seek out a man who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.

b. Amos 6:5, That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of music, like David;

2. Coffman noted that, since most psalms were written by David, most psalms were written by David, most psalms were written before 970 B.C. although some were written at a later date. 3. Youngblood observed that the introductory heading, “A Psalm of David”, could be rendered, “A Psalm (written) to or for David.” 4. Youngblood observed that some of David’s psalms arose from specific experiences of his life; for example,

a. Psalm 3, A psalm of David. Where he fled from his son Absalom.




b. Psalm 51, A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba. c. Psalm 54, A maskil of David. When the Ziphites had gone to Saul and said, “Is not David hiding among us?” d. Psalm 57, When the Philistines had seized David in Gath. e. Psalm 56, of David. When he had fled from Saul into the cave. f. Psalm 59, of David. When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house in order to kill him.

5. Youngblood concluded that there is no compelling reason to question David’s authorship of most or all the psalms that bear his name. a. Compare Psalm 18 with 2 Samuel 22.

i. Psalm 18:1-50, I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. Then




the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire. The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire. Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them. Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils. He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me. They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the Lord was my stay. He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me. The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me. I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity. Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me




according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight. With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright; With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward. For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks. For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock save our God? It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places. He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. Thou hast also give me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip. I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed. I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet. For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me. They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the Lord, but he answered them not. Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets. Thou hast delivered




me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me. As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me. The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places. The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted. It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me. He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou leftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man. Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name. Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.

ii. 2 Samuel 22:1-14, And David spake unto the Lord the words of this song in the day that the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul: And he said, The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence. I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid; The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me; In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into




his ears. Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind. And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies. Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled. The Lord thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice.

iii. Heading of Psalm 18, To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, who spake unto the Lord the words of this song in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul:

B. ten to the sons of Korah,

C. twelve to Asaph, D. two to Solomon, and . . . 1. Solomon is said to have written 1,005 songs. (Smith.)

E. one each to Ethan, Heman and Moses. (Psalm 90 is attributed to Moses.)

1. Korah, Asaph, Heman and Ethan were Levites who led the musical worship service in the days of David and Solomon.” (Smith.)




VI. Smith wrote “. . . no Jewish or Christian authority ever questioned the canonical status of this body of material.” “. . . these individual psalms were clearly inspired by God’s spirit.” (Youngblood)

A. Coffman noted that “there has never been any serious question of the right of the Book of Psalms to its place in the sacred Canon.”

VII. The Psalms can be categorized according to arrangement and type. A. Books: 1. Book I, Psalms 1-41 2. Book II, Psalms 42-72 3. Book III, Psalms 73-89 4. Book IV, Psalms 90-106 5. Book V, Psalms 107-150 (NIV) B. Authors: 1. David

a. 2 Samuel 23:1, Now these be the last words of David, David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,

2. Sons of Korah (42, 44-49, 84, 85, 87, 88) 3. Asaph (50, 73-83)




4. Solomon (72, 127) 5. Ethan, the Ezrahite (89) 6. Heman, the Ezrahite, a son of Korah, 88 7. Moses (90) 8. Uncertain authors, anonymous

Note: The writing of the Psalms occurred over many centuries from Moses (90) to the Babylonian captivity (137) (Youngblood). C. Duplications: 1. Psalm 53, Psalm 14 2. Psalm 70, Psalm 40:13-17 3. Psalm 108, Psalm 57:7-11 and Psalm 60:5-12 (Smith)

D. Predictive Psalms including 2, 16, 22, 45 and 110 speak to the life of Christ. (Smith)

E. Praise or hallelujah Psalms including 8, 11, 47, 96-99, 100, 106, 112, 113, 135, 146-150. (Smith and Coffman)

F. Petition, prayer or supplication psalms including 6, 39, 86. (Smith)

G. Penitential Psalms including 6, 32 38, 51, 102, 130, 143. (Smith and Coffman)

H. Perceptive, didactic, wisdom Psalms such as 1, 19, 119. (Smith)




I. Profession or confession Psalms including 33, 103, 107. (Smith) J. Patriotic or historic Psalms including 78, 105, 106. (Smith)

K. Pilgrimage Psalms, Psalms of degrees including 120-134. (Smith and Coffman)

L. Imprecatory Psalms in which the writer calls for “God to pour out his wrath upon enemies” including 35, 69 and 109. (Smith)

1. The Psalms are a description of our human response to God. (Youngblood)

2. Some Psalms appear to be outcries against God and the circumstances of life. (Youngblood)

M. Messianic prophetic Psalms including 2, 5, 8, 14, 16, 22, 24, 28, 35, 40, 45, 47, 55, 58, 68, 69, 72, 78, 83, 89, 102, 109, 110, 118, 132. (Smith and Coffman)

1. Coffman observed that “There are no less than seventy-five direct quotations taken from forty-nine Psalms” which refer to Christ. 2. Many Psalms have much to say about the person and work of Christ; for example, . . .

a. Psalm 22:1, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? Matthew 27:46, And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voce, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Mark 15:34, And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud




voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? Which is, being interpreted, My God my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

b. Psalm 110:4, The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 5:6, As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

c. Psalm 109:4, For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer. Luke 23:34, Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots,

d. Psalm 45:6, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. Hebrews 1:8, But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

N. Acrostics, alphabetical Psalms including 9, 25, 34, 37, 111, 112, 119, 145. (Coffman)

O. Youngblood categorized the Psalms into the following groups: 1. Praise Hymns and Liturgies 2. Individual and Communal Laments 3. Songs of Individual Thanksgiving 4. Royal Psalms 5. Psalms of Trust and Wisdom




VIII. Smith further wrote:

A. “The central figure in the Psalms is God who is referred to 344 times as Elohim, 676 times as Yahweh and 53 times as Adonay. B. Many of the Psalms focus on Mount Zion, the center of the worship of Yahweh. C. The immediate purpose of the Book of Psalms was to provide for ancient worshippers a service hymnal which was the medium of prayer and praise for the Old Testament saints. D. By one count, there are 283 direct quotes from the Old Testament in the New Testament. Of these over 40% are from Psalms.”

IX. Coffman observed that superscriptions to the Psalms, possibly dating and attributable to Ezra, are of five types; viz., A. author, B. musical directions, C. historical data, D. purpose of the psalm, E. liturgical instructions. X. Fully one-third of the Old Testament is poetic in form. (Tesh and Zorn) Hebrew poetic form includes, according to Tesh and Zorn, the following: A. Rhythm:




1. Deuteronomy 32:1, Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.

2. While “there is virtually no rhyming of words in Hebrew verse and no precise meter, there is a certain rhythm of stressed syllables delineating the thought pattern.”

B. Parallelism:

1. Psalm 34:1, I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

2. Psalm 1:6, For the Lord knowth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

3. “The second line of the verse corresponds in some way with the first.”

4. Youngblood wrote that “The Book of Psalms is the best example in the Bible of the nature of Hebrew poetry. The principle upon which this poetry is based is not rhythm or rhyme but parallelism. In parallelism, one phrase is followed by another that says the same thing but in a more creative, expressive way.” Examples follow. 5. Often paired statements mean the same thing, sometimes one being the inverse of the other.

a. Psalm 46:11, The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

b. Psalm 1:6, For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.




c. Psalm 93:3, The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves.

d. Psalm 136:1, O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

e. Psalm 103:10, He hath not deal with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

f. Psalm 61:5, For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name.

g. Psalm 93:5, Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever.

h. Psalm 111:10, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

i. Psalm 136:26, O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.

C. Strophe or stanza:

1. A strophe in ancient Greek drama is part of an ode sung by the chorus as it danced in one direction. 2. “Part of a poem consisting of an organized group of lines.”

D. Allegory:

1. Psalm 80:8, Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.




2. Isaiah 54:1-7, Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord. Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited. Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth when thou wast refused, saith thy God. For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.

3. “A figurative treatment of one subject under the image of another.”

E. Metaphor:

1. Psalm 31:3, For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me.

2. A metaphor is “A comparison not to be taken literally but made to suggest a resemblance.”

F. Simile.




1. Psalm 92:12, The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

2. A simile is “The expressing of a resemblance, usually with the use of the words like or as.”

G. Metonymy:

1. Psalm 23:5, Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

2. Metonymy is “The use of one word when another with which it is associated is really meant.”

H. Hyperbole:

1. Psalm 119:136, Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.

2. A hyperbole is “An obvious exaggeration for emphasis.” I. Synecdoche:

1. Psalm 52:4, Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.

2. A synecdoche is “A literary technique in which a part is put for a whole or the whole for a part.”

J. Apostrophe:

1. Psalm 114:7, Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob;




2. An apostrophe is “Addressing people not present, inanimate objects or imaginary persons.”

K. Personification:

1. Psalm 96:12, Let the field by joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice . . .

2. Personification is “Attributing characteristics of persons to inanimate objects.”

L. Irony:

1. Psalms 115:4, 5, Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not:

2. Psalm 49:11, Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names.

3. Irony is “A literary form in which the actuality is the opposite of what is expected.”

M. Anaphora:

1. Psalm 118:10, 11, All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them. They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.

2. An anaphora is “Repetition for emphasis or for dramatic effect.”

N. Litotes:




1. Psalm 51:17, The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

2. A litote is “An understatement to increase the effect, or an emphasis of an idea by denying its opposite.”

O. Assonance:

1. Psalm 113:8, That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.

2. Assonance is “A correspondence in the sound of words in terms of their vowels and used in repetition or dominance of a single vowel sound.”

P. Alliteration:

1. Psalm 122:6, Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.

2. Alliteration is “The repetition of letters or syllables heaving similar sounds.”

Q. Acrostic:

1. Psalm 34:1-22, I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them




that fear him, and delivereth them. O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants; and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

2. Psalm 119:1-176.

3. “A group of verses each beginning with a successive letter of the alphabet.”

4. Youngblood further wrote, “Another literary device the Hebrew writers used to give their psalms a peculiar style and rhythm was the alphabetical acrostic.

a. For example, Psalm 119 contains 22 different sections of 8 verses each. Each section is headed by a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet.




b. In the original language, each verse in these major divisions of the psalm begins with the Hebrew letter that appears as the heading for that section.”

5. Smith observed that some psalms are arranged in A-B-C-B-A in which the central thought is found in the middle with synonymous parallel statements arranged before and after the mid-point as represented above by A and B.




References

Coffman, James Burton, Psalms, Volumes 1 and 2, Abilene Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, 1992. Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version, National Publishing Company, The Gideons International, Nashville, 1979. Holy Bible, New International Version, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 19530. Knight, George A.F., The daily Bible Study Series, Psalms, Volume 1, The Westminster Press, Philadelphia, 1982. Smith, James E., The Wisdom Literature and Psalms, College Press Publishing Company, Joplin, Missouri, 1996. Tesh, S. Edward and Zorn, Walter D., Psalms, Volume 1, The College Press NIV Commentary, College Press Publishing Company, Joplin, Missouri, 1999. Youngblood, Ronald F., Bruce, F.F., and Harrison, R. K., Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, 1995.




Questions

Introduction to the Book of Psalms 1. What distinguishes the Psalms from other biblical books? _________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. By what designations are the Psalms known? Define these designa-tions. _____________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Identify at least five psalms outside the book of psalms and specify the occasions and purposes of each. ____________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Who wrote the book of Psalms? Who were these people? _________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________




5. How difficult was it to determine that the book of Psalms is inspired and is entitled to its biblical placement? Explain your answer. _______ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. How can the Psalms be categorized, arranged and typed? Give a thorough answer. ___________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. Explain Jewish poetic form. _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. What is parallelism? Give examples. _________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________




9. Define and give examples of strophe or stanza. _________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 10. Define and give examples of allegory. _______________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 11. Define and give examples of metaphor. ______________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 12. Define and give examples of simile. _________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 13. Define and give examples of metonymy. ______________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________




14. What is A-B-C-B-A order? How is it used in Psalms and for what purpose? __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 15. Are the superscriptions, headings to the Psalms inspired? Who wrote them? What purpose do they serve? _______________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 16. Define and give examples of hyperbole. ______________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 17. Define and give examples of synecdoche. _____________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 18. Define and give examples of apostrophe. _____________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________




____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 19. Define and give examples of personification. __________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 20. Define and give examples of irony. __________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 21. Define and give examples of anaphora. ______________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 22. Define and give examples of litotes. _________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 23. Define and give examples of assonance. ______________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________




____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 24. Define and give examples of alliteration. _____________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 25. Define and give examples of acrostics. ______________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Introduction to the Book of Psalms - Bible Study...

Documents

Transcript of Introduction to the Book of Psalms - Bible Study...