What are Psalms?

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Say: Let us now begin to worship the Father the Son, the Holy Spirit, Our Call to worship Comes to us from

Psalm 95:1–3 ESV

1 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! 2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! 3 For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

Introduction

Have you ever noticed just how much spirituality is taking of these days? The religious books sales market in the USA alone is worth 1.21 Billion dollars! People are looking for answers. Our minds, our hearts, our very souls long for something to express our interaction with this world that we cannot explain in mere scientific equation and on financial spreadsheets. The technology is loud, but it doesn’t say anything, it doesn’t address the feeling, the thought of, the need of something more. God has provided an answer to you and to me. He gave us his word and importantly he gave us the Psalms.

Abraham Lincoln, confiding to a friend, said of the Psalms, “They are the best. I find something in them for every day of the year.”

Martin Luther called it, “The Bible in miniature.”

Charles Spurgeon who wrote the Treasury of David, his commentary of the Psalms, took him 20 years to do so, it has been called his magnum opus he in his opening thoughts on the commentary said

The delightful study of the Psalms has yielded me boundless profit and ever-growing pleasure; common gratitude constrains me to communicate to others a portion of the benefit, with the prayer that it may induce them to search further for themselves

John Calvin when speaking of their effect on this life of a Christian Said:

Commentary on the Book of Psalms The Author’s Preface

The Psalms are replete with all the precepts which serve to frame our life to every part of holiness, piety, and righteousness, yet they will principally teach and train us to bear the cross; and the bearing of the cross is a genuine proof of our obedience, since by doing this, we renounce the guidance of our own affections, and submit ourselves entirely to God, leaving him to govern us, and to dispose of our life according to his will, so that the afflictions which are the bitterest and most severe to our nature, become sweet to us, because they proceed from him.

Going on about the Psalms

If you were a book publisher, publishing the Psalms, you could find comment after comment that would make excellent blurbs for the dust jacket.

It is the Bible’s longest book.

It contains more chapters than any other book of the Bible, as well as both the longest and the shortest chapters in the Bible.

It is more quoted in the New Testament than any other book.

It is arguably the most popular book in the Old Testament, if not in the whole Bible.

It is the location of Psalm 23

Psalm 23 ESV

A Psalm of David. 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Arguably one of the most well known Psalms.

The Psalms are often described by Christians as there favorite book in the OT and it just makes sense. It’s easy to understand, it addresses the souls joy, and sorrows.

Background

Name

The name of the book comes from the Greek translation

The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) Title

Both of these terms mean “a song sung to the accompaniment of stringed instruments.” The New Testament uses psalmos as well (Luke 20:42; 24:44; Acts 1:20). The corresponding Hb. word mizmor occurs frequently in the title of various psalms (e.g., Ps. 3). The Hebrew title, however, is “Praises,” a translation of the Hb. word tehillah (“praise”), and this title captures the overarching movement in the book from lamentation and suffering at the beginning to praise and glory at the end.

The Authors and the Dating

The book is not is Chronological order, in fact it doesn’t seem to be in any order, you have many different Psalm some written later some written earlier. Many are written by David, Moses, Solomon, the Son’s of Korah.

It was written over a thousand years sp each Psalm itself is different!

The Structure of the book

The Psalms are broken down into five books

1 Psalm 1 -41, #2 42-72, #3 73-89, #4 90-106, #5 107-150

We don’t know why it’s structured this way, but it maybe to reflect the Pentateuch. The books in the Psalms end with a benediction, These books have no Chronological order

The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (Genre)

1. Hymns. Hymns were composed for times when all is well. Hymns are easily recognized by their exuberant praise of the Lord, and they typically praise the Lord For other examples of hymns, see Pss. 8; 19; 29; 33; 65; 67; 68; 93; 96; 98; 100; 111; 113; 114; 117; 135; 145; 146; 147; 148; 149; 150.

2. Laments. Laments were composed for when all is not well, and thus express emotions experienced in times of great sorrow or loss. In a lament, the psalmist opens his heart honestly to God, a heart filled with sadness, loneliness, perplexity, grief, abandonment, fear, or anger.For other examples, see Pss. 3; 5; 7; 13; 17; 22; 25; 26; 27; 28; 38; 39; 42; 43; 51; 54; 55; 56; 57; 59; 61; 63; 64; 69; 70; 71; 74; 79; 80; 83; 86; 89; 102; 109; 120; 130; 140; 141; 142; 143.

3. Thanksgiving Psalms. Psalms of thanksgiving are like hymns in that they focus on the praise of God. The difference is that the hymns focus on what God has done in the distant past, in creation or in redemptive history, while the psalms of thanksgiving focus on what God has done in the recent, personal history of the psalmist Pss. 18; 30; 34; 40; 41; 66; 92; 118; 124; 138.

4. Psalms of Confidence (or Trust). The dominant mood of these psalms is confidence that the Lord will deliver the psalmist. Unlike the first three genres, the psalms of confidence apparently have no common structure. For examples, see Pss. 16; 23; 27; 62; 73; 91; 115; 121; 125; 131.

5. Kingship Psalms. Since God, the King of the universe, is the subject of many psalms and since David, the human king, is the subject of many other psalms, kingship is an important concept in the Psalter (see Characteristics and Primary Themes). For examples of divine kingship psalms, see Pss. 24; 29; 47; 48; 93; 95; 96; 97; 98; 99; 145; and for examples of human kingship psalms, see Pss. 2; 20; 21; 45; 61; 63; 72.

6. Wisdom Psalms.

And there are Psalms that don’t fit into that category!

So why are we looking at the Psalms this summer?

All these factoids and trivia are great and all, but why are we looking at the Psalms? The great commission calls Christians to make disciples and we are ever in the process of looking like and being conformed to the image of our Lord and Master Jesus.

Romans 12:2 ESV

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Part of being Renewed in our Mind is to capture it totally with what the Lord God has said, and so we want our lives to be transformed to look more like God. This book will help us in our thoughts, feelings, and deeds, or ours hands, heart, minds look and express ourselves like our saviour.

I want us to listen to the Psalmist who in Chapter one says Psalm 1:1-3

Psalm 1:1–3 ESV

1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

Tools

We are handing out a reading plan for this summer so you can do just that. I have the first 2 weeks done up for you, and we will give you the next one when this first session is up. If you follow along, you listen to, or read the Psalms, I promise you, you will be changed. Listen to them on the way to work, reading them together after dinner, during breakfast, while your doing yard work.

Want to improve your family, your marriage, read them together, get yourself some post-it notes and put your favorite one up on your dashboard or mirror. make a photo of it and out it as your background photo for a little while.

How to understand Psalms

Read them, these are songs Look at Psalm 2 with me real quick Psalm 2:10-12

Psalm 2:10–12 (NKJV)

10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, And rejoice with trembling.

12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

If you’re a leader, a pastor, a business manager or owner, a father this is pretty clear. Imagine if America was ruled like this again any nation that comes to this truth will be truly great. The church that hears this should tremble this month if the put up a gay pride flag. Yet the church that worships the Lord in fear and rejoicing God will bless, the fields are ripe and God is looking for faithful gleaners and living store house. Take note Bee Ridge do you believe that this place can be filled again? Can you in your heart hear the children yet present? See the persons yet met? Hear the songs yet song? God says the fields are ripe are we fearing him the way he must be feared? Imagine the family that makes it their mission to put their trust in Him how firm a foundation that family is built on, even in the hard-times. How blessed that family will be, how secure in the Lord. Do you believe it for your family? Is God the strong tower for you dad when the oxygen seems to leave the room?

We read this text plainly, We read the symbols as symbols, we take the words fro what they say. We know that each text has two authors, the man that wrote it and the God who lead the man.

That is the best way to read the Bible. Serve your God seek his word

Psalms Are worship

the ancient people used these to worship God in their gatherings. You can see that worship in the scripture is important.

When Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem, the week of his crucifixion the people said

Matthew 21:9 ESV

9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

They were repeating the worship and the lessons they were taught from Psalm 118:26

Psalm 118:26 ESV

26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We bless you from the house of the Lord.

We can see just from this illustration alone how important right worship is! When the Jews would make their yearly pilgrimages to Jerusalem they would sing Psalms 120-34 as they travelled. This worship would form their minds Look at:

Psalm 122 ESV

A Song of Ascents. Of David. 1 I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” 2 Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem! 3 Jerusalem—built as a city that is bound firmly together, 4 to which the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord. 5 There thrones for judgment were set, the thrones of the house of David. 6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! “May they be secure who love you! 7 Peace be within your walls and security within your towers!” 8 For my brothers and companions’ sake I will say, “Peace be within you!” 9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.

What we learn for this is how we worship is important. Your actions about God reveal what you actually believe about him. Proper worship must be informed by the scriptures The Psalms are a great guide for this.

This is called the regulative principal of worship. We let the bible be our measuring stick as to how we do worship.

So we sing because we are called to sing and the Bible teaches us what to sing

Colossians 3:16–17 ESV

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Psalms - means we should endeavor to sing the words of this book!

Hymns - We have evidence that song like some of the the hymns and CCM we sing are encouraged.

What we do in service on Sundays matters.

Psalms give or faith emotion

This is important to us, we are not Spock! look at Psalm 3

Psalm 3 ESV

A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. 1 O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; 2 many are saying of my soul, “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah 3 But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. 4 I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah 5 I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me. 6 I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. 7 Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked. 8 Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people! Selah

David’s family has fallen apart his son, seized the kingdom and was looking to kill him. This is recorded in 2 Samuel His foes surrounded him You see that in verses 1 and 2

So what does David do? He pours out his emotions to God and he writes this song.

When you have no words They give you words.

When you’re surrounded by enemies on all sides, hopefully not literally, your life is falling apart, the bills are pilling up, the phone won’t stop. Or as what happened to me your handed a newborn baby and your wife is whisked off to emergency surgery and you don’t know what may happen and you feel like the end of verse 2 as the world says “There is no salvation for him in God.”

You can grasp onto verses 3-8 to express the anguish that you feel and the faith you can hold onto. See the strength of God to withdraw into.

The Phrases that David uses are those of Confidence in God

Commentary on the Book of Psalms Psalm 3

David employs language full of confidence, in opposition to the hardihood and profane scoffings of his enemies,1 and testifies that whatever they may say, he would nevertheless rely upon the word of God.

So use the Psalms to express yourself, to put words to feelings that you may not be able to say/articulate.

Psalms celebrate

Look Briefly at Psalm 34 with me David has just been driven from the hands of Abimelech when he had pretended to be insane in 1 Samuel 21. You can imagine that priase to God David felt for his being able to be preserved when amongst his enemies!

You an see it again and again in this Psalm. In fact David was so pleased and blessed in the Hebrew each sentence starts with each letter of the alphabet. A to Z so to speak You can see why

Psalm 34:6 ESV

6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.

I was speaking to someone about the lord caring about their needs and they weren’t sure if they should pray for something they considered so small! God cares about us when were surrounded by our enemies just as much as when we can’t find out keys. He’s God he can do all of that with all his fullness no problem.

When you’ve been delivered or God has answered your prayers Psalm 34:19

Psalm 34:19 ESV

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

The Psalms help us to tell others you see that in Psalm 34:11

Psalm 34:11 ESV

11 Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

Spurgeon said this

Though a warrior and a king, the psalmist was not ashamed to teach children. Teachers of youth belong to the true peerage; their work is honourable, and their reward shall be glorious.

Those that share and teach the greatest of God according to Spurgeon are worthy of being nobility Lord’s and Ladies.

The Psalms give voice to out celebrations. Do you priase God when someone calls on Jesus as Lord and saviour? Psalm 34:22

Psalm 34:22 ESV

22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

If you’re not sure what to say use God’s word to put your cheering into words!

Psalms Are About Jesus

Look at Psalm 69 Prophecy come true

Consider the details of the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ in Psalm 22 and Psalm 69. These were described in literal, precise detail some thousand years before Jesus was born on earth.

Psalm 69:21 ESV

21 They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink.

Matthew 27:48 ESV

48 And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink.

Christ fulfills them again and again

A quick lesson here is that the Psalms are trustworthy, the Psalm, like th rest of the Bible speak for the

Benediction

Say: As we close our service of worship dear brother and sister please stand for our benediction and receive by faith this blessing from God

Romans 15:13 ESV

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.