How to Study God’s Word (Psalm 133) (part 2)

Putting the Steps in action: Using

Psalm 133 NKJV

A Song of Ascents. Of David. 1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments. 3 It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the Lord commanded the blessing— Life forevermore.

Step 1: Author

Step 2 Background

Step 3: Context

Because this is only 3 verse and Psalms are interpreted based on the psalm itself unless it has an inscription.

Step 4:OBSERVATION

Here you will find the answer to this question,

WHAT DOES THE PASSAGE SAY? Within this question are the following various questions that you will ask of the text. Observation becomes more effective as you read the passage over and over again. So, read the passage slowly multiple times.

· Who is involved?

Brethren: the children of Israel

Aaron:

· What happened? The unity of the tribes of Israel

What was taught? Brotherly unity is good and pleasant. How good is it? How pleasant is it? David answers by providing 2 metaphors. One showing God’s approval and the other showing the fruitful benefits of this unity. Here I would take those metaphors and prove why I said that the oil dripping from Aaron’s beard signifies God’s approval and then why the dew falling signified fruitfulness.

When, where, and how did it happen?

When? If my assessment of the background is correct then

2 Samuel 5:1–3 NKJV

1 Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and spoke, saying, “Indeed we are your bone and your flesh. 2 Also, in time past, when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them in; and the Lord said to you, ‘You shall shepherd My people Israel, and be ruler over Israel.’ ” 3 Therefore all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord. And they anointed David king over Israel.

Where? This question can address either the location of the writing (where was this written) or the location of the things in the passage being address. With this passage, the location of the writing is unknown, but the place is the nation of Israel.

How? The nation came to together

Why did it happen? After the death of Saul, Abner made Saul’s son Ishosheth king over Israel , but the tribe of Judah made David their king. Now, after the death of Abner and the murder of Ishbosheth (2 Samuel 4:1-8), the tribal leaders came to David.

5th step: Interpretation

Here you will find the answer to this question,

WHAT DID THIS PASSAGE MEAN BY WHAT IT SAYS TO THE ORIGINAL HEARERS?

With this question, you are trying to understand the language, culture, history, and geography of the original writer and recipients, using the following principles:

Literal principle: Understand the passage in its literal, normal, natural sense. Understand the literal truth of the passage (figures of speech speak to a literal truth). NO SECRET MEANINGS

Grammatical principle: Understand the grammar of the sentences in your passage: prepositions, pronouns, verbs, and nouns. Also, look up the meaning of the words.

Verse 1

Behold how good: This one word in the Hebrew, which means good, pleasant, agreeable

Pleasant: means delightful, sweet, lovely, agreeable

Dwell: means to dwell, remain, sit, abide

Brothers: Relative, kinship, same tribe

Unity: union, unitedness or together, all together, alike

Verse 2

Oil: means oil, olive oil (for anointing)

Like the precious: means good, pleasant, agreeable

Upon the head: in this context it means head

To go: to go down, descend,

Garment: means garment

To the skirts: means extremity, end

Verse 3

As the dew: means

Of Hermon: means sanctuary- a mountain on the northeastern border of Palestine and Lebanon and overlooking the border city of Dan

That descended: means to go down or descend

Upon the mountains: means either mountain, hill, hill country, mount

Of Zion: means parched place; another name for Jerusalem especially in the prophetic books

Commanded: to command, appoint, ordain (of divine act)

For there the LORD: the self-existing One

The blessing: means blessing

Life: means lively, active (of man)

For evermore: means long duration, forever, always

Historical principle: Understand the historical setting. What did it mean to the people to whom it was spoken? written? Understanding that the consecration of Aaron which included him being anointed with oil, signified God’s approval. When the David was anointed to be king by Samuel, the oil would not pour out on the other brothers but only poured out for David. The dew of Hermon fell every morning on the ground from the cool night air. This “is a source of great fertility (Gen 27:28; Deu 33:13; Zec 8:12)” [this is from the background section]. It signifies fruitful benefits of this unity.

· Synthesis principle: Understand that all Scripture comes together. The Bible does not contradict itself. So don’t have your interpretation contradict other parts of the Bible. (Cross-references: what do other passages say about the same subject)

Now, you explain the text by adding the necessary information gather in studying

Something like this: Thinking about all the children of Israel coming together or united, David sought to express his feelings in this song by asking and then answering his own question. Look at verse 1, it says, “Behold how good and pleasant it is for . . .”

APPLICATION: Here you will answer the question, SO WHAT? WHAT

After you have looked at all of the things above and have drawn some conclusions, ask this question: WHAT ARE THE ETERNAL (timeless) PRINCIPLES FOUND IN THE PASSAGE? By this I mean what is the text saying that was true to the original hearers and also true to you? The following questions help determine the principles found in the passage.

Is there a . . .

1. STANCE or a wrong way of thinking that you need to change? (challenged)

2. TRUTH to believe? (Challenged)

3. UNRIGHTEOUS ACT to repent of? (Reveals / convicted)

4. DIRECTIVE to obey?(Commands / challenged or convicted)

5. YOKE OF BONDAGE to remove? (Heb 12:1) (convicted)

6. ILLUSTRATION to follow? (Inspired)

7. NEED to pray for? (Challenged or convicted)

8. GUARANTEE to claim? (Inspired)

After understanding the text, you can apply the text first to your life and then to others (I add to others because I expect that you will use this process when you are teaching).

In application you are looking for the eternal principles found in the text, meaning what are the truths in the text that carry over no matter then or now. First look for direct application.

As you look at the questions above, all of them may not be answerable. The eternal principle is that God blesses the unifying of His people together.

So what needs to change:

My stance like “I don’t need other people” that needs to change because the passage teaches that it is a good and pleasant thing for God’s people to be united.

Or

My stance like “We need everyone (sinner and saint) to come together” that needs to change because the passage teaches that God’s people come together.

Or

My stance like “We need all black people to be united” to change because the passage teaches that all God’s people come together.

Or

Follow the illustration expressed in the passage that God’s people coming together is good and pleasant.

Or

Believe the truth that God approves God’s people coming together and that God will bring fruitful benefits to it.

Or

The promise that God commanded that the His people coming together is a blessing forever.

After seeing these things, you can ask question number 7.

What do you need to pray for . . .