Savoring the Psalter (Psalms)

Formal Elements / Descriptive Data

Text: Psalms

CIT: God’s people must learn to praise Him in the ups and downs of life while developing their prayer walk

Proposition: Worship the God Who walks with you and talks with you along life’s narrow way

Statement of Purpose:

(1) MO – Doctrinal

(2) SO – I want my hearers to see how God has revealed Himself in the Psalms regarding the way He is to be worshiped and how they can better walk with Him.

Title (Topic/Name): Savoring the Psalter

Informal Elements / Rhetorical Data

Introduction:

· Quote - “The psalms reveal a loving God who is not only the Savior and Shepherd of his own people, but also the Creator, Sustainer, Judge and King of the whole world.” ~ Mark Water

· Describe the overall nature of the Book:

The Hebrew Old Testament consists of three major divisions: the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings. The importance of the Psalter is evidenced by the fact that it stands as the first book in the Writings and apparently could be used to designate the entire division (cf. Luke 24:44). The Book of Psalms, the hymnal of the Jewish people, is the Old Testament book most frequently quoted in the New Testament. The Hebrew title for the Book of Psalms is tehillim, meaning “praises.” This is certainly a fitting title because of the preponderance of the element of praise throughout the book. The Greek manuscripts of the Old Testament employed two titles: (1) Psalmoi (“Songs”), from which the English title “Psalms” comes; and (2) Psalterion, from which the English title “Psalter” is derived. The New Testament refers to Psalms as either Biblos Psalmon (Gk.), “The Book of Psalms” (Luke 20:42; Acts 1:20); or Psalmoi (Gk.), “Psalms” (Luke 24:44). [W. A. Criswell et al., eds., Believer’s Study Bible, electronic ed. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1991), Ps 1:1.]

Luke 20:42 KJV 1900

42 And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,

Acts 1:20 KJV 1900

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.

Luke 24:44 KJV 1900

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.

The longest book in the Bible, quoted by the NT more often than any other OT writing. Both for public worship and for individual devotional guidance, its 150 poems constitute the height of God-given literature. These were composed by a variety of authors, but especially David. Psalms is organized into five sections or “books”: Ps. 1–41; 42–72; 73–89; 90–106; and Ps. 107–150. A number of Israel’s psalms had specific liturgical usage. For instance, the “songs of ascents” (Ps. 120–134) may have been chanted by pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem; and the “Hallel” (“praise”) psalms (Ps. 113–118) accompanied the Passover (cf. Matt. 26:30). [Moisés Silva, The Essential Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), 189.]

Matthew 26:30 KJV 1900

30 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

“The Hebrew Psalms have furnished the bridal hymns, the battle songs, the pilgrim marches, the penitential prayers, and the public praises of every nation of Christendom since Christendom was born.”

“At the time of the Reformation,” says the great expositor Delitzsch, “the Psalter began to diffuse its odors as in the renewed freshness of a May morning.” Von Mueller says that the Psalms can make a life of trial to be a life of joy; while LeFévre calls them “the marrow of lions.”

The Psalter is found in the center of the Bible, and contains the heart of revelation. It is sometimes called “the Bible within the Bible,” because it summarizes what precedes and anticipates what follows. It is the one book of Scripture for which every other book has a marked affinity.

Most of the Psalms are prayers—not merely forms of devotion but the heart utterances of men who could not live without God. All of their experiences—whether unheard-of sufferings or unutterable joy—are viewed in relation to the divine will. [F. B. Meyer, Through the Bible Day by Day: A Devotional Commentary, vol. 3 (Philadelphia: American Sunday-School Union, 1914–1918), 46.]

Body – Development – Outline:

EXP:

I. Book One – Jehovah – The Becoming One, Adore Him (Pss. 1-41)

(See G. Campbell Morgan’s Analyzed Bible)

· Describe how Psalms 1-2 form an introduction to the overall Book

· Point out poetic features of Hebrew Poetry and provide in-hand examples (i.e. Ps. 119 Acrostic)

The poetry of the Psalms is unsurpassed. The one characteristic of Hebrew poetry most evident is parallelism, the relationship of one line or verse to another. Four of the most important types of Hebrew parallelism are:

(1) synonymous parallelism, in which the second line of a couplet repeats the idea of the first line (Ps. 3:1; 24:1);

Psalm 3:1 KJV 1900

1 Lord, How are they increased that trouble me! Many are they that rise up against me.

Psalm 24:1 KJV 1900

1 The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; The world, and they that dwell therein.

(2) antithetic parallelism, in which the thought of the second line is contrasted with that of the first line (Ps. 1:6; 90:6);

Psalm 1:6 KJV 1900

6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Psalm 90:6 KJV 1900

6 In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; In the evening it is cut down, and withereth.

(3) synthetic parallelism, in which the second line is a further development of the thought begun in the first line (Ps. 1:1; 19:7); and

Psalm 1:1 KJV 1900

1 Blessed is the man That walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

Psalm 19:7 KJV 1900

7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

(4) emblematic parallelism, in which the second line illustrates the thought of the first line, often by a simile (Ps. 42:1).

Psalm 42:1 KJV 1900

1 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, So panteth my soul after thee, O God.

Nine psalms are alphabetical or acrostic (Ps. 9; 10; 25; 34; 37; 111; 112; 119; 145).

In acrostic psalms each successive line or group of lines begins with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The classic example of an acrostic poem is Psalm 119, in which each of the eight verses in a given stanza begins with the same letter (cf. Ps. 119:1, note).

Psalm 119:1 KJV 1900

1 ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, Who walk in the law of the Lord.

There are editorial titles or superscriptions for all except thirty-four psalms. In the Hebrew text, these superscriptions are normally reckoned as the first verses of the psalms; whereas in the English Bible they are looked upon as introductions. The superscriptions include:

(1) technical names which designate the type of psalm,

(2) musical terms,

(3) hymn tunes,

(4) liturgical notations, and

(5) historical information.

[W. A. Criswell et al., eds., Believer’s Study Bible, electronic ed. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1991), Ps 1:1.]

Psalm 25

A Psalm of David

Title: The Simple Trust of an Uplifted Soul

א

1 Unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

2 O my God,

ב

I trust in Thee:

Let me not be ashamed,

Let not mine enemies triumph over me.

ג

3 Yea, let none that wait on Thee be ashamed:

Let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.

ד

4 Shew me Thy ways, O Lord;

Teach me Thy paths.

ה

5 Lead me in Thy truth, and teach me:

For Thou art the God of my salvation;

On Thee do I wait all the day.

ו

6 Remember, O Lord,

Thy tender mercies

And Thy lovingkindness;

For they have been ever of old.

ח

7 Remember not the sins of my youth,

Nor my transgressions:

According to Thy mercy

Remember Thou me

For Thy goodness' sake, O Lord.

ט

8 Good and upright is the Lord:

Therefore will He teach sinners in the way.

י

9 The meek will He guide in judgment:

And the meek will He teach His way.

כ

10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth

Unto such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.

ל

11 For Thy name's sake, O Lord,

Pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.

מ

12 What man is he that feareth the Lord?

Him shall He teach in the way that He shall choose.

נ

13 His soul shall dwell at ease;

And his seed shall inherit the earth.

ם

14 The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him;

And He will shew them His covenant.

ע

15 Mine eyes are ever towards the Lord;

For He shall pluck my feet out of the net.

פ

16 Turn Thee unto me, and have mercy upon me;

For I am desolate and afflicted.

צ

17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged:

O, bring Thou me out of my distresses.

ך

18 Look upon mine affliction and my pain;

And forgive all my sins.

ר

19 Consider mine enemies; for they are many;

And they hate me with cruel hatred.

ש

20 O keep my soul, and deliver me:

Let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in Thee,

ח

21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me;

For I wait on Thee.

פ

22 Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.

Exposition

Certain of the Psalms are in acrostic form, that is there is traceable in them an alphabetical succession in the initial letters of verses. As these Psalms have come down to us this arrangement is not always complete, but may have been so originally. The acrostic Psalms are 9-10, 25, 34, 37, 111, 112, 119, and 145. [W. Graham Scroggie, The Guide to the Psalms, A Comprehensive Analysis of the Psalms, vol. 1, The Scroggie Studies of the Psalms and the Gospels Library (Kregel Publications, 2014), 153.]

II. Book Two – Elohim – My Wonder-Working God, Stand in Awe of Him (Pss. 42-72)

APP: Streams in the Desert

III. Book Three – Elohim-Jehovah – My Mighty Helper, Sing Endless Praises (Pss. 73-89)

ILL: Praises in the midst of so much Lament?

How can “Book of Praises” be the title, when such psalms of negativity outnumber hymns of praise? Simply put, praise is the final word (Crenshaw 1986:293; Miller 1986:66). Praise is the final word even in the vast majority of the psalms of negativity (Pss 44 and Ps. 88 being exceptions). Praise is also the final word in each of the five major divisions of the Psalter (Ps. 41:13 [14]; Ps. 72:18–19 [19–20]; Ps. 89:52 [53]; Ps. 106:48; 150). And praise is the final word of the Psalter as a whole (Westermann 1981:250–258). While psalms of negativity dominate the beginning of the Psalter (Pss 3–7, 10–13, etc.), resounding praise concludes the work (Pss 146–150) with the final line of the final psalm issuing the command: “Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord!” (Ps. 150:6; my italics). As Luther said, “So, then, let us see to it that we thank God for all these unspeakable blessings. Let us receive them and use them diligently and carefully, exercising ourselves in them to the praise and honor of God” (1960:257). [Mark D. Futato, “The Book of Psalms,” in Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 7: The Book of Psalms, The Book of Proverbs (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2009), 4–5.]

IV. Book Four – Jehovah – My Reigning King – Bow Down Before Him (Pss. 90-106)

ILL: The Atheist

While studying in the Holy Lands, a seminary professor of mine met a man who claimed to have memorized the Old Testament—in Hebrew! Needless to say, the astonished professor asked for a demonstration. A few days late they sat together in the man’s home. “Where shall we begin?” asked the man. “Psalm 1, ” replied my professor, who was an avid student of the psalms. Beginning with Psalm 1:1, the man began to recite from memory, while my professor followed along in his Hebrew Bible. For two hours the man continued word for word without a mistake as the professor sat in stunned silence. When the demonstration was over, my professor discovered something even more astonishing about the man—he was an atheist! Here was someone who knew the Scriptures better than most Christians ever will, and yet he didn’t even believe in God. Taking The Guesswork Out of Applying The Bible, Jack Kuhatschek, IVP, 1991, p. 16 [Galaxie Software, 10,000 Sermon Illustrations (Biblical Studies Press, 2002).]

Psalm 1:1 KJV 1900

1 Blessed is the man That walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

V. Book Five – Jehovah – My Redeemer Liveth – Sing Hallelujah to His Name! (Pss. 107-150)

ILL: High Watermarks

Francis Patton (1843–1932, a former president of Princeton University, observed that whereas the high watermark of the Old Testament was Psalm 23:4, that of the New Testament was Philippians 1:23. David was willing to go, but wanting to stay, but Paul was willing to stay, but wanting to go. [John Gilmore, Probing Heaven, Key Questions on the Hereafter, (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1989) p. 63.]

Psalm 23:4 KJV 1900

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Philippians 1:23 KJV 1900

23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

Conclusion:

Worship the God Who walks with you and talks with you along life’s narrow way!

God has created us, and ultimately all things, for his praise and glory (Isa 43:7). We arrive at our divine destiny when we arrive where the Psalms end—the praise of God. But the end of the book of Psalms is only a beginning for us. It is the beginning of an eternal life of praise to our Creator and Redeemer, who sent his Son that we might have abundant life now and forever. “Praise the Lord!” [Mark D. Futato, “The Book of Psalms,” in Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 7: The Book of Psalms, The Book of Proverbs (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2009), 441.]

Isaiah 43:7 KJV 1900

7 Even every one that is called by my name: For I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.