Razor Planet



Psalms

The book of Psalms is a collection of hymns and prayers. They are written by various people over a long period of time. King David wrote some of them, and priests and directors of the temple music wrote others.

The Psalms cover the whole range of our experiences of God, from praising him for our creation and salvation, to complaining about our situation or circumstances. Above all, they are honest with God, and help us to talk to him straight from the heart. Even a lament, when addressed to God, is regarded in the Psalms as ‘praise’. The title ‘Psalms’ means ‘praises’.

Outline

Book 1: Psalms 1–41

Book 2: Psalms 42–72

Book 3: Psalms 73–89

Book 4: Psalms 90–106

Book 5: Psalms 107–150

Introduction

The Psalms were probably collected together after the Jews’ return from their exile in Babylon. Psalm 137 recalls those sad and desperate days:

By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept

when we remembered Zion.

There on the poplars

we hung our harps,

for there our captors asked us for songs,

our tormentors demanded songs of joy;

they said, ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion!’

How can we sing the songs of the Lord

while in a foreign land (137:1–4)?

|The editors |

|In the early Middle Ages, scholars called the Massoretes edited the Psalms. They put in vowel sounds (there are no vowels in |

|written Hebrew) and accents, and marked the Psalms for public reading and singing. Their work was carried out between about ad |

|600 and 1000. They did the same for the poetic books of Job and Proverbs. |

|Simple and subtle |

|The Hebrew language is full of fun. It enjoys wordplay and double meaning. It can express the heights of praise as well as the |

|depths of despair. Many of the Psalms have a rhythm, and the lines often run in couplets — the thoughts echoing and |

|complementing each other. When this happens it is called ‘parallelism’. |

The Psalms are arranged in five sections, or books. The sections don’t always follow a theme and are not in order of date. Their arrangement is often informal; but some of David’s Psalms are grouped together, and there is an extended collection of praise Psalms at the end.

Each group of Psalms closes with words of praise (a doxology) such as:

Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,

from everlasting to everlasting.

Amen and Amen.

Some of the Psalms are very personal, while others are suitable for a congregation, or for singing at a festival. Jesus knew the Psalms well, and made their words his own. Both Jews and Christians have used them constantly, both for private prayer and public praise.

Who wrote the Psalms?

Many of the Psalms are written by David or associated with him. Book 2 ends with the words, ‘This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse’ — but there are other Psalms by David later on in the collection. When a psalm is described as ‘of David’, it can mean that it is either by him or for him. Half the Psalms (seventy-three of them) are headed ‘of David’. Some of these are linked with particular episodes of his life — his exile in a cave, his victories in battle or his repentance after his adultery with Bathsheba.

These are personal poems and prayers which are soaked in the blood, sweat and tears of a great believer, and forged in the heat of his experiences, both good and bad.

Some Psalms (at the beginning of Book 2) are the work of the Sons of Korah — a family which served as temple officials. Psalms 73–83 in Book 3 are by a musician called Asaph, who was a founder of one of the temple guilds.

Over a third of the Psalms are headed ‘for the director of music’ — perhaps written for use in the daily temple worship, or arranged for a special occasion.

Soul music

In the Psalms we hear a voice which is new to scripture. It is the voice of personal prayer, soul-searching, praise and hope.

During the years of exile, the prophets challenged the Jews to be responsible for their own heart attitude to God. Without a temple or king, it was up to individuals and local communities to establish their own pattern of worship. The result was a deeper personal faith for some and the development of the synagogue as a place for local prayer and teaching.

A variety of psalms

The Psalms may have been written and collected over a period of 600 years. They include hymns of praise to God for his greatness. They provide songs and chants for pilgrim festivals and royal events. They recall and teach the mighty acts of God in rescuing and helping his people. They express personal prayers of joy and sadness, exaltation and grief.

Book 1 (Psalms 1–41)

Most of the psalms in the first book (or collection) proclaim a truth about God or the godly life. They speak of God as ‘Yahweh’ (Lord).

In the whole of his creation, the Lord has given a unique place of honour to humankind (Psalm 8). The Lord lives with people who are innocent, honest, trustworthy and generous (Psalms 15, 24). Those who delight in the law of the Lord will be spiritually strong, fresh and fruitful (Psalm 1). All peoples should find their security in the Lord’s power and wisdom (Psalm 33).

Many psalms are intensely personal: asking for help against enemies (Psalms 3, 12, 25, 35), or for revival (Psalms 6, 38, 39), or for protection (Psalms 7, 15, 36).

Sometimes the psalmist cries out to the Lord to rescue the good and punish the wicked (Psalms 10, 17), or to look on his longing and count him among the righteous (Psalms 26, 27).

Often, the psalmist sings of love for the Lord and reliance upon him, using images from everyday life: the Lord is a rock, fortress, shield, stronghold, shepherd and light (Psalms 18, 23, 27). Similarly, the psalmist might describe his own plight as caught in a net, fallen into a pit or like a city under siege (Psalms 31, 40).

A psalm may narrate a personal experience of the Lord, which has changed a perspective and brought release (Psalms 32, 34, 37, 40, 41). Some psalms ask that the blessings on an individual may become blessings for the whole people of God, Israel (Psalm 28).

Book 2 (Psalms 42–72)

In this group, the psalms tend to use the word ‘Elohim’ for God. As one or two of the psalms are repeats from Book 1 (Psalms 53, 70), it may be that this is a collection for people who have a different tradition. We certainly have such preferences and choices in our hymns today.

Here are wonderful psalms of personal devotion, typical of David (Psalms 62, 63). There are prayers for revival (Psalm 42) and rescue (Psalms 43, 54, 55, 58, 59, 69, 70, 71) and forgiveness (Psalm 51). Some psalms remind God of his great deliverance in the past, and ask that he will do the same again (Psalms 44, 60). Others put worries, fears and jealousies in their proper perspective (Psalms 49, 52, 56, 57).

The psalms of the Korahites start to expand from the private and personal to the public and congregational (Psalms 46, 47, 48): ‘Clap your hands, all you nations!’ There is a great sense of God making himself known and calling people to worship him (Psalm 50). There are mighty praises to God for his acts of creation and deliverance (Psalms 65, 66, 68) and requests for his ongoing mercies (Psalm 67).

Book 3 (Psalms 73–89)

Book 3 has many psalms of Asaph, as though these may have been by him or were in his collection as a choirmaster.

Again, there are psalms for personal use: a reflection on jealousy (Psalm 73) and pleas for guidance (Psalm 86) and deliverance (Psalm 88). But several of the psalms are for public and national repentance and praise. There is a corporate memory of defeat and desecration (Psalms 74, 79), the cry for rescue and restoration (Psalm 80), and celebration that God alone is sovereign and judge (Psalms 75, 76).

Here is the sweep of narrative, recounting God’s actions in nature and history (Psalm 78) and his covenant with David (Psalm 89). There is the call for people to turn to God (Psalms 81, 82), the longing for God to overthrow enemies (Psalm 83) and the aching desire for peace (Psalm 85).

In this book, too, there emerges the sense of Zion as God’s holy mountain and city — the center and joy of the whole earth (Psalm 87).

Book 4 (Psalms 90–106)

The fourth book begins with reflection on human life and history in the light of eternity (Psalm 90) and the absolute reliability of God (Psalm 91). There is thankfulness for the blessings of a God-centered life (Psalm 92).

Then follows a group of psalms which praise God for his kingship of the world (Psalms 93–100), and some beautiful psalms of David, brimming with righteousness (Psalm 101), longing (Psalm 102) and praise (Psalm 103). Again, there are psalms which draw on God’s provision in nature (Psalm 104) and dealings with Israel (Psalms 105, 106). They evoke wonder and joy.

Book 5 (Psalms 107–150)

Book 5 begins with a review of God’s rescue from desperate situations (Psalm 107), and David’s determination to honor him (Psalm 108). David also calls down curses on the head of an enemy (Psalm 109)!

There is a psalm in honor of the Lord’s chosen king, who will be both priest and judge (Psalm 110), which is followed by praise of God (Psalm 111) and his faithful people (Psalm 112).

There is a selection of songs for Passover, known as the ‘Egyptian Hallel’ (Psalms 113–118). ‘Hallel’ lives on in our word ‘Hallelujah!’, which means ‘Praise God!’

The longest psalm is personal — praising God for his law and asking for help in keeping it (Psalm 119). There follows a collection of ‘Songs of Ascent’, to be sung by Jewish pilgrims as they journey up to the temple in Jerusalem (Psalms 120–134). There are also psalms praising God for his Passover rescue and victory over pagan tyrants and idols (Psalms 135, 136).

Suddenly we are plunged into the painful memory of exile (Psalm 137), but surface to recall the kingship of God (Psalm 138) and his complete knowledge of us (Psalm 139). Next come some psalms of David asking for protection and vindication in the face of his enemies (Psalms 140–143), and praises which testify to God’s power and grace (Psalms 144, 145).

The book of Psalms ends with a final Hallel, calling all of creation to praise God (Psalms 146–150).

|What the scholars say about the Psalms |

|Hermann Gunkel, in 1904, identifies different types of Psalms. He finds hymns, thanksgivings, laments and epic dramas for royal |

|occasions. He notes how the Psalms belong to the great occasions of national life — the miracle of the exodus, the wonder of the|

|Torah (law) and the majesty of God and of his anointed king. |

|Sigmund Mowinckel, in the early 1920s, traces the Psalms to the golden age of the monarchy with its festivals and celebrations. |

|He thinks that the Feast of Ingathering and Tabernacles was a time for enacting the glorious victory and kingship of God. |

|In the Psalms, Mowinckel finds the scripts for great battles with the forces of chaos, the victory procession of God to his holy|

|place (Mount Zion) and the renewing of his covenant commitment with his people. |

|Suddenly the Psalms come alive — springing from their dusty pages to share the shouts and sobs, laughter and music, dancing |

|feet, clapping hands and swirling robes of God’s praising people. God’s salvation is to be remembered from the past and |

|celebrated in the present. It is to be enjoyed by everyone now! |

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Hymns of praise

The basis of all praise is that God has created the world. He has conquered the forces of chaos, and defeated all other gods:

He set the earth on its foundations;

it can never be moved.

You covered it with the deep as with a garment;

the waters stood above the mountains.

But at your rebuke the waters fled,

at the sound of your thunder they took to flight… (104:5–7).

However, God has done more than create the world. He has chosen and saved a nation for himself — the people of Israel. A popular theme in the Psalms is the great deliverance of Israel at the exodus, when God brought his people out of Egypt through the Red Sea:

With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,

the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.

The waters saw you, O God,

The waters saw you and writhed;

the very depths were convulsed (77:15–16).

After the exodus, there were hard lessons to be learned in the years of wandering in the desert. Some psalms recall what happened in those days of friction and discontent:

How often they rebelled against him [God] in the desert

and grieved him in the wasteland!

Again and again they put God to the test;

they vexed the Holy One of Israel (78:40–41).

|Music to our ears |

|The book we know as ‘Psalms’ is called ‘Praises’ in the Hebrew scriptures. Our word ‘Psalms’ comes from the Greek word |

|‘psalmoi’, which means ‘music played on instruments’. |

The Psalms remind Israel of God’s ways and his standards, so that they can avoid making the same mistakes in the future. They make history come alive, to encourage repentance and praise in the present, and to give hope for the future.

The Psalms provide songs and prayers for every human situation. Hymns of praise spring from the great things God has done, both for Israel as a nation and for individuals in their own lives:

Praise the Lord, O my soul;

all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Praise the Lord, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits —

who forgives all your sins

and heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the pit,

and crowns you with love and compassion,

who satisfies your desires with good things

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s (103:1–5).

Some psalms are in praise of Zion — the name for Jerusalem as God’s holy city. Pilgrims approaching the capital might sing these hymns as they approach their destination — the city of their king and the temple of their God:

Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise,

in the city of our God, his holy mountain.

It is beautiful in its loftiness,

the joy of the whole earth.

Like the utmost heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion,

the city of the Great King.

God is in her citadels;

he has shown himself to be her fortress (48:1–3).

God is the true king, not only of Israel, but of the whole earth. It is he who gave his people victory over the pagan nations around:

Clap your hands, all you nations;

shout to God with cries of joy.

How awesome is the Lord Most High,

the great King over all the earth!

He subdued nations under us,

peoples under our feet (47:1–3).

The Lord, the God of Israel, is God of the whole world. The nations are summoned to celebrate the history of Israel — because this is to be their story too. The kings of the nations will assemble as the people of the God of Abraham (47:9).

For most people today, both Jews and Christians, the Psalms provide beautiful expression for personal worship:

I love you, O Lord, my strength.

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;

my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.

He is my shield and the horn [strength] of my salvation, my stronghold.

I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise

and I am saved from my enemies (18:1–3).

A large number of psalms are devoted to the cries of pain or longing:

As the deer pants for streams of water,

so my soul pants for you, O God.

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

When can I go and meet with God (42:1–2)?

Most of these psalms emerge into confidence and praise. They sing with the wisdom that comes from knowing God’s rescue at first hand:

Once God has spoken;

twice have I heard this:

that power belongs to God,

and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord.

For you repay to all

according to their work (62:11–12).

Some psalms are concerned with royal occasions and the special status of the king. They are written for coronations, weddings and anniversaries, but they can also look forward to the Messiah. This one, for example, is quoted by the Gospel writers when Jesus is baptized:

He [God] said to me, ‘You are my Son;

today I have become your Father.

Ask of me,

and I will make the nations your inheritance,

the ends of the earth your possession.

You will rule them with an iron sceptre;

you will dash them to pieces like pottery’ (2:7–9).

Jesus and the first Christians knew the Psalms and drew inspiration from them. Quotations from them are an integral part of the Gospels and letters of the New Testament. But this is also a book of prayers for us to use today. Here are beauty and honesty, praise and petition, laughter and tears. Here is soul music to which we can tune the song of our own spirit.

The Psalms help us to enter into the supreme privilege of being human, which is to praise God from our own hearts and with our own lips: ‘Praise the Lord, O my soul!’

|The king |

|The king has an important part to play in the Psalms. He is God’s Son — holy and set apart as the Lord’s anointed servant. On |

|rare and special occasions he may even act as a priest, offering prayers and sacrifices to God on behalf of his people. Of |

|course, all Israel’s kings are merely human — but their special status points forward to the Messiah. He will be the perfect |

|king and great high priest. |

Discovering Psalms

A selection of Psalms:

Psalm 1 The good life

Psalm 2 God’s supreme rule

Psalm 8 Glory in the heavens and humankind

Psalm 19 The cosmos and the commandments

Psalm 22 Pain and praise

Psalm 23 The Lord, my shepherd

Psalm 51 A plea for forgiveness

Psalm 73 True wealth

Psalm 95 A call to worship

Psalm 100 The gladness of access

Psalm 103 Amazing grace

Psalm 107 Thanks for the memories

Psalm 119 The way of life

Psalm 121 All-round protection

Psalm 139 ‘All yours!’

Psalm 150 Hallelujah chorus

The good life

(Psalm 1)

The first psalm provides an introduction to the whole collection. It describes the happiness of people who delight in God’s law — chewing it over like a dog with a bone. The law feeds and refreshes them, enabling them to live good, happy and fruitful lives. The truth that they hold in their hearts shapes their everyday behaviour, so that they avoid those who plot wickedness, do wrong or scorn godliness.

By contrast, those who reject God’s law are like chaff. They have no substance or stability. Like the husks which the wind blows away when grain is winnowed, they will never survive in the furnace of God’s judgment. They will have no place among God’s people.

Here is a choice which everyone must make and there is no escaping. Either we go the way of God’s law or the way of the wicked. The first leads to life, but the second leads to destruction.

God’s supreme rule

(Psalm 2)

The nations of the world think they can overthrow God’s purpose and his anointed king — but their plans are paltry and pitiful. They stand no chance, as God well knows. Once he has stopped laughing at their feeble efforts, he gives a ringing declaration of his authority: ‘I have installed my king on Zion, my holy hill.’

This is a psalm about the certain triumph of God’s kingdom, through his partnership with the king, his obedient servant and Son. It may look back to the day of coronation, when God endorsed and enthroned his chosen king David. It certainly looks forward to the coming of Christ (which is the Greek word for ‘anointed one’).

These verses are quoted many times in the New Testament, and especially at the baptism and transfiguration of Jesus (Mark 1:11 and Matthew 17:5). Paul quotes them in a sermon about the resurrection of Jesus (Acts 13:33). The disciples see the hostility of kings and rulers when Herod and Pilate conspire to crucify Jesus, the Lord’s anointed (Acts 4:25–28).

For Christians, this psalm has many glimpses of Jesus. For Jews, it is about the crucial kingship of David and his descendants. Here is the promise that David’s line will rule the whole earth, and that all nations must reckon with his God-given authority in the end (Revelation 2:27). They will be wise to bow to him while they still have the chance. They will find both peace and safety in his just and gentle rule.

Glory in the heavens and humankind

(Psalm 8)

Here is a majestic, thoughtful hymn of praise.

The psalmist reflects that God has shown his glory in the vastness and beauty of the heavens. But, just as wonderfully, he allows his name to be praised by the lips of human babies.

God’s enemies and critics (of whom the chief is Satan) are dumbfounded that God should share his honour (and risk his reputation) by making humankind in his own image (Genesis 1:26).

Human beings are tiny specks in the scales of creation, yet we are the supreme object of God’s compassion. We are also the ones who will share God’s eternal glory. Meanwhile, it is to us that God has entrusted the charge and care of his creation in all its variety.

The psalmist closes as he began, with words of wonder, submission and praise. The Lord of creation is our Lord!

The cosmos and the commandments

(Psalm 19)

There are two great witnesses to the power and perfection of God — they are his creation and his law.

The psalmist describes the heavens as a silent, eloquent declaration of God’s greatness. If the heavens are full of wonder, how much more wonderful must their creator be! Not a word is said, but the glorious evidence of his majesty is transmitted continually everywhere and to everyone.

The sun is a supreme example of God’s creation. Every day it rises in a blaze of light and heat — like a bridegroom setting out for his wedding. Yet the heavens are a mere tent that God has pitched; and the sun runs the course that God has set.

Now the psalmist turns to the other great witness, which is the law. In its way the law is just as glorious, bright and life-giving as the sun. The two belong together — the sun ruling the cosmos and the law ruling the conscience. Without them, there would be darkness in both the outer world and the inner heart.

The psalmist praises God’s law for its perfect revelation of his will. He uses the term ‘the Lord’, which has a greater sense of relationship than the more general title ‘God’. This is God’s personal law, with its reliable statutes, true precepts and enlightening commands.

The psalmist finds that God’s law helps him to stay pure, gives him a clear conscience and alerts him to moral danger. It is more valuable than gold, more delicious than honey and endlessly rewarding. It keeps him in step with God’s will.

Just as there is nothing hidden from the sun, so there is nothing hidden from the law. The psalmist asks God to forgive the faults he is unable to see in himself, because they are so much a part of his human nature and the society in which he is set. Moses taught that some sins are unconscious or accidental — but they are sins all the same. The psalmist begs God’s help, too, when he has a strong desire to do wrong.

The psalmist ends with a prayer that his words and thoughts may please God, who sees everything. God is like a rock that shelters from the sun. He is like a redeemer or next of kin, who rescues from the penalty of breaking the law.

Pain and praise

(Psalm 22)

This is the psalm that Jesus cries out as he hangs on the cross. We cannot read it without thinking how completely its words are fulfilled in the suffering and salvation of Christ.

The psalmist feels abandoned by God, as he calls out ceaselessly for help. There is no occasion in David’s life that we can link very closely with this description, although he was often in danger and persecuted for long periods of time.

Despite his pain and dereliction, the psalmist still trusts in God. He doesn’t curse God or deny him. He knows that the Lord is holy, righteous and enthroned as king. He recalls that God has rescued and delivered others in the past.

The sufferer describes himself as ‘a worm’ — reduced and diminished, devoid of any sense of worth or significance. He is despised, mocked, insulted, taunted… Yet he never sinks into self-pity, never blames himself for his fate and never seeks revenge.

So many of these details only make sense when they are fulfilled in the crucifixion of Jesus: the animal behaviour of the crowd, the blasphemous taunts about God’s rescue, the dislocation of the body stretched in torture, the desperate thirst, pierced hands and feet, the disposal of the clothes… (Matthew 27:33–46).

In all that is happening to him, the sufferer continues to confide in God. He calls out for deliverance from the enemies which surround him. He remembers God’s lifelong care of him, right from the moment he was born. He lifts up his heart in hope … then suddenly makes a bold declaration: ‘He has listened!’

Now the psalmist’s words turn from pain and abandonment to praise and hope. He knows that he will live to celebrate God’s deliverance — sharing a sacrificial meal of thanksgiving with the poor and needy.

His good news will travel, so that all the families and nations of the world will hear it. Even the wealthy and self-sufficient, even the dying, even the countless generations yet to come, will hear about this saving God and put their trust in him.

The Lord, my shepherd

(Psalm 23)

This is the best known and most popular of all the Psalms. It speaks of God’s love and faithfulness in every circumstance of life, both now and in the future.

We are invited to imagine the eastern shepherd at work. He is the leader, provider and protector of his flock. He knows every animal by name, and values each one more than his own life. As David was a shepherd-boy, and Jesus describes himself as the ‘good shepherd’, these verses take us to the heart of pastoral care.

Walking ahead of his sheep and calling them to follow, the shepherd finds fresh pasture to graze and safe places to drink. Even when the flock has to squeeze through a narrow defile, the sheep have nothing to fear. The shepherd can haul them to safety with his staff, or beat on the rock wall with his rod to let them know he is near.

The shepherd tends his sheep in every way. He clears the pasture of stones and levels the potholes — then stands guard while they eat. He checks their heads for sunburn and treats their wounds with soothing oil. When they are thirsty, he fills the drinking trough to the brim. At night he takes them into his own home.

This is how God is with his people, says the psalmist. He is like a shepherd, and I am in his constant care. His goodness and love will never fail me. In old age and in the face of death, I will continue to live with him.

A plea for forgiveness

(Psalm 51)

David is in extreme mental anguish and heart-guilt. He has committed adultery with Bathsheba and then arranged for her soldier—husband, Uriah, to be killed in battle. Now the prophet Nathan has confronted David with his crimes — and he is devastated (2 Samuel 11–12).

This is the greatest of the psalms which deal with sorrow and repentance. David cries out to God for mercy, cleansing and a new start. Although he has ruined the life of a beautiful woman and destroyed a brave and faithful man, his main crime has been against God.

David is aghast that he could have done such a thing. He accepts that it is all entirely his fault. He doesn’t blame ignorance, depression or unruly passion. He doesn’t plead that Bathsheba was half-responsible, or accuse Uriah of neglect. It is from his own sinful nature that these acts have sprung — from the sin ingrained in him and in all humanity from birth.

There is no sacrifice that David can offer for the sins of adultery and murder. Unless God forgives him and recreates him, he is lost. But he is not despairing. He holds on to what he knows of God — that he is compassionate and yearns for his people with the utmost love. David prays that his gracious God will wipe away this appalling sin and thoroughly cleanse his heart and soul.

David is asking God for a miracle. He begs to be ‘cleansed with hyssop’ — as a leper is sprinkled with the blood of a sacrifice, using a bunch of hyssop (a common herb). This is a sign to the leper that he is now fully restored to health and can rejoin the community (Leviticus 14:1–9). David pleads that the bones of his soul, so shattered in shame, may be mended by forgiveness and dance for joy.

David asks for nothing less than a pure heart, which God alone can create in him. He asks that God will restore him to fellowship, giving him a fresh delight in his saving love. He prays for a new spirit within, so that he may be gladly obedient in the future.

David realizes — and tells God — that he will have so much to offer others if he comes through this nightmare of guilt and grief. The fact that we have this psalm is proof that his prayer is answered. It has helped countless numbers of Jews and Christians to confess their sins and find forgiveness, new life and peace with God.

David realizes that, in worship, it is the heart attitude that counts. Sacrifices are meaningful and helpful only if they are offered with genuine repentance, commitment and love. It is this complete openness that God delights to see, and which he will never reject.

The psalm closes with a prayer which is probably added later. It asks that God will restore Jerusalem, his holy city of Zion. The people who endure the years of exile in Babylon, or who long to see Jerusalem and the temple rebuilt, may be making David’s confession and prayer their own. The book of Nehemiah tells us how this prayer, too, is answered (Nehemiah 12:43).

True wealth

(Psalm 73)

This great psalm is written by Asaph, who is the founder of one of the temple choirs.

Asaph has been eaten up by a jealousy that has almost robbed him of his faith. He has seen that proud and wicked people lead comfortable and successful lives, without shame or punishment for their sins. He has agonized whether he has made the wrong choice in devoting himself to God.

Asaph has watched unbelievers. They are healthy, wealthy and self-confident. They buy their way out of problems or employ others to shoulder their burdens. They get away with murder, cruelty and unbridled greed. They mouth arrogant opinions, despise goodness and plot evil. They talk of the universe as though they made it themselves and own it. People flock to them, because they admire their attitude and aspire to their achievements.

Meanwhile, Asaph has devoted himself to a godly life. He has spent much time and effort keeping his conscience clear and his actions pure. But he feels it has got him nowhere. It seems that trusting God is for no-hopers who can’t face up to life in the real world. But, of course, to express such doubts would be to betray his faith and mislead his fellow believers …

After long days of heart-searching, Asaph brings his problem to God in prayer. At last, in the sanctuary of the temple, he sees an entirely different perspective.

The truth about the proud and wicked is that they are far from God. Their deaths may be peaceful, without fear, pain or regret; but they will awake to the reality of eternal judgment.

Soon it will be God’s turn to express his opinion of them — which is that he doesn’t know them. Their much-vaunted standard of living is a fleeting and futile dream. Their primrose path is really a road to ruin.

Asaph reflects on his new-found understanding. He has been blinded by envy and ignorance, knowing no more of God than a stubborn and stupid animal. Now he sees that he is truly rich.

Asaph has a friendship with the living God which will never fail or end. God is all he needs or can ever need. He may not have houses or lands or the admiration of others — but he has God, whose presence and protection is priceless, and whose purpose is to share his glory with all who love him.

And yes, holiness is exciting, and God is good to those who keep their hearts pure.

A call to worship

(Psalm 95)

This psalm begins with an invitation to worship God together. For centuries it has been called the ‘Venite’, from the Latin word meaning ‘come’. It is a summons to all-out praise, with joyful singing, loud shouts and every kind of music.

God is ‘the Rock of our salvation’ — the one on whom all our security and peace is built. He is supreme over all the other false and mistaken gods that humans may worship — gods of the depths, the heights or the turbulent seas. The God of Israel is the One who created these things, and who holds them even now in the palm of his hand.

God’s majesty and power prompt us to honour him — bowing, kneeling or lying face down in his presence. We belong to him and he cares for us like a shepherd with his sheep.

Suddenly there is a solemn warning. God’s word is not only for certain people in the past. It is also for us — now. Today may be the day when we hear his voice and receive his command. If so, we must not be resistant like the Israelites on their desert journey to Canaan.

At Meribah, the Israelites argued with God. At Massah they tested him. Despite their great deliverance from Egypt and the miracles of manna, quail, water and protection, they refused to believe that God could bring them safely to their Promised Land (Exodus 17:1–7).

God turned those rebellious people back to the desert, to wander for forty years until the older generation died out. Because of their unbelief they never entered their ‘rest’ — the freedom, peace and plenty of Canaan. Even Moses, their great and godly leader, was ruled out.

It is an awesome privilege to receive God’s word. We ignore or resist it at our peril (Matthew 7:26–27). Today there is still a ‘rest’ for us to enter into and enjoy. It is nothing less than the salvation Jesus has won for us on the cross. The writer of the letter to the Hebrews takes these verses and urges us to enter God’s rest — by hearing and believing the gospel (Hebrews 4:1–2).

The gladness of access

(Psalm 100)

This psalm is often known as the ‘Jubilate’, which is Latin for ‘O be joyful’. It is one of the most popular and often-used psalms for public worship. Many other anthems, hymns and worship songs are based on it, the most famous being William Kethe’s ‘All People That on Earth Do Dwell’.

Here is an invitation to the whole earth (not just separate ‘lands’) to offer a great shout of joy to the Lord, and to enter his presence, singing with uninhibited joy! It may originally have been a psalm for bringing a thank-offering.

The joyful shout is that of a crowd offering loyalty and welcome to a king. It is not to be given lightly, as it implies a total commitment. The people of Israel shouted in such a way when Saul became their king (1 Samuel 10:24). It is a fanfare of human hearts and voices.

This is a psalm of vast and eternal perspective. God has made us and we belong to him. We are his people, his sheep. His love and purpose cover the whole context of our lives, both now and for ever. To worship this God is also to serve him with our whole self (Romans 12:1).

Knowing that the Lord is God is a sure foundation for our praise. We are secure in his creation and saving love. We are sure of his welcome. We belong to him.

It is because God has made us and he welcomes us that we can come into his presence with such confidence and praise. The courts are the courts of the temple, where nothing unholy is allowed — and yet we may enter. This is God’s house, his place — and we can come in!

Finally, the psalmist realizes that this privilege is ongoing. God’s nature doesn’t change, so his goodness will continue. His love will last for ever. This invitation to acknowledge him is to all people, in every place and age.

Amazing grace

(Psalm 103)

Here is one of the greatest psalms. Beginning with his own heart and experience, David reviews the quality of God’s love for all people. He calls on the whole of creation to praise this endlessly merciful and gracious God.

‘Count Your Blessings’

David begins by talking to himself (103:1–5). He urges his soul to praise the Lord. It is easy, but very wrong, to ignore or forget the infinite goodness of God.

The Lord blesses David in so many ways, forgiving his sins and healing his diseases. The Lord redeems him, like a close, reliable and generous relative coming to his aid. Even ‘the pit’ of despair, disaster and death is not beyond God’s saving reach. The Lord gives every appetite its proper satisfaction, and restores the spring of youth, like the strong and soaring eagle.

David is in good heart. He is not burdened with problems, besieged by enemies or racked with guilt. He is free to stand and survey the great vistas of God’s mercy and love. This psalm inspired H.F. Lyte to write the wonderful hymn, ‘Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven’.

The Quality of Mercy

God’s character is clear from the way he has dealt with his people (103:6–18). His heart goes out to the needy. He secures justice for the oppressed. He rescued Israel from captivity and gave them his law. He was patient and considerate with their complaining; and even his anger was strictly limited.

|A God who saves and satisfies |

|Here is a God of action. He can be seen in what he does. He turns situations around: rivers become deserts and vagabonds become |

|prosperous farmers. Nobles are reduced to poverty, while the needy are made rich. This is the God of reversals, of whom Hannah |

|sang when her barrenness ended (1 Samuel 2:6–8); and Mary, too, when she was pregnant with Jesus (Luke 1:52–53). He is a God who|

|is worth praising. |

|The disciples of Jesus saw him do these works of God. He fed a multitude in the desert and called himself ‘the bread of life’ |

|(John 6:35). He rescued his disciples in a storm — and brought their boat swiftly to land (John 6:18–21). He offered himself as |

|‘living water’, the only remedy for spiritual thirst (John 7:37–38). |

|The Christian church looks forward to a ‘city’, which will be a perfect community centred on God. Abraham journeyed and died in |

|the hope of it. Jesus died and rose to establish it. It is the new Jerusalem, which God himself will give (Hebrews 11:10; |

|Revelation 21:1–5). |

This is what God is like. Even when he disciplines, his motive and goal are love. He doesn’t prosecute without mercy, or hold long-running grudges, or insist on the fullest punishment. His love is as high as the heavens; his forgiveness as wide as space. The New Testament reveals that God’s forgiveness is not because our sins don’t matter to him, but because he himself bears the cost of them.

God’s love is gut-felt like a father’s love, and is as close as a mother’s womb. We are human, fallible and finite — formed from dust and as short-lived as a flower. But God’s love gives us a lasting value and meaning; his goodness will continue to future generations. The last word is not our futility, but God’s faithfulness.

Creation Praise!

David calls on the whole of creation, in heaven and on earth, to praise the Lord (103:19–22). Angels and humans alike owe their existence and service to God. Finally, David returns to his own first thought: that he, from his own soul, can add his voice. No one else can offer my praise.

Thanks for the memories

(Psalm 107)

God’s people should thank him. He has been good to them. He has rescued and gathered them from all parts of the world and from every trying circumstance. He has been a ‘redeemer’ — a strong, reliable next of kin. And he loves them.

This psalm could be based on the exodus or the return from exile. It describes how God saved his people from four contrasting situations: desert, darkness, disobedience and disaster.

Desert

The desert is a place of wandering and rootlessness (107:4–9). It is a place where survival is a struggle and death is always near.

The Israelites experienced the desert in body and spirit during their wilderness wanderings — on the way to Canaan and in the return from Babylon. But they found that God answered their cry for help. He rescued them from distress. He brought them out of trouble by the most direct route. Instead of the trackless wilderness, he gave them a secure and settled city.

Darkness

The darkness the psalmist describes is that of prison and slavery (107:10–16). It is also the spiritual darkness of rebellion against God. It is the gloom of living with guilt and its consequences, without choice or hope.

Israel knew this darkness during the long years of slavery in Egypt and the generation of exile in Babylon. Many individuals knew it through their own fault: their darkness fell when they rejected the light of God’s law.

But God heard the cry of those in prison. He released the chains of captivity and broke open the confines of despair.

Disobedience

God’s people became fools. This does not mean that they were ignorant or unintelligent. It means that they wilfully rejected God’s way (107:17–22). Their foolhardy attitude almost cost them their lives. But God heard their cry for help. By his powerful word he rescued and healed them.

Disaster

Finally, the psalmist describes God’s people who were almost lost at sea (107:23–32). They were at the mercy of the awesome forces of wind and water. But they cried out to God — and he rescued them. He hushed the storm to a whisper. He brought them safely to land.

Here is an image of circumstances beyond human control, when chaos reigns and all is lost. But the Lord, with sovereign power and love, is strong to save.

Dire Straits and Divine Reversals

The psalmist has described four kinds of extreme need. In each of them, God has answered the call of his people. He has not only rescued them from their trouble, but positively transformed their situation for good.

The psalmist summarizes God’s activity in the world (107:33–42). The water of life is his blessing and gift; so is security, plenty and fertility. But hardship, dearth and suffering can be a sign of his displeasure.

‘Whoever…’

The psalmist closes by pointing out that these memories are not just history (107:43). They are lessons for today — for whoever will listen and learn.

The way of life

(Psalm 119)

This is the longest psalm. It is a prayer to God which sings the praises of his law, and reflects on the security and happiness of those who live by it. To keep God’s law is to walk in the light, to run on the freeway:

I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free (119:32).

The psalm uses several different terms for God’s word: law, statutes, precepts, decrees and commands. By one term or another, God’s word and way are mentioned in every verse.

The whole psalm is carefully constructed around the twenty-four letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Each letter introduces an eight-verse section or stanza. Each stanza extols a fresh aspect of God’s wonderful law, its beauty and benefits. It is like a great love poem.

God’s law is his truth, his teaching. It has been revealed so that we may live fully, safely, wisely and well. It is found in all the scriptures, but in the Pentateuch (the books of Moses) in particular.

When Moses presented the people with God’s law, he urged them to ‘choose life’! He wrote all the laws in a Book of the Law and gave directions that it should be kept beside the ark of the covenant (Deuteronomy 31:26).

The psalmist refers to God’s guidance as law, precept, statute and commandment.

The psalmist has great delight in God’s law. It thrills him to have God’s truth in his mind and God’s wise counsel in his heart:

Your statutes are my delight;

they are my counsellors (119:24).

God’s precepts are important points of detail. They are to be applied, checked and attended to. They enable the fine-tuning of a well-ordered life:

You have laid down precepts

that are to be fully obeyed (119:4).

God’s statutes are binding and permanent landmarks for living. Their permanence is expressed by writing them down and preserving them for future generations. Their truth will never lessen and their relevance never wane:

Your statutes are for ever right;

give me understanding that I may live (119:144).

The commandments emphasize God’s authority. He is the creator, the Lord. These are his ‘maker’s instructions’ — not a matter of opinion, but a necessity. The psalmist humbles himself to receive them:

I wait for your salvation, O Lord,

and I follow your commands (119:166).

Freedom And Protection

Loving God’s law is not to be confused with legalism. Legalism binds us in fearful and obsessive effort, lest we fail to do everything correctly. But love for God’s law sets us free.

God’s law protects us from the opinions of others, and from self-deceit. It steers us away from wrongdoing, hurtful consequences and guilt. It releases us to do right:

How can young people

keep their way pure?

By guarding it according

to your word (119:9).

Discovery and Delight

The psalmist loves God’s law because he loves God. He can’t get enough of God’s guidance, because it is so good! For him, it is a constant voyage of discovery; a feast of delectable insights:

Open my eyes that I may see

wonderful things in your law (119:18).

How sweet are your words to my taste,

sweeter than honey in my mouth (119:103)!

Light And Life

To know God’s law is to have a light for the path of life:

Your word is a lamp to my feet

and a light for my path (119:105).

It gives access to wisdom — like a door opening. This is wisdom which we could never discover by our own efforts; and yet the simplest person can understand it:

The unfolding of your words gives light;

it gives understanding to the simple (119:130).

A Cry For Help

As the psalmist ends his prayer, he cries out for help. He knows God’s law is good and right, but he hasn’t been able to keep it. He has strayed away and become lost, like a sheep. He asks that God will be his shepherd and come to find him:

Seek your servant,

For I have not forgotten your commands (119:176).

God’s law is wonderful, permanent and true, but it is only with his constant help that we may live by it.

All-round protection

(Psalm 121)

This is a psalm for pilgrims as they make their way up to Jerusalem. It’s a journey where one is aware of the hills, as a place of refuge or a source of danger.

The psalmist looks at these hills. They are the last resort in times of trouble: ‘Flee to the mountains!’ says Jesus (Mark 13:14). They are the natural defenses of Jerusalem, which (as the city of Jebus) was the last stronghold in Canaan to fall to the Israelites.

The hills stand for stability, permanence and protection; but the psalmist doesn’t rely on them. His protector is the One who made the hills!

The care which God gives to his people is for every individual at all times. God never sleeps; his attention never wavers. There is no circumstance which is beyond his control. The Lord himself guarantees safety in every enterprise, for the whole of life. And the cover starts now.

‘All yours!’

(Psalm 139)

This is a psalm about the completeness of God’s knowledge and care for every individual.

‘O Lord, You Know!’

David is amazed at how completely God knows him (139:1–16). It is as though God has sifted through him in painstaking detail, to know him in every part.

God has always been at work in David’s life. He formed him in his mother’s womb. He sees his every action and knows his every thought. There is nowhere David can go which is beyond God’s saving presence and love. The vastest distance, the deepest darkness — even death itself — are no barriers to God.

‘Still With You’

David turns his wonder to praise (139:17–18). God thinks about him constantly! This gives him total security. When he wakes, whether in the morning after sleep or at resurrection after death, he is still with God.

An Outburst

Suddenly David flashes with anger at the violence and blasphemy of the wicked (139:19–22). If God is so powerful, why doesn’t he rid him of them? After all, they are God’s enemies too.

There is no answer. But the psalm prompts us to realize that God has also made these enemies. Like David, they are never beyond God’s reach. He doesn’t destroy them, because his patient love waits for them to become friends.

‘Lead Me’

The outburst over, David invites God to test his inner thoughts and worries (139:23–24). He wants more of God’s perfect knowledge of him. He wants all of God’s way to life.

Hallelujah chorus

(Psalm 150)

The Psalms end with a glorious summons to ‘Praise the Lord!’ — which is the meaning of ‘Hallelujah!’

All of God’s creatures, on earth and in heaven, are called to praise him. He is to be praised by humans in his sanctuary, the temple. He is to be praised by angels in the mighty heavens, which are the vastness of his making.

God is to be praised both for his own greatness and for the great things he has done. He has created the universe. He has rescued his people and made them his own.

God is to be praised with the full orchestra: the blowing of ram’s-horn trumpets, plucking of strings and shaking of tambourines. This is a triumph of heart over art. Hands and feet, hearts and voices are to join with every kind of instrument — played with gusto.

Isaiah speaks of a day when every knee will bow before God and every tongue will pay homage to his name (Isaiah 45:23). The writer of the book of Revelation hears ‘every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them’, singing God’s praise (Revelation 5:13–14).

This is the ultimate purpose and fulfillment of all God’s creatures, angels and humans: to unite in praising him.[1]

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[1] Knowles, A. (2001). The Bible guide (1st Augsburg books ed.) (230–246). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg.

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