PSALM
103 – “Bless the Lord, O My Soul”
(Praise Psalm of David)
(Praise Psalm of David)
The last four psalms (103-106) in Book IV are Praise Psalms reflecting on God's interventions for His people from creation to Exile. Psalm 103 is a song of pure praise and worship, with no petitions or cries for deliverance. David's focus is on the Lord with confident hope in His covenant promises.
“It is perhaps the most perfect song of pure praise to be found in the Bible… through centuries it has been sung by glad hearts, and today is as fresh and full of beauty as ever.” (G. Campbell Morgan)
Vs. 1 –
“Bless the Lord, O my soul” - This blessing to the Lord is
repeated three times in the first two verses and represents the
highest form of worship (ie “holy, holy, holy”). It is a
personal call for the psalmist to worship God in spirit and in truth,
“with all that is within him”.
Vs. 2 –
David focuses on the greatness of God's goodness. He does not want
to forget God's benefits to His people, which include:
- Forgives our iniquities
- Heals our diseases
- Redeems us from destruction
- Crowns us with lovingkindness and tender mercies
- Satisfies our mouths with good things
- Renews our youth
💛NUGGET:
VanGemeren writes, “The opposite of ‘praise’ is
‘forgetfulness.’"
•“Lovingkindness” is used in verses 4, 11, and 17 (mercy; faithful love). We are now well-familiar with the meaning of this covenantal word (hesed) which we discovered in Psalm 100 comes from the Hebrew word for “stork”.
•“Compassion” is used in verses 4, 8, and twice in 13 (mercy,
mercies, pity). The Hebrew word comes from the word “womb,” and
refers to deep, tender love rooted in a natural bond, as a parent to
a child.
Vs. 7-9 – These words come from Exodus 34:6-7 when God revealed Himself to Moses. They tell us of the fundamental nature of God and why He was so forgiving to Israel. And to us.
Vs. 12 – “As far as the east is from the west”: Why East to West? As explained by Jonathan Cahn in 'The Book of Mysteries', North ends at the North Pole. South ends at the South pole. But East and West have no beginning or end– they are infinite. This inspired design allows God's followers in the ancient days to understand just how much God loved them – infinitely and forever. It's no coincidence that the Hebrew word for East is 'kedem', which also means... everlasting. While God accepted the Israelites' sacrifices and removed their sins “as far as the east is from the west”, that sacrificial system pointed ahead to the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus gave for our sins on the cross.
Vs. 15-18 – Borrowing from Moses in Psalm 90, David compares mankind's lives to the grass and the flowers of the field... here today, gone tomorrow. These poetic verses contrast the brevity and frailness of our human life with God's mercy (hesed) which is eternal throughout all generations to those who keep his comandments (See: Exodus 20:5-6).
💛NUGGET: There was never a time when God did not love you.
Vs. 19 – God is sovereign... what a comfort to know that absolutely no one or nothing can interfere with His plans.
Vs. 22 – “Bless the Lord, O my soul!”: The psalm ends as it begins.
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PSALM 104 – “Bless the Lord, O My Soul – Part II”
PSALM 104 – “Bless the Lord, O My Soul – Part II”
[Psalm
104 has no title in the Hebrew translation but is attributed to King
David by the Septuagint (Greek OT) and other versions of the Bible.]
Like Psalm 103, this psalm begins and ends with “Praise the LORD, O my soul”, linking them together as companion psalms. In the previous psalm, David sang praises to the Lord for all the good things he has done for man. Psalm 104 focuses praise on God's sovereignty over all His creation. One commentator called this psalm “Genesis 1 set to music” because themes from the creation days are overlapped in this psalm.
“The Psalm gives an interpretation to the many voices of nature, and sings sweetly both of creation and providence. The poem contains a complete cosmos: sea and land, cloud and sunlight, plant and animal, light and darkness, life and death, are all proved to be expressive of the presence of the Lord.” (Charles Spurgeon)
Vs. 1 -
“Bless the Lord, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great;
you are clothed with splendor and majesty.”:
The psalmist addresses God directly in worship and praise.
VERSES 2-23: PRAISE FOR THE CREATION
Vs. 4 – “His angels spirits”: The writer of Hebrews quoted this verse to reveal that “His” refers to Jesus. The angels belong to Him.
Vs. 9 – “You have set a boundary that they may not pass over, that they may not return to cover the earth.”: The psalmist could be referring to the separation of the waters at creation (Genesis 1:9-10) or to Noah's flood in Genesis 7. He was likely referring to both. After the flood, God made a promise to every living creature that He would never destroy the earth by flood again (Genesis 9:8-17).
💛NUGGET: The sign of God's covenantal promise (His “boundary”) is the rainbow.
VERSES
24-32: PRAISE FOR THE CREATOR
Vs. 26 – “Leviathan”: Aren't you dying to know what this creature really looked like? This beast has been described as everything from a whale to a crocodile to a dragon.
Vs. 26 – “Leviathan”: Aren't you dying to know what this creature really looked like? This beast has been described as everything from a whale to a crocodile to a dragon.
“As for Leviathan, a name which can have a sinister ring, he makes his appearance simply as some large and sportive creature, whose very existence glorifies and delights its Maker.” (Kidner)
Vs.
33-34 – Vow of Praise
Vs. 35a – “May sinners be consumed from the earth”: Kinda harsh, huh? The Apostle Paul expanded on this in Romans 1, detailing the consequences to those who reject God. We all deserve His wrath, but He has given His faithful mercy and love.
Vs. 35b – “Hallelujah!”: “This is the first psalm which closes with “Hallelujah”, which is literally “praise Yah” (Yah is a shortened form of Yahweh). In English, it is translated as “Praise the LORD!”. There are a total of 23 “Hallelujahs” in the psalms.
💛NUGGET: The only four occurrences of "hallelujah" in the New Testament are in Revelation 19:1, 3, 4, and 6... regarding the second coming of Christ.
The well-loved hymn, 'O worship the King', was inspired by this psalm. It was published by Sir Robert Grant in 1833.
VIDEO: Chris Tomlin
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PSALM
105 – “REMEMBER”
[Though
this psalm is not specifically attributed to David, some commentators
believe him to be the author because verses 1-15 are found in 1
Chronicles 16:8-22, a song that David wrote to bring the Ark of the
Covenant into Jerusalem. Other scholars argue that Psalm 105 was not
written until after the return from the Babylonian Exile.]
This psalm looks back upon the history of the birth of a nation: Israel. The praise is directed towards God's faithful guidance of His chosen people, from Abraham to Moses, covering a period of over 400 years. There is no mention of the sin and unfaithfulness of the people during these years. The purpose of this Praise and Historical Psalm is to remember the great works of God, rather than review the failings of His people.
Vs. 1-6 – The song begins with a litany of excited commands for the “seed of Abraham”:
- Give thanks to the LORD!
- Call upon His name!
- Make known His deeds!
- Sing to Him!
- Talk of all His wondrous works!
- Glory in His holy name!
- Rejoice!
- Look!
- Seek! Seek! Seek!
- REMEMBER!
VERSES
8-12: ABRAHAMIC COVENANT (Genesis 12:1-4)
Vs. 8 – “He REMEMBERS His covenant forever”
In God's covenant with Abraham, He promised three things:
- LAND (the land of Canaan)
- SEED (“I will make you into a great nation”)
- BLESSING (“all peoples on earth would be blessed through you”)
The sign
of this covenant was circumcision (Genesis 7:9-14).
VERSES
16-25: ISRAEL IN EGYPT
TLDR:
Through a series of Divine Interventions, Joseph is sold into slavery
in Egypt, only to become Pharaoh's Right-Hand Man. Due to a famine
in Israel, Joseph brings his father (Jacob) and all his family to
live with him in Egypt. There, God multiplies them greatly in
keeping with His promise to Abraham (SEED). So greatly, in fact,
that generations after Joseph, the Egyptians begin to fear the
massive number of the Jews among them and place the Israelites under
slavery and oppression. Enter... Moses.
VERSES 26-45: EXODUS FROM EGYPT
God uses Moses and Aaron to deliver His people from Egypt. He leads them through the wilderness in a Cloud of Glory by day and a Pillar of Fire by night. God supplied all their needs because He REMEMBERED His covenant promise with Abraham (verse 42), eventually leading them to the Promised Land.
Vs. 28-36 – Eight of the ten plagues sent upon the Egyptians are recounted here (the 5th and 6th plagues are left out).
Vs. 45a – This verse sums up the reason for reviewing Israel's history: so that the people would REMEMBER God's faithfulness to them and renew their commitment to keep His covenant.
Vs. 45b – “Hallelujah!”: This psalm ends like Psalm 104.
It's amazing to see what God accomplished through such messed up mortals, isn't it? If He can make a nation out of nitwits, He can do wonderful works in us, as well. He is a faithful covenant God and we are heirs to the blessing He promised to Abraham. Hallelujah!
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PSALM 106 – “FORGET”
PSALM 106 – “FORGET”
[This is the last psalm of Book IV]
The
previous psalm focused on the history of God's grace and faithfulness
to Israel while Psalm 106 speaks of the historical unfaithfulness and
rebelliousness of Israel. This psalm also emphasizes God's grace by
putting Israel's sins on parade. This Praise and Historical Psalm gives praise
for God’s steadfast love and mercy.
“This and the following psalm are companions. They reveal the two sides of the relation between God and His people during a long period. This one sings the song of His faithfulness and power; while the next tells the sad story of repeated failure and rebellion on the part of His people.” (G. Campbell Morgan)
Vs. 1-3
– “Praise the LORD!”:
This psalm begins the way the previous psalm ended, with a
shout of Hallelujah!
Vs. 4-5 – The psalmist pleas for God to “visit me with Your salvation”:
•That I may see the benefit of Your chosen ones;
•That I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation;
•That I may glory with Your inheritance.
VERSES 6-46: ISRAEL'S CONFESSION OF SINS
A)
VERSES 6-12: Sins of the Exodus
Vs. 7 – “They DID NOT REMEMBER the multitude of Your mercies”
Vs. 7 – “They DID NOT REMEMBER the multitude of Your mercies”
Vs. 8 – “Nevertheless...”
“Thus Israel’s history is as much the story of God’s mercy, faithfulness, and long-suffering as it is the story of Israel’s faithlessness and unbelief. In fact, it is against the background of their sin that God’s patience is most fully illuminated.” (Boice)
B)
VERSES 13-33: Sins of the Wilderness
Vs. 13 – “They soon FORGOT His works”.
Vs. 13 – “They soon FORGOT His works”.
“The keynote of Psalm 105 is, ‘Remember His mighty deeds,’ that of Psalm 106 is, ‘They forgot His mighty deeds.’” (Alexander Maclaren)
Vs. 15 – This story of God's judgment is found in Numbers 11:31-34. Bored with manna, the wandering Israelites began complaining about not having meat. Though the Lord fulfilled their cravings until they were knee-deep in quail, He was consumed with anger and struck them with a deadly plaque. They named the place where this happened, Kibroth Hattaavah, which means “Graves of Craving” because “there they buried the people who had craved other food”.
Vs. 16-18 – Korah was from the family of Levi and a cousin to Moses and Aaron. The story of his jealous rebellion is told in Numbers 16. It involved a deadly God-sized sinkhole (God gets HUGE points for creativity). David's gatekeepers – the Sons of Korah (also singers and psalmists) were descendants of this rebel.
Vs. 19-20 – “They changed their glory into the image of an ox”: The Israelites at Horeb replaced God's glory with an idol made by man. In doing so, they eliminated the one thing that distinguished them from all other nations. The story of the golden calf is found in Exodus 32. Speaking against Gentile idolaters, Paul quoted this verse in Romans 1:23.
“It is not Israel alone that has been guilty of the sin of idolatry. This is humanity’s sin in general. We too are idolaters when we put anything but God in God’s place.” (Boice)
Vs. 21 – “They FORGOT God their Savior”
NOTE: The Exodus account is not given in chronological order in this psalm.
Vs. 24-27 – “They despised the pleasant land; they did not believe His word”: This refers to when the Israelites refused to believe the scouting report of Joshua and Caleb regarding the Promised Land and did not trust God (Numbers 13:26-33). They “complained in their tents” (verse 25).
“Murmuring
is a great sin and not a mere weakness; it contains within itself
unbelief, pride, rebellion, and a whole host of sins. It is a home
sin, and is generally practiced by complainers ‘in their tents,’
but it is just as evil there as in the streets, and will be quite as
grievous to the Lord.” (CharlesSpurgeon)
Vs. 28-31 – Numbers 25 tells of the first of many times that Israel fell into immorality and idolatry. The Baal of Peor was a local deity worshiped by the Moabites. The Gentile women of Moab seduced the men of Israel into sacrificing to Baal, causing the real God to punish them with a deadly plague (over 24,000 Israelites died). Phinehas the priest (grandson of Aaron, nephew of Moses) acted with zeal and a really sharp spear, effectively bringing the plague to an end.
C) VERSES 34-43: Sins of the Promised Land
This period is from Joshua to the Exile.
Vs. 40-43 – Because of their sins of intermarriage, idolatry, even child sacrifices to Molech (fire-god of the Canaanites), God gave Israel over to their enemies. His goal was to discipline them so that they would repent and be restored.
Vs. 44-46 – “Nevertheless...” In spite of their sins and repeated unfaithfulness, “for their sake HE REMEMBERED His covenant”. God remained faithful to His covenant and had mercy upon a remnant of His people.
💛NUGGET: God is faithful, even when His people are not.
Vs. 47 – “Gather us from among the Gentiles”: This verse leads most scholars to believe this psalm was written while in exile. The prayer is that their captivity would be ended and they could be “re-gathered” to Israel.
“The history of God’s past is a record of continuous mercies, the history of man’s one as of continuous sin.” (Alexander Maclaren)
Vs. 48 – “Blessed be the LORD God of Israel”: After a dissertation on the sinfulness of men, the psalmist concludes with praise and thankfulness to God... from “everlasting to everlasting”. Amen and Hallelujah! (Doxology)
“Verse 48 therefore makes a fitting crown to a psalm whose theme has been God’s steadfastness even more than man’s perversity, and a doxology to conclude Book four of the Psalter.” (Kidner)
💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛
BOOK V – CHAPTERS 107-150
There are 44 psalms in Book V. David composed 15 of these, Solomon wrote one and the remaining 28 are anonymous. Psalms 113-118 compose the so-called Egyptian Hallel, which the Jews used in their Passover. The Songs of Ascent (120-134) are included in Book V, as well. There is a strong thread of praise running through this section of psalms.
PSALM 107 – “God to the Rescue”
[This is
a Thanksgiving Psalm that ends on a note of Wisdom. It seems to be
written after the Babylonian Exile.]
Even though this psalm begins a new book, there are clear connections with Psalms 105, 106, and 107. Together, they are a trilogy of reflection, praise and thanksgiving upon the history of Israel. At the end of Psalm 106 there was a cry for God to gather His people from exile. In Psalm 107, that cry is answered.
Psalm 107 primarily consists of four sections that depict accounts of people in distress (due to their sinfulness) who call out to God for rescue.
“Consider the successive vignettes of this psalm. Love broods over the weary caravan that faints in the desert; visits the prison-house with its captives; watches by our beds of pain; notices each lurch of the tempest-driven vessel; brings the weary hosts from the wilderness into the fruitful soil.” (F.B. Meyer)
VERSES
1-3: INTRODUCTION
Vs. 1 –
This psalm, like the previous one, opens with a song of praise.Vs. 2-3 – God gathered His people from all directions to return them from exile.
SECTION
ONE – VERSES 4-9: THE WANDERERS
[Exiles
lost in the wilderness and overwhelmed with hunger and thirst.]
Vs. 6 – SAVE ME: “Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses.”
Vs. 7 – RESCUE: God led them by the right path home.
Vs. 8 – PRAISE: “Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,and for His wonderful works to the children of men!”
SECTION
TWO – VERSES 10-16: THE PRISONERS
[Forced
laborers in chains because of their rebellion against God's Word;
overwhelmed with broken spirits.]
Vs. 13 – SAVE ME: “Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble...”
Vs. 14 – RESCUE: God broke their chains into pieces and set them free.
Vs. 15 – PRAISE: “Oh, that men would give thanks..."
SECTION
THREE – VERSES 17-22: THE SICK
[“Fools”
overwhelmed with illness, close to death as a result of disobedience
to God.]
Vs. 19 – SAVE ME: “Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble...”
Vs. 20 – RESCUE: God sent His word and healed them.
Vs. 21 – PRAISE: “Oh, that men would give thanks...”
SECTION
FOUR – VERSES 23-32: THE SAILORS
[Seafarers
caught in a storm, being tossed about on the sea, overwhelmed by
waves unable to save themselves.]
Vs. 28 – SAVE ME: “Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble...”
Vs. 29-30 – RESCUE: God quieted the storm and calmed the waves, then guided the sailors to safe harbor.
Vs. 31 – PRAISE: “Oh, that men would give thanks...”
VERSES 33-43: CONCLUSION
“The final section reflects in a distant, settled way on God’s sovereign workings by which his people are sometimes lifted up and sometimes brought low.” (Boice)
Vs. 43 – “Whoever is wise will observe these things, And they will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.”: If the reader heeds the psalmists suggestion, this Thanksgiving Psalm becomes a Wisdom Psalm.
In truth, aren't the stories told in this psalm our stories? Aren't we the wanderers and the prisoners, the sick and the tempest-tossed? Aren't we helpless without God? And He – in all his lovingkindness-hesed-covenant love – comes to our rescue.
VIDEO: ACAPPELLA
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READING FOR TOMORROW: Chapters 108-112
LINK TO READING PLAN:
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