STUDY OF PSALMS - Chapt. 108-112

PSALM 108 – “Deliver Your Beloved”
(Psalm of David)

[This is considered a Community Lament.]

This is not a new psalm; it is actually made up of two recycled psalms: Psalm 57:7-11 and Psalm 60:5-12. David wrote Psalm 57 when he was fleeing from Saul and Psalm 60 after a historical military battle. In combining the two into a new song arrangement, David presents his enemy on both a personal and national level. He is ultimately secure under God's protection.

VERSES 1-5: RECYCLE OF PSALM 57:7-11
Vs. 1-5 – David praises God's hesed, His steadfast covenant love and mercy. In Psalm 57:10, God's love reaches to the heavens. In verse 4, it is above the heavens.

VERSES 6-13: RECYCLE OF PSALM 60:5-12

Vs. 6-13 – David's praise becomes a prayer of appeal to his faithful God for deliverance against Israel's enemies.

💛NUGGET: The Hebrew word for “beloved” is “yadid”.  Guess what else is derived from this word?  David.  The name of David means beloved. 

Vs. 9-13 – David's enemies are specified as Moab, Edom, and Philistia. It may be that the old foe, subdued earlier in David’s day, must be defeated, again. David did triumph over the Philistines with God's help (2 Samuel 8:1).

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PSALM 109 – “The Accusers”
(Imprecatory Psalm of David)

[This Psalm of David is considered to be one of the strongest Imprecatory Psalms in the collection. It can also be considered a Lament Psalm.]

REVIEW: An Imprecatory Psalm is one in which the writer calls down curses upon their enemies, asking God to defeat and/or destroy them in righteous vindication. David, himself, did not act upon these curses but left vengeance up to God. It's important to remember that David did not have full knowledge of the grace of Jesus like we do. We are to love our enemies and pray for them (Luke 6:27-28), even though it's not always easy to do. Some people make you wanna go 'Full David' and call down fire and brimstone!

Vs. 4a – “Accusers” comes from the same Hebrew root word as “satan”, who is also called the Accuser.

Vs. 4b – “But I give myself to prayer”: David is about to dump some doom on his enemies, but he knows he is not responsible for their actions or their outcomes. He gives himself to prayer and leaves it in God's Mighty Hands. Instead of seeking revenge for their injustice, he prayed to the Judge.

“The Hebrew is more abrupt and therefore even stronger. It says literally, ‘But I prayer.’ That is, ‘I am all prayer or characterized by prayer. While my enemies are uttering false words about me to other people, trying to do me harm, I am speaking to God. I am praying to God always.’” (Boice)

Vs. 6-20 – One commentator viewed David's pronouncements over his enemies as prophesies rather than curses. There are scholars who believe these verses describe the words of David's enemies against him. Others take these verses to be David's own words. If they are the enemy's words rather than those of David, then they are quoted out of context by Peter in Acts 1:20, referring to Judas, an evil man who was rightly condemned. David, in this situation, is an innocent man wrongly condemned.

"We therefore take these words to be David’s own, and while giving due weight to the element of righteous anger and of rhetorical hyperbole, we see them as comparable to the outbursts of Jeremiah and Job: recorded for our learning, not for our imitation; yet voicing the cry of innocent blood which God is pledged to hear.” (Kidner)

Vs. 20 – “Let this be the LORD’s reward to my accusers”: As in verse 4, David made his wishes known to God in hope that God would bring down his enemies.

Vs. 21-29– David appealed to God's steadfast love to deliver him. He did not ask God for assistance based on his own righteousness but on the basis of God’s name and mercy (hesed).

Vs. 30-31 – “I will give thanks to God who protects me”. The psalm concludes with hope.

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PSALM 110 – “Messiah, Priest and King”

(Psalm of David)

This is the most cited chapter in the NT with over 25 direct quotes or allusions, including: Matthew 22:44; 26:64; Mark 12:36; 14:62; 16:19; Luke 20:42-44; 22:69; Acts 2:34-35; Romans 8:34; 1 Corinthians 15:25; Ephesians 1:20; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 1:3, 13; 5:6; 7:17, 21; 8:1; 10:12-13; 12:2.

Psalm 110 is gloriously Messianic. It it not about David, but about his Lord (Adonai). It was prophetically written by the hand of the Holy Spirit 1000 years before Christ appeared upon the scene.  Historically, it addresses the Davidic dynasty.  However, the fulfillment is realized only in the Messiah.

Vs. 1 – “The LORD said to my Lord”: This is the most quoted OT phrase in the NT. Here, David prophetically revealed the words of Yahweh (the LORD) to the Messiah. Jesus validated David's prophecy in Matthew 22:42-45 when He asked the Pharisees, “What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?”. When they correctly answered “The son of David”, Jesus quoted verse 1 and asked, “If David then calls Him 'Lord', how is He his son?” BOOM!

The Messiah was not only David’s son... He was also David’s Lord.  He was Lord of those Pharisees, too, even though He wore dusty sandals instead of a crown.

“Adonai refers to an individual greater than the speaker. Here is a case of David’s citing God’s words in which God tells another personage, who is greater than David, to sit at God’s right hand until God makes the person’s enemies a footstool for the person’s feet. This person can only be a divine Messiah, who is Jesus Christ.” (Boice)

Jesus also affirmed that David was the author of this psalm, which He wrote through the Holy Spirit (Mark 12:36). More importantly, He affirms the Trinity:

“For David himself said by the HOLY SPIRIT:

‘The LORD (the FATHER) said to my LORD (the SON) ...”

💛NUGGET: Stephen was given a glimpse of the Trinity at the moment of his death. “Stephen, full of the HOLY SPIRIT, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of GOD, and JESUS standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:54-56)

Vs. 2 – “The LORD shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion”: Most commentators interpret the “rod of Your strength” as Jesus, meaning that God will give Jesus rule over all enemies throughout the world. However, Adam Clarke is among those who think the rod of Your strength represents the Gospel: “The Gospel – the doctrine of Christ crucified; which is the powerful scepter of the Lord that bought us; is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword; and is the power of God to salvation to all them that believe.”

Vs. 3 – Huh?? Don't feel bad if you don't understand this verse... even translators can't agree on its meaning. The gist of it is either: 1) referring to the Messiah's volunteer army, full of young, dewy men or 2) referring to the Messiah who never loses his strength (“dew of Your youth).

Vs. 4 – “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek”: This statement is an oath made by God (the Father) stating that Jesus has an eternal priesthood, separate and apart from the priestly line of Aaron (Levites). The priesthood of Jesus is in the order of Melchizedek, a King and High Priest, briefly mentioned in Genesis 14. In the Hebrew system, kings could not be priests and vice versa. Melchizedek was the only exception to this rule. Hebrews 7:16 tells how Melchizedek was a “type” of Christ, “a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life”. As a descendant of David and as the Son of God, Jesus fulfills the roles of King and High Priest and “is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25).

Vs. 5-6 – The King moves from the throne to the battlefield with God at His right hand (place of power and strength) and I ain't gonna lie... it's kind of a gory scene. In fact it could be right out of Revelation 19:11-16. The next time we see Jesus, He won't be looking like the mild-mannered guy on our Sunday School flannel boards, y'all.

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PSALM 111 – “The Blessed God”

This psalm is the first in a series of three “Hallelujah Psalms”. All three open with “Hallelujah” (Praise the LORD) and are also part of a group of acrostics psalms (Psalms 111-119). All are untitled and without attributed authorship.

Except for the “Hallelujah”, each line of Psalm 111 begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This psalm is connected to Psalm 112 and was likely written by the same author. Both psalms are composed of the same number of Hebrew syllables and Psalm 112 picks up thematically where Psalm 111 leaves off. Here is Psalm 111 laid out so that the acrostic device can be seen:

1. Aleph – I will give thanks to Yahweh with my whole heart,

Beth – in the company of the upright, in the congregation.

2. Gimel – Great are the works of Yahweh,

Daleth – studied by all who delight in them.

3. He – Full of honour and majesty is his work,

Waw – and his righteousness endures forever.

4. Zayin – He has gained renown by his marvelous deeds;

Heth – Yahweh is gracious and merciful.

5. Teth – He provides food for those who fear him;

Yodh – he is ever mindful of his covenant.

6. Kaph – He has shown his people the power of his works,

Lamedh – in giving them the heritage of the nations.

7. Mem – The works of his hands are faithful and just;

Nun – all his precepts are trustworthy.

8. Samekh – They are established forever and ever,

Ayin – to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.

9. Peh – He sent redemption to his people;

Sadhe – he has commanded his covenant forever.

Qoph – Holy and awesome is his name.

10. Resh – the fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom;

Shih – All those who practice it have a good understanding.

Taw – His praise endures forever.

Vs. 4-6 – Remembering God's wonderful works:

• He is gracious and full of compassion
• He has given food to those who fear Him
• He will ever be mindful of His covenant
• He has declared to His people the power of His works
• He has given them the heritage of the nations

Vs. 7-8 – These verses declare God's laws to be absolute and eternal.

Vs. 10a – “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom”: This wisdom expression is repeated in Job 28:28 and Proverbs 1:7. In this context, “fear” is not defined as the emotion of being afraid. The Hebrew word used for “fear” is “yir'ah” and can have several meanings. It can refer to outright terror; it can mean “respect”, “reverence” or “awe”. The “fear” of the Lord is a combination of all of these. A person who has reverence and respect for the majesty of the LORD will follow His commandments and seek to understand His Word, leading to the path of wisdom and discernment.

💛NUGGET: Wisdom doesn't come in a box. We have to seek it.

Vs. 10b – “A good understanding have all those who do His commandments.”

“The Psalm closes with words which prepare for the next, as they declare that the fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom, and that such as act according to that fear have good understanding.” (Morgan)

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PSALM 112 – “The Blessed Man”
(Wisdom Psalm)

Psalm 112 picks up where 111 left off with “the fear of the Lord”. These two psalms may have been written together.

Vs. 1 – “Hallelujah! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who delights greatly in His commandments.”: Like Psalm 111, this psalm begins with a “Hallelujah!” and echoes the final words of the previous psalm, delighting in God's Words.

Vs. 7 – “He will not be afraid of evil tidings”: We are surrounded, dare I say... bombarded by “evil tidings” today. They may come to you from your workplace, the 24-hour news cycle, social media,  your healthcare provider, your frenemies or even your family. Satan is the producer of evil tidings. Recognize that. Because “greater is He who is in YOU than he who is in the world!” (1 John 4:4). The one who fears the LORD will not be afraid.

💛NUGGET:  The antidote to fear:  TRUST IN THE LORD.

Vs. 9 – Paul quoted this verse in 2 Corinthians 9:9 to encourage Christians to be generous.

Vs. 10 – The fate of the wicked is contrasted with the blessings that are given to the ones who fears God.

VIDEO: 4 HIM  https://youtu.be/aceChBwbkzk

READING FOR TOMORROW:  Chapters 113-118

LINK TO READING PLAN:

https://bibleplan.org/plans/psalms-in-a-month/

STUDY OF PSALMS - Chapt. 103-107

PSALM 103 – “Bless the Lord, O My Soul”
(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.

💛NUGGET: In verse 14, the Hebrew word for “our formation / constitution” is “yetser” which denotes the shaping of clay by a craftsman into an acceptable vessel. “He knows what we are made of...” (Genesis 2:7)

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 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.

“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

https://youtu.be/We9aR22C9BI

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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!

“Seek, seek, seek, we have the word three times, and though the words differ in the Hebrew, the sense is the same. It must be a blessed thing to seek, or we should not be thus stirred up to do so.” (Charles Spurgeon)

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:

1. LAND (the land of Canaan)
2. SEED (“I will make you into a great nation”)
3. 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 5^th and 6^th 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”

[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. 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”.

“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)

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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

https://youtu.be/UJSnfJsupSM

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READING FOR TOMORROW:  Chapters 108-112

LINK TO READING PLAN:

https://bibleplan.org/plans/psalms-in-a-month/

STUDY OF PSALMS - Chapters 98-102

PSALM 98 - “Joy to the World”
(A Psalm)

This psalm is considered a “companion psalm” to Psalm 96, with multiple overlaps of scripture. The biggest difference is that Psalm 98 is entirely praise.

Some commentators have found parallels between the first few verses of this psalm and Mary's Song in Luke 1:46-55. Maybe Jesus' Mom had this song in mind?

VERSE 1-3: PRAISE GOD AS SAVIOR

Vs. 1 – Another “new song”! It is inspiring to see how the worshipers composed new and special songs for specific occasions. They kept their praise to God fresh and dynamic.

Vs/ 2 – "Salvation" appears in each verse of 1-3 (“victory” in some translations). Both words imply judgment on the nations and salvation for all. The “marvelous” things God has done for Israel is ultimately for the saving of the faithful of the whole world,

VERSES 4-6: PRAISE GOD AS KING

Vs. 4-5 – This description does not depict a quiet and passive worship. Think: Super Bowl on steroids! The entire earth is invited to raise the roof with shouts of jubilation and harps harping and trumpets trumpeting and shofars blasting... a joyful praise worthy of the King of Kings.

VERSE 7-8: PRAISE GOD AS JUDGE

Vs. 7-8 – All of God's creation joins in on the praise: roaring seas, clapping rivers and joyfully shouting mountains. The whole earth is a joyful symphony (Compare to 96:11).

VERSE 9: CONCLUSION

The psalm ends in the same way as Psalm 96, with the announcement of a righteous and fair judge who is coming to “judge the earth” and reign over all the nations.

💛NUGGET: This psalm was the inspiration for Isaac Watts to write “Joy to the World” . He wrote it as a paraphrase of Psalm 98, never intending it to be a Christmas hymn. Let's listen again, with new ears focused on the Messiah rather than the Manger:

VIDEO:  "Joy to the World"

https://youtu.be/43JhtRD244Y

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PSALM 99 – “Holy, Holy, Holy”

This is the last of the collection of “Kingdom” Psalms which begin with Psalm 93. This psalm serves as a reminder of just how HOLY God is and why He is deserving of our total reverence and awe.

SECTION ONE: VERSES 1-3

Vs. 1a – “The LORD reigns”: This is the third psalm in the Kingdom Psalms that begins with this phrase (also Psalms 93 and 97).

Vs. 1b – “He dwells between the cherubim”: We know that God is surrounded by cherubim in Heaven, but He also met with Moses on the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant between the cherubim. (Exodus 25:17-22).

Vs. 3 – God's holiness is proclaimed: “He is Holy”. To be “holy” primarily means “to be separate”. If we do not understand this concept of God's holiness and distinction, then we will never give Him the honor and reverence He deserves.

“Holiness is what defines God’s character most fundamentally, and a vision of this holiness should inspire his people and evoke their worship, sustain their character, fuel their passion for truth, and encourage persistence in efforts to do his will and call on his name in petitionary prayer.” (David Wells)

SECTION TWO: VERSES 4-5

Vs. 4 – I don't know about y'all, but I would love to have leaders who can honestly put “Loves Justice” and “Establishes Fairness” as bullet points on their resumes. I long for a King who rules with righteousness and equity.

Vs. 5a – References to God's footstool include:

• Ark of the Covenant (1 Chronicles 28:2)
• Jerusalem (Lamentations 2:1)
• Earth (Isaiah 66:1; Matthew 5:35; Acts 7:49)
• Temple (Isaiah 60:13)

Vs. 5b – For a second time, God's holiness is proclaimed: “He is holy”.

SECTION THREE: VERSES 6-9

Vs. 6-7 – Moses is given the title of “priest” along with Aaron and Samuel because he acted as an intercessor between God and Israel in administering God's justice. Their obedience in keeping God's testimonies and ordinances is acknowledged.

Vs. 8 – Even though God is quick to forgive repentant sinners, actions have consequences. God is faithful in both forgiveness and punishment.

💛NUGGET: God not only gives mercy without compromising His holiness, He gives mercy because of His holiness..

Vs. 9 – God's holiness is proclaimed: “The LORD our God is holy”. He is still holy but now... He is called “our God”. Intimacy without diminishing the majesty.

“The Bible calls God holy more than anything else, more than sovereign, more than just, more than merciful or loving. In fact ‘holy’ is the only epithet of God that is repeated three times for emphasis, like this: ‘Holy, holy, holy’ (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8).” (Boice)

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PSALM 100 – “Make a Joyful Noise”

(A Psalm of Thanksgiving)

This song is also known as the “Jubilate” in Anglican/episcopal churches and is read as a Morning Prayer.  It is also an important reading in Jewish liturgy:

VIDEO:  "Psalms 100" 

https://youtu.be/r8uFRrK5kvc

Psalm 100 is an invitation to all the earth to come before the Lord in worship.  Within this song are seven commands to worship:

1. Shout joyfully (verse1)
2. Serve (verse 2a)
3. Come before Him (verse 2b)
4. Know (verse 3)
5. Enter (verse 4a)
6. Give thanks (verse. 4b)
7. Bless (verse 4c)

Vs. 1 – “Joyful noise” means “shout for joy”.

Vs. 2 – Two commands here:

• “Serve the Lord”
• “Do it with Gladness”

“Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and a glad heart, for the abundance of all things; therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you.” (Deuteronomy. 28:47-48)

Vs. 3 – The overall message of this verse is SUBMISSION. We don't often think about submission and thankfulness going hand in hand, but they do. We are either submitting to self, to satan or to the Lord. We are not “self-made” and neither do we belong to satan. Our submission and gratitude for all He has done belongs only to our Father.

Vs. 4 – “Bless His Name”: Praise God for WHO HE IS, as revealed in His Word and through His Son. Through Jesus, God has given us the gift of salvation and eternal life with Him. We return the blessing by praising Him.

Vs. 5a – This verse gives us the reason to make a joyful noise... because “the Lord is Good.” The only time we doubt this is when we allow satan in. If satan can cause us to question the goodness of God, then he knows we will no longer trust Him. When we no longer trust God, we stop obeying Him. We trust and obey because the Lord is Good.

Vs. 5b - “His faithful love endures forever”: (also : mercy; lovingkindness) all come from the

word “hesed” or “chesed” which we've discussed before as referring to God's covenant love – His forever love. 

💛NUGGET: The Hebrew word “hesed” is actually derived from the word for “stork”. The Hebrews noticed how storks had an extraordinary way of caring for and protecting their babies by building nests in high trees (Psalm 104:17). They realized that God loved them in the same way, keeping them safe from their enemies. That's how God is – it's His nature. 

The full response to this call will later come when Jesus Christ establishes the Kingdom of God on the earth. Under His rule, everyone will experience the gladness (verse 2) of living in harmony with God. At that time singing with joy to the Lord will be natural and spontaneous. In the meantime, worshipers come before Him anticipating the future with joy—in spite of circumstances of the world.

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PSALM 101 - “The King's Psalm”

(A Psalm of David)

This is a Royal Psalm of David written as a commitment to covenant faithfulness, both in his personal life and in his court. One writer classified this as a psalm of dedication or a type of “oath of office”.

“In Europe the psalm came to be known as the ‘prince’s psalm,’ owing to the concern for the proper conduct of a Christian magistrate, prince, or king.” (Willem VanGemeren)

Vs. 1 - David sang a song of “faithful love” (hesed / chesed) exalting God's mercy, justice and integrity. All three traits belong together... mercy is only given in the light of justice and integrity.

Vs. 2a - “I will walk within my house with a perfect heart”: (or a heart of integrity). Wow. What a commitment. Because really, is there any place harder to walk perfectly than within the walls of your own house? Integrity should govern both our private and public lives.

“This is the hardest place to walk in perfectly. It seems easier to walk perfectly among strangers than in one’s own house. But you may rest assured that a man is really no better than he is to his own. You must not gauge your worth by what the outside world thinks and says.” (Meyer)

Vs. 3a – “Nothing wicked”: Literally means nothing of “Belial”, which is a word that embraces the idea of complete worthlessness and became a name for satan.

Vs. 3b – “Those who fall away” are not those who practice God's covenant love (hesed) that David spoke of in verse 1.

Vs. 5 – Slander and arrogance were not to be tolerated in David's kingdom. 

Vs. 6-8 – David chose to surround himself only with people of integrity. He wanted his moral standards to be reflected in those around him. But we've read the book. We know that in spite of his good intentions, David let a few knuckleheads in... like Joab and Absalom. Why? Because David, like us, is a mere mortal; fallible and full of sin. This psalm will only be perfectly fulfilled in the reign of Jesus Christ.

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PSALM 102 - “But You...”

(A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before the LORD.)

[This psalm is a prayer of Lament and is also one of the seven Penitential Psalms. There are also a few Messianic elements thrown into the mix.]

The afflicted one wrote this psalm during a time of deep personal and national distress (possibly the Babylonian exile) and clearly borrowed some of his phrasing from Job, who also knew a bit about affliction.

Charles Spurgeon called this psalm "A patriot's lament over his country's distress."

Vs. 1-2 – Similar to Job 13:22; 24, the psalmist cries out for God to hear his plea with no less than five different requests for attention:

1. "Hear me"
2. "Let my cry come to you"
3. "Don't hide your face from me"
4. "Turn your ear to me"
5. "Answer me quickly"

Vs. 3-4 – Do you see how satan can tempt us even with despair?

Vs. 5 – Compare to Job 19:20.

Vs. 6-8 – The psalmist is alone and ostracized by his enemies.

Vs. 9-11 – The psalmist perceived his affliction as punishment caused by God's wrath and anticipates imminent death: “My days are like a lengthening shadow” (i.e. the setting of the sun).

Vs. 12 – “But you...”: With these two small words, everything changes. The psalmist turns his attention from himself and onto God.

Vs. 13-16 – Zion (Jerusalem) is described as being in a state of ruin which indicates this psalm could have been written by someone who was in exile under Babylonian captivity after the destruction of Jerusalem. The psalmist anticipated restoration would come to Zion and the Lord's presence would return. Until then, even the stones and dust of Zion were precious to her people.

Vs. 17 – God does not despise the prayer of the destitute: “Only the poorest of the people were left to sigh and cry among the ruins of the beloved city; as for the rest, they were strangers in a strange land, and far away from the holy place, yet the prayers of the captives and the forlorn offscourings of the land would be heard of the Lord.” (Spurgeon)

Vs. 18 – “A people yet to be created”: This psalm was written in anticipation of a future audience, which tells us God already has plans for those yet to be created.

💛NUGGET: God doesn't conceive life in utero, He first conceives us in His heart and mind.

Vs. 19-22 – The psalmist knows that God hears the cries of the exiles and will set them free in anticipation of a nationwide assembly in Zion. This took place to a limited extent after the exile, but was prophesied in a big way for the end time in Isaiah 2:1-5 and Zechariah 14:16-21.

Vs. 23-24 – The psalmist turns inward again, remembering his own despair and contrasting his shortening days to God's eternity.

Vs. 25-27 – These verses are quoted in Hebrews 1:10–12 in describing the eternal nature of Jesus.

Vs. 27 – “But you...”: The revelation of God's unchanging and eternal nature gives the psalmist hope.

💛NUGGET: All suffering can be endured if viewed from an eternal perspective.

Vs. 28 – “The children of your servant will continue”: The psalmist concludes with a resounding hope for the future. Even if the psalmist's prayers were not answered in his lifetime, he had confidence that his children and grandchildren would see a brighter day and a restored Zion. The psalmist went from focusing on his own misery, to focusing on his community, the world, and finally... future generations to come.

💛NUGGET: Our future stands on the promises of God.

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READING FOR TOMORROW:  Chapters 103-107

LINK TO READING PLAN:

https://bibleplan.org/plans/psalms-in-a-month/