Transcript Slide 1

WISDOM FROM THE PSALMS
• The book of Psalms is:
• “the religion of Israel at its
greatest depth, and most
passionate intensity.”
• It represents one thousand years of
Israel’s history and
• “takes them from unspeakable joy to
inexpressible anguish.”
–It is the “mirror of the soul of
humanity,” and is the “noblest book
of devotion possessed by man.”
• The book is a “limpid lake” for the
benefit of all men and a “poetic
Pentateuch”
• This book is a book of “Jewish
Hymns and Prayers.”
• Martin Luther referred to them as
“a little Bible,” while “W. O. E.
Oesterly describes Psalms as ‘the
grandest symphony of praise to
God ever composed on earth’.”
• Psalms is “the heart of Israel laid
bare,” with every type of religious
experience known to mankind,
and its timelessness is most
remarkable.
• The key to understanding the
book is to look upon it “as a living,
open book, growing and being
collected during the whole Old
Testament period”
• There are five dominant themes:
–(1) realization of God’s
presence,
–(2) recognition of the need for
thanksgiving,
–(3) personal communion with
God,
–(4) remembrance of God’s
part in history, and
–(5) a keen sense of
deliverance from enemies.
• The book is divided obviously into
five sections, a counterpoint of
the Pentateuch most Jewish
scholars believe, with each
section ending with a doxology,
Psalm 150 being a doxology of
the entire book.
• Book I is composed of Psalms 141,
• Book II is Psalms 42-72,
• Book III is Psalms 73-89,
• Book IV is Psalms 90-106, and
• Book V is Psalms 107-150.
• The book is of obvious abiding
value to all generations. Though
penned within a timeframe
covering 1000 years of the life
within Israel, it is indispensable to
all lovers of the inspired word of
God.
• It is a living testimony of Israel’s
faith, it composes an important
background for the ministry of the
Messiah, it is the deepest source
of devotional material for all
spiritual persons, and it is the
“Hymnbook of the ages.”
• “O, how love I thy law! It is my
meditation all the day” (Psalm
119:97).
• Why should I love the Psalms;
why should I love the law?
• It is God’s message of love; it is
Divine instruction; it is a message
of warnings, and it is a message
of hope. All men everywhere
should rejoice at hearing and
understanding that message, for it
is a light to our feet, a chart of the
traveler,
• a compass for the sailor, food for
the soul, balm for the aching
heart, medicine for the sick, a
sword for the soldier, seed for the
sower, girdle for the weary,
• comfort for the sorrowful,
encouragement for the faint, hope
for the discouraged, rebuke to the
ungodly, reproof to the negligent,
and correction to the wanderer.
• It is to be studied and digested
deeply in life, it will be cherished
for the faithful in death, and it will
be answered to in judgment.
• So then, let us rejoice at very
opportunity we have to imbibe in
it, appreciate every diligent study
offered, and practice all of it we
can understand.
• To obey His Word is to build on
the Rock eternal, to disobey it is
to build on the sand, and to
neglect is to stand selfcondemned.
• The psalms to be discussed deal with
four major thoughts: (1) the happy
man versus the unhappy man, (2) the
worshiper God will accept, (3) God or
gold, and (4) the home life of the
righteous.
Psalm 1
• Two Ways of Life
• or
• An Invitation to Righteous Living
• Psalm 1 is a noble and popular psalm
of “blessedness and unblessedness.”
• The two ways of life obviously are the
righteous and the unrighteous. There
is no title to this first psalm and most
consider it to be an introductory
psalm for the entire collection.
• The occasion of the writing is
unknown and it is generally attributed
to David.
• The righteous man is described in
character and prosperity, while the
unrighteous is portrayed in three
forms.
• The character of the righteous man is
described both negatively and
positively, but the unrighteous person
is described as worthless chaff that
cannot be acquitted among the
righteous or approved among those
who do not perish.
• A fitting description might also be
“The happy man” and the man
“destitute of all happiness.”
• v. 1 – “Blessed” is plural with a more
literal meaning of “Blessednesses”
The man thus walking is emphatic:
“that man,” whom God made for
happiness.
• Three negative actions in spiritual
descent are mentioned that blessed
men will not do:
–walking with the ungodly (indicating
association perhaps casual,
perhaps just secular-minded, but
becoming habitual),
–standing in the way of sinners (a
more deliberate choice of
transgression into vices), and
–sitting with the scornful (the most
deliberate choice showing
constancy with all moral feeling
brought to an end).
• Three associations the blessed man
must not have are:
– the ungodly,
–sinners,
–and the scornful.
• Ungodly refers to the unjust, those
who would withhold from God the
respect and worship due Him.
• Sinners are those who “miss the
mark,” going into actual
transgressions.
• Scornful are those who mock, deride,
ridicule, and show an open breach
with the Creator.
• Casual association at first soon learns
to enjoy the pleasures of sin and
degenerates into deliberate choices.
• v. 2 – The delight of the godly man
refers to one’s will, desire, affection,
and motive. His target for his interest
is the law of the Lord. The use of
small caps (KJV) shows this Hebrew
word is “Yahweh,” and is corroborated
by the use of “Jehovah” in other
versions (ASV).
• v. 3 – The righteous man is like a
planted and cultivated tree. It is not a
wild tree left to its own chances in arid
Palestine, but it is one carefully
cultivated. It is by the rivers of
waters, an obvious reference to the
methods of irrigation employed by the
Palestinians.
• They cut ditches so that a mere
replacement with the foot of a piece
of sod could change from one rivulet
to another (“waterest with thy foot” –
Deut.11:10 ASV). The leaf will not
wither due to the regular care shown
to keep its vegetation luxuriant.
• This tree will prosper with blossoms,
fruit, and harvest for regular and
expected seasons. New Testament
truth portrays this prosperity since
“godliness is profitable for all things,
having promise of the life that now is,
and of that which is to come” (1 Tim.
4:8).
• Such prosperity is not necessarily
always financial, but refers to a
general condition of the spiritual man,
a true prospering of the health of the
soul with eternal consequences.
• v. 4 – “The wicked are not so,” that is,
they do walk, stand, and sit with the
ungodly, the sinners, and the scornful.
They do not delight in God’s law, and
they are not like a tree planted by the
rivers of waters.
• The ungodly are simply worthless
chaff to be driven about by the wind.
They are subject to all types of
winnowing, change, and societal
whims. They can never be steady;
they are easily carried away with the
baser desires of the natural man.
• As in the early Jewish harvests,
scoops full of wheat would be tossed
into the air and the wind would carry
away the chaff, so in the tossing of
life’s struggles, the wicked will be
blown away.
• v. 5 – Thus the wicked cannot stand
approved in judgment and will not
share the lot of the righteous.
• v. 6 – The Lord fully understands the
facts of each person’s life and the
ungodly must accept their final
condemnation: perishing.
• Righteous persons write their names
on the rock, wicked persons write
their names on the sand.
• Righteous persons plow the moist
good earth while wicked persons plow
the sea, leaving only a wake of foam
soon to be dissolved by the waves of
time.
• In the final analysis, which would be
the better choice: the light, empty
chaff, which the wind will scatter, or
the solid tree that continues its steady
harvest?
• Those who choose to live by their
own rules must suffer the
consequences.
• Those who live by God’s rules will be
blessed.
• In Psalm 1 “David’s harp is strung
and tuned.”
Psalm 15
• The Guest of God
• A question and answer provide the
form of Psalm15: “Jehovah, who shall
sojourn in thy tabernacle? Who shall
dwell in they holy hill?” (v. 1 - ASV).
• Who is permitted to enjoy the
presence and worship of the Lord?
• What if an angel were guarding the
door of the building where authentic
worship of Jehovah was to take
place? Who would be allowed to
enter? (Cloer, p. 33).
• Or, what is real and true religion?
• Who will be rewarded eternally by
being in the abiding presence of the
Lord?
• The rest of the psalm is devoted to
answering this question. It is styled
as the “Temple Decalogue,” or the 10
Commandments necessary to be in
God’s presence eternally (Leslie, p.
521).
•
•
•
•
•
Be honest and righteous – v. 2.
Be truthful to the core – v. 2.
Refrain from gossipy slander – v. 3.
Do no harm to friends – v. 3.
Do no insult to neighbors – v. 3.
•
•
•
Despise the man who makes
himself odious – v. 4.
Honor those who fear Jehovah – v.
4.
Keep oaths even though suffering is
the result – v. 4.
• Do not lend money at unfair interest –
v. 5.
• Do not accept bribes against the
innocent – v. 5.
• The tabernacle was the portable tent
for the Israelites in the wilderness,
and it indicated that God’s presence
is not limited to any one place.
• Later, the temple was built on Mt.
Zion, or the “holy hill,” so Jerusalem
became the epitome of God’s
presence.
• These character traits have been true
since creation, for they reflect the true
nature of God Himself. God would
not be guilty of any of these things;
persons who wish to abide in His
presence must imitate these actions
and traits, that is, become godly.
• Being honest and righteous refers to
proper conduct plus performance of
duties. Each person has duties
incumbent upon self, duties to God,
society, and self (Clarke, p. 259).
• Speaking truth emphasizes no falsity,
empty professions, deceit, hypocrisy,
or vain conversation. If true religion
“has its seat in the heart,” the outward
expressions in life will be proper
(Barnes, p. 120).
• There is in one’s conversation no
backbiting, censure, reproach,
slander, or even low degrading
insinuations.
• Care is taken that due is given to
neighbors and that no harm or injury
is done. “Reproach” is a strong word
meaning to strip bare, as in what
happens to the foliage of trees in the
winter.
• . Thus, the righteous person does not
disgrace or dishonor the neighbor, but
rather gives credit where due, not
delighting in any ugly gossip (Clarke,
p. 259).
• Judging righteous judgment means
knowing others only by their fruits,
estimating character fairly and
accurately. This also implies that a
righteous person has the courage to
stand for truth and right, even if it
means criticism of the neighbor.
• Aben Ezra translates this verse 4 as
“mean and contemptible in his own
eyes.” If this is correct, it would mean
that no matter how pious one is,
compared to God and His glory, a
righteous person still considers self
as of no worth (Clarke, p. 260).
• Honoring those who “fear Jehovah”
encompasses the whole of true
religion. One knows and respects
piety regardless of rank, race, or
conditions of life.
• Swearing to one’s hurt refers to oaths
and agreements contracted that may
later turn out to be to one’s
disadvantage and loss.
• Agreements are not violated,
contracts are not changed, promises
are kept, debts are paid, and oaths
are honored.
• Usury (in this context referring to
unfair compensation or interest) was
unlawful, particularly to those within
the Hebrew family. The poor among
the Jews were to be given special
consideration (Ex. 22:25-27; Lev.
25:35-37)…
• …and a distinct line of that
consideration was drawn between the
Hebrew and the foreigner (Deut.
23:19-20). Compensation for the loan
and use of money was not unlawful,
but conditions of its practice were
regulated.
• Justice was to be served in all cases
with no bribes against the innocent,
no rewards to mar the cause of
justice.
• Those who would live by the “Temple
Decalogue” would never be moved
away from the approval of the Lord
and would be counted as a friend of
God. Obviously, these persons would
be accepted into the eternal presence
of Jehovah.
• Such a person would be “safe when
the cold waves of death beat about
him” (Barnes, p. 123).
• Another description of this psalm by
Derek Kidner is apropos:
• God’s guest would have:
• “I Character: True;
• II His Words: Restrained;
• III His Allegiance: Clear-cut;
• IV His Dealings: Honourable” (Cloer,
p. 34,
Psalm 49
• Higher Interests of the Soul
• A heading for Psalm 49 is “The Folly
of trusting in Riches.” (ASV),
• and one author styles it as “An
Invitation to Immortality” (Leslie, p.
541).
• Another styles it “God or Gold”
(Cloer).
• A brief outline shows:
• (1) Truth worthy for all classes of
people- vv. 1-4;
• (2) No reason to fear the rich
oppressor – v. 5;
• (3) Reasons for no fear of the rich
oppressor – vv. 6-20 (Barnes).
• The psalmist sets the near prospect
of death before the wealthy, with the
argument that wealth will not save
one from dying, neither will riches do
any good at the gates of judgment.
• Psalm 49 might also be a definition
and description of money. Money
influences everyone, money is limited
in what it can buy and do, and money
is only temporary.
• “Money can buy entertainment but not
happiness…
• …Money can buy food but not an
appetite. Money can buy medicine
but not health. Money can buy a
house but not a family. Money can
buy quietness but not peace…
• …Money can buy people but not
friends. Money can buy glasses but
not eyesight. Money can buy a Bible
but not salvation” (Cloer, p. 31).
• The first verses are an obvious call
for attention, “Hear this…Give
ear…parable…dark saying….”
• Second, the problem is stated: “Why
worry over the prosperity of the
wicked?”
• Third, there is the proposition argued
that all mankind has the same end, as
both the wise and stupid, the wealthy
and poor, come to the grave.
• Fourth, the foolish rich who trust in
their riches will be abandoned in
Sheol, but the righteous will have the
noble destiny of immortality with God.
• This last section (vv. 15-20) is one of
the places in the Old Testament
where clear reference is made to that
noble destiny in heaven.
• That God would “redeem my
soul,…receive me,” (v. 15) implies
that the righteous will “see the light”
(vs. 19) which the one who trusts in
riches, and is characterized as a
beast, surely will not see.
• Another reference is found where the
Lord will “guide me with thy counsel
and afterward receive me to glory”
(Psa. 73:24).
• Also, “Thou wilt show me the path of
life; In thy presence is fulness of joy;
In thy right hand there are pleasures
for evermore” (Psa. 16:11).
• Eternity and heaven are not absent
from the Old Testament writers.
• Wealth will not redeem or ransom one
physically or spiritually (v. 7); riches
cannot save anyone from death,
neither from the destruction reserved
for the wicked.
• Such attempts by the foolish rich fail
forever (v. 8), and this caution
probably illuminates what is meant by
the “dark saying” and the “parable”
that the author previously mentioned
(v. 4).
• The use of the parable, with no
definite explanation, seems to leave it
to the ingenuity of the reader to probe
and understand. All who are wise
enough to gain wealth through honest
labor still die (v. 10)
• The “dwelling places to all
generations” (v. 11) is interesting in
the Septuagint, as there it is carried
as “sepulchres.” With this translation
it would mean that a wooden box (3-7
feet) could contain all that is left of the
foolish rich!
• Naming their lands after themselves
suggests that they either expect their
present state to continue, or else they
expect to memorialize their names
eternally.
• “Death shall be their shepherd” (v. 14
- “feeds on them” – KJV) indicates
that a drastic change will take place
at death. Formerly they might have
lived to eat and drink; consequently
death and destruction feed on them
or leads them about.
• While this person remained alive he
blessed his soul, or received his
gratification from other men;
• now that death has taken hold, he will
never see the light of the glory of God
(vv. 18-19).
• Such wealthy and foolish persons
have lowered themselves to the
bestial level.
• Following only their own selfish
desires, their instincts for selfpreservation, self-aggrandizement,
and self-gratification rule their lives.
• The higher interests of the soul are
not affected permanently by the
uncertainty of riches.
• The vanity of trusting in wealth and
possessions will fool one into thinking
they will never be separated from
them.
• They often are deceived into thinking
that somehow they will never have to
leave their amassed gain to others.
• If they finally realize all their gain is to
be left, they will want to assume that
others, who have never worked a day
for them, will know how to care for
these newly acquired possessions,
and perhaps even multiply the
inherited gains.
• If there is anything ever taught in both
Old and New Testaments it is the folly
of trusting in gold rather than God.
• If gold is one’s god, only the miseries
of the grave await him.
• “Take heed, and keep yourselves
from all covetousness: for a man’s life
consisteth not in the abundance of
the things which he possesseth” (Lk.
12:15).
• A person’s real self is not counted by
what one has; rather, it is counted by
God as to who that one is.
Psalm 127, 128
• The Home Life of the Pilgrims
Psalm 127
• The occasion and time of Psalm 127
are generally argued to be either
when Solomon was to build the
temple (Barnes), or when the
returnees from Persian captivity were
rebuilding the temple (Clarke, p. 642).
• The title says this is a “Song of
Ascents; of Solomon,” and the more
likely evidence points to David as the
author upon the occasion when
Solomon ascended to the throne with
his preparations to build the fabulous
temple.
• Later scholars, such as Luther and
Calvin, as well as many “older
commentators,” all argue for Solomon
as the author as he takes the throne
of Israel.
• Luther’s renunciation of celibacy and
his subsequent marriage surely argue
the case for the sanctity of the family
and his return to emphasis of
domestic truths ordained of God
(Barnes, Vol. III, Appendix, p. 386).
• Building a house (v. 1) could refer to
the temple, any house or dwelling, or
to a family. “Keeping the city” could
lend credence to Clarke’s argument
that this would refer to Jerusalem
when the enemies of the Israelites
mandated extra caution.
• Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem are
mentioned as leaders among those
Palestinians who caused the workers
to keep a weapon in one hand while
they worked on the walls (Neh. 2:1920; 4:15-20).
• Though persons rise up early and
labor long (v. 2), their utter
dependence should still be on
Jehovah. He is the only one who can
give the calmness of sleep that can
be trusting and free from anxieties.
• An allusion might be present if this
psalm is from the days of Solomon,
for he received one of his greatest
blessings while asleep! His famous
choice that gave him wisdom was a
result of a dream (1 Kgs. 3:5-15).
• Children are to be reckoned as a
divine favor (v. 3-4), and the time to
have them is while still in “youth,” for
the caprices of personalities, tempers,
and health are more taxing on the
aged.
• Children are like arrows, which in this
Jewish age would suggest additional
persons able to defend and support
the family.
• The quiver (v. 5) has an interesting
alternative reading.
• A quiver slung over the shoulder or
back was the normal place in which to
keep one’s arrows during battle, but
another suggested translation is “a
fruitful wife,” with “a quiver pregnant
with arrows” (Clarke, p. 644).
• Connecting this with the “fruit of the
womb” (v. 3) might have credibility. If
this reading is considered unnatural,
too earthy, Clarke argues that such is
in keeping with the “Jewish
style…style of the times of the
captivity.”
• When enemies can be met “in the
gate” (v. 5) can refer to the gates of
the city, as defended from national
enemies, or to the gate of a private
dwelling, as defended against robbers
and marauders.
• Thus, this psalm is surely a “Soliloquy
of the Happy Householder,” most
likely a poor man with a large loving
family. He is happy, contented,
hardworking, independent and greatly
blessed by children. They will offer
comfort, care, and protection even
when he is old
Psalm 128
• Psalm 128 seems to describe the
humble and poor man with the large
family sitting at his table for a meal (v.
3). His true blessings come because
he fears Jehovah and walks in his
ways (v. 1).
• This man eats the labor of his own
hands (v. 2). This shows that God will
bless those who work, that living
independently is the proper place for
every family, and that there is honor
and dignity in honest labor and toil.
• As a general rule prosperity, though
varying in degree, will come to the
diligent, not to the indolent. Years
later, Christians in Thessalonica had
a problem with this idea, and Paul
urged them to “work with your
hands…
• that you may walk becomingly toward
them that are without, and may have
need of nothing” (1 Thes. 4:11-12).
Evidently some of these Christians
did not heed that admonition, so Paul
later added an opprobrium “If any will
not work, neither let him eat” (2 Thes.
3:10).
• A wife being as a ‘fruitful vine” (v. 3)
again emphasizes the childbearing
blessing of womanhood. As bunches
of grapes on a fruitful grapevine
would show it to be a living, healthy,
prospering vine, so a wife that could
bear many children blesses a
husband.
• Posterity was considered a great
blessing to the Jews; consider
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. A man
was considered rich who had a large
posterity.
• Children as “olive plants” suggest
health, energy, and prosperity (v. 3).
Olive plants were looked upon as
fresh, green, spreading, and fruitful.
• One curious suggestion about olive
trees is that aged decaying olive trees
are often surrounded by tender young
shoots springing up from the roots of
venerable trees and surrounding
them (Barnes, Vol. III, p. 254).
• The man who has this kind of respect
for and trust in the Lord will thus be
amply blessed. He would be able to
see and enjoy his “children’s
children.” His blessings will spread
not only to his family, but also to his
religious life:…
• …to Zion as “the seat of the
theocracy” (Alexander, p. 519), to the
great city Jerusalem, and to his nation
Israel. Families like this are the
bedrock of great cities and great
nations.
• Cities and nations begin to crumble
when the family structures crumble.
Peace would be upon Israel as long
as men and families continued to
meet God’s conditions.
Conclusion
• No other portion of Scripture is so
wide, so deep, so thorough, so
enriching, so enlightening, so
majestic, so sweet, so lasting in its
impressions on the human soul, and
so poignant in its praise and
adoration of God as will be found in
“The Psalter.”
• It challenges the entire scope of
human emotions, sweeping from
laments of persecutions endured
among enemies to the highest joys in
the presence of God’s sure mercies.
• Some of the saddest entreaties for
human frailties can touch the soul of
every person who reads, and yet,
some of the sweetest joys of the
abiding and abundant loving-kindness
of a beneficent Almighty will assuage
the hurting hearts of those who seek
to do the will of Jehovah.
• Go to the Psalms to learn about
mercy.
• Go to the Psalms to learn about
forgiveness.
• Go to the Psalms to learn about
devotion.
• Go to the Psalms to learn about
praise to the Almighty.
• Go to the Psalms to learn about
prayer.
• Go to the Psalms to learn about
worship.
• Go to the Psalms to learn about quiet
meditation.
• Go to the Psalms to learn about
thankfulness.
• Go to the Psalms to learn around
spirituality.
• Go to the Psalms to learn about God.
• As someone has said about “The
Psalter,”
• “Read it on your knees.”