Psalms - Book 5
[Psalms 107-150]
Psalm 107
Verse three implies this psalm may have been written after the Jews had been redeemed from captivity.
The
psalmist
exhorts
the
people
to
give
thanks
to
God
for
His
goodness
and
mercy
and
gives
four
word-pictures
of
problems
that
man
encounters.
The
first
two
they
can
directly
relate
to
from
their
history:
The
traveller
lost
in
the
desert
and
prisoners
in
bondage.
The
third
is
of
sick
men
and
the
fourth
of
sailors
tossed
around
in
the
tempest.
In
each
case
they
cry
out
to
God
who
delivers
them
from
their
distress.
This
is
in
contrast
to
the
way
in
which
God
deals
with
those
who
do
not
obey
His
word.
The
righteous
have
cause
to
rejoice and the wise will gain understanding of God’s loving kindness.
Psalm 108
A
psalm
of
David:
This
psalm
is
a
compound
of
psalms
57:7-11
and
60:5-12
with
little
variation,
perhaps
because
they
simply
suited
the occasion.
David
expresses
his
desire
to
give
praises
to
God
for
mercies
he
has
received.
He
then
prays
for
the
fulfilment
of
God’s
promises
concerning restoration of Israel’s lands and privileges taken by their enemies.
Psalm 109
A psalm of David: David complains that his enemies, who have been recipients of his love, have returned evil for good.
He
prays
against
them
seeking
their
destruction,
then
prays
for
himself,
asking
God
to
lift
him
from
his
low
state.
In
doing
so,
his
enemies would see what God has done for him and be ashamed. David then declares his intent to greatly praise God publicly.
Psalm 110
A psalm of David.
This
psalm
is
Messianic
in
that
it
speaks
solely
of
Christ
and
nothing
else,
particularly
prophesying
His
kingly
and
priestly
office,
and
His triumph over His enemies.
Psalm 111
In praise of God’s works and faithfulness.
The
psalmist
praises
God
for
His
works
as
being
great,
honourable
and
glorious,
and
for
the
provision,
kindness
and
redemption
granted to His people. Fear of God is the starting point of wisdom for man.
Psalm 112
The happiness of the righteous.
The
man
who
fears
God
and
obeys
his
commandments
is
sure
to
be
blessed
with
regards
to
himself
and
his
family.
He
will
conduct
his affairs with righteousness and will have no cause to be afraid. The wicked will envy his prosperity.
Psalms 113 to 118
These
are
commonly
referred
to
as
the
great
Hallel.
Hallel
is
a
Jewish
prayer,
a
verbatim
recital
of
Psalms
113
to
118
on
the
feasts
of
Tabernacles and Passover. Psalms 113 and 114 are sung before the Passover meal and Psalms 115 to 118 after it.
Psalm 113
An exhortation to praise God.
Our
God
is
above
all
nations
and
His
glory
above
the
heavens,
yet
He
humbles
Himself
and
is
concerned
with
the
poorest
of
His
creation.
Psalm 114
God’s presence during Israel’s exodus.
Recalling God’s presence and power during Israel’s exodus and time in the desert.
Psalm 115
God alone is to be glorified and praised.
All
glory
goes
to
God;
idols
are
lifeless
and
reflect
the
personality
of
their
makers.
Trust
and
fear
God
who
is
mindful
of
His
people
and
cares
for
them.
The
heavens
are
God’s,
but
He
has
given
the
earth
to
His
people.
Praise
Him
now,
because
you
cannot
praise
Him
from the grave.
Psalm 116
Gratitude to God expressed in love.
The
psalmist
professes
his
love
for
God
who
delivered
him
from
a
dark
period
in
his
life.
His
gratitude
is
expressed
with
a
resolution
to serve God with thanksgiving and praise.
Psalm 117
This shortest of the psalms is a simple exhortation for all nations, which would include Gentiles, to praise God.
Psalm 118
An exhortation to praise God for His everlasting mercy.
The
psalmist
exhorts
all
about
him
to
praise
God
for
his
mercy
that
endureth
for
ever,
then
relates
his
own
experience,
expressing
the
advantage
of
trusting
in
the
Lord
rather
than
man.
He
was
consequently
able
to
overcome
his
enemies
in
the
name
of
the
Lord.
He
desires,
and
is
given,
admission
to
the
temple
-
a
figure
of
the
exaltation
of
Christ.
All
the
people
offer
praise
and
acknowledge
that
this
deliverance is the Lord’s work. The psalmist prays for prosperity and ends with a short doxology.
Psalm 119
This
is
the
longest
psalm
of
all.
It
is
an
acrostic
-
alphabet
-
psalm
made
up
of
22
eight-verse
sections,
each
section
beginning
with
a
successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and each verse within each section beginning with the same letter.
This
psalm
might
be
best
described
as
a
meditation
on
God’s
Word,
or
law,
but
is
not
as
formal
structurally
as
its
acrostic
style
and
cannot
be
easily
summarised.
It
is
perhaps
sufficient
to
say
that
the
whole
generally
speaks
of
the
privileges
and
happiness
of
those
who observe and delight in God’s Word.
Commentators generally agree that the psalmist uses ten expressions when speaking of the law:
Testimonies
Ways
Commandments
Truth
Precepts
Judgement
Word
Righteousness
Law
Statut
es
With few exceptions, one or other of these words appears in every verse of this psalm.
Psalms 120 to 134
The
next
fifteen
psalms
are
prefixed
with
the
title
“A
song
of
degrees”,
four
of
which
are
ascribed
to
David
and
one
to
Solomon.
The
remaining ten have unknown authors.
There
is
a
variety
of
conjecture
as
to
why
these
psalms
have
this
title,
but
conjecture
is
all
it
is
and
therefore
the
real
reason
cannot
be
determined.
There
seems,
then,
little
point
in
retaining
the
title,
but
it’s
there
and
has
to
be
acknowledged.
Perhaps
one
day
someone
will solve it.
With the exception of Psalm 132, which is eighteen verses, they are all very short, nine verses or less.
Psalm 120
A cry for deliverance from deceitful tongues.
An example of how a man of God can suffer as much from what people say as what they do.
Psalm 121
God’s protection.
Anyone
who
puts
their
trust
in
God
knows
where
to
turn
when
in
trouble.
God
will
protect
them
from
evil
and
preserve
their
souls
at
all times.
Psalm 122
A psalm of David.
David professes his joy in the House of the Lord and prays for the peace of Jerusalem.
Psalm 123
A prayer for mercy and relief from contempt.
Psalm 124
A psalm of David.
David
gives
credit
to
God
alone
for
deliverance
from
his
enemies
and
the
great
danger
he
had
been
in.
Confidence
is
expressed
in
God.
Psalm 125
There is strength to be found in trusting in God. Let the ungodly be warned.
Psalm 126
The Israelites are exuberant now God has brought them out of captivity.
Psalm 127
A psalm of Solomon.
Everything is in vain unless it is with God’s blessing; Children are His heritage and blessed is he who has a fruitful wife.
Psalm 128
The
man
who
fears
God
is
blessed
in
his
labours,
his
family
and
with
seeing
God’s
ordinances
in
Jerusalem.
He
shall
have
a
long
life
and see peace in Israel.
Psalm 129
An expression of God’s saving Israel out of her afflictions and a prayer against her enemies
.
Psalm 130
The
psalmist,
in
distress,
confesses
his
sins,
declares
confidence
in
God’s
mercy
and
waits
upon
Him.
Israel,
too,
is
encouraged
to
hope in God who is their redeemer.
Psalm 131
A psalm of David.
David professes his humility and exhorts Israel to hope in God henceforth.
Psalm 132
This psalm is in two parts:
The first, verses 1-9, speaks of David’s zeal in bringing the ark to a permanent resting place
The
second,
verses
10-18,
reflects
on
God’s
promises
to
David
and
his
line,
His
choice
of
Zion
for
a
permanent
resting
place
and
His
promises to the people.
Psalm 133
A psalm of David.
A short three verse psalm: Simply, the blessed unity of the people of God.
Psalm 134
Another short three verse psalm. This one for those on night watch in the temple.
Psalm 134 was the last of the fifteen psalms called the “Songs of Degrees.”
Psalm 135
An exhortation to praise God.
Reasons
given
to
praise
God
are
reflected
in
nature,
and
in
wonders
done
in
Egypt
and
during
the
exodus.
The
pointlessness
of
idols
is stated. With all this in mind, the people, priests and Levites are all called upon to praise God.
Psalm 136
Thanksgiving to God for His enduring mercy.
Each verse notably ends in the phrase for his mercy endureth for ever.
This
psalm
has
some
similarity
with
135
in
its
content,
but
focuses
on
nature
in
the
first
nine
verses
and
Israel’s
history
from
Egypt
to her restoration from exile in the remaining verses. Throughout, the people are called upon to give thanks to God for His mercies.
Psalm 137
The exiles lament over Zion whilst in captivity.
The
melancholy
captives
cannot
humour
their
captives
who
want
to
hear
songs
about
Zion.
They
cannot
forget
their
city
Jerusalem
and look for judgement on Edom and Babylon.
Psalm 138
A psalm of David: A song of thanks for God’s goodness.
David
reflects
with
thankfulness
on
his
experience
of
God’s
goodness
toward
him.
He
knows
that
God
also
cares
for
the
lowly,
and
looks forward to a future with God being there in the midst of his troubles.
Psalm 139
A psalm of David: God knows us through and through.
A
declaration
of
God’s
omniscience,
omnipresence,
and
the
wonder
of
man’s
form.
The
psalmist
is
in
awe
of
God’s
thoughts
for
him.
He has a hatred for the wicked and asks God to search out and deal with all that is wrong in him.
Psalm 140
A psalm of David: Confidence in God’s protection.
David
calls
on
God
to
preserve
him
from
his
enemies,
and
prays
for
their
judgement.
He
expresses
his
confidence
in
God’s
protection of the afflicted and in their desire to give thanks and enter His presence.
Psalm 141
A psalm of David: Prayers for safekeeping from wickedness.
David
cries
out
to
God
to
hear
his
prayer,
that
he
should
not
offend
with
his
tongue
and
that
he
may
be
preserved
from
any
wrong
doing,
expressing
a
willingness
to
be
reproved.
Disasters
still
affect
his
people,
but
he
trusts
in
God
and
prays
for
deliverance
at
the
expense of his enemies.
Psalm 142
A
psalm
of
David:
The
title
of
this
psalm
says
“A
prayer
when
he
was
in
a
cave.”
This
circumstance
occurred
twice,
recorded
in
1
Sam
22 and 1 Sam 24.
T
he prayer of a man in trouble and alone.
With this psalm, David shows that when he is in great distress and alone, his comfort comes through prayer.
Psalm 143
A psalm of David.
David
prays
for
God’s
guidance
and
support.
He
appears
to
be
at
the
end
of
his
tether,
at
an
all
time
low,
and
in
this
desperate
situation
he
knows
God
is
his
only
refuge.
He
cries
out
‘
…..
hear
me
……..
deliver
me……
teach
me…….
lead
me…..
quicken
me…’
to
‘bring my soul out of trouble’.
The psalm ends with a prayer against his enemies.
Psalm 144
A psalm of : God, who protects and prospers His people.
David
praises
God,
in
whom
he
trusts,
for
his
goodness,
yet
wonders
why
He
pays
attention
to
insignificant
man.
He
prays
against
his enemies, his deliverance from them and for the prosperity of his people
.
Psalms 145-150
These
are
a
group
of
psalms
in
praise
of
God,
probably
intended
for
public
worship.
They
are
used
today
by
Jews
in
daily
prayer.
Psalms
146-150 each begin and end with an Alleluia - ‘O praise the Lord!’
Psalm 145
A psalm of David: Unadulterated praise of God.
David
pours
out
praise
to
God
for
His
unsearchable
greatness,
for
His
wondrous
works
and
mighty
acts,
His
goodness
and
tender
mercies
to
all,
His
everlasting
kingdom
and
power,
His
kindness
to
the
lowly
and
His
providence.
He
hears
and
answers
the
prayers
of
the faithful and all shall praise His holy name.
Psalm 146
Trust in God alone.
Praise
God
alone,
not
man,
for
it
is
God
who
is
the
Creator
and
He
who
has
dominion
over
His
creation,
a
dominion
of
providence
and grace which is everlasting.
Psalm 147
Praise to our omnipotent God.
The psalmist exhorts believers to praise God for the care of His people
Throughout
this
psalm,
and
in
various
places,
the
people
are
called
upon
to
praise
God
as
the
God
of
nature,
the
God
of
grace
and the God of Israel who gave them His Word.
Psalm 148
All creation is to praise God.
Everything that exists owes praise to the Creator: the angels, the heavens, nature, all creatures and all mankind, particularly Israel.
Psalm 149
A song for God praising Him for His salvation and judgement.
The
congregation
are
called
upon
to
Praise
God
with
joy,
with
dance
and
musical
instruments,
for
He
takes
pleasure
in
His
people
and delivers them from their enemies.
Psalm 150
A final exhortation to praise God.
This is the grand climax to the Psalter, a final call to praise God with the volume of all the instruments.
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