psalms book 1: david's first book of psalms

Psalms: Book 1

Psalm 1, the door to the Psalms.

And a tree of l ife

Psalm 1 is 6 verses, an average sized Psalm It will come back in book 5 much more expansively as Psalm 119. For now we’ll go in and look around…

Psalm 11 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wickedor stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,

The blessed man

Psalm 21. Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed…

The anointed son

The kings of Israel in the line of David representing a ‘Son of God’ Motif

– 1 Chronicles 17:13• I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. I will not

take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from him who was before you… (God to David about Solomon)

– Psalm 2:7,8 “I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.” (David, the Lord’s anointed, portending Christ)

Psalm 3

O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me;2 many are saying of my soul, there is no salvation for him in God.

Blessed, Anointed, Opposed and experiencing suffering

About those Selah’s …. And the first ‘Selah’ is in Psalm 3

• Save Me, O My God• A Psalm of David, when he fled from

Absalom his son.• O Lord, how many are my foes!• Many are rising against me;• 2 many are saying of my soul,• there is no salvation for him in God. Selah• 3 But you, O Lord, are a shield about me,• my glory, and the lifter of my head.• 4 cried aloud to the Lord,• and he answered me from his holy hill.

Selah• 5 I lay down and slept;• I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.• 6 I will not be afraid of many thousands of

people• who have set themselves against me all

around.• 7 Arise, O Lord!

• Save me, O my God!• For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;• you break the teeth of the wicked.• 8 Salvation belongs to the Lord;• your blessing be on your people! Selah

• Selah means ‘lifted’ While we do not know exactly how it was meant… thinking on something, pausing, a key change emphasizing a though, any and all of those might be close to the mark

• Selah is used 74 times in Psalms and 3 times in Habakkuk, (which quotes Psalm 77 buts that’s another story)

• And the music starts …

Anointed in Psalm 1, Opposed in 2 and on the run in 3

An evening Psalm and a morning Psalm

And as in Genesis evening comes before morning.

Psalm 46. There are many who say, “Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!”7 You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.

David is troubled but able to lay down and sleep with God’s help – sung with the sound of strings

Psalm 5

3 Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.

David is troubled but sustained and wakes the next day - sung with the sound of flutes

Psalm 6

6. I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping.

A plea for vindication

Psalm 7

12 If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword; he has bent and readied his bow;

And a vindication

Too wondrous to be contained in the sky but expressed in the lips of…..

… because of your enemies

1 The blessed man2 Anointed3 Opposed4 Rejected5 Suffering

8 Glorified7 Vindicated6. Sorrowful

The blessed man humbled and exalted

A first group of themes… a flow pf Psalms …

Psalms 1-8 are expressions of David

• Yet paints a picture using the canvas of David’s life, of the anointing, humiliation and glorification of Jesus

• In various senses true of David, true of believers yet more true of Jesus (and taken so in the New Testament)

Psalms tend to be in loose groups with similar themes and we see a flow that paints a picture of Christ’s Incarnation, condescension, opposition, suffering, vindication and glorification in the opening eight Psalms, as if setting a them for the entire book of Psalms to be built on as we read the book.

Key word - manMain name of God used - Yahweh

Some ideas about Book 1 of Psalms

Poetically it’s a bit like Genesis

Main characters: David mostly Jeduthan, the choir director who has one with his name

Book 1 will be mostly David, many anonymous Psalms (which also could be David) and one for or from Jeduthan, the choir director of Israel

There are 19 Psalms in book 1 titles that reference ‘to the choirmaster’

Other side characters mentioned in titles (mostly not so good): • Absolam (David fleas from “Daddy’s Peace”.• Cush who cursed David unfairly • Abimelech ( ‘God is my King’ ) who is more like

a terrorist

Other people mentioned by name in book 1

Acrostic Psalms in book 1

Psalm 9, 10 defeat of external evilPsalm 25 defeat of internal evilPsalm 34 taste and see the Lord is goodPsalm 37 the meek shall inherit the earth

x9 is to the toon ‘death of a son’9 is more victorious and 10 more a lament9 is a ‘wine press Psalm like 81 and 84

Some Psalms in Book 1 ( and book 5 ) seems to be written to be easily learned and remembered. Each line or phrase starting with a successive letter of the Hebrew Alphabet

These Psalms tend to have not only important lessons and themes but also can be significant transitions between Psalms of various themes

11 -14 The state of man is dismal

15 Who can ascend the mount of the Lord?

In the historical context

And we move on to the next flow of Psalms.

The Ark has been recoveredBringing it back is problematicOne touching the ark died 70 men looking inside it diedWho can bring it to ‘Mt Zion’Who can Ascend the mount of the Lord

11 -14 The state of man is dismal

15 Who can ascend the mount of the Lord?

In a broader context

And we move on to the next flow of Psalms.

Mankind is deeply in need

11 -14 The state of man is dismal

16-18 raised

15 Who can ascend the mount of the Lord?

Problem of man’s needQuestion of who can helpA savior vindicated

And we move on to the next flow of Psalms.

11 -14 The state of man is dismal

16-18 raised

15 Who can ascend the mount of the Lord?

Problem of man’s needQuestion of who can helpA savior vindicated

A transition: Psalm 19-21

• Value of God’s words - Psalm 19– Some expression seen in nature, general revelation– Seen in the law and scripture, special revelation

• Do not hope in other things – Psalm 20 – Not chariots or horses

• The king - Psalm 21– The one most blessed forever and the righteous singing– Similar to how Jesus return is described in 2 Thess 2

Being revealed with fire and destroying the wicked

The hind of the dawn - title of Psalm 22

Dawn of what?

The hind of the dawn - title of Psalm 22

The darkness is about to be broken and there will be a sun rise, but it’s still dark

22 The cross23 the crook

25 My response – I lift up my soul

24 The crown

Suffering servant Shepherd

King

Psalms 15 and 24 are types of ascension Psalms

And a third flow of Psalms…

Judges 10:1

After Abimelech there arose to save Israel Tola the son of Puah, son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, and he lived at Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim.

Tola (meaning worm, but also used for scarlet) is in contrast to son of Puah (meaning splendid and was the name of one of the Egyptian midwives who saved the little Jewish boys.)

But I am a worm, and no man.” What did he mean by saying “I am a worm”? ( worm/tola)

•

Judges 10:1

After Abimelech there arose to save Israel Tola (worm or scarlet) the son of Puah (splendid), son of Dodo (beloved) , a man of Issachar, and he lived at Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim.

Tola (meaning worm, but also used for scarlet) is in contrast to son of Puah (meaning splendid and was the name of one of the Egyptian midwives who saved the little Jewish boys.)

A strange name ‘tola’

• Tola is a worm• A worm that lives in a tree ( ‘cursed is he who

hangs on a tree’ )• Crushed for its red dye

22 The cross23 the crook

25 My response – I lift up my soul

24 The crown

How then should we live‘Corum Deo’?

Psalms 15 and 24 are types of ascension Psalms

And a third flow of Psalms…

22 The cross23 the crook

25 My response – I lift up my soul

24 The crown

An application PsalmAnd a third flow of Psalms…

22 The cross23 the crook

25 My response – I lift up my soul

24 The crown

How then should we live‘Corum Deo’?Before the face of God

And a third flow of Psalms…

Psalm 25 is the application

Psalm 25, an application Psalm

• Jesus is the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for his Sheep in Psalms 22 and 23

• Jesus is the King of Glory in 24, an ascension Psalm (like Psalm 15)

• Psalm 25 is an acrostic Psalm about forgiveness– In response ‘I lift up my soul to the Lord’– And the acrostic is about finding forgiveness (a

fitting response)

Some difficulties saying the Psalms of David are merely about David…

• Some things fit Jesus strongly and David weakly or not at all– May the King hear us when we call– May the Lord accept the King’s sacrifice– Open the gates that the King of Glory may come in – He will not let his holy one see decay– I will give the nations as your inheritance– And many more….

9 10 19 2 0 21 25 30 32 34 37 40 411 2

ABc

ABc

ABc

ABc

ABc

So we have the three flows of Psalms, often starting or ending with acrostic Psalms

The themes are about the ‘blessed man’ Jesus and the book is book ended by Psalms about the blessed man

And what follows…

• With heavy ‘resurrection’ like language, the founding of the temple in Psalm 30

• We may take as the resurrection key to the founding of the church as changed believers are living stones in a temple to God.

• Just as Genesis says “there was an evening and a morning’, in that order, the sunset of the Son of God went before the sunrise of the Son of God

The response Psalms 25 – 32From forgiveness to forgiveness Ps 25 I lift up my eyes to the Lord of glory. The lifted soul find forgiveness. An acrostic Psalm

Ps 26 I will not fear when tongues wag Forgiveness in the last Psalm is balanced by a Psalm of living in integrityPs 27 You will bring me to your tent and set me on your rock – I will not fearPs 28 A celebration of many types of prayer Ps 29 A celebration of the voice of the Lord. Worship in heaven with the angels turns to a storm on earth coming down from the mountains to the desserts. Ps 30 Dedication of the temple – couched in resurrection termsPs 31 Into Your Hand I Commit My Spirit Jesus by example trusts in God but in the closing verse Encourages all to do the same

Ps 31: 23-24 Love the Lord, all you his saints! The Lord preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride. Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!

Ps 32 Another forgiveness Psalm – blessed are those whose sins are forgiven.. Ps 32 the righteous goes out with joyful praise…

The meek shall inherit the earth

• We see this once in Psalm 25 and multiple times in Psalm 37 (both as acrostic Psalms)

• The meek shall inherit the earth in Psalm 37 are in surrounded by prophetic Psalms about Jesus betray, arrest and trial

• Additionally 37 is next to ‘show me My end’ a short Psalm of Jeduthan

• Jesus is portrayed as a poor man betrayed by a fried

Psalm 34 is an acrostic Psalm about a time David escaped from a ‘terrorist like King’ by drooling over his beard and pretending to be crazy.. The theme is not the escape but to ‘taste and see the Lord is good’

God will protect ‘the righteous’ and ‘not one of his bones would be broken

And at the cross, Jesus bones were not broken referring to this Psalm…. Poetically true of the righteous who will not suffer ultimate harm… Literally true of ‘the righteous’ Jesus who’s bones were literally ‘not broken’

Psalms that stand out by title or size

• For the founding of the temple Psalm 30• By David ‘the servant of the Lord’ Psalm 36• The meek shall inherit the earth Psalm 37• For the memorial offering Psalm

38• For the burnt offering

Psalm 40

Don’t worry too much about the numbering as Catholics and Protestants number Psalms slightly differently ( the numbers are not in the original and are mostly a convenience)

A word study: the words of God, the righteous and the wicked as book 1 draws to a close

The end of 32 ties with the first 33 ( and the righteous comes in with joyful praise…)Psalm 33:4c For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.Psalm 33:6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. Psalm 33 is the first encouragement to worship God with musical in the PsalmsPsalm 34:1 [ Taste and See That the Lord Is Good ] [ Of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away. ] I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 35:11 Jesus was accused by false witnessesPsalm 35:19 Jesus was hated without a causePsalm 35:20 For they do not speak peace, but against those who are quiet in the land they devise words of deceit. (malicous witnesses right up against me, said to be Jesus in the gospels)Psalm 35:21 They open wide their mouths against me; they say, “Aha, Aha! Our eyes have seen it!”34 and 35 will both touch on the providence of God, in crisis, in the heavens, in the sea, on earthPsalm 36:3 The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit; he has ceased to act wisely and do good. (the wicked are blind in their sin but in your light we see light)

And we note the closing Psalms to Jeduthan the Choirmaster of David … by title…

• Psalm 39:13 Look away from me, that I may smile again, before I depart and am no more!”

The Psalms will sometimes have unprocessed, pre-reflective feeling, even confused sounding ones given to God, suggesting that bringing your feelings to God is all right and find resolution in Him eventually. As a start bring the feelings to God.

And we note the closing Psalms to Jeduthan the Choirmaster of David … by title…

• “Show me my end”• Jeduthun the Choir master’s Psalm (or Psalms)

Our word study finds an unbroken list of Psalms 33-41 in book 1 Psalm 37:30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice. Psalm 38:13 But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear, like a mute man who does not open his mouth.Psalm 38:14 I have become like a man who does not hear, and in whose mouth are no rebukes.

Psalm 38 is ‘for the memorial offering’ by title and the first confession of sin in the Psalms

And we continue with the word study till the end of book 1: Psalm 41

And the only Psalm in book one with an author who is not DavidPsalm 39:1 [ What Is the Measure of My Days? ] [ To the choirmaster: to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. ] I said, “I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, so long as the wicked are in my presence.”Psalm 39:2 I was mute and silent; I held my peace to no avail, and my distress grew worse.Psalm 39:9 I am mute; I do not open my mouth, for it is you who have done it.

Psalm 40:3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.Psalm 41:6 And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words, while his heart gathers iniquity; when he goes out, he tells it abroadPsalm 41:7 All who hate me whisper together about me; they imagine the worst for me.Psalm 41:9 Jesus was Betrayed by a friend

And the book closes to some Psalms referenced in the New Testament as referring to Jesus arrest and betrayal

In both Psalms 40 and 41, David refers to himself as ‘a poor man’ , references to poor far outnumbering rich in the psalms. Jesus being rich became poor that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Psalm 40:7/Hebrews 10:7Then I said, “Behold, I have come;in the scroll of the book it is written of me

( The motif of the Messiah who became a poor man who is betrayed and helped by the right hand of God will become more pronounced in book 5, particularly Psalms 109 and 110, but that’s another story… )

Dealing with sin – a final solution

And we might summarize thie last group as

Psalm 33 – 36 God’s words are contrasted with those of the unrighteous and the redeemedPs 37 The meek shall inherit the earth (an acrostic psalm) ‘I will not speak’Ps 38 apparently I did speak and am now confessing sin The first confession of sin in the Psalms(Psalm 38 is ‘for the memorial offering’ by title and the first personal confession of sin in the Psalms)Ps 39 show me my end

The Psalmist sees his end and sees the end of sin in Jesus

Ps 40 “in the scroll it is written of me’ Ps 40-41 the betrayal arrest and suffering of the blessed but poor man

Psalm 1, 2

The Blessed Man bookends book 1

Psalm 40, 41

Book 1 is heavyOn laments

(the most common type of psalm is a lament)

Much much more could be said…

• But this is just a quick look around• All or almost all Psalms concern Christ• All or almost all Psalms also concern us, shaping

our thinking and feelings in the light of who Christ is and what he has done

But… this is just a quick look around…

And we are done.

Some references

• 55 Psalms quotes in the New testament (23 are from book 1: psalms 1-41 )– http

://www.biblestudyguide.org/comment/calvin/comm_vol12/htm/xxxvi.htm

– Most of the citations are in Romans (7 references ) and next is Hebrews, Acts and Matthew with ( 3 references each)

The New testament quotes Psalms more than any other Old Testament book (next is Isaiah) see https://www.crossway.org/blog/2006/03/nt-citations-of-ot/

And time to leave…

The 5 books of Psalms

Click to go to a very vrief overview of the five books