JOB IN-DEPTH. Why was Job written? There are three reasons for the book of Job:

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1 JOB IN-DEPTH The Book of Job is one of the most fascinating in the Bible. Its primary theme concerns the suffering of the righteous. It addresses the needs, the pain and the grief of the human spirit. The author is not known for sure, though it is considered to be the oldest book of the Bible. Who wrote the book of Job? The author of the book of Job is unknown and the author is unnamed, but Job himself is an unlikely candidate since the message delivered through this book is predicated on Job s ignorance of the events that occur in Heaven as they relate to his ordeal. One Talmudic tradition suggests that Moses compiled the book, possibly from records of the conversations made by Elihu (cf. 32:10-18). This conclusion can be drawn from the following: Some of the words and phrases of the book are characteristically Mosaic, such as sons of God (1:6; 21; cf. Gen. 6:2), fire from God (1:16; cf Gen. 19:24), but (ulam), hawk (netz), judge (pelil), and almighty. The theme of suffering fits with Moses concern for the suffering Israelites in Egypt. The land of Uz where Job lived is adjacent to Midian where Moses spent forty years contemplating the sufferings of his people in Egypt. Moses possessed the authority and interest to commend this non- Hebrew story to Israel. Why was Job written? There are three reasons for the book of Job: 1) The Historical Purpose--Originally Job may have been composed as part of an ancient court proceeding or perhaps of a dialogue of the wise men of the land. Possibly Moses saw in God s dealing with Job a parallel as to why God allowed His people Israel to suffer. In any event, Job was composed in the face of the suffering of God s people to provide them consolation: Job reminds God s people of His providential purposes in allowing their pain. 2) The Doctrinal Purpose--The central teaching of Job appears to be that the presence of pain is allowed by the providence of God for the purifying and perfecting of His people. 3) The Christological Purpose--Christ is presented or anticipated in several ways in Job. Job cries out for a mediator (9:33; 33:23), he acknowledges a Redeemer (19:25); and he knows he needs someone who can explain the mystery of suffering by suffering, the just for the unjust (1 Peter 3:18) and thus bring victory over the plague of evil and pain (Revelation 21:4). What is Job about? The book of Job is about the suffering of the righteous. It asks: What is the significance of suffering? What is the purpose of pain? Why calamities? There are several answers suggested, depending upon the people or person who is providing his answer: From the Author --suffering is pernicious (Satan is behind it--chapters 1-2) From Job --suffering is a puzzle (sadistic attitude--chapter 3, etc.) From his friends --suffering is penal (sin must be punished--chapters 4-31) From Elihu --suffering purifies (shortcomings occasion pain--chapters 32-37) From God --suffering is providentially allowed (sovereignty of God is the source--chapters 38-42) Page 1

2 There is some truth in all these views of suffering. But as applied specifically to Job s situation, the friends were wrong: Job was not suffering because of his sins. God allowed Satan to inflict suffering, even on those who had not brought it on themselves by sinful living, so that in His providential purposes He could purify and perfect His people. THE AFFLICTION OF JOB (JOB 1-2) The characters behind the scene: The Afflicted (1a)--Job was both rich and respected, righteous and religious. Job was the candidate least likely to be afflicted with calamity brought on by himself or by a good God. Therein lay the apparent difficulty of his situation. The Afflicter (1b)--The author of Job depicts the ultimate source of evil in the world--satan. The pernicious plans of Satan are the source of both sin and suffering. Satan is the accuser of God s remnant (cf. Revelation 12:10) and his sneering attack on Job prompted God s permission of Job s suffering. The Affliction (1c-2)--In three separate and rapid-fire events, Job lost his sons and daughters, his sheep and herds, and his servants. Finally he lost his composure. Sitting on a pile of ashes scraping the bleeding boils, Job later (chapter 3) curses the day he was born, but it is important to remember that he never curses God. The Discussion with Job on the scene (Job 3-41) Job s comforters sat in silence for seven days in the face of his suffering before opening their mouths to offer suggestions regarding his situation. Job s first extended expression was a severe understandable lamentation. The Lamentation of Job (Job 3) Job broke the silence with a lamentation on his pathetic condition. He wished that he had never been born or that he had died immediately at birth. He regretted that he had not been carried from the womb to the tomb in order that he might have been spared all his suffering. The Accusation of the Friends (Job 4-31) The friends had but one explanation (though with many variations) of Job s suffering--it was because of sin. Their logic was very simple: All suffering is the result of sin Job is suffering--therefore, Job has sinned These friends logic carried through to the conclusion that Job had simply to recall his sin, repent of it and God would restore him. Perhaps Job had sinned privately or even by proxy through his children, they opined--but surely he had committed some great sin, or he would not be subject to this calamity. Their accusation continued through a three-round debate in which these friends spoke in turn, each time with Job replying to each speech. The participants spoke in order of age. Their approach may be characterized as follows: Eliphaz--the theologian based his arguments on a vision of God s greatness Bildad--the traditionalist based his view on time-honored concepts of justice Zophar--the moralist based his opinions on a consensus of human wisdom Each round of debate gains in emotional intensity (more heat and less light). Job takes almost twice as long to answer as they do to accuse. In each case, Job stoutly defends his innocence. In fact, it is in the process of Page 2

3 defending his own righteousness that Job becomes self-righteous and deserving of the condemnation God gives him in the last chapter. A breakdown of Job is: round one (chapters 4-14); round two (chapters 15-21); round three (chapters 22-26); and Job s closing monologue (chapters 27-31). In each round except the last, all participants speak. In the last round, the frustrated Zophar fails to speak, apparently because he sees no hope of convincing the stubborn Job. The indefatigable Job spins out five more chapters after his accusers have run out of steam. The Intervention of Elihu (Job 32-37) A young observer (and possibly stenographer) of the debates intervened when the others had given up in their attempt to convince Job of his sin. His view was a bit more moderate than that of the friends and he serves as a herald for the voice of God in the last chapters. Elihu suggests that Job s pain is more for the purification of his life than for the punishment of his sins (33:19). Job s suffering is directed at the centered pride of life in which he has now clearly fallen in the process of defending himself (v.17). The Revelation of the Lord (Job 38-41) Elihu served as a kind of John the Baptist preparing the way of the Lord. Out of the whirlwind God spoke in sovereign majesty and power. Job questions God and God says: Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding (38:4). There follows a series of scientific questions which modern science has not mastered. Job was left almost speechless. The Restoration of Job (Job 42) The Repentance of Job (42a): When Job did reply to God it was in repentance and in recognition of God s sovereignty. I know that thou canst do all things therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes (vv.2,6). One of the messages of Job s life is that even the righteous man needs to repent. The Reward of God (42b): In the end Job was lavishly rewarded: God gave Job twice as many worldly goods as he had to begin with. Note also that he didn t really lose the loved ones who died, since they would be his in the resurrection (cf. 19:25,26). So the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning (42:12). His life was crowned with the perfection that comes only through patient suffering (James 1:12). James wrote a most fitting conclusion for the book of Job: James 5:11, Behold, we call those blessed who are steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purposes (end) of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. Page 3

4 PSALMS IN-DEPTH Background--HEBREW POETRY The most prominent distinguishing feature of Hebrew poetry is the repetition of ideas, called parallelism. Unlike most English language poetry, which is based on meter and rhyme, these logical parallels that compare or contrast ideas or images within a written work essentially characterize Hebrew poetry. The most important kinds of parallelisms are: synonymous, antithetic, climactic, and chiastic or introverted. We ll describe each of these kinds of parallelisms in a bit more detail further in this In-Depth description. Another formal feature of Hebrew poetry is the acrostic. In this technique, the first letter of the first word of every verse begins with a different Hebrew consonant. The following verse uses the next Hebrew consonant with the verses advancing in alphabetical order until all 22 consonants have been represented. This technique would help in memorizing and teaching. It may also have been a way to ensure that the subject had been handled completely. The outstanding example is Psalm 119, since each letter of the entire Hebrew alphabet is used successively as the first letter of each of its 22, eight-verse stanzas. The table below outlines the sections, or books of the book of Psalms. Each book may be thought of as a kind of sub-section with its own theme. The psalms contained within each book were, for the most part, written during similar time periods and reflect the direction of praise for that era. The Seam heading in the table denotes the last psalm in that book--book 1 ends with Psalm 41, book 2 ends with Psalm 72, etc. Note that each book ends with doxology. PSALMS Introduction Psalm--Ultimate vindication of the righteous Psalms 1-2 Psalm--God s choice and defense of Israelite king BOOK SEAM THEME CONTENT Book 1 (1-41) Book 2 (42-72) Book 3 (73-89) Book 4 (90-106) 41 David s conflict with Saul Israel s golden age 72 David s kingship and the United Kingdom Eighth-century Assyrian crisis complaint that righteous are suffering Introspection about destruction of Temple and exile; looks forward to God s reign on earth Many individual laments; most psalms mention enemies Key psalms: 45, 48, 51; mostly laments and enemy psalms Asaph and sons of Korah collections; key psalms: 78; Psalm 88 is the only psalm containing no praise Praise collection; ; key psalms: 90, Book 5 ( ) 145 Praise/reflection on return from exile and beginning of new era; holds David up as model of piety; contains predictions of reign of Christ (Psalm 110) Hallelujah collection: ; Songs of ascent: ; Davidic reprise: ; Key psalms: 107, 110, 119 Conclusion ( ) Climatic praise of God Page 4

5 RELIGIOUS POETRY The purpose of Psalms is for the public worship of God. They were usually composed by individuals in response to a particular corporate or individual experience for which they would offer the poetic, public worship spoken about in the psalm. The name psalm means songs and is taken from the Septuagint. Many psalms are annotated with instructions indicating how the psalm is to be used in formal worship. The best known psalms are the songs of ascents (see Psalms 120 through 134). The Psalms are the largest collection of ancient religious poetry in existence. Religious poetry is the expression of emotions and feelings as they are stirred by the thought of God and directed to Him. Many psalms address God directly with poetic expressions of petition and praise. They reveal all the religious feelings of the faithful-- fears, doubts, and tragedies, as well as triumphs, joys, and hopes. The psalmists frequently drew on their experiences for examples of people s needs and God s goodness and mercy. Because the Psalms formed the hymnal of the Temple, they often celebrate the ordinances of the sanctuary and exult in the privilege of drawing nearer to God. This aspect of the psalms, combined with their display of personal religious feelings, makes them the most powerful and complete expression of the worship of ancient Israel. Set in the form of lyric poetry, they became unforgettable. The psalms reveal that the Israelites were an intensely religious people, worshippers of God with a strong sense of right and wrong. Regarding themselves as God s covenant people, they opposed wickedness and unbelief. METER--Rhythm or pattern of words (we don t know what it was) The psalmists were imaginative and creative; they regarded their artistry as crucial to the meaning of its content. Basic to the pattern of poetry is meter. Hebrew poetry certainly has meter and rhythm, but it is not possible as yet to identify and determine that meter with any degree of certainty. Most commentators are satisfied to count the number of accented Hebrew words or word units in a line as the basis of their poetical analysis. Because only a few psalms consistently follow a metrical pattern of accented words, attempts to reconstruct the text according to meter are inconclusive. PARALLELISM The predominant feature of Hebrew poetic structure is the repetition of meaning in parallel expressions socalled poetic parallelism. It is important, as a basic principle of interpretation, to keep in mind that the second line continues and carries forward the thought of the first line. For instance, in Psalm 23:1, The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want In the first line, the metaphor of a shepherd evokes a picture that touches the emotions. The second line completes the picture of a shepherd offering complete protection to his sheep. The relationship between the parallel units must be studied to determine the emphasis of a verse as a whole. The following categories of parallelism have become standard and may be used to articulate the relationships of the units. Synonymous Parallelism Synonymous parallelism describes the closest similarity between each of the two consecutive lines. A term or unit of thought in one part is paralleled by an equivalent term or unit of thought in the other. In the following examples, parallel elements have been divided in accord with the accented words in the Hebrew verse: Similar Israel/also came into/egypt://and Jacob/dwelt/in the land of Ham. (Psalm 105:23) Page 5

6 Antithetical parallelism Antithetical parallelism balances the parallel elements through the opposition or contrast of thought: Opposite In the morning/it flourishes/and grows up//in the evening/it is cut down/and withers. (Psalm 90:6) Emblematic parallelism Emblematic parallelism occurs when one of the parallel units is a metaphorical illumination of the other (as or like metaphor). Parallel As a father/pities/his/children,//so the Lord/pities/those who fear Him. (Psalm 103:13) The word order does not need to be the same criteria--same concepts may be reversed or incomplete. In fact sometimes the word order in the second part is inverted. The use of inverted word order is known as chiastic. Arise/O Lord!//O God/lift up your hand. (Psalm 10:12) Moreover, the parallelism is frequently incomplete. Two types of parallelism may be distinguished: Parallelism describes the relationship of expressions within verses (internal parallelism) At times it also reflects the relationships between verses (external parallelism) STYLISTIC ARRANGEMENTS--stanzas (strophes), acrostic--22 letters in Hebrew alphabet Apart from a few psalms, the arrangement of lines of poetry into stanzas and strophes is not common. Psalm 119 is perhaps best known for this, for it is divided into 22 strophes of eight verses each. A few psalms have a refrain to mark out their strophic arrangements (e.g. Psalm 42:5; 11; 43:5; 57:5,11; 80:3,7,19). Certain psalms are alphabetically arranged as acrostics; that is, each verse begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet in consecutive order (Psalms 9 and 10--together these two psalms are one acrostic poem; 25; 34; 37; ; 145). This style is also used in Psalm 119, where each of the eight verses in each of the 22 sections begins with the same letter. Among other purposes, this structuring would have been an aid to memory. MUSIC AND MELODY In the praises of Israel, mention is made of music and musical instruments. Cymbals, timbrels, wind instruments, and stringed instruments of various types are named, showing that musical accompaniment must have been on a grand scale. Also many notices to the headings of the psalms indicate musical activities. Foremost is to the choirmaster (lamnasseah) occurring in 55 psalms. Though there are many speculations about this heading, it probably referred to the chief musician in charge of Temple music. The psalms so designated may have at one time comprised a collection of songs delivered to the Temple for service. The sons of Korah, found with Psalms 42, 44-49; 84; probably refers to musical performers from this family. INTERPRETING HEBREW POETRY You should approach interpretation using the following principles: recognize the heavy use of figures of speech in Hebrew poetry. Seek to recover the historical context of the poem if possible. Avoid excessive typology--this represents a type of in the future. For instance, everything in this Temple means something of the Christ to come. Instead, use the whole of Scripture to identify theological compatibility--psalms is not primarily a book of theology, it is a book of worship. Page 6

7 NATURE OF THE PSALMS 90 psalms have designated authors Psalm 90 is attributed to Moses 73 of the psalms are credited to David Psalms 50, were written by Asaph Heman the Ezrahite wrote Psalm 88 Ethan the Ezrahite (cf. 1 Kings 4:31) wrote Psalm 89 Solomon is attested to be the author of Psalms 72 and 127 Asaph, Heman, and Ethan were Levite musicians, 1 Chronicles 15-17, 19; cf. 1 Chronicles 6:39; 2 Chronicles 5:12. The writing of the Psalms spanned a period from Moses through the return from the captivity (some of the psalms, as indicated by their content, are clearly post-exilic). Several psalms have short bits of information about the life of David. It is difficult to tell when these superscriptions were written, but there is no reason to doubt their being from David s era. There are fourteen psalms that have historical notations: Psalm 59 is connected with 1 Samuel 19:11 Psalm 56 is connected with 1 Samuel 21:10-15 Psalm 34 is connected with 1 Samuel 21:10-22:2 Psalm 52 is connected with 1 Samuel 22:9 Psalm 54 is connected with 1 Samuel 23:15-23 Psalm 7 may be related to 1 Samuel 23:24-29 (but this is uncertain) Psalm 57 is related to the incident at Adullam (1 Samuel 22:1-2) or at En-Gedi (1 Samuel 24) Psalm 142, another passage that reports David s being in a cave, could refer to either of the above references as well Psalm 60 is from 2 Samuel 8:8,13; and 1 Chronicles 18:9-12 Psalm 18 is almost identical to 2 Samuel 22 Psalm 51 is based on the incident of David s sin recorded in 2 Samuel Psalm 3 seems to be connected with 2 Samuel Psalm 63 may be related to 2 Samuel 15:23 Psalm 30 may be connected with 1 Chronicles 21:1-22:1. (The contents of Psalm 30 suggest that David wrote it for the dedication of the Temple after he sinned in numbering the people and he purchased the plot of ground for the Temple.) FORMATION OF THE BOOK OF PSALMS Since the writing of the Psalms ranged over such an extended period, there were various stages in its collection. David probably took part in the organization of the music for worship in the Tabernacle. Other kings during their periods of reform also reorganized the musical guilds and Temple musicians. Solomon organized Temple singing (2 Chronicles 5:11-14; 7:6; 9:11; Ecclesiastes 2:8). Jehoshaphat did the same (2 Chronicles 20:21-22) as did Jehoiada (2 Chronicles 23:18). Under Hezekiah s reform the musical guilds were reestablished (2 Chronicles 29:25-28,30; 30:21; 31:2). Hezekiah instructed the Levites to sing praises with the words of David and of Asaph (2 Chronicles 29:30), suggesting that two collections of the psalms existed. Later, Josiah reinstituted Temple music and musical guilds (2 Chronicles 35:15,25). The development of the Psalter would have been gradual, with frequent revisions and organizations: 1) The first stage would have been the writing of individual psalms, some of which were collected for worship. Not all ancient Hebrew psalms found their way into this hymnbook. The songs of Moses (Exodus 15:1-18; Deuteronomy 32:1-43), Miriam (Exodus 15:21), Deborah (Judges 5), Jonah (Jonah 2), and even some of David s Page 7

8 hymns (2 Samuel 1) were not included. In David s time, Levites also prepared psalms for Temple services (1 Chronicles 16:4). 2) The collections of the psalms would have been the next stage. Possibly some songs of David s were collected, as well as Asaph s. Psalm 72:20 reads, The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended. This was apparently the last psalm in the Psalter at one time. There are more Davidic psalms after this. Other collections such as the songs of ascents, or pilgrim songs (Psalm ) may also have been gathered. 3) These smaller collections would then have been organized into the five divisions of the book we have today. The entire Psalter concludes with Psalm 150, a grand doxology. This five-fold organization appears to have gone back as early as the translation of the Septuagint (c. 200 BC). 4) The final stage of the formation of the Psalter would then have come with the work of the final editor. The present order shows the impress of one individual s influence. Yet the collection does not seem to have one developing argument running throughout. So by the close of the Old Testament canon, the collections of songs and psalms had been united into their present form. DIFFERENT TYPE OF PSALMS Individual Laments: These psalms correspond roughly to prayers for help out of distress. They have the following parts: o Introductory cry to God o The psalmist turned to God immediately and poured out his heart in a short address (frequently a summary of the direction of the psalm o Lament o The psalmist then gave full expression to his needy state o In describing his difficulty he was in, and what God had or had not done o Confession of trust o Turning from his complaint, the psalmist declared his full confidence in the Lord o Some of these sections are expanded into complete psalms of trust or confidence o Petition o The psalmist then requested that God intervene on his behalf and rescue him o Vow of praise or expression of praise, concluded with a full expression of praise to God for answered prayer (because this section is part of the prayer out of distress, it has been described as a vow--it is what he would say in the midst of the congregation when the Lord answered his prayer); because he was sure that the Lord would answer, he began praising while praying National Laments: These psalms follow the same pattern as the laments of individuals, but they are usually shorter. They include an introductory address and petition, a lament, a confession of trust, a petition, and a vow of praise. In each of these psalms the nation itself faced some difficulty and together the people as a whole approached God with their lament. Thanksgiving Psalms: These psalms, also called psalms of declarative praise, take a different form. The psalmist normally began with an expression such as, I will praise, because the psalm was a means by which he told others what God had done for him. Page 8

9 Wisdom Psalms: The wisdom psalms are closely related in style to the wisdom literature of the Old Testament (e.g., Proverbs). Among the features that may be present in them are: o The better sayings (Psalm 119:72) o Numerical sayings (62:11-12a) o Admonitions to sons (34:11) o Blessing formulas (1:1) o Emphasis on the Law (119) o Contrasts between the righteous and the wicked (1:6; 49) Pilgrim Songs (Songs of Ascent): Psalms have been called the pilgrim songs. These all have the heading, A song of ascents. Though this designation in the superscription has been given a variety of interpretations, it most likely speaks of Israel s goings up to Jerusalem for the three festivals (cf. 1 Samuel 1:3; Psalm 122:4; Isaiah 30:29; also see Exodus 23:17; Psalm 42:4). The contents of many of these psalms appear to be well-suited to a visit up to Jerusalem. Royal Psalms: Psalms in which the anointed king is in the foreground are called royal psalms. The text refers to some high point in the career of the king, such as his coronation (Psalm 2), his wedding (Psalm 45), or his going forth into battle (Psalm 20; 144). The Davidic Covenant is set to poetry in Psalm 89. Psalm 110 anticipates the king s coming in conquest, and Psalm 72 envisions his glorious reign. Imprecatory Psalms: The psalmists did not hesitate to affirm their loyalty to God and His covenant. In their zeal to elevate righteousness, their words frequently contain imprecations or curses. They prayed that God would break the arms of the wicked (Psalm 10:15), smash their teeth (58:6), and turn His wrath on them (69:22-28). These psalms were not indications of personal vendetta. Psalm 5:10, Hold them guilty, O God; by their own devices let them fall! In the multitude of their transgressions thrust them out, for they are rebellious against Thee. Sixteen out of twenty-one imprecatory psalms were written by David. It must be remembered that the psalmists were filled with zeal for God s theocracy. Their prayers represent their longing that God s cause be vindicated on Earth, that sin would be judged--which God would do eventually. Messianic Psalms: With the knowledge of full revelation in Jesus Christ, one can look back to the Psalms--in fact to the entire Old Testament and see that they often speak of Christ (cf. Luke 24:27). Yet to Old Testament believers, the full meanings of these passages were not often evident. On the one hand, a psalmist described his own suffering or triumph. And on the other hand those expressions, which may have seemed extravagant for the psalmist s actual experience, later became true of Jesus Christ. The New Testament writers drew heavily on the Psalms to express many aspects of the person and work of Jesus, the Messiah. As the anointed Davidic King par excellence, Jesus is the great antitype of the messianic psalms, those psalms that have the king in the foreground. We must exercise caution, however, and must recognize that not all the contents of messianic psalms apply to Christ (i.e., not all the parts are typological). Therefore, remember that these psalms had a primary meaning in the experience of the authors. The analysis of the historical, contextual, and grammatical meaning of the text should precede the analysis of the New Testament application to Jesus. Page 9

10 Prophetic Psalms: This category probably applies to Psalm 110, which refers to a future Davidic King who would be the Lord. The New Testament (Matthew 22:44) identifies this King as Jesus Christ, not any other Davidic king. Eschatological Psalms: Psalms 96-99, the so-called enthronement psalms, among others, describe the coming of the Lord and the consummation of His kingdom. Though they do not refer to a Davidic king, Scripture intimates that they will be fulfilled in the second coming of Christ. Typological-Prophetic Psalms: In these psalms, the writer describes his own experience with language that goes beyond that experience and becomes historically true in Jesus (e.g., Psalm 22). Indirectly Messianic Psalms: These psalms were written for a contemporary king or for royal activities in general. But their ultimate fulfillment is in Jesus Christ (Psalms 2, 45, 72). Typically Messianic Psalms: These psalms are less obviously messianic. The psalm is in some way a type of Christ (cf. 34:20), but other aspects of the passage do not apply. Perhaps in this case Jesus and the apostles were applying familiar psalmist expressions to their experiences (e.g., 109:8 in Acts 1:20). INDIVIDUAL PSALMS Psalm 1: Contrasts in Character Psalm 1 is a fitting introduction for the Psalter in that it summarizes the two ways open to mankind--the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked. It may be classified as a wisdom psalm because of its emphasis on these two ways of life, the use of the similes, the announcement of blessing, and the centrality of the Law for fulfillment in life. The motifs in this psalm recur again and again throughout the collection. The psalm describes the blessed man who leads an untarnished and prosperous life in accord with the Word of the Lord, and contrasts him with the ungodly who shall perish. Psalm 19: Revelation by Creation and the Word David was moved by observing that the heavens declare the splendor of God s handiwork. By comparison, he then described the dominating influence of the Law of the Lord which enlightened him. Then he prayed for complete cleansing so his life would be acceptable to God. The psalm, therefore, surveys both God s natural revelation and His specific revelation, which prompts a response of self-examination. The Old Testament frequently joins the description of the Lord as Law-Giver and Creator. Accordingly, in the first part of this psalm, El ( God ) is used (v. 1) to denote His power as the Creator, and in the second part, Yahweh ( the Lord ) is used (vv. 7-9, 14), the personal name by which He made Himself known as Israel s covenant God. The psalm may also be an argument against pagan belief. In polytheistic centers, the sun god was the god of justice. In this psalm, the Lord God is the Creator of the heavens, including the sun that pagans worship, and He is the Law-giver, establishing justice on the earth: o The psalmist observes that the heavens, under the dominating influence of the sun, declare the splendor of God s work (vv.1-6). o o The psalmist describes the dominating influence of the efficacious law of Yahweh (vv.7-11). The psalmist prays for complete cleansing so that he may live an upright and acceptable life (vv.12-14). Page 10

11 Psalm 23: The Ministries of Yahweh Under-shepherds (cf. Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2) are expected to feed the flock (Ezekiel 34:1-10; John 21:15-17) as well. Food for the soul is the Word of God (Hebrews 5:12-14; 1 Peter 2:2). A second blessing that comes from the Lord s leading is spiritual restoration (vv.23:2b-3a). As a shepherd leads his sheep to placid waters for rest and cleansing, so the Lord restores or refreshes the soul. Here the spiritual lesson is clear: the Lord provides forgiveness and peace for those who follow Him. The third blessing that comes from the Lord s leading is guidance in the right way (paths of righteousness (vv.23:3b). A good shepherd knows the right paths on which to bring the sheep home safely. So too the Lord loses none of His sheep, but guides them in the right way. He does so partly because of His reputation (for His name s sake). The fourth blessing from the Lord s leading is protection (v.23:4). If one finds himself in a valley of deep darkness (or shadow of death), he need not fear. The Lord is with him and will protect him. The rod and staff are the shepherd s equipment to protect the sheep in such a situation. David was comforted by the Lord s presence and protection. Believers are never in situations the Lord is not aware of, for He never leaves or forsakes His people (cf. Hebrews 13:5). In this verse, the scene changes to a banquet hall where a gracious host provides lavish hospitality (v.23:5). Under this imagery, the psalmist rejoiced in the Lord s provision. What was comforting to David was that this provision was in the presence of his enemies. Despite impending danger, the Lord spread out a table for him-- that is, God provided for him. The image of anointing the head with oil, which was refreshing and soothing, harmonizes with the concept of a gracious host welcoming someone in to his home. In the view of the table and the oil, David knew that his lot in life (his cup) was abundant blessing from the Lord. David realized that the Lord s good loyal love (hesed) would go with him everywhere through all his life (v.23:6). God s blessings on His people remain with them no matter what their circumstance may be. So he concluded, I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. The house of the Lord referred to the Sanctuary (Tabernacle). For the rest of his life (literally, length of days ) he would enjoy full communion with the Lord. In fact, the Hebrew verb translated I will dwell conveys the idea of returning; the same verb is translated He restores in verse 23:3. Perhaps the psalmist was in some way separated from the Sanctuary and full enjoyment of its spiritual benefits. His meditation on the Lord s leading and provisions prompted him to recall his communion with the Lord in His presence, in the Sanctuary. David meditates on the ministries of Yahweh to him under the figures of the pasture and the banquet hall (vv.1-5). David concludes that since the love of Yahweh will pursue him always, he shall return to full communion in the house of Yahweh (v.6). Psalm 37: Fret Not This psalm of David seems to build on the previous one. Here he instructed the righteous not to be disturbed over the prosperity of the wicked who reject God, for divine justice will yet be granted. Using a series of proverbial expressions, the psalmist exhorted the righteous to trust in the Lord continually and not fret about evil people who are about to be cast down. The message is similar to that in Psalms 49 and 73, as well as the book of Job. The psalmist warns the congregation not to fret the evil man but to trust in Yahweh (vv.1-8). The psalmist describes the judgment of the wicked in a series of contrasts with the righteous (vv.9-22). The psalmist delineates the blessings of Yahweh on the righteous (vv.23-31). The psalmist portrays the problem of the wicked man, concluding that salvation is of Yahweh (vv.32-40). Page 11

12 Psalm 51: Forgiveness for the Broken Heart Few psalms have found as much use as this one among the saints of all ages, a fact which bears witness to the spiritual needs of God s people. Psalm 51 is a wonderful example of prayer for forgiveness of sins. Its superscription ascribes the occasion of David s sin of adultery with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11), an incident in which David broke several of the Ten Commandments. Poetry often develops the intensity of a moment. Such a moment with David came when, having been confronted with his sin, he confessed it (2 Samuel 12:13a). The message of this psalm is that the vilest offender among God s people can appeal to God for forgiveness, for moral restoration, and for the resumption of a joyful life of fellowship and service, if he comes with a broken spirit and bases his appeal on God s compassion and grace. o o o o o Introductory Petition: Appealing to God s loyal love and compassion, David petitions God to forgive him by grace and cleanse him completely from sin (vv.1-2). Confession: David confesses that he has sinned against God and laments moral impotence (vv.3-6). Petition: David petitions God for forgiveness and a moral renewal that will restore fellowship and joy (vv.7-12). Vow: If forgiven, David promises to praise God, restore others to Him, and offer the sacrifice of selflessness (vv.13-17). Epilogue: David petitions God to prosper Jerusalem, after which he anticipates that lawful sacrifices will again be accepted (vv.18-19). Psalm 119: Meditations and Prayers on the Law Finding himself in persecution from men of rank and authority who ridicule his religion in an effort to put him to shame by giving up the faith, the psalmist strengthens himself in his meditations on the Word of Yahweh, which to him was his comfort, his prized possession, his rule of life, and his resource for strength, all of which drove him to desire it the more. This psalm is written in an acrostic (alphabetical) arrangement. In each paragraph (strophe) of eight verses, each line begins with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet (the 22 strophes correspond to the 22 letters of the alphabet.) So verses 1-8 each begin with the first Hebrew letter, verses 9-16 each begin with the second letter, and so on. The psalm is largely a collection of prayers and meditations on the Word of God, referred to by 10 synonyms: o Law (torah): occurring 25 times in the psalm, denotes direction or instruction. More often the word refers to a body of teaching, probably Deuteronomy and Leviticus, if not the whole Pentateuch. In fact in John 10:34, the corresponding Greek word for Law seems to include the entire Old Testament. o Word (dabar): occurs 20 times in the psalm. It is a general term for God s revelation, but the Ten Commandments are called Ten Words (literal Hebrew, Deuteronomy 4:13). o Saying (imrah): often translated as promise in the NIV occurs 19 times. It is often a poetical synonym for dabar. o Commandment (miswah): occurs (in the Hebrew) 21 times in the plural (usually translated commands in the NIV) and once in the singular collectively. It signifies a definite, authoritative command. It is frequently joined with the next two words. o Statutes (huqqim): occurs 21 times. In the Psalms it is always in the plural. Literally it means things inscribes, so it refers to enacted Laws (and is translated decrees in the NIV). o Judgment (mispot): occurs 19 times in the plural (often translated laws in the NIV), and 4 times in the singular. It represents a judicial decision that constitutes precedence, a binding law. Page 12

13 o o o o In the Pentateuch it referred to the laws after the Ten Commandments. The word can also mean God s judgmental acts on the wicked. Precepts (piqqudim): occurs 21 times. It is a poetical word for injunctions, found only in the Psalter (always in the plural). Testimony (edah): occurs 22 times in the plural and once in the singular. It is solemn attestation, a declaration of the will of God. It is a general word for ordinances that became God s standard of conduct, usually rendered statutes in the NIV. Way (derek): is used five times in the plural and six times in the singular, a metaphorical term describing the pattern of life marked out by God s Law. Path (orah): used five times in the Psalms, it is parallel to way. The psalmist often spoke of several responses he had toward God and His Word: o Delight vv. 16, 24, 35, 47, 70, 77, 92, 143, 174. o Love vv , 97, 113, 119, 127, 132, 159, 163, 165, 167. o Obey vv. 4, 5, 8, 17, 34, 44, 56-57, 60, 67, 88, , 129, 134, 136, 145, 158, o Meditate vv. 15, 23, 27, 48, 78, 97, 99, 148. o Rejoice vv. 14, 74, 162. Outline of Psalm 119: A. The psalmist extols the blessings of walking in obedience to the law vv.1-8 B. The psalmist discovers that the Word of God cleanses a young man s eyes vv.9-16 C. The psalmist anticipates God s bountiful dealings from the Word in spite of the fact that enemies would destroy him vv D. The psalmist prays for further understanding from the Law and testifies that he cleaves to the Law for directions vv E. The psalmist declares his loyalty to the Word until the end, explaining that he delights in the path of God and does not want to turn to covetousness or vanity vv F. The psalmist calls for salvation from those who reproach him, but explains it will be through the Word which he lives vv G. The psalmist declares his hope in the Word and his hot indignation against the proud who hate his Word vv H. The psalmist attests that Yahweh is his portion, the Law is his life, and the believers are his companions vv I. The psalmist recognizes that his affliction was for his good, but Yahweh deals with man according to His Word vv J. The psalmist recognizes that Yahweh created him and declares that he hopes in the Law; consequently, Yahweh should turn the affliction of the enemy and let him live vv K. The psalmist admits that his soul fainted away in the waiting for the great vindication from those who almost consumed him, but he did not forsake the Law vv L. The psalmist declares that although the wicked tried to afflict him, God brought him out of it because the Word is settled in Heaven vv M. The psalmist meditates in the sweet Word of God that brings him more understanding than the aged vv N. The psalmist recognizes that the Law is the light for his path and therefore he will joyfully follow it through the present affliction vv O. The psalmist declares his hatred for the double-minded and recognizes that God has judged them vv P. Recognizing that it is time for Yahweh to work, the psalmist calls for Him to deal with him in loyal love vv Page 13

14 Q. The psalmist calls for God to turn to him and establish him through the Word because the law is light for which he longs vv R. The psalmist announces that because Yahweh is righteous, his Law is everlastingly righteous and this is a comfort in time of affliction vv S. When the enemies follow after him, the psalmist calls for deliverance because he trusts in the Word of Yahweh vv T. The psalmist calls for God to deliver him from oppression and plead his cause because he loves and keeps the Law, but his treacherous adversaries are far from salvation vv U. In spite of the fact that princes have persecuted him without a cause, the psalmist rejoices in the Word of God, declaring the peace that it brings to those like himself who trust and obey vv V. Confessing that he has gone astray like a lost sheep, the psalmist calls for God to deliver him according to His Word so that he may praise and sing to God vv PSALM TYPE KEY EXAMPLE OTHER EXAMPLES 1. Praise O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth. (Psalm 8:1) 2. Wisdom Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. (Psalm 1:1) 3. Lament Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come to You. (Psalm 102:1) 4. Messianic The LORD said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool. (Psalm 110:1) 5. Penitence Have mercy upon me, oh God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. (Psalm 51:1) 6. Imprecation Let their table become a snare before them, and their well-being a trap. (Psalm 69:22) 7. Thanksgiving I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the Gentiles, and sing praises to Your name. (Psalm 18:49) Psalms , Psalms 19, 37, 49, 127, 138, 133 Psalms 12, 25, 39, 86, 120, 129 Psalms 2, 16, 21, 22, 40 Psalms 6, 38, 102, 130, 143 Psalms 35, 88, 109, 137, 140 Psalms 66, 108, 118, 119, 135 Page 14

15 PROVERBS IN-DEPTH INTRODUCTION TO THE WISDOM WRITINGS The similarity in construction and form to wisdom writings from other ancient cultures in the Near East shouldn t detract from our acceptance of these books as inspired by God (God-breathed). There was a common concern for wisdom among these cultures. The element found in the Bible s wisdom writings but missing from the other cultures wisdom writings is the requirement for a right relationship with God. That right relationship is what causes one to live in a moral, upright manner. If God is not honored and His Word is not followed, then wisdom, as the Hebrew teachers would define it, can never be attained. Honor for God is a fear of the Lord. To fear the Lord means to respect Him for who He is and to respond to Him in trust, worship, obedience and service. Fear of the Lord is reflected in godly living. The wise man in God s plan is described in Jeremiah 18:18, Ezekiel 7:26, Isaiah 29:14 and Matthew 12:42. The types of wisdom literature: 1. Proverbial sayings 2. Moral exhortation 3. Extended wisdom discourse 4. Books--Proverbs; Song of Solomon; Job; Ecclesiastes 5. The characteristics of wisdom literature--addresses the individual; authority is moral experience and trained intelligence; primary concern is the everyday workaday world; method is council and instruction. PROVERBS Proverbs is a collection of wise sayings from a number of authors. The phrase Proverbs of Solomon is more a title or a stamp of Solomon s character on this book, rather than a statement of authorship. Solomon s name appears in 1:1, 10:1 and 25:1. Chapter 30 is attributed to Agur and chapter 31 to Lemuel. Some believe that Lemuel was possibly Solomon himself. Proverbs deal with what may, by some, be considered the more mundane aspects of life. Nonetheless, they teach us that all of life is to be lived to the glory of God. There is a God-ordained order to all of creation and violations of that order and of God s Law will only lead to adverse consequences. Purpose of Proverbs The purpose of Proverbs is provided in verses 1:2-7; To know wisdom and instruction, to discern the sayings of understanding, 3 to receive instruction in wise behavior, righteousness, justice and equity; 4 to give prudence to the naïve, to the youth knowledge and discretion; 6 to understand a proverb and a figure, the words of the wise and their riddles; 7 the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. 1. to enable the readers to learn and apply the fear of the Lord to their lives 2. to provide skill for successful living 3. to know wisdom and instruction (1:2) 4. to receive teaching in wise dealing, righteousness, justice and equity (1:3) 5. to help the simple gain prudence and the youth gain knowledge and discretion (1:4) 6. to increase learning and to acquire skill in understanding (1:5) Page 15

16 7. to understand proverbs, parables, wise sayings, and riddles (1:6) 8. to learn the fear of the Lord (1:7) Use of the Proverbs The purpose of the book of Proverbs is to develop in others, especially the young, a wise, skillful approach to living which begins with being properly related to the Lord. Proverbs were employed by parents and teachers to impart wisdom in a manner that made learning an adventure, a challenge. The purpose of a proverb was to help the young acquire mental skills that promote wise living. Both the content and the structure of the sayings contributed to the hearers development. The process was a challenge and the product a reward. Application of Proverbs As brief maxims, the verses in Proverbs are distilled, to-the-point sentences about life. They boil down, crystallize, and condense the experiences and observations of the writers. The brief but concentrated nature of the maxims causes their readers to reflect on their meanings. They tell what life is like and how life should be lived. In a terse, no-words-wasted fashion, some statements in Proverbs relate what is commonly observed in life; others recommend or exhort how life should be lived. And when advice is given, a reason for the counsel usually follows. Many of the proverbs should be recognized as guidelines, not absolute observations; they are not ironclad promises. What is stated is generally and usually true, but exceptions are occasionally noted (e.g. Proverbs. 10:27 with Psalm 73:12). Literary Style Meaning of the word proverb : Proverb translates from a verb meaning to be like, to be compared with. Each of the pithy sayings in the book of Proverbs is a proverb (cf. 1:1; 10:1; 25:1). Brief proverbial sayings are also found elsewhere in the Old Testament (e.g., Genesis 10:9; 1 Samuel 10:12; 24:13; 1 Kings 20:11; Jeremiah 31:29; Ezekiel 12:22; 16:44; 18:2). Proverb also means byword (e.g., Deuteronomy 28:37, an object of scorn ; 1 Kings 9:7; 2 Chronicles 7:20; Jeremiah 24:9; Ezekiel 14:8). The sense seems to be that the person or nation called a byword becomes an object lesson for others. Proverb may also be used as a prophetic oracle (Numbers 23:7,18; 24:3,15,20-21,23) or a taunt (Isaiah 14:4) of several verses in length. Perhaps the idea here is that the statements point to what the speaker wished the people were like. Job s discourse (Job 29-31) is a proverb in the sense that it summarized what his experience was like. Parable is another way of rendering proverb (Ezekiel 20:49); here it suggests that the story resembles some life incident. This is similar to the translation of the word proverb as allegory (Ezekiel 17:2). Proverbs are also associated with riddles (Psalm 49:4; Proverb 1:6). Parallelism Proverbs is written entirely in poetic style. The predominant structural feature of Hebrew poetry is parallelism. Usually the two poetic lines in a verse have a parallel relationship (see a further description of parallelism under the Psalms heading above). 1. In synonymous parallelism, the terms or units of thought in one line are paralleled by similar terms or units of thought in the second line. 2. In antithetical parallelism, one line is the opposite of or contrasts with the other line (e.g., 10:1; 11:1). Most of the verses in chapters are antithetical. 3. In emblematic parallelism, one line expands the other by a simile or a metaphor (e.g., 10:26; 25:12, 23). 4. In synthetic parallelism, the second line simply continues the thought of the first line. Sometimes the second line gives a result of the first line (3:6; 16:3) and other times the second line describes something in the first line (6:12; 15:3). Sometimes one line gives a preference over what is referred to in the other line. There are 19 such better than, how much worse or how much more --another kind of synthetic parallelism Page 16