What is a Psalm? A Caution Who wrote it? How is it organized? What types/genres? Weekly Readings

Transcription

1 Andrew Stepp Psalms

2 What is a Psalm? A Caution Who wrote it? How is it organized? What types/genres? Weekly Readings

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4 Hebrew = תּ ה לּ י ם Tehillim, "praises ; Greek = ψαλμοί, psalmoi, meaning "instrumental music," "the words accompanying the music. Compiled after the Exile for the 2 nd temple. (Ezra, Nehemiah) They are Hebrew poetry, specifically musical poems. so read it like poetry! There are different types/genres of psalms. ( later in the presentation) They are all independent, cohesive units but they are intentionally arranged ( later in the presentation)

5 Parallelism - Ps. 2:1-5; 4:2-5; 10:3-9; 19:1; 24:1 Metaphor - Ps. 22:12,16 Anthropomorphism Ps. 18:8, 13, 15 Personification - PS. 85:10 Hyperbole Ps. 6:6 Acrostic Ps. 119 Alliteration Assonance Rhythm

6 Because the Bible is God s word, many Christians automatically assume that all it contains are words from God to people. Thus they fail to recognize that the Bible also contains words spoken to God or about God which is what the psalms do and that these words, too, are God s Word. That is, because psalms are basically prayers and hymns, by their very nature they are addressed to God or express truth about God in song. This reality presents us with a unique problem of hermeneutics in Scripture. How do these words spoken to God function as a word from God to us?

7 May his children be wandering beggars; may they be driven from their ruined homes. 11 May a creditor seize all he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor. 12 May no one extend kindness to him or take pity on his fatherless children (Psalm 109)

8 Sometimes when we read the Bible we forget how to read

9 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5) Would we read: Edgar Allen Poe, Homer, S. Freud, and Dan Brown the same way with the same interpretive lens?

10 LAW Narrative Poetry Apocalypse The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 2 Say to the Israelites: Of all the animals that live on land, these are the ones you may eat: 3 You may eat any animal that has a divided hoof and that chews the cud. (Leviticus 11:1) Now a man of the tribe of Levi married a Levite woman, 2 and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. 3 But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, Where is your God? (Psalm 42) Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them. 7 The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and firemixed with blood, and it was hurled down on the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. (Revelation 8)

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12 What are the major seasons of the liturgical year? Can you name hymns that fit those seasons? What about event? Funeral, baptism, wedding, Thanksgiving, patriotic?

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14 Book One: Psalm 1-21 (All but 1, 2, and 33 are titled of David ) Book Two: Psalm Book Three: Book Four: Book Five: Each concludes with a similar doxology: 41:13, 72:18-19; 89:52; 106:48; and all of 150

15 Books One and Two represent the time of the early monarchy; heavy with David. Book Three assumes the fall of Jerusalem. Very heavy and mournful tones. Book Four goes back to Moses with a psalm reminding them that God has always been their dwelling place. The emphasis is on Yahweh as their king. Book Five includes a psalm of praise for gathering the exiles, the songs of ascent, and the five hallelujahs ( ).

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17 David 73 Asaph 12 Sons of Korah 11 (See 2 Chron. 20:19) Solomon 2 Moses 1 Heman the Ezrahit 1 Ethan the Ezrahite 1 Anonymous 50

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19 More than sixty of the 150 psalms are laments, including both individuals and corporate. Psalm 88 LORD, you are the God who saves me; day and night I cry out to you. 2 May my prayer come before you; turn your ear to my cry. 3 I am overwhelmed with troubles and my life draws near to death.

20 16 total Psalm 138:1-3 I will praise you, LORD, with all my heart; before the gods I will sing your praise. 2 I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your unfailing love and your faithfulness, for you have so exalted your solemn decree that it surpasses your fame. 3 When I called, you answered me; you greatly emboldened me.

21 16 total Psalm 146:1-3 Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD, my soul. 2 I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. 3 Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save.

22 5 total recounting the history of God s faithfulness and deliverance of Israel (78, 105, 106, 135, 136) Psalm 106:5-7 Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced, 6 you his servants, the descendants of Abraham, his chosen ones, the children of Jacob. 7 He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth.

23 Includes: Covenant renewal liturgies (50, 81) Covenant psalms (89, 132) Royal Psalms (2, 18, 20, 21, 45, 72, 101, 110, 144) Enthronement (24, 29, 47, 93, 95-99) Songs of Zion (46, 48, 76, 84, 87, 122)

24 8 total (36, 37, 49, 73, 112, 127, 128, 133) Psalm 37:3-6 Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 4 Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: 6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.

25 Ten total (11, 16, 23, 27, 62, 32, 91, 121, 125, 131) Psalm 27:13-14 I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. Psalm 23 The Lord is my

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27 Psalms = 150 chapters but we have two weeks! 15 Ch./Day Other Options: Next slide

28 Read 2 from each genre: Lament: 22, 80 Thanksgiving: 124, 40 Praise: 19, 147 Salvation History: 105, 106 Celebration and Affirmation: 18,144 Wisdom: 49, 73 Trust: 16, 91 Read the ones we wrote on the whiteboard