The Bible as Hymnal Part 1: The Psalms

Inspired Songs
A study of the poetry of the Bible including
an introduction to the Book of Psalms

A “Lessons-to-Go” study
by Mark S. Pavlin
Inspired Songs

Part 1
Sacred poetry and the
Book of Psalms
Inspired Songs
Session 1
Introductions

What kind of writing is it?
After you read a passage in Scripture...
To reach a deeper understanding and appreciation
of passages in Scripture, first identify what kind of
text it is; is it narrative prose, prophecy, story-
telling, parable, or genealogy? Maybe it is......

It might be poetry
Does it matter?
“When we are considering poetry, we must
consider it as poetry and not as another
thing.“ - - T. S. Eliot
Why is this important?
... Poetry!
 If the text is printed in verse form, then
it might be, but this is not a guarantee.
 And don’t expect the verses to rhyme or
have meter since Biblical Hebrew poetry
doesn’t employ these familiar devices.

“Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the
thought has found words.” - Robert Frost
“Poetry is a search for syllables to shoot at the barriers of the
unknown and the unknowable.” - Carl Sandburg
“Genuine poetry can communicate before it is understood.”
- T. S. Eliot

Is it sacred poetry?
Sacred poetry:
It is not teaching us how to reach God; it is the reaching itself;
It is not reasoning of head; it is the raising of hands and voice,
It is action-packed, heart-felt and spirit-filled. It is prayer.
... In sacred poetry we speak to God of God for God:
His love for us;
“How precious is Your steadfast love, O Lord... “ Ps. 36
His help in times of trouble;
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want...” - Ps. 23
His justice;
“For you save a humble people but the haughty eyes
you bring down...” Ps. 18
His work in us;
“Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold
me with a willing spirit....” Ps. 51

Many places, many times
We find sacred poetry in many places inside and outside of Scripture - in
Genesis, Psalms, Proverbs, Song of Songs, Job, Ecclesiastes, and the
Prophets; also in the New Testament and in post-Apostolic Age writings.
Many of the sacred poems we know today are hymns written after
the Protestant Reformation and some are folk songs and “spirituals.”
Early Christian hymns developed
from chants of Scripture verses.
Even today, a common hymn
type is one in which the lyrics
are drawn directly (or nearly so)
from Scripture even when the
Biblical text is not poetry.
Examples of the latter are “Ave
Marie” and the many versions of
the “Our Father” (Lord’s Prayer).

This study
Study Part 1
 Session 1 - Sacred poetry and the Book of Psalms
 Session 2 – Psalms: Heart and soul
 Session 3 – Psalms: Ascending to worship
Study Part 2
 Session 1 – Beyond Psalms
 Session 2 – Beyond the Bible
This study will not shy away from
asking critical questions about
the psalms, especially how the
themes, expressions and prayers
compare with teachings found in
the New Testament.

Introduction to the Book of Psalms
The Old Testament (OT) Book of
Psalms, is...
 a compilation of 150 ancient
Hebrew poems/songs
 the best-known and most
commonly-referenced source
for Christian hymns

Over 50 hymns reference Psalms, including:
 The King of Love My Shepherd Is & He Leadeth Me (Ps. 23)
 A Mighty Fortress is Our God & Be Still My Soul (Ps. 46)
 If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee (Ps. 55)
 O God Our Help in Ages Past (Ps. 90)
 Joy to the World (Ps. 98)
 Old Hundredth (Ps. 100)
Praise God from Whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures
here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son
and Holy Ghost.
 Praise to the Lord the Almighty (Ps. 103)
 Praise the Lord Who Reigns Above (Ps. 150)
In the United Methodist Hymnal

Popularity
 Jesus, Paul, the earliest Christian post-Apostolic writers and many of
the early Church Fathers quoted from the psalms
 Used in Jewish worship  synagogues of the Diaspora  earliest
Jewish Christian churches  non-Jewish Christian worship
 Widely used in the Catholic Church; monks and nuns recite the
entire collection every week in the Litany of the Hours
 After the Reformation, psalms were incorporated into Protestant
hymns and included in editions of the New Testament and the
Book of Common Prayer (Ps. 82 is included as a funeral recitation)
 Extensively used by composers including Bach, Handel, Mozart Liszt,
Ives, Bernstein, Vaughan Williams, Holst, Stravinsky, and Kodaly
 That God gave the psalms to David is noted in the Quran, which
mentions them in three separate verses
 Psalms are the source of many beloved “one-liners”, including....

The stone the builders rejected
Has become the cornerstone;
The LORD has done this,
And it is marvelous in our eyes.
- Psalm 118
The heavens declare the glory of God;
The skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
Night after night they reveal knowledge.
- Psalm 19
As the deer pants for running water,
So my soul pants for you, my God.
My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God.
- Psalm 42
A thousand years in your sight
Are like a day that has just gone by,
Or like a watch in the night.
- Psalm 90
My God, my God,
why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
So far from my cries of anguish?
- Psalm 22
I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
The Maker of heaven and earth.
- Psalm 121
From the psalms

Psalms: hymnal of 150 songs
 In ancient Palestine there was no system
of written musical notation- this is why
no music of the psalms is known today
 Some of the psalms were probably sung at coronations; others at
weddings and festivals.
 From Ψαλμοί (Psalmoi) meaning "music
of the lyre" or "songs sung to a harp“
 Later the term was applied to any similar
piece of music = “hymn”
 At the time of their composition their
melodies were probably well-known;
musicians committed these to memory
 Superscriptions (headings) for some
provide musical references or direction
but what they mean is lost

 13 headings refer to an event in
the life of David
 #39, 62, 77 are “for Jeduthun”
to be sung “after his manner”
or “in his choir”
 #50 & 73–83 are of Asaph, as
the master of his choir
 #42, 44–49, 84, 85, 87, and 88
assert that the "sons of Korah"
were entrusted with arranging
and singing them (2 Chr. 20:19
suggests this was a select choir).
Who wrote the psalms?
Almost half (73) are attributed to King David by the heading ‫ִד‬‫ו‬ ָ‫ד‬ ְ‫;ל‬ the
preposition before his name can mean "of," "by," "for," or “about”; there
is no way to know if David actually composed any of them or a precursor.

 Dating a psalm is not possible; songs were likely transmitted orally for
generations before being committed to writing*
 Written versions were then likely edited, adapted for new historical
realities and changes in language, etc.
 Many appear to be from early in the history of ancient Israel and may,
then, be originally from the time of David’s kingship
 These were possibly composed during the period of the kings of Judah
to honor successors of David
 Others appear to be from the time after the exile to Babylon (or “post-
exilic”), which occurred in the 6th century BC
 In summary- the collection of songs we know as Psalms was probably
the work of many composers and editors from different time periods.
When were the psalms written?
*The alphabet, developed by the Phoenicians ca. 1,000 BCE was not
adopted by Israel-Judah until well after the time of King David.

“Anyone who knows anything about the formation of a church hymnal
will understand that this process in Israel was in part intentional and in
part accidental and haphazard, no doubt shot through with competing
advocacies and political compromises along the way.”
Gathering, editing, forming the collection
- Walter Brueggemann &
Tod Linafelt, An Introduc-
tion to the Old Testament

There is none, really. Not by subject or author or anything else scholars
have studied. At some late date they were grouped into sections, part-
ially (& loosely) by subject matter, in imitation (apparently) of the five
books (Pentateuch) of the Law. Each closes with a doxology/ benediction.
Organization of the psalms
Sec-
tion
Psalm
Numbers
Book
Imitated
I 1-41 Genesis
II 42-72 Exodus
III 73-89 Leviticus
IV 90-106 Numbers
V 107-150 Deuteronomy
The importance of
following the Law
(Torah) - the
blessedness of those
who do so, its
perfection, etc. - is
a theme in every
section (“law” occurs
59 times, 45 times in
Ps. 119 alone).

Psalm construction
The most noticeable poetic construction in the Psalms is parallelism; an
idea expressed in one line is repeated, amplified, or countered in the
following line(s). Essentially, then, there are 3 kinds of parallelism:
Synonymous Repetition in the second line using different words of
what was expressed in the first line:
Antithetic In the second line, negating or presenting an idea in con-
trast to what was expressed in the first line:
Synthetic Completing or expanding the idea of the first line in the
second:
Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger
Or discipline me in your wrath. Ps.38:1
For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous
But the way of the wicked leads to destruction.. Ps.1:6
As the deer pants for streams of water
So my soul pants for you, my God. Ps.42:1

Psalm construction
A verse of parallel lines is often “doubled” with a second verse of
parallel lines expressing a similar thought:
For wicked and deceitful people have opened their mouths against me;
They have spoken against me with lying tongues.
With words of hatred they surround me and attack me without cause.
In return for my friendship they accuse me.
Ps.109:2-4
My people, hear my teaching;
Listen to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth with a parable;
I will utter hidden things, things from of old.
Ps.78:1-2

The poetry in The Book of Psalms abounds in figures of speech.
Go figure

Figure out this
Lyrical writing includes: simile, metaphor, rhetorical
questions, metonymy(1), zoomorphism(2), hyperbole,
personification, apostrophe(3), and synecdoche(4)
1. Use of the name of one object or concept for that of another to
which it is related, e.g. “scepter” for “sovereignty”
2. Describing a person or being as having the form of an animal.
3. A digression in the form of an address to someone not present,
or to a personified thing, i.e. “O Death, where is thy sting?”
4. A part is used for the whole, or a particular is used for the
general, i.e. “rich as Croesus”.

To do so would be to impoverish its
meaning, lessen its power and risk
making it sound ridiculous.
Much of the language of the psalms,
therefore, must not be taken literally.

Psalm types (genres)
Commentators sort the psalms into types a number of ways. Major types
are hymns of praise, trust and/or thanksgiving, cries for help in distress
(“lament”), pleas for vengeance against enemies (“imprecatory”), songs
for worship or wisdom, songs in praise of the king*(“royal”), and songs to
sing while on the road up to
Jerusalem (“ascent”). Word Occurrences
Praise 182
Joy/thanks 57/22
Wicked/enemies 110/93
King 72
Save/salvation/help 62/39/66
Rock/refuge/fortress 25/43/17
Deliver/rescue 59/30
Law/wise/wisdom 33/7/7
A word count (in the NIV) shows that
expressions of praise, joy and thanks
are very important.
But Israel also complained a lot
about wicked people and they
begged a lot for help from God to
save them either from their enemies
(or from themselves).
*Not covered in this study

This study will consider the major themes by examining different
psalms no matter how they might be categorized. Let’s begin with a
very numerous type – psalms of complaint (laments).
Mixed themes
Many psalms include more than one theme. For example, almost all of
the songs of lament close with an expression of trust and thanks-
giving. Or, a song of ascent may be categorized as a song of praise.
Some psalms bear a
notation before the
first verse indicating
they are intended for
performance by a
choir. It is possible to
consider all of the
psalms as meant for
the community.

Daily life in ancient
Israel was hard
and dangerous.
Drought. Famine.
Disease. Oppressive
taxation. Poverty.
Invasion. No govern-
ment services, no
medical services, no
education, poor
roads, no means of
communication over
even short distances.
No surprise that a
majority of the
psalms are pleas to
God for help.

In many psalms, the writer cries out to God, pleading, at times
desperately, for God to hear and answer.
Israel is in distress, surrounded by en-
emies (identified only as “the wicked”)
She is being persecuted (unjustly); even
her friends don’t understand her plight
Her sins weigh on her; she can’t sleep.
She is sinking down into a slimy pit;
she can’t climb out!
She is floundering in the depths, as if
drowning in the sea
You name it, it is a bad, bad time- and
she can’t save herself.
God is not listening (it seems); doesn’t
He care?
Please rescue me psalms

In many psalms, the writer cries out to God, pleading, at times
desperately, for God to hear and answer.
Israel is in distress, surrounded by en-
emies (identified only as “the wicked”)
She is being persecuted (unjustly); even
her friends don’t understand her plight
drowning in the sea
God is not listening (it seems);
doesn’t He care?
Is distress what comes to
your mind when you think
of the psalms?

In many psalms, the writer cries out- prays, pleading, at
times, for God to hear.
Israel is in distress, surrounded by
enemies (usually, “the wicked”)
She is being persecuted (unjustly)
Her friends don’t understand her plight
drowning in the sea
God is not listening (it seems); doesn’t
He care?
Before you firm up an opinion of the
nature of these cries for help from
God and whether or not God was
listening to the prayers of His people...
Wait!
...you need to know that these songs
followed a strict poetic style.
They are called “individual laments.”

1. Address/plea/prayer
(“Listen to my cry, answer me”)
(“I called on God and He answered me”)
(The Lord is my rock, my refuge)
2. Dilemma/danger/distress of the psalmist
(“Ruthless men seek my life”)
(“The snares of death trapped me”)
(“I sank into the depths/fell into the pit”)
3. Rescue/salvation/relief of the psalmist- expected,
promised, trusted in or accomplished
(“But you are a shield around me”)
(“Send forth your light and your truth”
4. Offer of thanks/praise/vows to God
(“Offer right sacrifices and trust in the Lord”)
(“My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you”)
Formal structure of psalms of lament
5. A “summation”
may be at the
start, the end, or
in both places

1. Introduction:
plea
2. Dilemma/
danger/
distress
3. Rescue/
salvation/
relief/trust
4. Offer of
praise, vow
5. Summary
Example #1: Ps. 54
Save me, O God, by your name;
vindicate me by your might.
2 Hear my prayer, O God;
listen to the words of my mouth.
3 Arrogant foes are attacking me;
ruthless people are trying to kill me—
people without regard for God.
4 Surely God is my help;
the Lord is the one who sustains me.
5 Let evil recoil on those who slander me;
in your faithfulness destroy them.
6 I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you;
I will praise your name, LORD, for it is good.
7 You have delivered me from all my troubles,
and my eyes looked in triumph on my foes.

1. Introduction:
plea
2. Dilemma/
danger/
distress
3. Rescue/
salvation/
relief
4. Offer of
praise, vow
5. Summary
Formal structure of Ps. 54
Save me, O God, by your name;
vindicate me by your might.
2 Hear my prayer, O God;
listen to the words of my mouth.
3 Arrogant foes are attacking me;
ruthless people are trying to kill me—
people without regard for God.
4 Surely God is my help;
the Lord is the one who sustains me.
5 Let evil recoil on those who slander me;
in your faithfulness destroy them.
6 I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you;
I will praise your name, LORD, for it is good.
7 You have delivered me from all my troubles,
and my eyes looked in triumph on my foes.
The rigorous formal structure of this song
and its beautiful every-verse parallelism
point to the labor of a skilled composer.
This was not dashed off in haste or in
passion but polished with care.

1. Introduction:
complaint
or plea
2. Dilemma/
danger/
distress
3. Rescue/
salvation
4. Vow of
praise
5. Summary - omitted
Example #2: Ps. 13
How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?
3 Look on me and answer, LORD my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
4 and my enemy say, “I have overcome him,”
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
5 But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing the LORD’s praise,
for he has been good to me.

... You are not a God who is pleased with wickedness...
... evil people are not welcome.
... arrogant cannot stand your presence.
... You hate all who do wrong
... You destroy those who tell lies.
... You detest the bloodthirsty and deceitful
... (they) cannot be trusted... filled with malice.
... (their) throat is an open grave... tell lies...
... they have rebelled against You.
Example #3: Ps. 5
READ Psalm 5 Identify the elements of the formal “lament” style.
The wicked appear in many psalms with similar characteristics
(what are they?), doubtless an exaggeration, and often contrasted
with the characteristics of “the righteousness” (in Ps. 13, see v. 5).
A notable variation in this psalm is the detailed description of “the
wicked” presented in 6-fold parallelism (vs. 4, 5, 6, 9, and 10).

Example #4: Ps. 18
READ Psalm 18
This psalm is the inspiration for the lyrics of
the hymn A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
In the address of this song, what similes
does the psalmist deploy to evoke the
security he finds in God? Are the images still
effective today?
Note also the second part of the address
section:
I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and I have been saved from my enemies.

Example #4: Ps. 18
READ Psalm 18
This psalm is the inspiration for the lyrics of
the hymn A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
In the address of this song, what similes
does the psalmist deploy to evoke the
security he finds in God? Are the images still
effective today?
Note also the second part of the address
section:
I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and I have been saved from my enemies.
In this (and other psalms of this type) the “rescue” theme recalls
the Exodus, that formative event in which Yahweh saved His people
big time. Rescue psalms proclaim the hope - the trust- that God will
save them again when they call on Him.

Double parallelism in Ps. 18
The cords of death
entangled me
The torrents of destruction
overwhelmed me
The cords of the grave
coiled around me
The snares
of death
confronted me.
What does the doubling of parallelisms in the dilemma/distress
section of Ps. 18 emphasize?

Double it again
This is followed by another double parallelism which
tells that God attends to the psalmist’s desperate cry.
In my distress I called to the Lord
I cried to my God for help
From his temple he heard my voice
My cry came before him, to his ears.
What are the dramatic images which the writer
deploys? What are they meant to convey?
Do you think that God would act for His people
if they did not plead for help?
What do you think God will do when He hears the
voice of His people? [see next slide]

Exalted be God my Savior!
He is the God who avenges me,
Who subdues nations under me,
Who saves me from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes;
From a violent man you rescued me.
Therefore I will praise you, Lord..
I will sing the praises of your name!
Closing section: Ps. 18
Do these concluding lines sound selfish and violent to you?
Is Yahweh really an Avenger, a Power that “exalts” Israel and
“subdues” all her enemies, presumably with violence?

 We must always keep in mind that the psalms are stylized
poems that express deep emotions for the whole community
 Praise directed to God is a response to what God has done,
sung during a community celebration, sung “formally” as an
acknowledgement of His loving action
 Praise does not arise necessarily because an enemy was
actually humiliated, defeated or caused to suffer
 It is more likely a “shout-out” meant to convey joy in liber-
ation, deliverance, and/or healing perhaps in the past
 People cry out in relief and joy and amazement whenever God
touches them in a way beyond their expectation, even beyond
their prayers and hopes.
 The cry often is followed by expressions of renewed faith and
promises (vows) of faithfulness.
Rescue songs: summation

Inspired Songs
the psalms and the poetry of Scripture
End of Session 1

Inspired Songs
Part 1 - - Session 2
Psalms: heart and soul

Previously in this study we began reading in the Old Testament Book of
Psalms, learning about Hebrew poetry and examining examples of one
common type of song. In these “rescue me” psalms, the writer stands in
the place of a person in distress, trouble, or
danger and cries out to God for help, for
rescue and, often, vindication.
Heartfelt pleas
Do you pray to God for this kind of help
for you and/or people you care about?
Many psalms that could be placed in this
class are different in being more heartfelt,
having a deeper emotional tone.
In them the psalmist recounts his/her
physical and/or mental anguish; some
include a confession of personal sin.
They are cries from the heart and the soul.
“Taxed” by Michael Lang

Example #1: Psalm 6
Read Psalm 6
This song includes vivid images of anguish:
Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint;
Heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.
and:
All night long I flood my bed with weeping
and drench my couch with tears..
What do verses 1 and 3 suggest is
the cause of the poet’s suffering?
Why should Yahweh have mercy on
the psalmist? (v. 4-5 provide 2 reasons
Are they convincing to you?)
Given that God is a God of unfailing love and does show mercy and does
not rebuke in anger... then would He not also save the poet’s enemies?

Example #2: Psalm 22
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
So far from my cries of anguish?
...opens with the most recognizable cry from a soul in deep anguish:
About three in the afternoon Jesus
cried out, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”,
which means “My God, my God, why
have you forsaken me?”. When some
of those standing there heard this,
they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”
- Mt. 27: 46-47
Recognizable, because it was recited
by Jesus when he was crucified:

Psalm 22 (continued)
Verse 18 is also quoted in the NT in connection with the Crucifixion:
When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they
took his clothes, dividing them into
shares... with the undergarment
remaining, {which} was seamless,
woven in one piece... “Let’s not tear
it... “Let’s decide by lot who will get
it.” This happened that the scripture
might be fulfilled, “They divided my
clothes among them and cast lots for
my garment.” – Jn. 19:23-24
All my bones are on display;
People stare and gloat over me.
They divide my clothes among them
And cast lots for my garment.

Example #3: Psalm 69
This song opens with a triple parallelism:
Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.
I sink in the miry depths where there is no foothold.
I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me.
Even today the imagery of
uncontrolled downward
movement (sliding, falling,
sinking) evocates distress,
danger, and fear; “digging a
hole” is a familiar metaphor
for getting into trouble...
... We get “bogged down” by diffi-
culties, “sucked in” by scammers,
or just “crushed” by bad news.

It’s the pits
The pit as symbol of great distress appears in 13 psalms*
For example, in Ps. 30:
To the Lord I cried for mercy:
What is gained if I am silenced,
if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you? ...
Lord, be merciful to me
Lord, be my help.
*Ps. 7,9, 28, 30, 35, 40, 55, 57, 69, 88, 94, 103 & 143

Ps. 69(continued)
Later in the song (v. 14-15) we encounter the same images:
Rescue me from the mire, don’t let me sink;
Deliver me from those who hate me, from the deep waters.
Don’t let the floodwaters engulf me,
or the depths swallow me up,
or the pit close its mouth over me..
This psalm is long (30 verses) and complex, incorporating elements of
complaint, praise, thanksgiving and wisdom. Can you cite examples of
each of these elements? Also, are verses 9 & 21 familiar to you? Why?
There is also a passage (v. 22-28) in which the psalmist begs God to do
what to his enemies? This is an example of what type of psalm element?
Why is the psalmist “scorned, disgraced, and shamed” (see v. 7-12)?

Ps. 69(continued)
Later in the song (v. 14-15) we encounter the same images:
Rescue me from the mire, don’t let me sink;
Deliver me from those who hate me, from the deep waters.
Don’t let the floodwaters engulf me,
or the depths swallow me up,
or the pit close its mouth over me..
This psalm is long (30 verses) and complex, incorporating elements of
complaint, praise, thanksgiving and wisdom. Can you cite examples of
each of these elements? Also, are verses 9 & 21 familiar to you? Why?
There is also a passage (v. 22-28) in which the psalmist begs God to do
what to his enemies? This is an example of what type of psalm element?
Why is the psalmist “scorned, disgraced, and shamed” (see v. 7-12)?
Probably the most memorable case in the OT
of sinking into deep waters and being
swallowed up is that of the prophet Jonah.

That sinking feeling - Jonah 2
...You hurled me into the depths,
into the very heart of the seas
Currents swirled about me,
waves and breakers swept over me…
…The engulfing waters threatened me,
the deep surrounded me
Seaweed wrapped around my head
and I sank down to the roots of the
mountain.
Chapter 2 of the Book of Jonah is a typical
psalm of distress/rescue inserted into the
narrative with dramatic effect.
In my distress I called to the Lord
And He answered me
From deep in the realm of the dead
I called for help...

Jonah in distress
God Himself is the one who has, accord-
ing to the psalmist, brought on his dis-
tress, not actions of the writer’s enemies.
Poetically true but perhaps not literally
true since other psalms conflate actions of
enemies with acts willed by Yahweh.
In any case, the image of deep, chaotic
water tells vividly of danger, the entang-
ling weeds emphasizing the helplessness
of the writer. He cannot save himself.

The rescue and the praise
Note that the element common to many psalms, a
vow to offer a thanksgiving sacrifices (doubtless in
the Temple or in its courts) is present here also.
READ Jonah 2: 1-9
The psalmist cannot save him/herself, but
he/she can and does take what 2 actions?
What does God do in response?
Did the poet’s prayer move God to save
him/her?
Was God waiting for his/her repentance
before acting?
God loves even those (many among us even
today?) who “cling to worthless idols.”
Does this psalm make you think that there
is hope for them to turn to God?

Previously this study of the Book of Psalms examined examples of two
related types, whose themes are similar- the psalmist speaks as an
individual or a community (Israel) in danger or distress. They cry out to
God for help and are rescued (or will be soon).
Next up: Imprecatory Psalms
The two types are different only in their tone, one being more
intensely personal. In these songs the writer recounts
his/her physical and/or mental anguish and, some-
times, personal sin.
In a third type of song, the psalmist does
not restrain his hatred of “wicked people”
(his enemies). At what he/she sees as their
arrogance and greed the psalmist goes
beyond frustration to wishing (praying) that
terrible things happen to them.....

Imprecatory psalms portray the wicked as much worse than just boast-
ful liars: their evils are premeditated and target the innocent and the
helpless. They defy God Himself.
Read Psalm 10
Wicked! Ps. 10
In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the
weak who are caught in the schemes he devises.
He boasts about the cravings of his heart; he
blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord.
In his pride the wicked man does not seek Him;
in all his thoughts there is no room for God.
His ways are always prosperous; Your laws are
rejected by him; he sneers at all his enemies.
Worse yet, the wicked prosper!
This is too much for the psalmist.

Frustration boils over as he cries out to God, pleading that God
take violent action against the wicked.
Break them!
Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God.
Do not forget the helpless...
14...You see the trouble of the afflicted, You consider their
grief...victims commit themselves to you;
You are the helper of the fatherless.
15Break the arm of the wicked man; call the evildoer to
account for his wickedness...
This poetry is expressing deep emotion in figurative imagery.
But surely the concern is real.
Evil exists in the world and the wheels of justice either grind
slowly or are in the control of the wicked themselves.

Frustration boils over as he cries out to God, pleading that God
take violent action against the wicked.
Break them!
Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God.
Do not forget the helpless...
14...You see the trouble of the afflicted, You consider their
grief...victims commit themselves to you;
You are the helper of the fatherless.
15Break the arm of the wicked man; call the evildoer to
account for his wickedness...
This poetry is expressing deep emotion in figurative imagery.
But surely the concern is real.
Evil exists in the world and the wheels of justice either grind
slowly or are in the control of the wicked themselves.
The “wicked” don’t always perish, at least not until
they’ve had many years enjoying the fruits of their filthy
lucre (ill-gotten prosperity). Agree or disagree?
Are all rich people wicked? Aren’t some rich because
they are talented, fortunate, good at business or
inventive? Aren’t some generous philanthropists? Cite
examples pro and con.

Acclamation concludes Ps. 10
The Lord is King for ever and ever;
The nations* will perish from his land.
You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted;
You encourage them, You listen to their cry,
Defending the fatherless and the oppressed,
So that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror.
*the nations. In the mind of the composer, all nations that war against Israel
are intolerably evil, so here “the nations” is synonymous with “the wicked.”
Read Ps. 11
What attributes of the wicked are listed in Ps. 11?
What form of vengeance does Ps. 11 request from God?
How does Ps. 11 conclude?
Ps. 10 concludes as do
many other psalms of
other types with an
acclamation of praise-
God is good!

Read Psalm 35
This imprecatory psalm wastes no lines before invoking the might of
Yahweh the avenger with martial imagery:
Ruthless witnesses come forward; they question me on things
I know nothing about. They repay me evil for good and leave
me like one bereaved. Yet when they were ill, I put on sack-
cloth and humbled myself with fasting.
This song is in the form of a prayer and is highly personal: the com-
poser sees himself as blameless and good (no mention of sin); his
foes are willfully evil, ruthless, and spiteful.
Contend, Lord... fight against those who fight against me. Take up
shield and armor... Brandish spear and javelin against those who
pursue me.
Things get personal in Ps. 35

The composer uses the expression “May {God} do ..(some form of
retribution)” seven times in verses 4-8 following the introduction. He
prays fervently to Yahweh that these things will befall his enemies:
The usual acclamation verses follow (v. 9-10), and then the entire
theme is repeated (v. 11-27). A final verse (v. 28) emphasizes the
end of the story, praise to God for His righteousness.
 Be disgraced and put to shame
 Be turned back in dismay
 Be like chaff before the wind
 Take a dark and slippery path
 Be overtaken by ruin without warning
 Get entangles in the net they hid for him
 Fall into the pit they dug for him
May God do (insert retribution )

Other psalms make clear that the Hebrew composers/editors of the
psalms were not fans of the Golden Rule! They wanted God to do
unto others what he felt those evil people so richly deserved.
Read Psalm 73
The psalmist is upset that “the wicked” don’t struggle through life,
have (apparently) no serious enemies, and are healthy and strong.
The wicked resort to violence to get what they want; they are
creative in coming up with evil things.
They are malicious, proud, arrogant and ambitious. They live “at
ease.” They speak “with malice.” Heedlessly, they even mock God.
In brief, this is what the wicked are like— always free of care, they
go on amassing wealth.
The Golden Rule – not! Psalm 73

The psalmist then summarizes his gloomy lot in life:
Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in
innocence. All day long I have been afflicted and every morning brings
new punishments.

The psalmist is tempted follow the example of “the wicked.”
What happens to cause him to re-think his situation?
What does he conclude he should do?
What does he think is the ultimate fate of “the wicked”? Agree?
What will happen to the wicked?

Next up: Wise up!
If one does not follow the example
of “the wicked” or of “fools”, then
what is the path to wisdom?
In classical mythology, an owl
accompanies the goddess of
wisdom (Greek:Athena,
Roman: Minerva).
Because of this association, owls
became a symbol of knowledge,
erudition and wisdom through-
out all of Western culture.

Songs of Wisdom
For the Israelites, wisdom was embodied
in God’s word, Torah, the Law. The word
occurs 59 times in the Book of Psalms*
Wisdom psalms teach the importance of
following Torah to find favor with God.
This insistence on following the Law is re-
pudiated by St. Paul especially in his Epistle
to the Romans, bequeathing, thereby, the
“Law v. Gospel” theological puzzle for
Christians to debate to this day.
As we read these psalms, share your
thoughts on this age-old question.
*More than half are in the very long Psalm 119.

Blessed is the one whose delight
is in the law of the Lord,
Who meditates on His law
day and night.
That person is like a tree
planted by streams of water,
yielding fruit in season,
never withering
Whatever they do prospers.
Mediate on Torah (Ps. 1)

The law of the Lord is
perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are
trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are
right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are
radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
Torah is perfect (Ps. 19)

My mouth will speak words of wisdom;
the meditation of my heart will give you
understanding.
I will turn my ear to a proverb;
with the harp I will expound my riddle.
Riches or Wisdom? (Ps. 49)
What words of wisdom does the
psalmist give us in this spiritual song
about worldly riches and what com-
forting wisdom does he share about the
uncomfortable reality of death?

The Lord knows all human plans;
He knows that they are futile.
Blessed is the one you discipline,
The one you teach from Your law;
You grant them relief from troubled days.
Teach Torah (Ps. 94)

At 176 verses, this psalm is easily the longest in the collection and
even a cursory study would take up an entire lesson.
Torah, Torah, Torah (Ps. 119)
Its 21 sections, each of which are
long enough to be a separate psalm,
begin with a different letter of the
Hebrew alphabet in order. This for-
mal organization is called an acrostic.
The psalm is an extended paean to
The Law (Torah). It contains many of
themes treated in other psalms, such
as waiting in hope, rescue, praise,
and condemnation of “the wicked.”

READ Ps. 127
Unless the Lord builds the house
the builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the guards stand watch in vain.
All good gifts around us (Ps. 127)

All good gifts around us (Ps. 127)
According to this song, no project or activity of
life will succeed unless it is “backed” by God.
What two good things follow for those
who commit their projects to God?
Ps. 128 has a similar message...

Blessed are all who fear the Lord,
who walk in obedience to Him.
You will eat the fruit
of your labor;
Blessings and prosperity
will be yours.
Your spouse will be
like a fruitful vine
within your house;
Your children will be
like olive shoots
around your table.
Yes, this will be the blessing
for the person
who fears the Lord.
Fear the Lord (Ps. 128)

Shalom (Ps. 128 conclusion)
May the Lord bless
you from Zion;
May you see the
prosperity of
Jerusalem all the days
of your life.
May you live to see
your children’s
children.
Peace be on Israel.
Psalms 127 and 128 are examples of psalms that can
be classified two ways (at least); both as a wisdom
song and as a song of ascent (see the next section).

To be sure, the wisdom psalms
stress the importance of following
Torah but this was essentially
equivalent to living a life centered
on God, living in His Presence.
What better way to do this than to
live near the Temple in Jerusalem?
Some psalms, then extol Jerusalem
and/or the Temple.
And some are more direct, urging
the singers to “seek the Lord” at all
times wherever they are.
READ Psalm 27
Lord of light and safety (Ps. 27)

One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of
the Lord all the days of my life,
To gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek Him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble He will
keep me safe in his dwelling;
He will hide me in the shelter of
His sacred tent
And set me high upon a rock.
Ps. 27 : 4-5, 8
My heart says of you, “Seek his
face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek.
How does the Psalmist respond to the grace of God?

Ps. 27 : 10, 13-14
* This analogy is striking because it was almost unthinkable back then
that parents would not love and care for their children (still true to-
day?). It receives added depth from the shocking words of Jesus in Mt.
10:35-37 & 12:45-50. What do you think Jesus meant by his teaching?
Though my father and
mother* forsake me,
The Lord will receive me.
I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the
Lord in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord;
Be strong and take heart
And wait for the Lord.

Inspired Songs
End of Session 2

Inspired Songs
Part 1 - - Session 3
Psalms: ascending to worship

Previously in this study we read a number of hymns that appear in
the Old Testament Book of Psalms, learning about Hebrew poetry
and examining examples of a few of the themes expressed in these
songs, e.g. pleading for help, cursing enemies, and teaching wisdom.
More psalm types
Praise of Jerusalem/Zion occurs frequently as does lauding the king
as Yahweh’s representative.
One section of the Book is devoted to hymns that pilgrims sang (it
is thought) as they
walked on the road
to Jerusalem, prob-
ably as a group for
a festival.

Psalms of Ascent
These psalms are vari-
ously called Gradual
Psalms, Songs of Steps
or Pilgrim Songs.
Psalms #120–134
each bear the ascrip-
tion: Shir Hama'aloth
(‫המעלות‬ ‫)שיר‬ meaning
“Song of Ascents.”

 Palestine is rugged! Only the
narrow coastal region (think
Gaza Strip) is flat
 Jerusalem’s elevation
is 2,500 ft above sea level.
 Jericho sits 850 ft below sea
level.
 Mt. Hermon rises to 9,200 ft.
 The Sea of Galilee lies 700 ft
below sea level (lowest
freshwater lake in the world)
 The Dead Sea lies 1,400 ft
below seal level (lowest spot
on land on Earth)
1500 m = 5000 ft
An aside on topography

Fifteen uplifting psalms
 Their poetic form and emotional energy fit this situation; they are
short and often mention “Zion” or “Jerusalem
 Characterized also by repetition; half are notably cheerful and all
of them are hopeful.
 Scholars think Pilgrim Songs were sung by worshippers climbing
the winding road to Mt. Zion and the Temple to attend festivals....
 ....or by the priests ascending the steps of the Temple to perform
prescribed ceremonies.

Fifteen uplifting psalms
 Four (122, 124, 131 and 133)
are “of David”
 One (127) is “of Solomon”
 The rest are unattributed.
Let’s look at a few examples...

READ Psalm 121
I lift up my eyes to the mountains,
Where can I find help?

READ Psalm 121
I lift up my eyes to the mountains,
Where can you find help?
Why is the psalmist looking to the mountains
for help? Is there a fortress there? An army?
Will angels swoop down from high places?

As pilgrims climb the heights to reach Jerusalem, all they see about
them are mountains, so they naturally think
of their majesty as something like the power
of God and their dominating presence some-
thing like the guardianship of God.
.... your shade at your right hand... will
keep you from all harm; .... will watch over
your life .... your coming and your going....
Psalm 121 (cont’d)
….help comes from the Lord.... will not
let your foot slip.... Who watches over
you, who will not slumber...
Do you have a feeling that God (or one
of His servants) watches over you?

READ Psalm 122
What difficulties did travelers endure in the Mediterranean world
during the years following the rebuilding of the Temple in 516 BCE?
What emotion does the psalm attribute to those who went on such
journeys? What was their reaction when reaching their destination?
O! Jerusalem! Ps. 122
How did the people per-
ceive Jerusalem? What
was so important about
it? What was there?
In a wider sense, what
did it represent?
What did they desire
most for the city?

Pray for the peace of
Jerusalem,
May those who love you
be secure.
May there be peace within
your walls
And security within your
citadels.
For the sake of my family
and friends,
I will say, “Peace be
within you.”
For the sake of the house
of the Lord God
I will seek your prosperity.
Ps. 122 (cont’d)

READ Psalm 130
 One of the more well-known of the psalms.
 Unlike most of the Songs of Ascent, this is a prayer for mercy
 It is from “out of the depths;” does not mention looking up
 It is an important theology proof-text; implies everyone sins
 Yet everyone can look to God in hope for forgiveness
 Like some other psalms, it calls on the faithful to “wait” and
“hope” for the work of God – He acts in His own time.
Psalm 130

READ Psalm 133
One of the shortest of the psalms (only three verses, as is Ps.
134) the psalmist expresses the desire that surely resonates
with all of us that people live together in harmony, especially
those who believe in and trust in God.
What two liquids are the song’s similes of God’s blessing?
Why these substances? What do they have in common?
Short and sweet: Ps. 133

Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
Praise him in his mighty heavens!
Praise him for his mighty deeds;
Praise him according to his excellent greatness!
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
- Ps. 150
Sacred poetry is praise

 Songs of praise are the most numerous type of psalm
 Greek “Psalmoi” (Ψαλμοί) means "music of the lyre“ or “hymn”
but in the Hebrew Bible, the title of the book is “Tehillim”
meaning “praises” or “songs of praise”
 The word translated “praise” (hallel) occurs 182 times
 Not every praise psalm includes the word “praise” and not every
psalm that does is categorized as a praise song
 The division between songs of praise and those of thanksgiving
is arbitrary; all are songs of worship and adoration of Yahweh
 As with other types, praise songs are for individuals (“I praise
You”) or the community (“We praise You”)
 Psalms 8, 19, 29, and 33 are the first of this type; others include
66, 67, 95, 96, 100, 103, 104, 111, 113, 114, 117, 145-150.
Praise psalms points

Praise him, sun and moon;
Praise him, all you shining stars.
Praise him, you highest heavens.
- Ps. 148
In some, all creation is asked to join in
Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights above.
Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his heavenly hosts.

Praise from children: Ps. 8
 Although clearly a song of praise for God as reflected in His creation,
the word “praise” is not used by the NRSV (the NIV renders v. 2 as:
“Through the praise of children and infants You have established...”)
 The text praises God for who He is as Master of the universe, granter
of authority (to humankind), unmixed with praise for any other
quality or act
 “Out of the mouths of babes and infants” is a line applied by Jesus
(Mt. 21:15-16) to cries of “Hosanna to the son of David” by children
in the outer Temple courts that are evoked by his actions
But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful
things he did and the children shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David,”
they were indignant.
“Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.
“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “‘From the lips of children and
infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?”

Parallelism in Psalm 8
Start of the parallelism Finish of the parallelism
When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers…
…the moon and the stars which
you have set in place
What is mankind that you are
mindful of them…
…human beings that you
care for them?
You have made them a little
lower than the angels…
…and crowned themwith
glory and honor
You made them rulers over the
works of your hands…
…you put everything under
their feet

Humans as rulers?
You have made them a little lower than God... crowned them with
glory and honor... given them dominion over the works of your
hands... put all things under their feet... - Ps. 8:5-9, NRSV

What do you think?
1. Are we Homo sapiens really “a little lower” than God? “Lower”
in what way? Does “a little” imply God is not all-that-powerful?
2. How are people “crowned with glory and honor”? When/how
did God do this? Isn’t this rather boastful?
3. Did God really give people dominion over all the animals and
mineral wealth of the earth? What does “dominion “mean?
Use the resources of Earth in any amount for any reason?
4. We now know that the universe is immensely larger and older
and mysterious than the Psalmist could have imagined. Does
this fact amplify the message of this song?
You have made them a little lower than God... crowned them with
glory and honor... given them dominion over the works of your
hands... put all things under their feet... - Ps. 8:5-9, NRSV

In praise of Torah: Ps. 19
Read Ps. 19
 Another song that does not use the word “praise”, yet, clearly, it
expresses praise for “the glory of God”
 Initial verses (1-6) are a well-loved paean “spoken” by the heavens
(or skies) not in words but in their God-ordained order and power
 Following verses (7-11) shift tone abruptly (next slide) to praise of
the Law which makes Ps. 19 a mixed type (Praise/Wisdom)
 This strikingly beautiful passage consists of four doubled doublets;
in the NIV, the key matched words of v. 7 are:
law - perfect ... reviving - soul
statues - trustworthy ... wise - simple
Can you list out the other three sets of doubled doublets?
The concluding verse, an offering of the song to God (“May these words
be pleasing...”) is often prayed by pastors before giving a sermon.

Psalm 19 v. 7-10
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul;
the decrees of the LORD are sure, making wise the simple;
8 The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the LORD is clear, enlightening the eyes;
9 The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever;
the ordinances of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.

Read Psalm 33:1-15
Singing praises to God is a joyous activity for people with what kind of
relationship with God.
Psalm 33
Note the parallelism in vs. 10-12 (“foils-nations...thwarts-
peoples” and “plans-forever...purposes-generations)” - NIV).
But what do you think? Does God really determine and
effect the historical prosperity of nations [“Blessed is the
nation whose God is the Lord”]?
This is not the only psalm that teaches Divine control of
history, in particular that God protects and blesses Israel.
Is this true of the modern nation of Israel in our century?

The Psalmist recites a lesson that Israel
and its neighbor-nations learned over their long sad history, that rulers
and their warriors rely in vain on strength, armaments, and beasts of
war for salvation.
But the eyes of the Lord are
on those who fear Him,
on those whose hope is in His
unfailing love,
To deliver them from death
and keep them alive in famine.
We wait in hope for the LORD...
In Him our hearts rejoice
for we trust in His holy name.
May Your unfailing love be with us, LORD,
even as we put our hope in you.
Unfailing love is our hope of salvation
Read Psalm 33:16-22

The Real Thing: Ps. 96
Read Psalm 96
 An invitation to join with “all the earth” singing songs of praise to God:
Declare his glory among the nations,
His marvelous works among all the peoples.
 With vivid language the psalmist calls Nature to join in the song:
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar and all that fills it;
let the field exult and everything in it.
 The psalm insists (v. 4) that it is proper that Yahweh is “to be revered
above all gods”. Wait... Isn’t Yahweh the One and only God?
 The next verse hastens to forestall listeners from being tempted to
worship wrongly, stating firmly that “all the gods of the {non-Hebrew}
peoples are idols- but YHWH made the heavens.”
What specific attribute/role of God is the Psalmist looking
forward to? Why should he be grateful that it would happen?

Psalm 96 (v. 12-13)
Then shall all the trees
of the forest sing for
joy before the Lord
For He is coming to
judge the earth;
He will judge the world
with righteousness
And the peoples
with His truth.

We, like sheep... Ps. 100
Read Psalm 100
... For giving grateful praise
Shout for joy to the Lord
all the earth.
Worship the Lord with
gladness;
Come before him with
joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God;
it is He who made us,
and we are His;
We are his people,
the sheep of his pasture.

Ps. 100 (continued)
Enter His gates
with thanksgiving
And his courts
with praise!
Give thanks to Him
and praise His name.
For the Lord is good!
His love endures forever,
His faithfulness endures
through all generations.

Ps. 100 (comments)
 Praise is “fitting” for anyone deserving of it either by right (because
of rank) or by deed (because of accomplishment).
 We praise God because (1) He is Our Lord (rank):
“It is He who made us.”
“We are His people.”
 And (2) because He is the Source of all justice, mercy and love
(accomplishment).
“Know that the Lord is good.”
“His love endures forever.”
 Praise, then should be rendered by all people but especially God’s
people! It is an obligation and a privilege and a joy.
 Shouting praise is even better because it involves the whole of our
being; it is good for us physically, emotionally and spiritually.

 The words “thank” (commonly is the phrase thank offering) and
“thanks” (as in “give thanks” or “thanksgiving”) occur 27 times
in the Book of Psalms, almost half of all occurrences in the OT
 Many Psalms express thanks, praise, joy, etc., often because of
a rescue by Yahweh from enemies or illness
 But many times simply because “He is good” as in Ps. 107:1 -
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
His love endures forever.”
 Three Psalms stand out (13 occurrences of “thanks”), namely,
Ps. 107, 118 and Ps. 136
 Ps. 118 is known as the “Little Hallel” and Ps. 136 as the
“Great Hallel” (in Hebrew, hallel means “praise”).
Thank you, Lord!

READ Ps. 118
Note that the opening verses have a repeated response (which also
ends the psalm).
What is it? Who speaks it?
What does its inclusion suggest about this psalm?
Note how verses 5-7 are much the same as the familiar Psalm 23:
His love endures: Ps. 118
Psalm 118 Psalm 23
...brought me into a spacious
place
...lie down in green pastures
...with me I will not be afraid ...I shall not want
...is with me; He is my helper ...is my shepherd
...look in triumph on my enemies ...table in the presence of my
enemies

This psalm contains a number of well-loved verses:
The LORD is my strength and my defense (or song)
He has become my salvation.
I will not die but live and will proclaim
What the LORD has done.
Open for me the gates of the righteous;
I will enter and give thanks to the LORD.
The stone the builders rejected
Has become the cornerstone.*
Ps. 118 (continued)
*quoted in 1Pe. 2:7: “Now to you who believe, this stone is precious.
But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.”

 Liturgical song of thanksgiving (again, hallel or praise)
 Unique in being thoroughly antiphonal (responsive)
 26 pairs of lines…
 …each with the response, “His love endures forever”
 Cantor-congregation / choir-congregation / choir-choir
 Take away the responses and you have a psalm similar
to Psalm 135
 Elaborates the question that might arise in someone
who hears the first line and does not know the history
of God’s dealing with Israel.
 In the concluding verses, we see again that we are to praise
and thank God simply because He is our God.
Psalm 118 (comments)

Psalm 118 (conclusion)
Blessed is he who comes
in the name of the LORD.
From the house of the LORD
We bless you;
You are my God, and I will praise you;
You are my God, and I will exalt you.
Give thanks to the Lord,
For he is good;
His love endures forever.
The LORD has done this,
And it is marvelous in our eyes.
The LORD has done it this very day;
Let us rejoice today and be glad.

Give thanks to the LORD,
For he is good.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords...
He is good: Ps. 136
The first of these phrases also shows up in Dan. 2:47 and 11:36.
The second is in the NT in 1Ti. 6:15 (where it refers to God) and in
Rev. 17:14 (where it refers to “the Lamb”, i.e. Christ). There it is
coupled with the phrase “King of kings”.
What, in other words, do you think these phrases are saying?
Do they imply that there are many gods other than Yahweh? Other
kings to obey other than Christ Jesus?
Why use the phrases here and very few other places in Scripture?
Something special here!
“God of gods” and “Lord of
lords” occur in the OT only
here and in Dt. 10:17.

Psalms 146-150
The last five psalms all begin and conclude with the Hebrew word
“Halleluia” which is translated as “praise the Lord.”
Psalm # Memorable Verse
146 I will praise the Lord all my life. I will sing praise to my
God as long as I live.
147 His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his
delight in the legs of the warrior; the Lord delights in all
who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love.
148 Praise the Lord... you great sea creatures... lightning and
hail... mountains and hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild
animals and cattle, small creatures and flying birds..
149 Sing to the LORD a new song, His praise in the assembly
of his faithful people.
150 Praise God in his sanctuary... Let everything that has
breath praise the Lord.

Psalms 146-150
The last five psalms all begin and conclude with the Hebrew word
“Halleluia” which is translated as “praise the Lord.”
Psalm # Memorable Verse
146 I will praise the Lord all my life. I will sing praise to my
God as long as I live.
147 His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his
delight in the legs of the warrior; the Lord delights in all
who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love.
148 Praise the Lord... you great sea creatures... lightning and
hail... mountains and hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild
animals and cattle, small creatures and flying birds..
149 Sing to the LORD a new song, His praise in the assembly
of his faithful people.
150 Praise God in his sanctuary... Let everything that has
breath praise the Lord.
Discuss why the Book of Psalms editors would end the collec-
tion with a solid string of praise songs.
Find where the word “Halleluia” occurs in the New Testament.
Name three modern hymns that include the word “Halleluia”
in their lyrics.
The word “Halleluia” was taken directly (as is) into the Greek,
Latin, and, eventually, English languages.

Inspired Songs
End of Session 3

Inspired Songs
This study continues in
Part 2
The poetry of Scripture
Many more challenging “Lessons-to-Go” studies of Scripture
and Christian history are on SlideShare. Send your comments
or questions to: msp.291@charter.net

The Bible as Hymnal Part 1: The Psalms

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The Bible as Hymnal Part 1: The Psalms