Two of these Psalms are used in the book of Hebrews as argument that Jesus is better than the angels
Psalms 102, 103, 104, 105, 106
Book 4 of Psalms is wandering in the wilderness, sojourning through life looking to the promised land
The praise of the final Psalms are prelude to coming home, entering the promised land in Book 5
God’s faithfulness is contrasted with the unfaithfulness of His people and God’s mercy is displayed
This is an early version, please feel free to comment as it is 'a work in progress'
3. Book 4 is poetically like the book of Numbers
and even begins with a Psalm of Moses asking
God to teach us to number our days. It
concerns the wanderings of the wilderness and
also in this life as we sojourn on earth
Book 4 of Psalms
Psalms 90 through 106
4. • Psalm 102 A Prayer of one afflicted and a
reason why Jesus is better than the angels
• Psalm 103 A (relatively) shorter transitional
Psalm after the heaviness of 102 calling on self,
angels and others for the praises to God in the
long next three Psalms
• Psalm 104 God’s greatness in creation and
a reason Jesus is better than the angels
• Psalm 105 God’s faithfulness in history
• Psalm 106 God’s goodness despite Israel’s
unfaithfulness and a picture of the gospel
The Longest
Psalms end Book 4
5. Book 4 the relatively short psalms are in the center
in 95-100, longer at beginning and end
• 90-94 Moses opens (and some unknown authors)
• 95 the shepherd king God (an inclusio)
• 96-99 the ascension songs of the king (possibly
Hezekiah’s Psalms but unknown)
• 100 the shepherd God (an inclusio)
• 101 an application Psalm
• 102 -106 The longest psalms close praising God’s help,
greatness, faithfulness and goodness
Book 4 of Psalms
Psalms 90 through 106
6. Psalm 102
A Prayer of one afflicted, when he is xfaint and
ypours out his complaint before the Lord and a
reason why Jesus is better than the angels
7. Psalm 102, a desperate prayer starts
“Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry come to you!
Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress!
8. Psalm 102
A prayer that is addressed to God but
remarkably ascribed to Jesus in the New Testament
in Hebrews chapter 1
9. Color code:
As quoted in NT
Pointing to Jesus
Psalm 102
a prayer to God born of exhaustion and trial
a prayer to God born of exhaustion and trial
a prayer to God given in hopeful expectations
and an argument why
Jesus is better than angels in the book of Hebrews
10. Memorable words, phrases, key verses
For my days pass away like smoke,
and my bones burn like a furnace.
My heart is struck down like grass and has withered;
I forget to eat my bread. (vs 3,4)
11. Memorable words, phrases, key verses
I am like a desert owl of the wilderness,
like an owl of the waste places; I lie awake;
I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop. (vs 6,7)
12. Memorable words, phrases, key verses
For my days pass away like smoke,
and my bones burn like a furnace.
My heart is struck down like grass and has withered;
I forget to eat my bread. (vs 3,4)
13. Memorable words, phrases, key verses
because of your indignation and anger;
for you have rtaken me up and sthrown me down.
(vs 10)
14. Memorable words, phrases, key verses
But you, O LORD, are enthroned forever;
you are remembered throughout all generations. (vs 12)
15. Memorable words, phrases, key verses
Of old you laid the foundation of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
They will perish, but tyou will remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,
but you are the same, and your years have no end. (vs 25-27)
16. In the closing verse the benefits to those who serve Him
( vs 28)
The children of your servants shall dwell secure;
their offspring shall be established before you.
17. A transition between the very long
Palms 102 and 104
preaching to self, angels and the world
Oh bless the Lord my soul
relatively shorter with 22 verses
making a transition after the heaviness of 102.
Psalm 103
18. A transition between the very long
Palms 102 and 104
preaching to self, angels and the world
Psalm 102 prepares for direct praise to God in the
long next three Psalms.
It preaches to self, to angels and to the world
to praise God.
Psalm 103
19. Psalm 103 opens as if ‘clearing the singers throat for worship’
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
20. A transition between the very long
Palms 102 and 104
preaching to self, angels and the world
The main thing emphasized in this praise song
is forgiveness
Psalm 103
21. Memorable words, phrases, key verses
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (vs 3-5)
22. Memorable words, phrases, key verses
The LORD is jmerciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities. (vs 8-10)
23. Memorable words, phrases, key verses
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.
For he knows our frame;
he sremembers that we are dust. (vs 11-14)
24. Bless the LORD, O you ehis angels,
you fmighty ones who gdo his word,
obeying the voice of his word!
Bless the LORD, all his hhosts,
his iministers, who do his will!
jBless the LORD, all his works,
in all places of his dominion.
kBless the LORD, O my soul! (vs 20-22)
Both 103 and 104 opens and closes
with bless the Lord, Oh my soul
25. A super epic song that recounts creation week.
A song of creation
This will reflect on the days of creation.
Psalm 104
A song dressing God as creator
but remarkably applied to Jesus in Hebrews
chapter 1.
26. Psalm 104 opens the same way as Psalm 103
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
27. Memorable words, phrases, key verses
day 1 of creation
let there be light
nYou are clothed with splendor and majesty,
covering yourself with light as with a garment,
ostretching out the heavens like a tent.
28. Memorable words, phrases, key verses
day 2 of creation
water and sky
He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters;
he makes the clouds his chariot;
he rides on the wings of the wind;
he makes his messengers winds,
his ministers a flaming fire.*
*quoted in Hebrews
as another reason
Jesus is better than the angels
29. Memorable words, phrases, key verses
day 3 of creation
separating land from sea
He set the earth on its foundations,
so that it should never be moved.
You covered it with the deep as with a garment;
the waters stood above the mountains.
At your rebuke they fled;
at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.
The mountains rose, the valleys sank down
to the place that you appointed for them.
You set a boundary that they may not pass,
so that they might not again cover the earth.
30. Memorable words, phrases, key verses
day 4 of creation
sun moon and stars
He made the moon to mark the seasons;
the sun knows its time for setting.
You make darkness, and it is night,
when all the beasts of the forest creep about.
31. Memorable words, phrases, key verses
There go the ships,
and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it (vs 26)
day 5 of creation
fish and birds
32. Memorable words, phrases, key verses
day 6 of creation
land animals and men
Man goes out to his work
and to his labor until the evening.
33. May my meditation be pleasing to him,
for I rejoice in the Lord.) (vs 34)
Let sinners be consumed from the earth,
and let the wicked be no more!
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
Praise the Lord! (vs 35)
(may my meditations - in this case regarding
the creation 0 be pleasing to You )
Both 103 and 104 opens and closes
with bless the Lord, Oh my soul
34. A super epic song of God’s faithfulness.
It will recount the events of the Exodus
as part of the Psalm
particularly the plagues
A song of God’s faithfulness
Psalm 105
35. Psalm 105, opens with a call to thank and magnify God for his works
Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;
make known his deeds among the peoples!
36. Memorable words, phrases, key verses
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice! (vs 3)
37. Memorable words, phrases, key verses
Remember the wondrous works that he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,
O offspring of Abraham, his servant,
children of Jacob, his chosen ones! (vs 5-6)
38. Memorable words, phrases, key verses
He remembers his covenant forever,
the word that he commanded, for a thousand
generations,
the covenant that he made with Abraham,
his sworn promise to Isaac, (vs 8-9)
39. Memorable words, phrases, key verses
He sent Moses, his servant,
and Aaron, whom he had chosen.
They performed his signs among them
and miracles in the land of Ham. (vs 26-27)
40. Memorable words, phrases, key verses
He spread a cloud for a covering,
and fire to give light by night.
They asked, and he brought quail,
and gave them bread from heaven in abundance.
He opened the rock, and water gushed out;
it flowed through the desert like a river.
For he remembered his holy promise,
and Abraham, his servant. (vs 39-42)
41. So he brought his people out with joy,
his chosen ones with singing.
And he gave them the lands of the nations,
and they took possession of the fruit of the peoples' toil,
that they might keep his statutes
and observe his laws.
iPraise the LORD! (vs 43-45)
42. A super epic song of God’s goodness
despite Israel’s unfaithfulness
A song of God’s goodness and
Israel’s unfaithfulness
Psalm 106
43. Psalm 106, opens with praise directed to God
Praise the LORD!
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
44. Memorable words, phrases, key verses
Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD,
or declare all his praise?
Blessed are they who observe justice,
who do righteousness at all times! (vs 2-3)
( These verses declare God’s works are tied to those
who do justice and righteousness )
45. Memorable words, phrases, key verses
Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,
did not consider your wondrous works;
they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,
but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea. (vs 7)
(Psalm 105 declared God’s faithfulness and recounted
the events of the Exodus. Here in 106 Israel was
unfaithful despite seeing the wonders )
46. Memorable words, phrases, key verses
Yet he saved them for his name's sake,
that he might make known his mighty power (vs 8)
47. Memorable words, phrases, key verses
And the waters covered their adversaries;
not one of them was left.
12 Then they believed his words;
they sang his praise.
13 But they soon forgot his works;
they did not wait for his counsel.
14 But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness,
and put God to the test in the desert; (vs 11-14)
48. Memorable words, phrases, key verses
Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor,
and ate sacrifices offered to the dead;
29 they provoked the LORD to anger with their deeds,
and a plague broke out among them. (vs 28-29_
49. Memorable words, phrases, key verses
They sacrificed their sons
and their daughters to the demons;
they poured out innocent blood,
the blood of their sons and daughters,
whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,
and the land was polluted with blood. (vs 37-38)
50. Memorable words, phrases, key verses
Many times he delivered them,
but they were rebellious in their purposes
and were brought low through their iniquity.
Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress,
when he heard their cry.
For their sake he remembered his covenant,
and zrelented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
He caused them to be pitied
by all those who held them captive. (vs 43-46)
51. Save us, O LORD our God,
and dgather us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
and glory in your praise.
eBlessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting!
eAnd let all the people say, “Amen!”
fPraise the LORD!
And a final prayer
52. Conclusion - tying it together:
• Book 4 of Psalms is wandering in the
wilderness, sojourning through life looking to
the promised land
• The praise of the final Psalms are prelude to
coming home, entering the promised land in
Book 5
•God’s faithfulness is contrasted with the
unfaithfulness of His people and God’s
mercy is displayed
Color code:
As quoted in NT
Pointing to Jesus