Psalms The Songbook of the Old Testament Background

Psalms: The Songbook of the Old Testament

Background • There are 150 different psalms, with 101 being ascribed to specific authors – David – 74 – Asaph – 12 – Sons of Korah – 11 – Solomon – 2 – Moses – 1 – Ethan - 1

Psalms About the Righteous and the Wicked • There a number of psalms about the righteous and the wicked, including 1, 5, 7, 9 -12, 14 -15, 17, 24 -25, 32, 34, 36 -37, 50, 52 -53, 58, 75, 79, 84, 91 -92, 94, 112, 119, 121, 125, 127 -128 and 133

The Way of the Righteous Psalm 1 • I. Avoid the three steps into evil (Psalm 1: 1). • A. Walk by a questionable place. • 1. Rom. 12: 9 2. 1 Thes. 5: 22 • B. Stand or loiter around evil. • 1. Heb. 5: 11 -14 Senses dull through disuse • 2. Hebrews 6: 11 -12 3. 1 Cor. 15: 33 • C. Sit down and become a part of evil. • 1. Hebrews 6: 4 -6 • 2. Hebrews 10: 26 -27

The Way of the Righteous Psalm 1 II. Turn to God and be blessed. • A. Read and study God’s law day & night. • 1. Psalm 1: 2 2. Psalm 119: 97 -100, 105 • B. God will bless. • 1. Psalm 1: 3 Rooted like tree by water • 2. Ephesians 4: 14 -15 • 3. Producing fruit. John 15: 8 • 4. Evergreen. Psalm 34: 6 -8 • 5. Prosperous in his works. Matthew 19: 29

Psalms of Praise and Adoration Psalms written to or express feelings of admiration for God include: 23, 34, 36, 91, 100, 103, 107, 117, 121, 145 and 146. The previous psalms acknowledge God’s goodness and mercy, while 8, 19, 24, 29, 33, 47, 50, 65, 66, 76 -77, 93, 95 -97, 99, 104, 111, 113 -115, 134, 139, 147 -148 and 150 recognize God’s power, glory and attributes.

God Deserves Continual Praise Psalm 34: 1 -10 • I. Because He is great. • A. Psalm 34: 1 -2 Be humble before Him • 1. Philippians 4: 4 • 2. Romans 8: 1 • B. Psalm 34: 3 Let others join in • C. Psalm 107: 1 -3

God Deserves Continual Praise Psalm 34: 1 -10 • II. Because He delivered me. • A. Psalm 34: 4 -5 • 1. Romans 7: 24 -25 a • 2. Psalm 31: 5 • B. Psalm 34: 6 -7 • 1. Genesis 32: 1 -2 • 2. Hebrews 13: 5 -6

God Deserves Continual Praise Psalm 34: 1 -10 • • • III. Because He is good. A. Psalm 34: 8 B. Psalm 57: 1 -3 C. Psalm 34: 9 -10 1. Phil. 4: 19 2. Psalm 23: 1

Psalms of Thanksgiving • Psalms 9, 18, 22, 30, 34, 75, 103, 108, 116, 118, 138 and 144 express gratitude to God for the mercy shown to individuals. • Psalms 46, 48, 65 -66, 68, 75, 81, 85, 98, 105, 124, 126, 129, 135 -136 and 149 are written to give thanks to God for the mercies shown to the nation of Israel.

Reasons to Love God Psalm 116 • I. Because He hears my prayers. • A. Psalm 116: 1 -4 • B. Psalm 66: 19 -20 • C. 1 Peter 3: 12 • D. John 14: 12 -14

Reasons to Love God Psalm 116 • II. Because He is gracious, righteous and merciful. • A. Psalm 116: 5 • B. Exodus 34: 6 -7 • C. Psalm 86: 15 • D. Ephesians 2: 8 -9 • E. Psalm 145: 17

Reasons to Love God Psalm 116 • III. Because He delivered me from the power of death. • A. Psalm 116: 6 -9 • B. Psalm 116: 16 -17 • C. Rev. 1: 17 -18 • D. Hebrews 2: 14 -15; 5: 8 -9

Devotional Psalms • Numerous psalms express devotion to God or an attempt to renew or redouble one’s efforts at service. • Psalms of repentance – 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143 • Trust in time of affliction – 3, 16, 27, 31, 54, 56 -57, 61 -62, 71, 86 • Extreme dejection or loss without hope – 4 -5, 11, 28, 41, 55, 59, 64, 70, 109, 120, 140 -141, 143 • Prayers when deprived of public worship – 42 -43, 63, 84 • Prayers for help for a man walking uprightly – 7, 17, 26, 35 • Prayers in time of affliction or persecution – 44, 60, 74, 79, 80, 83, 89, 94, 102, 129, 137 • Prayers for God’s intercession – 20, 67, 122, 132, 144

Going To the Lord's House Psalm 122 • I. Produces an inward joy. • A. Psalm 122: 1 "I was glad when they said • to me, 'Let us go into the house of the Lord. '" • B. Poet returned to Jerusalem from exile. • II. To be with God's people. • A. Psalm 122: 4 a "Where the tribes go up, • the tribes of the Lord, " • B. 3 feasts a year in Jerusalem--reunion • C. Psalm 55: 14

Going To the Lord's House Psalm 122 • III. To give thanks to the Lord. • A. Psalm 122: 4 c "To give thanks to the name of the Lord. " • B. 2 Corinthians 9: 15 • IV. To pray for the brethren to prosper. • A. Psalm 122: 6 -8 • B. Psalm 122: 9 Father's house--family's good • C. Zechariah 8: 20 -23 Invite all nations

Historical and Prophetical Psalms • Three psalms are historical – 78, 105 -106 • Several are prophetical – 2, 16, 22, 40, 45, 68 -69, 72, 97, 110 and 118 – Psalm 2 is used by New Testament spokesmen to prove Jesus is the Christ – Psalm 16 includes a prophesy of the resurrection of Christ – Psalm 22 foresees many events in Christ’s final hours before death

A Song of Thanks Psalm 40 • I. Because God hears our prayers and delivers us. • A. Psalm 40: 1 Literally, “waited and waited” • B. Psalm 40: 2 -4 • C. Romans 8: 32

A Song of Thanks Psalm 40 • II. Because God has blessed us in unnumbered ways. • A. Psalm 40: 5 • B. How can we give thanks for them? • 1. Psalm 40: 6 -8 Not with external expressions, • but from the heart, as was fulfilled by Jesus Hebrews 10: 4 -10 (1 Samuel 15: 22 -23) • 2. Psalm 40: 9 -10 Proclaim His loving-kindness

A Song of Thanks Psalm 40 • III. Because we need God’s continued support. • A. Psalm 40: 11 -12 We are sinners • (1 John 1: 8 -10) • B. Psalm 40: 13 -15 Deliver from enemies • C. Psalm 40: 16 -17 Find joy in God’s blessings and give thanks for His deliverance