Why are we here?

1. Why are we here? Why do we sing? The How and Why of The Psalms All scripture quotations from NASB

2. Overview Hebrew Poetry Composition of the Collection Laments Psalms of Praise Lessons to Learn

3. Hebrew Poetry

4. Poetry – In General • What is poetry? • “writing that formulates a concentrated imaginative awareness of experience in language chosen and arranged to create a specific emotional response through meaning, sound, and rhythm” (Merriam-Webster) • Poetry’s form and rhythm help define or amplify the message contained in the words.

5. Poetry’s Purpose • Used to convey ideas that are difficult or impossible to express through the meaning of words alone • Increase the emphasis or power of the message • Evoke a response in the listener • Man • God

6. Distinguishing Characteristics • English poetry • Rhythm (meter) and phonetic rhyme • Hebrew poetry • Parallelism • Thought rhyme • Types • Synonymous • Antithetic • Stair-step • Layers upon layers

7. Types of Parallelism • Synonymous • Prv 24:17 “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles….” • Antithetic • Prv 24:16 “For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, But the wicked stumble in time of calamity.” • Stair-step • Prv 24:32 “When I saw, I reflected upon it; I looked, and received instruction.”

8. Parallellism Examples • Parallelism in Psalm 1 Psalm 1:1-3 “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither And in whatever he does, he prospers.” 3x synonymous, or stair-step? stair-step synonymous

9. Parallellism Examples • Parallelism in Psalm 1 Psalm 1:4-6 “The wicked are not so, But they are like chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked will perish.” synonymous antithetic

10. Parallellism Examples • Parallelism in Psalm 1 “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither And in whatever he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, But they are like chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked will perish.” antithetic antithetic, summary

11. Rhetoric – What is the Purpose of Psalms? • Rhetoric (persuasive speaking): Poetic language can be beautiful and enjoyable to read, but what is the purpose? • Consider the psalms as you would any other scripture • Poetry, by its nature, is more than informative, it is motivating. • Consider how poetic elements are used for a purpose in Psalm 103

12. Purpose of Divine Names Used • LORD (v 1, 2, 6, 8, 13, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22x2) • Helper and helped (v 3-5) • Patient judge with the guilty (v 6-12) • Compassionate Father with children (v 13) • Sovereign ruler over heavenly beings (v 19-22)

13. Purpose of Repetition • “Bless the LORD…” • “… O my soul” (v 1,2) • “… all you His hosts” (v 21) • “… all you works of His” (v22) • “… O my soul” (v 22) • Returns to original theme, closes the loop • “Who…” • “… pardons all your iniquities” (v 3) • “… heals all your diseases” (v 3) • “… redeems your life from the pit” (v 4) • “… crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion” (v 4) • “… satisfies your years with good things” (v 5)

14. Purpose of Powerful Terms • Related to God • Pardons, heals, redeems, crowns, lovingkindness, compassion, satisfies, renewed, righteous deeds, compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness, not always strive, lovingkindness, removed, compassion, compassion, mindful, lovingkindness, everlasting to everlasting, righteousness, throne, sovereignty, mighty in strength, dominion • Related to man • Iniquities, diseases, the pit, oppressed, sins, iniquities, transgressions, fear, grass, flower, flourishes • Note the relationship between these two sets

15. Purpose of Figures of Speech “5 So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.” • Highlights the effectiveness of God’s help. “11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth…” • Magnitude of God’s lovingkindness toward man – the theme of this psalm. “12 As far as the east is from the west…” • How far apart are East and West? • Transgressions removed

16. Purpose of Figures of Speech “13 Just as a father has compassion on his children…” • The LORD’s compassion on those who fear Him. “15 As for man his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. 16 When the wind has passed over it, it is no more, And its place acknowledges it no longer.” • Futility and passing nature of man’s life • Imagery also found in I Pet 1:24-25

17. Purpose of Parallelism • All throughout (couplets) “1 Bless the LORD, O my soul, [A line] And all that is within me, bless His holy name. [B line] 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, [A line] And forget none of His benefits; [B line] 3 Who pardons…” • V2 repeats v1, but provides the reason for blessing the LORD, about to be enumerated in v3-5 • V2 may be considered climactic parallelism, where the second line expounds on, but does not repeat the first line • http://www.westminster.edu/staff/nak/courses/BibPoetry.htm [A couplet] [B couplet]

18. Purpose of Parallelism • Additional type of parallelism “5 Who satisfiesyour yearswith good things, So that your youthis renewedlike the eagle.” • May be considered formal or synthetic parallelism • Formal parallelism contains parallel form, but not parallel thought, and contains one complete sentence • Like accents form rhythm in English poetry, word groups are typically parallel in number in a couplet. (here 3x3) • See also v 20 and 21

19. Note the symmetry of themes: ABCDCBA Transition: The LORD’s mercy to our weakness “1 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name. 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits; 3 Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases; 4 Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; 5 Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle. 6 The LORD performs righteous deeds And judgments for all who are oppressed. 7 He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the sons of Israel. 8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. 9 He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. 10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. 13 Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him. 14 For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust. 15 As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. 16 When the wind has passed over it, it is no more, And its place acknowledges it no longer. 17 But the lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children's children, 18 To those who keep His covenant And remember His precepts to do them. 19 The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all. 20 Bless the LORD, you His angels, Mighty in strength, who perform His word, Obeying the voice of His word! 21 Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, You who serve Him, doing His will. 22 Bless the LORD, all you works of His, In all places of His dominion; Bless the LORD, O my soul!”

20. Purpose of Psalm 103 • Encourage self and others to respond in thankfulness to God for his lovingkindness toward the sinful • But it accomplishes this in such a more effective way than the sentence above.

21. Types and Composition of the Collection

22. Types • Lament • Praise • Royal Psalms • Wisdom Psalms

23. Progression Through the Collection I II III IV V • Books I-III: • Lament: 52 • Praise: 24 • Books IV-V • Lament: 15 • Praise: 37

24. Divisions of the Collection • The book of Psalms is broken down into 5 books. How does each book end? • Book 1: Psalms 1-41 (Psa41:13) “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, From everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.” • Book 2: Psalms 42-72 (Psa 72:18-20) “Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, Who alone works wonders. And blessed be His glorious name forever; And may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen, and Amen.”

25. Divisions of the Collection • Book 3: Psalms 73-89 (Psa 89:52) “Blessed be the LORD forever! Amen and Amen.” • Book 4: Psalms 90-106 (Psa 106:48) “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, From everlasting even to everlasting. And let all the people say, ‘Amen.’ Praise the LORD!”

26. Divisions of the Collection • Book 5: Psalms 107-150 (Psa 150) “Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty expanse. Praise Him for His mighty deeds; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness. “Praise Him with trumpet sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre. Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe. Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!”

27. Psalm Types • Laments • Individual Psalms (50): 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 16, 17, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 31, 35, 36, 38, 39, 40, 42, 43, 51, 52, 54, 55, 56, 57, 59, 61, 62, 63, 64, 69, 70, 71, 77, 86, 88, 94, 102, 109, 120, 130, 140, 141, 142, 143 • Community Psalms (17): 12, 14, 44, 53, 58, 60, 74, 79, 80, 83, 85, 90, 106, 108, 123, 126, 137

28. Psalm Types • Praise • General Hymns (19): 29, 33, 68, 100, 103, 105, 111, 113, 114, 115, 117, 134, 135, 139, 145, 146, 147, 149, 150 • Creation Psalms (5): 8, 19, 65, 104, 148 • Enthronement Psalms (7): 47, 93, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99 • Zion Psalms (5): 48, 76, 84, 87, 122 • Entrance Liturgies (2): 15, 24 • Hymns with Prophetic Warnings (3): 50, 81, 82 • Trust Psalms (5): 23, 91, 121, 125, 131 • Thanksgiving Psalms (14): • Individual Psalms (8): 30, 34, 41, 66, 92, 116, 118, 138 • Community Psalms (6): 67, 75, 107, 124, 129, 136

29. Psalm Types • Royal Psalms (11) • 2, 18, 20, 21, 45, 72, 89, 101, 110, 132, 144 • Wisdom Psalms (11) • 1, 32, 37, 49, 73, 78, 112, 119, 127, 128, 133

30. Collections • Collections • Davidic (3-41, 51-72, 138-145) • Korahite (42-49, 84-85, 87-88) • Elohistic (42-83) • Asaphite (73-83) • Psalms on Kingship of God (93-100) • Psalms of Praise (103-107) • Songs of Ascents (120-134) • Hallelujah Psalms (111-118, 146-150)

31. Laments

32. Purpose of the Laments • As noted already, the psalms provide motivation, not just information • Laments are no exception • Their target audience is God, and their intent is to persuade Him to act on behalf of the speaker, the righteous, and/or the nation of Israel. • The structure and key features of the laments will bear this out.

33. Structure of the Laments • Lament psalms contain most or all of four distinct elements, often in the same order. • Element 1: Invocation • Element 2: Complaint • Element 3: Petition • Element 4: Conclusion • Laments often describe the passing of events in the life of a believer – tribulation, followed by bringing the problem to God, followed by rejoicing and “the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension” • The book of Psalms roughly mirrors a lament.

34. Lament Element 1 - Invocation • Examples: • Psa 22:1 “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” • Psa 28:1 “To You, O LORD, I call; My rock, do not be deaf to me…” • Psa 31:2 “Incline Your ear to me, rescue me quickly; Be to me a rock of strength, A stronghold to save me.”

35. Lament Element 2 - Complaint • Examples • Psa 3:1 – human enemies • Psa 6:2, 5 – physical distress and enemies (7,8) – which is cause, which is result? • Compare Psa 22:14-17, also Psa 31:9-13 • Physical and emotional/spiritual distress often go hand-in-hand • Psa 109:2-5 – false accusation • Psa 31:13, 17-18 – slander • Psa 31:10 – guilt of sin • Most laments fall generally under these topics

36. Lament Element 2 - Complaint • When the Israelites complained in the wilderness (Num 11:1; 16:41, 49)? • Fire of the LORD burned among them • Plague killed 14,700

37. Lament Element 2 - Complaint • Does God want us to tell Him about our worries? Consider I Pet 5:17; I Pet 3:12; Lk 18:1-8; Philp 4:6. • Yes! • I Pet 5:17 “Casting all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” • I Pet 3:12 “For the eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous, And His ears attend to their prayer….” • Note this is quoted from Psa 34:15 • Lk 18:1-8 – persistent widow • Php 4:6 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

38. Lament Element 2 - Complaint • Contradiction? • What is the difference in the asker? • Psa 106:24-25 “24 Then they despised the pleasant land; They did not believe in His word, 25 But grumbled in their tents; They did not listen to the voice of the LORD.” • Those who died in the wilderness did not voice their concern because they trusted in God to provide, but because they did not trust Him.

39. Lament Element 3 - Petition • Psalm 7:10-11 and Psalm 109:26, 29 show both types of petitions • Psa 7:10-11 “10 My shield is with God, Who saves the upright in heart. 11 God is a righteous judge, And a God who has indignation every day.”

40. Lament Element 3 - Petition • Psalm 109: 26, 29 “26 Help me, O LORD my God; Save me according to Your lovingkindness. … 29 Let my accusers be clothed with dishonor, And let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe.”

41. Lament Element 3 - Petition • The superscription of Psa 57 says the psalm described a specific occasion. David had the power to fulfill his own request (I Sam 24), but he did not. Why not? • Psa 57:3 “He reproaches him who tramples upon me.” • I Sam 24:6 “Far be it from me … to stretch out my hand against … the LORD’s anointed.” • I Sam 26:10-11 “10 David also said, “As the LORD lives, surely the LORD will strike him, or his day will come that he dies, or he will go down into battle and perish. 11 The LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD’S anointed….”

42. Lament Element 3 - Petition • Reconciling petitions for judgment with loving enemies • Psa 109, 137 – curses upon the enemy • Matt 5:44 – love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you • II Tim 4:14 “Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.” • Rom 12:19-20 – Give place to God for vengeance

43. Lament Element 3 - Petition • Attitudes or traits required in order to make an acceptable request • I Peter 3:12 – righteousness • James 1:6 – ask in faith • I John 5:14 – ask according His will

44. Lament Element 4 - Conclusion • Note the strength of faith in the outcome • Psa 22:29-31 “29 All the prosperous of the earth will eat and worship, All those who go down to the dust will bow before Him, Even he who cannot keep his soul alive. 30 Posterity will serve Him; It will be told of the Lord to the coming generation. 31 They will come and will declare His righteousness To a people who will be born, that He has performed it.”

45. Lament Element 4 - Conclusion • Faith expressed • Psa3:7-8 “7 Arise, O LORD; save me O my God! For You have smitten all my enemies on the cheek; You have shattered the teeth of the wicked. 8 Salvation belongs to the LORD; Your blessing be upon Your people!” • Psa6:8-10 “8 Depart from me, all you who do iniquity, For the LORD has heard the voice of my weeping. 9 The LORD has heard my supplication, The LORD receives my prayer. 10 All my enemies will be ashamed and greatly dismayed; They shall turn back, they will suddenly be ashamed.”

46. Lament Element 4 - Conclusion • Psa 31:22-24 “22 As for me, I said in my alarm, ‘I am cut off from before Your eyes’; Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications When I cried to You. 23 O love the LORD, all you His godly ones! The LORD preserves the faithful And fully recompenses the proud doer. 24 Be strong and let your heart take courage, All you who hope in the LORD.” • Psa109:30-31 “30 With my mouth I will give thanks abundantly to the LORD; And in the midst of many I will praise Him. 31 For He stands at the right hand of needy, To save him from those who judge his soul.”

47. Psalm 22 • Structure • v1-2 Invocation • v3-5 Statement of trust • v6-8 Complaint • v9-10 Statement of trust • v11 Petition • v12-18 Complaint • v19-20 Petition echoing complaint • v22 Vow to praise • v23-24 National call to praise • v25 Vow to praise • v26-31 Global call to praise (keep prophetic context in mind here)

48. Psalm 22 • Identity of the speaker and addressee • Individual PoV to God (v1) • Note the increase in scope near the end – the speaker’s deliverance will be the experience of other seekers of God (v23-24) • General declaration (refers to God in 3rd person) (v26-31) • Events under consideration • Specific not in context • Severe oppression by enemies • In prophecy, the crucifixion • Setting of the psalm in Hebrew worship • In assemblies – superscription, v 25 may also suggest this • What resolution is sought? • Deliverance. Note retribution is not mentioned – similar to Jesus’ statement on the cross “forgive them” (Lk 23:34)

49. Psalm 22 • What reasons does the speaker give for God to intercede? • Delivered in the past (v4-5) • Contradict the mockers (v8) • Trusted since birth (v9-10) • Vow of praise (v22, 25) • Does/how does the speaker show confidence in God’s help? • Recalling past deliverance (v4, 5, 24) • Positive statement of God’s future satisfaction of the faithful (v26) and resulting praise by the speaker and others in the earth

50. Psalm 22 • Repeated terms or phrases • “My God, my God…” (v1) • Deliver (v1, 4, 5, 8, 20) • “Loaded” or powerful terms • Predicament – Forsaken (v1), groaning (v1), cry(v2), reproach, despised (v6), afflicted (v26) • Request – deliverance, trust (v4, 5), rescue, delights (v8) • God – Holy (v3), fear, awe (v23), kingdom, rule (v27, 28), righteousness (v31) • Hope in outcome – Praise, glorify (v22, 23, 25, 26), worship (v27, 29), told, declare (v30, 31) • Use of divine names and descriptions of the relationship between the speaker and God • God (v 1,2) • LORD (v 19, 23, 26, 27, 28) • Lord (v 31) • Deliverer of the afflicted (v 4-5, 20)