Bible: Beginning to End - Psalm 42-72

Starting point is 00:00:00 Hello and welcome back to Bible beginning to end, where we are reading through the Bible together from Genesis to Revelation. I'm so glad you're here and choosing to spend your time listening to God's Word. We are currently in the Psalms, which is split up into five sections or five books. We read through Psalm 1 through Psalm 41 last time, which was the first section, or book 1. During this episode, we will read through the second section or book two of the Psalms, which includes Psalm 42, all the way to Psalm 72. As we discussed last time, the Psalms are a collection of poetry written by different authors, and they explore our human connection with God.

Starting point is 00:00:45 King David is attributed to many of the Psalms, but he is not the only author, and even some of the Psalms are anonymous. As we read through each Psalm, I will identify the author, at the beginning of each one. One thing to note is that many of the Psalms include a superscript under the title. This might say who the author is, have music notations, or give possible context to that particular psalm. Some scholars believe these superscriptions were included when the Psalms were originally compiled and are integral to the meaning and reading of the Psalms. Others wonder if these superscriptions were added at a later time and debate the accuracy of the

Starting point is 00:01:24 attributions, musical notations, and historical contexts. The superscriptions were a part of the Masoretic text, the authoritative Hebrew, and Aramaic text of the Hebrew Bible, one of the early manuscripts that exists of the Old Testament. They were also a part of the Septuagint, which is the earliest and known Greek manuscript of the Hebrew Bible. But there are some differences between the superscripts in each of those manuscripts. I will link to an article that dives deeper into the superscripts and what scholars have said over the years. It's an interesting topic to look into, and I bring it up to get you thinking about it,

Starting point is 00:02:00 and so you can decide for yourself where you land, or whether this topic impacts your reading of the psalms at all. These are just really interesting topics related to what we're reading, and so if you want to look further into it, I'll link to some sources so you can do that. We also discussed how the psalms are grouped. So each psalm was originally written on its own, by its author, but eventually an editor or group of editors collected these psalms and organized them into five books. These divisions weren't made in modern times, and the Psalms are divided into five books in the Bible, because that is how they appeared in the earliest manuscripts that have been found of the Psalms in the original Hebrew. Scholars don't know for sure why they are organized this way, but many scholars think the original editor or editors created five books within the, the Psalms to parallel the Torah. The first five books of the Bible make up the Torah, Genesis,

Starting point is 00:02:52 Exodus, Leviticus, numbers, and Deuteronomy. In Judaism, those five books are called the Torah because the word Torah in Hebrew means instruction, teaching, or law. And those first five books, the books of Moses, deal with God's law for his people. You might also hear the first five books of the Bible referred to as the Pentateuch, which comes from a Greek word that means five-fold volume. Either way, the point is, the Psalms were divided into five books intentionally. So as we read through these, keep that in the back of your mind. When we read through Book 1, we wondered why they chose those Psalms to start off this book of poetry. We talked about the themes of each Psalm.

Starting point is 00:03:34 We wondered if there was an overarching theme or message they were trying to get across throughout Book 1. Now, as we start Book 2, keep being curious. How is book two a logical continuation of book one? Why are psalms 42 to 72 grouped together? Do these psalms touch on different themes than book one? The same themes as book one, a mixture of both. The majority of book one was written by David. Do we see more authors throughout book two?

Starting point is 00:04:05 And then think about the overall story the original editors wanted to tell to the original audience. They grouped these psalms together to convey a message to the Israelites, to teach them something about their history and their relationship with God, so as you're listening, pay attention to the recurring themes and try to discern what message they were trying to get across. And then consider the Psalms in the context of your life today. Do these Psalms have meaning for you now? What can we learn from reading through the Psalms? Also remember that the Psalms were written as poetry, and the purpose of poetry is to express emotions and evoke emotions from the reader.

Starting point is 00:04:45 So the Psalms are very personal to the original author. These authors are expressing their personal experiences with God, expressing stories about their history, expressing joy, expressing remorse, expressing all sorts of emotions, and they're using figurative language like imagery, similes, metaphors, etc., to evoke these emotions within you as you read through these poems. That's how poetry works.

Starting point is 00:05:09 It's meant to give the author space to refer, reflect and make the reader empathize with the author. Understanding how personal the Psalms are reminds us how important context is while we're reading through them. Why were the authors feeling these emotions? What were they going through? Why is it important for us to have these honest reflections on God from the Israelites? And similar to the questions we asked when we read through Job, are the Psalmists

Starting point is 00:05:37 right about everything they say in the Psalms? And when I say right, I sort of mean in a doctrinal way. If you pull any quote from one of David's Psalms, is everything that David says a doctrinal truth about God and our relationship with God? Or are there times when David is expressing how he feels and trying to figure out what the truth is, like we saw Job and his friends do? And how can you tell the difference?

Starting point is 00:06:02 So that's something to consider while we read through. Okay, so as always, I will be reading through the verses and stopping to pose critical thinking questions. I won't be answering these questions, but they're there for you to sit with, meditate on, and pray through so that you can develop your own understanding of the Bible. I'm using the Berean Standard Bible translation that is linked in the description of this episode, if you want to read along, and we will start with Psalm 42 right after this quick break. Okay, Psalm 42. This starts off Book 2 of the Psalms.

Starting point is 00:06:37 Psalm 42 is called as the deer pants for the water, and it's written by the sons of Cora. Psalm 42, verse 1. As the dear pants for streams of water, so my soul longs after you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When shall I come and appear in God's presence? My tears have been my food both day and night, while men ask me all day long, where is your God? These things come to mind as I pour out my soul,

Starting point is 00:07:11 how I walked with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and praise. Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why the unease within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, for the salvation of his presence. Oh my God, my soul despairs within me.

Starting point is 00:07:33 Therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and the peaks of Hermon, even from Mount Miser. Deep calls to deep. In the roar of your waterfalls, all your breakers and waves have rolled over me. The Lord decrees his loving devotion by day and at night. His song is with me as a prayer to the God of my life.

Starting point is 00:07:56 I say to God, my rock, why have you forgotten me? Why must I walk in sorrow because of the enemy's oppression? Like the crushing of my bones my enemies taunt me. while they say to me all day long, where is your God? Why are you down, cast, oh, my soul? Why the unease within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior, my God.

Starting point is 00:08:20 Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 42. This Psalm was written by the sons of Cora. Who was Cora and who were his sons? How does knowing the author change the way we read this Psalm? What themes were present in Psalm 42? Why do you think Psalm 42 was chosen to start Book 2 of the Psalms? In Psalm 42, what does the author use thirst as a metaphor for? Why does the author long for God's presence?

Starting point is 00:09:03 Why does the author say, my tears have been my food in verse 3? What does he mean by that? What does that tell us about his current situation? How has God a comfort to the author of Psalm 42, despite his soul being in a state of despair? Why does the author feel like God has forgotten him? How are the author's enemies taunting him? Why do they keep asking him,

Starting point is 00:09:35 where is your God? How is this situation with the enemies affecting the author's mood? Why is the phrase, why are you downcast, oh my soul? Why the enemy is within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him

Starting point is 00:09:56 for the salvation of his presence. repeated in Psalm 42. It's repeated in verse 5 and verse 11. Okay, so now we can read Psalm 43, which is an anonymous Psalm, and it's called Send Out Your Light. Psalm 43, verse 1. Vindicate me, O God, and plead my case

Starting point is 00:10:24 against an ungodly nation. Deliver me from deceitful and unjust men, for you are the God of my refuge. Why have you rejected me? Why must I walk in sorrow because of the enemy's oppression. Send out your light and your truth. Let them lead me.

Starting point is 00:10:41 Let them bring me to your holy mountain and to the place where you dwell. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my greatest joy. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God. Why are you downcast, oh, my soul? Why the unease within me?

Starting point is 00:10:58 Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior, my God. Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 4. Psalm 43 does not have an author attributed to it, but some believe it might have also been written by the Sons of Cora because many scholars believe that Psalm 43 is a continuation of Psalm 42. After having read both Psalms, do you agree? Do you agree that Psalm 43 is a continuation of Psalm 42? Why do you think it is or why do you think it's not? What evidence do you have to support your viewpoint? Are there similar to? themes, repeated phrases, or do you not see any similarities between these two Psalms? What kind of situation is the author of Psalm 43 in? Why does he feel rejected from God and what is he asking God to do?

Starting point is 00:11:58 In verse 3, the author talks about God's light and truth. What kind of power does God's light and truth have for the author? Where does he want God's light and truth to lead him? How does the author of Psalm 43 believe that he will be delivered from his unease and hopelessness? Okay, so now we can start Psalm 44. This is another Psalm written by the Sons of Cora, and this Psalm is considered a maskell, which many believe means that it is an instructional or contemplative psalm. This Psalm is also quoted by Paul in the book of Romans in the New Testament.

Starting point is 00:12:40 In Romans 836, Paul quotes Psalm 44 verse 22, which says, Yet for your sake, we face death all day long. We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. So pay attention to verse 22 in the full context of Psalm 44. And then you can go and read Romans chapter 8 and see if you can figure out why Paul quoted this verse. Psalm 44, which is called Redeem us, O God. Psalm 44 verse 1. We have heard with our ears, O God.

Starting point is 00:13:12 Our fathers have told us the work you did in their. days in the days of old. With your hand you drove out the nations and planted our fathers there. You crushed to the peoples and cast them out. For it was not by their sword that they took the land. Their arm did not bring them victory. It was by your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, because you favored them. You are my king, O God, who ordains victories for Jacob. Through you, we repel our foes, through your nether. name we trample our enemies. For I do not trust in my bow, nor does my sword save me. For you save us from our enemies. You put those who hate us to shame. In God we have boasted all day long, and your name we will

Starting point is 00:14:00 praise forever. But you have rejected and humbled us. You no longer go forth with our armies. You have made us retreat from the foe, and those who hate us have plundered us. You have given us as sheep to be devoured. You have scattered us among the nations, you sell your people for nothing, no profit do you gain from their sale. You have made us a reproach to our neighbors, a mockery and derision to those around us. You have made us a byword among the nations, a laughing stock among the peoples. All day long my disgrace is before me, and shame has covered my face at the voice of the scorner and reveler because of the enemy bent on revenge. All this has come upon us, though we have not forgotten you or betrayed your covenant.

Starting point is 00:14:48 Our hearts have not turned back, our steps have not strayed from your path. But you have crushed us in the layer of jackals. You have covered us with deepest darkness. If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands at foreign gods, would not God have discovered, since he knows the secrets of the heart? Yet for your sake, we face death all day long. We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. wake up, O Lord, why are you sleeping? Arise, do not reject us forever. Why do you hide your face and forget

Starting point is 00:15:24 our affliction and oppression? For our soul has sunk to the dust. Our bodies cling to the earth. Rise up. Be our help. Redeem us on account of your loving devotion. Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 44. In Psalm 44, the authors look back on their history and remember the work God did for their fathers and their ancestors. What did they say God did for the people who came before them? Why is it important for them to look back on their history? Then, starting in verse four, the author recognizes God as their king and talks about the things God does for them now.

Starting point is 00:16:10 What is God doing for the author, and is it similar to how God worked within his ancestors? Starting in verse 9, the author says that God has rejected them. What is God done that makes the author feel this way? Why does the author feel disgrace and shame? Why do you think God's people are suffering in this way? Do you think God caused them to be rejected like the psalmist does? How does the psalmist feel in verses 17 to 22? Does he understand why they are suffering?

Starting point is 00:16:54 Then the psalmist asks God to deliver them. Why does the psalmist feel like God has abandoned them? Do you think God has abandoned them? Why is it important for us to express our emotions to God if we feel like he is far away from us? Okay, so now we can start Psalm 45. This psalm was written by the Sons of Cora, and it's sometimes known as the Wedding Psalm,

Starting point is 00:17:28 because it discusses a royal wedding and addresses the bride and groom. So as you're reading, think about, whether this psalm is simply about a wedding, or if the wedding is a metaphor for something else. Psalm 45, verse 1. My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses to the king. My tongue is the pin of a skillful writer. You are the most handsome of men.

Starting point is 00:17:57 Grace has anointed your lips, since God has blessed you forever. strap your sword at your side, O mighty warrior, appear in your majesty and splendor. In your splendor, ride forth in victory on behalf of truth and humility and justice. May your right hand show your awesome deeds. Your arrows pierce the hearts of the king's foes, the nations fall beneath your feet.

Starting point is 00:18:25 Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever, and justice is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore, God, your God has anointed you, above your companions with the oil of joy. All your garments are fragrant, with myrrh and aloes and cassia. From the palaces of ivory, the harps make you glad.

Starting point is 00:18:51 The daughters of the kings are among your honored women. The queen stands at your right hand, adorned with the gold of offer. Listen, O daughter, consider and incline your ear. Forget your people in your father's house, and the king will desire your beauty. Bow to him, for he is your lord. The daughter of Tyre will come with a gift. Men of wealth will seek your favor.

Starting point is 00:19:19 All glorious is the princess in her chamber. Her gown is embroidered with gold, in colorful garments she is led to the king. Her virgin companions are brought before you. They are led in with joy and gladness. They enter the palace of the king. Your sons will succeed your fathers. You will make them princes throughout the land. I will commemorate your name through all generations.

Starting point is 00:19:46 Therefore the nations will praise you forever and ever. Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 45. In the first section, that's verses 1 through 5, how does the author describe the king or the groom in these beginning lines of Psalm 45? What kind of person is the king? What does the king stand for? And then in the next couple of verses, verses 6 to 7, verse 6 is quoted actually in Hebrews, chapter 1, verse 8, when the author of Hebrews is talking about and describing Jesus' role

Starting point is 00:20:28 in the kingdom of heaven. The author of Hebrews says, but about the son, he says, Your throne, O God endures forever and ever, and justice is the scepter of your kingdom. Why do you think the author of Hebrews would quote Psalm 456 when talking about Jesus? Does this Psalm relate to Jesus in some way, or did the author of Hebrews just think this verse did a good job of characterizing Jesus? According to verse 7, why has God anointed this king? What qualities does this king have that God desires in a king?

Starting point is 00:21:06 Why does God need to anoint the king, and does this verse also relate to Jesus? What do the details in verses 8 to 9 tell us about the kind of wedding this is? What kind of wedding is being described in Psalm 45? What do the king's fragrant clothes represent about his character? Who are the daughters of kings and the queen mentioned in verse 9? In verses 10 to 12, the author shifts, and now the author is addressing the bride. Why does the author tell the bride that she must forget her people and father's house? How does the bride find favor with the king?

Starting point is 00:22:10 What does the bride's chamber represent? Why is it meaningful that her gown has gold embroidery? That's in verse 13. Why does the bride have virgin companions, and why are they all? brought before the king? How did the bride and her companions feel when they enter the palace of the king? What will become of the bride's sons? Why is this a significant promise in verses 16 to 17? Why is it important that the king be remembered and praised forever? After having finished the psalm, what do you think the metaphor of the wedding, bride,

Starting point is 00:23:00 and groom represents. Okay, so now we can start Psalm 46. This is a Psalm written by the Sons of Cora. Scholars are unsure what the context of this Psalm is, but some believe it might be connected to the story of when King Hezekiah protected Judah from the Assyrians. That story can be found in 2nd Kings 18 and 2nd Chronicles 32, if you want to go back and read those chapters after or before reading Psalm 46.

Starting point is 00:23:30 Psalm 46, which is called God is our refuge and strength. Verse 1. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble. Therefore, we will not fear that the earth is transformed and the mountains are toppled into the depths of the seas, though their waters roar and foam and the mountains quake in the surge. There is a river whose streams delight the city of God, the holy place where the most high dwells.

Starting point is 00:24:01 God is within her. She will not be moved. God will help her when morning dawns. Nations rage, kingdoms crumble. The earth melts when he lifts his voice. The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress. Come see the works of the Lord who brings devastation upon the earth.

Starting point is 00:24:25 He makes wars to cease throughout the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear. He burns the shields in the fire. Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted over the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress.

Starting point is 00:24:47 Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 46. What does Psalm 46 teach us about finding strength and refuge in God during turmoil? How does Psalm 46 describe God? After reading Psalm 46, what words would you use to describe God? How does God protect His people in Psalm 46? In verse 10, the words, be still and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted over the earth, is in quotation marks.

Starting point is 00:25:28 So who is saying these words and who are they talking to? What is the significance of those words? what message is the speaker trying to get across. After having read Psalm 46, do you think this Psalm is related to King Hezekiah's story where he protected Judah against the Assyrians? Okay, so now we can start Psalm 47, which is called Clap Your Hands, All You Peoples, written by the Sons of Cora. Psalm 47 verse 1.

Starting point is 00:26:06 Clap your hands, all you peoples. Shout unto God with a voice of triumph. How awesome is the Lord most high, the great king over all the earth. He subdues nations beneath us and peoples under our feet. He chooses our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob whom he loves. God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the Lord with the sound of the horn. Sing praises to God, sing praises. Sing praises to our king, sing praises.

Starting point is 00:26:37 For God is king of all the earth. sing profound praises to him. God reigns over the nations. God is seated on his holy throne. The nobles of the nations have assembled as the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God, He is highly exalted.

Starting point is 00:26:58 Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 47. What type of Psalm is Psalm 47? Is it a lament or a praise? How is God characterized in Psalm 47? The psalmists call on people to sing praises to God in this psalm. Why is it important to praise God? How should we remember God's power and praise Him? Okay, so now we can start Psalm 48, which is called Broken Bondage,

Starting point is 00:27:35 and it is a Psalm also written by the sons of Cora. Psalm 48, verse 1, Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, His holy mountain. Beautiful and loftiness, the joy of all the earth, like the peaks of Zoffin is Mount Zion, the city of the great king. God is in her citadels.

Starting point is 00:28:00 He has shown himself to be a fortress. For behold, the kings assembled. They all advanced together. They saw and were astounded. They fled in terror. Trembling seized them there, anguish like a woman in labor. With a wind from the east,

Starting point is 00:28:18 east, you wrecked the ships of Tarshish. As we have heard, so we have seen. In the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God, God will establish her forever. Within your temple, O God, we contemplate your loving devotion. Your name, O God, like your praise reaches to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is full of righteousness. Mount Zion is glad. The daughters of Judah rejoice on account of your judgments. March around Zion, encircle her, count her towers, consider her ramparts, tour her citadels that you may tell the next generation. For this God is our God forever and ever. He will be our guide even till death. Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 48. How is God described in the first few verses of Psalm 48? How did the kings respond to God

Starting point is 00:29:19 power? How do God's people use the temple? What do they reflect on while they're in God's temple? What do the psalmist want God's people to tell the next generation? Why is it important that God's people teach the next generation about God's power and righteousness? Okay, so now we can start Psalm 49, which is called the Evanescence of Wealth, written by the Sons of Cora. Psalm 49, verse 1. Hear this, all you peoples, listen, all inhabitants of the world, both low and high, rich and poor alike. My mouth will impart wisdom, and the meditation of my heart will bring understanding. I will incline my ear to a proverb.

Starting point is 00:30:15 I will express my riddle with the harp. Why should I fear in times of trouble when wicked usurpers surround me? They trust in their words. wealth and boast in their great riches. No man can possibly redeem his brother, or pay his ransom to God. For the redemption of his soul is costly, and never can payment suffice that he should live on forever and not see decay. For it is clear that wise men die, and the foolish, and the senseless, both perish and leave their wealth to others. Their graves are their eternal homes, their dwellings for endless generations,

Starting point is 00:30:55 even though their lands were their namesakes. But a man, despite his wealth, cannot endure. He is like the beasts that perish. This is the fate of the self-confident in their followers who endorse their sayings. Like sheep they are destined for sheal. Death will be their shepherd. The upright will rule them in the morning,

Starting point is 00:31:16 and their form will decay in sheel, far from their lofty abode. But God will redeem my own. life from Sheol, for he will surely take me to himself. Do not be amazed when a man grows rich when the splendor of his house increases, for when he dies he will carry nothing away, his abundance will not follow him down, though in his lifetime he blesses his soul and men praise you when you prosper. He will join the generation of his fathers, who will never see the light of day.

Starting point is 00:31:50 A man who has riches without understanding is like, like the beasts that perish. Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 49. Who is the message of Psalm 49 for? What type of message is the Psalmist bringing? Rather than trusting in wealth, what does the psalmist trust in? The psalmist makes a point that both wise and foolish men die, leaving their wealth to others, as he says in verse 10. The psalmist also says that even if a and is wealthy he still dies. In verse 12, what point is the psalmist trying to make?

Starting point is 00:32:40 Starting in verse 14, the psalmist begins discussing the fate of man. For those who value wealth above all else, what does the psalmist think their fate will be? For those who put their trust in God, what does the psalmist think their fate will be? The psalmist talks about shiel. We've discussed this in previous episodes,

Starting point is 00:33:03 but the word shiel appears in the Old Testament, and is the place the people of the Old Testament and the Old Testament writers believed they went to after they died. The word appears more than 60 times in the Old Testament, but the Old Testament authors don't really offer specific descriptions of Sheal. Generally, scholars agree that in the Old Testament, Sheal was the place everyone went when they died. I'll link to an article about Sheal in the description if you want to read more. But why do you think the psalmist brings up Sheal in the book? this psalm. In Psalm 49, the psalmist says that death will shepherd those who value wealth to Sheal, but believes God will redeem his life from Sheal so that he can be with God. That's in

Starting point is 00:33:51 14 and 15. What does the psalmist mean here? What is he trying to be redeemed from? Does he want to be protected from death, brought out of Sheal after death, taken to be with God instead of going to Sheal at the end of his life? Why does he think he will be redeemed? According to Psalm 49, what ultimately happens to a man who values wealth when he dies? What wisdom do we gain from this Psalm about where we should place our values? How does the love of money impact our lives? Okay, so now we can start Psalm 50, which is called The Mighty One Calls.

Starting point is 00:34:39 And it's a Psalm written by Asaph. Psalm 50 verse 1 The mighty one God the Lord speaks and summons the earth from where the sun rises to where it sets. From Zion perfect in beauty, God shines

Starting point is 00:34:55 forth. Our God approaches and will not be silent. Consuming fire precedes him and a tempest rages around him. He summons the heavens above and the earth that he may judge his people.

Starting point is 00:35:11 Gather to me my saints who made a covenant with me by sacrifice, and the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for God himself is judge. Here, O my people, and I will speak. O Israel and I will testify against you, I am God, your God. I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices, and your burnt offerings are ever before me. I have no need for a bull from your stall or goats from your pins, for every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine.

Starting point is 00:35:49 If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and the fullness thereof. Do I eat the flesh of bowls or drink the blood of goats? Sacrifice a thank offering to God and fulfill your vows to the most high. Call upon me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you, and you will offer you will honor me. To the wicked, however, God says, What right have you to recite my statutes and to bear my covenant on your lips? For you hate my instruction and cast my words behind you.

Starting point is 00:36:22 When you see a thief, you befriend him and throw in your lot with adulterers. You unleash your mouth for evil and unharness your tongue for deceit. You sit and malign your brother. You slander your own mother's son. You have done these things, and I kept silent. You thought I was just like you, but now I rebuke you and accuse you to your face. Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you to pieces with no one to rescue you. He who sacrifices a thank offering honors me, and to him who writes his way, I will show the salvation of God. Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 50.

Starting point is 00:37:04 What themes did you notice in Psalm 50? How is God described in Psalm 50? Why do you think the author chose to focus on God's power and judgment in Psalm 50? In verses 5 to 15, there are quotation marks that indicate God is speaking. What is God's message to Israel in these verses? Why does God talk about the things he does not need? What do we learn about God when he talks about these things he does not need? What point is he trying to make to the people of Israel?

Starting point is 00:37:47 This is in verses 9 to 13. What does God say will happen if the people of Israel keep their vows to God? This is in verse 15. In verse 16, the psalmist transitions to what God says to the wicked. What is God's message to the wicked in verses 16 to 23? According to Psalm 50, what are the wicked doing that goes against God? What does God mean when he says, You have done these things and I kept silent?

Starting point is 00:38:26 You thought I was just like you, but now I rebuke you and accuse you to your face. That was in verse 21. Why would God stay silent? In what ways did the wicked think that God was just like them? Why is God rebuking them? What will happen to the wicked? Do the wicked have a chance to be redeemed?

Starting point is 00:38:53 And if so, how will they be redeemed? Do you think the psalmist is accurately representing God in Psalm 50? Are these words God directly spoke? Or is the psalmist creating this speech to teach the people of Israel about God and how he works? What is the psalmist trying to teach about God's justice through Psalm 50? Okay, so now we can start Psalm 51, which is called Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God. And it was written by David, and it was thought to have been written when Nathan the prophet came to him after his adultery with Bathsheba.

Starting point is 00:39:37 So if you want to reread that story, it can be found in 2nd Samuel 12, 1 to 12, to give you a little possible context for this Psalm. Psalm 51, verse 1. Have mercy on me, oh God, according to your loving devotion, according to your great compassion, blot out my transgressions,

Starting point is 00:39:59 wash me clean of my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin, For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be proved right when you speak and blameless when you judge. Surely I was brought forth in iniquity. I was sinful when my mother conceived me. Surely you desire truth in the inmost being.

Starting point is 00:40:27 You teach me wisdom in the inmost place. purify me with hyssop and I will be clean, wash me and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness. Let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities. Create me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence. Take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways and sinners will return to you.

Starting point is 00:41:09 Deliver me from blood guilt, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips and my mouth will declare your praise. For you do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it. You take no pleasure in burnt offerings, the sacrifices of a God or a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. In your good pleasure, cause Zion to prosper, build up the walls of Jerusalem, then you will delight in righteous sacrifices in whole burnt offerings. Then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Starting point is 00:41:50 Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 51. In Psalm 51, who has the power to forgive David's sins? Who does David say he has sinned against? In verse 5, David implies that he has been sinful since he was conceived. What does he mean by that? What is he trying to say? Should this be taken literally, implying that we are all sinful from the moment we are conceived?

Starting point is 00:42:20 Or is David using hyperbole to show how deeply ingrained sin is in his life at the time he's writing this Psalm. What does David say God desires? Look at verse 6. Whenever David asks God to deliver him, he will often follow up that request by making a promise. What promises does David make to God throughout Psalm 51? Why does David say that God does not delight in sacrifices or burnt offerings?

Starting point is 00:43:02 This is in verse 16. What does that mean? and is that true? We know that God required sin offerings and sacrifices of his people in the Mosaic law, so if they're required, why would God not delight in them? Then in verses 17 to 19, David describes a time when God will delight in righteous sacrifices and whole burnt offerings. Why would God delight in these sacrifices and not the ones David previously mentioned?

Starting point is 00:43:37 What's the difference between each and what is the context? of each. What can we learn about repentance in Psalm 51? Okay, so now we can start Psalm 52. So this Psalm was believed to have been written by David after he was betrayed by Doug the Edomite. The story can be found in 1 Samuel 22 versus 6 to 23 if you want to familiarize yourself with that story and get some possible context for this Psalm. So this was during a time when David was in hiding because King Saul was trying to kill David. In 1 Samuel 22, Saul is frustrated with his servants for not providing him with important information. Then Doug the Edomite tells Saul that David is with a Himalek. So Saul summons the Himalek and the other

Starting point is 00:44:30 priests. Saul orders his servants to kill the priests, but they won't do it. Then Saul asks Doug the Edomite to do what the servants won't do. And Doug kills everyone, except, one of a Himalek's sons, Abiotr. Abiotr escapes, returns to David, and tells David everything that happened. So if you want to go read the whole story in 1st Samuel 22 for yourself, feel free to do that. That gives you a little bit of possible context for this Psalm before we read it together. So Psalm 52, written by David, called Why Do You Boast of Evil? Psalm 52, verse 1, Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The loving devotion of God endures all day long.

Starting point is 00:45:13 Your tongue devises destruction like a sharpened razor, a worker of deceit. You love evil more than good, falsehood more than speaking truth. You love every word that devours, O deceitful tongue. Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin. He will snatch you up and take you up and take you. you away from your tent. He will uproot you from the land of the living. The righteous will see and fear. They will mock the evil-doer, saying, look at the man who did not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his wealth and strengthened himself by destruction. But I am like

Starting point is 00:45:58 an olive tree, flourishing in the house of God. I trust in the loving devotion of God forever and ever, I will praise you forever, because you have done it. I will wait on your name for it is good in the presence of your saints. Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 52. Who is the man David is talking about in this Psalm? What kind of person is this man? What does David say God will do to this man? What does David say about himself at the end of Psalm 52? How is David different from this man. Okay, so now we can start Psalm 53. Psalm 53 is actually very similar to Psalm 14.

Starting point is 00:46:51 Some of the words and phrases are exactly the same. So after you read Psalm 53, go back and read Psalm 14 to compare the two Psalms. How are they similar? How are they different? Why do you think David wrote two Psalms that were so similar to each other? Why do you think two Psalms that are so similar to each other

Starting point is 00:47:11 are included in the entire book of Psalms. Okay, Psalm 53, which is called The Fool says there is no God. Psalm 53, verse 1. The fool says in his heart, there is no God. They are corrupt. Their ways are vile. There is no one who does good. God looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any,

Starting point is 00:47:37 understand, if any seek God. All have turned away. They have together become corrupt. There is no one who does good, not even one. Will the workers of iniquity never learn? They devour my people like bread. They refuse to call upon God. There they are, overwhelmed with dread where there was nothing to fear.

Starting point is 00:48:02 For God has scattered the bones of those who besiege you. You put them to shame, for God has despised them. O that the salvation of Israel would come from Zion. When God restores his captive people, let Jacob rejoice. Let Israel be glad. Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 53. In Psalm 53, what does David say about people who don't believe in God? David says in verses 2 to 4 that there is no one left who does good

Starting point is 00:48:37 and that everyone has turned away from God. What does David mean by this? Does he mean this literally? Or is this just how he feels right now? What does David want for those people who don't trust in God? Okay, so now we can start Psalm 54. This is another Psalm of David, and it's thought to have been written when the Ziphytes went to Saul and said, is David not hiding among us? So, after David was betrayed by Doug in 1st Samuel 22, David finds himself in Kila. Saul summons his troops to go after David and Kila. God tells David that Saul will come to Kila, and the people of Kila will give David and his men over to Saul.

Starting point is 00:49:24 So David decides to leave Kila. David then hides in the wilderness. Saul looks for David, but he cannot find him. And while in Horesh, in the wilderness of Zip, David sees that Saul is coming to kill him. But Saul's son Jonathan tells David that Saul will not be successful and that David will be king over Israel. Jonathan and David make a covenant before God in the wilderness.

Starting point is 00:49:48 Then the Ziphytes go to Saul and tell him that David is hiding in Zip. Saul pursues David until he hears that the Philistines have raided the land, so he pauses his pursuit of David to take care of this new situation. So that's sort of the possible context for this Psalm. If you want to read the full story, it's in 1 Samuel 23 verses 7 to 29. Psalm 54 was probably written during this time in David's life when the Ziphytes gave David's location to Saul, so that just gives you a little bit of context. Psalm 54, which is called Save Me by your name. Save me, O God, by your name, and vindicate me by your might.

Starting point is 00:50:29 Hear my prayer, O God. Listen to the words of my mouth, for strangers rise up against me, and ruthless men seek my life. men with no regard for God. Surely God is my helper. The Lord is the sustainer of my soul. He will reward my enemies with evil. In your faithfulness, destroy them. Freely, I will sacrifice to you.

Starting point is 00:50:54 I will praise your name, O Lord, for it is good, for he has delivered me from every trouble, and my eyes have stared down my foes. Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 54. How was David feeling? when he wrote this psalm. What did David need saving from? Who is pursuing David?

Starting point is 00:51:19 Is David afraid of these men? What does David believe God will do for him, and how does David believe God will handle his enemies? Does David trust that God will deliver him from his enemies? What does he say that lets you know he believes this? Okay, so now we can start Psalm 55, which is called Cast Your Burden upon the Lord. This is a psalm written by David.

Starting point is 00:51:51 Psalm 55 verse 1. Listen to my prayer, O God, and do not ignore my plea. Attend to me and answer me. I am restless in my complaint and distraught at the voice of the enemy, at the pressure of the wicked. For they release disaster upon me and revile me in their anger. My heart murmurs within me, and the terrors of death assail me. Fear and trembling grip me, and horror, has overwhelmed me.

Starting point is 00:52:20 I said, Oh, that I had wings like a dove, I would fly away and find rest, how far away I would flee. In the wilderness I would remain. I would hurry to my shelter far from this raging tempest. O Lord, confuse and confound their speech,

Starting point is 00:52:39 for I see violence and strife in the city. Day and night they encircle the walls, while malice and trouble lie within. Destruction is within. Oppression and deceit never leave the streets. For it is not an enemy who insults me. That I could endure. It is not a foe who rises against me from him I could hide, but it is you, a man like myself, my companion and close friend. We shared sweet fellowship together. We walked with the crowd into the house of God.

Starting point is 00:53:14 Let death seize them by surprise, let them go down. to Sheal alive, for evil is with them in their homes. But I call to God and the Lord saves me. Morning, noon, and night, I cry out in distress and he hears my voice. He redeems my soul in peace from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me. God will hear and humiliate them, the one enthroned for the ages, because they do not change and they have no fear of God. My companion attacks his friends.

Starting point is 00:53:51 He violates his covenant. His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed. Cast your burden upon the Lord, and he will sustain you. He will never let the righteous be shaken.

Starting point is 00:54:10 But you, O God, will bring them down to the pit of destruction, men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days, but I will trust in you. Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 55. How does David feel throughout Psalm 55? What does David want from God? Why is David so afraid and how does he express his fear? Why does David want to escape and where does he want to go?

Starting point is 00:54:49 Who does David say is against him? in verses 12 to 14, is it an enemy or someone he knows well? What is unique about David's struggle in Psalm 55 as it relates to the type of person who is against him? Why is he struggling more with this conflict than he would with a foreign enemy? What does David want God to do to this person? He talks about it in verse 15. Is this what David should want? In verse 16, how does David describe his trust in God? What does God do for David and how does David feel like God protects him? What can we learn about putting our trust in God from Psalm 55?

Starting point is 00:55:43 Okay, so now we can start Psalm 56. Psalm 56 was likely written by David during the time when the Philistines seized him in Gath. This story can be found in 1 Samuel 21, verses 8 to 15, if you want to go back and read it for yourself. But in this section, David takes the sword of Goliath and flees from Saul. He flees to Akish, king of Gath, and the king recognizes David, and David becomes fearful of Akesh. David then pretends to be insane so that he can escape this situation. So that gives you some possible context for Psalm 56. Okay, Psalm 56, which is called Be merciful to me, O God.

Starting point is 00:56:23 Verse 1. Be merciful to me, O God, for men are hounding me. All day they press their attack. My enemies pursue me all day long, for many proudly assail me. When I am afraid, but my trust in you, in God whose word I praise, in God I trust, I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? All day long they twist my words. All their thoughts are on my demise.

Starting point is 00:56:54 They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps while they wait to take my life. In spite of such sin, will they escape? In your anger, O God casts down the nations. You have taken account of my wanderings. Put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? Then my enemies will retreat on the day I cry for help. By this I will know that God is on my side.

Starting point is 00:57:22 In God whose word I praise, in the Lord whose word I praise, in God I trust, I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? Your vows are upon me, O God. I will render thank offerings to you. For you have delivered my soul from death and my feet from stumbling that I may walk before God in the light of life.

Starting point is 00:57:45 Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 56. In Psalm 56, how does David feel? What is he afraid of? What does David do when he feels afraid? How does David put his trust in God? How does God ease David's fears and anxieties? Do David's emotions change by the end of Psalm 56? If so, how, and why do they change?

Starting point is 00:58:21 Okay, so now we can start Psalm 57. Psalm 57 might have been written when David fled from Saul into the cave right after he left Gath. You can read this story in 1 Samuel 22 verses 1 to 5 if you want more content. text. Okay, Psalm 57, which is called In You, my soul takes refuge. Psalm 57, verse one. Have mercy on me, O God. Have mercy. For in you, my soul takes refuge. In the shadow of your wings, I will take shelter until the danger has passed. I cry out to God most high, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. He reaches down from heaven and saves me. He rebukes those who

Starting point is 00:59:08 trample me. God sends forth his loving devotion and his truth. My soul is among the lions. I lie down with ravenous beasts, with men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens. May your glory cover all the earth. They spread a net for my feet. My soul was despondent. They dug a pit for me, but they themselves have fallen into it. My heart is steadfast. O God, my heart is steadfast. I will sing and make music.

Starting point is 00:59:44 Awake my glory. Awake, O harp and liar. I will awaken the dawn. I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations. I will sing your praises among the peoples. For your loving devotion reaches to the heavens and your faithfulness to the clouds.

Starting point is 01:00:02 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens. May your glory cover all the earth. Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 57. How does God provide David with safety and security? David uses a lot of imagery in verse four. He says, my soul is among the lions. I lie down with ravenous beasts, with men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. What emotions do these words evoke? What does this tell us about David? What? What? he's going through and how he feels. How does God put David's emotions at ease? Okay, so now we can start Psalm 58, which is called God Judges the Earth, also written by David.

Starting point is 01:00:59 Psalm 58 verse 1. Do you indeed speak justly, O rulers? Do you judge uprightly, oh sons of men? No. In your hearts, you devise injustice. With your hands you meet out violence on the earth. The wicked are estranged from the womb. The liars go astray from birth. Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like a cobra that shuts its ears, refusing to hear the tune of the charmer, who skillfully weaves his spell. Oh God, shatter their teeth in their mouths. Oh, Lord, tear out the fangs of the lions. May they vanish like water that rubs off when they draw the bow. May their arrows be blunted, like a slug that dissolves in its slime, like a woman's still-born child. May they never see the sun.

Starting point is 01:01:55 Before your pots can feel the burning thorns, whether green or dry, he will sweep them away. The righteous will rejoice when they see they are avenged. They will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked. Then men will say, there is surely a reward for the righteous. there is surely a God who judges the earth. Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 58. What is the theme of Psalm 58? Who is David criticizing in verses 1 to 2?

Starting point is 01:02:29 He seems to think that a group of people is doing a poor job of judging and administering justice. So who is he talking about? And what does David think is wrong about their form of justice? How does David describe the wicked? When does he think they be?

Starting point is 01:02:48 become wicked? What imagery does he use to describe their behavior? What does David want God to do? And who does he want God to do these things too? David uses really strong imagery to describe what he wants God to do to these people he sees as wicked in verses 6 to 8. What does David's point of view tell us about him? Why does David feel so strongly? And is this how God's justice should be served? In verses 10 to 11, David describes how the righteous will react when God avenges them. The imagery he uses is very intense. He says the righteous will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked. Is this supposed to be taken literally, or is there a deeper metaphor within this imagery?

Starting point is 01:03:41 And if so, what does David mean when he says this? What conclusion is made about God's justice at the end of Psalm 58? Is this a true picture of how God's justice was? works based on what you know about God and his justice. Okay, so now we can start Psalm 59. Psalm 59 was likely written by David when Saul sent men to watch David's house in order to kill him. This story can be found in 1 Samuel 19 verses 1 to 24 if you'd like to read it for the

Starting point is 01:04:18 context. In that story, Saul orders his son Jonathan and his servants to kill David. Jonathan intervenes and Saul swears an oath that he will not kill David. But Saul's spirit changes and he tries to kill David with a spear. David escapes and Saul sends messengers to wait outside David's house and kill him. David and his wife Michael devise a plan and help David escape. But Saul continues pursuing David. So keep that context in mind as you read Psalm 59.

Starting point is 01:04:51 Psalm 59, Deliver me from my enemies. Deliver me from my enemies, oh my God. Protect me from those who rise against me. Deliver me from workers of iniquity and save me from men of bloodshed. See how they lie in wait for me. Fierce men conspire against me

Starting point is 01:05:11 for no transgression or sin of my own, O Lord. For no fault of my own, they move swiftly to attack me. Arise to help me and take notice. O Lord, God of hosts, the God of Israel, rouse yourself to punish all the nations. Show no mercy to the wicked traitors. They return in the evening snarling like dogs and prowling around the city. See what they spew from their mouths, sharp words from their lips. For who can hear us?

Starting point is 01:05:42 But you, O Lord, laugh at them, you scoff at all the nations. I will keep watch for you, O my strength, because you, O God, are my fortress. my God of loving devotion will come to meet me. God will let me stare down my foes. Do not kill them or my people will forget. Scatter them by your power. And bring them down, O Lord, our shield, by the sins of their mouths and the words of their lips.

Starting point is 01:06:10 Let them be trapped in their pride. In the curses and lies they utter. Consume them in wrath. Consume them till they are no more. so it may be known to the ends of the earth that God rules over Jacob. They return in the evening snarling like dogs and prowling around the city. They scavenge for food and growl if they are not satisfied. But I will sing of your strength and proclaim your loving devotion in the morning.

Starting point is 01:06:41 For you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. To you, oh, my strength, I sing praises. for you, O God, are my fortress, my God of loving devotion. Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 59. How does David feel in Psalm 59? What does David want God to protect him from? How does David trust that God will protect him? Okay, so now we can start Psalm 60.

Starting point is 01:07:17 This Psalm is believed to have been written when David fought Aram Naharum and Aram Zobah, and Joab returned, and strong. struck down 12,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. This story was told in 2 Samuel 8, verses 1 to 14, and 1 Chronicles 18, verses 1 to 13. If you want to go back and read it for yourself. But those sections chronicle a series of victories for David.

Starting point is 01:07:44 Okay, so Psalm 60, titled Victory with God. Psalm 60, verse 1, You have rejected us, oh God. You have broken us. You have been angry. Restore us. You have shaken the land and torn it open. Heal its fractures, for it is quaking.

Starting point is 01:08:05 You have shown your people hardship. We are staggered from the wine you made us drink. You have raised a banner for those who fear you, that they may flee the bow. Respond and save us with your right hand that your beloved may be delivered. God has spoken from his sanctuary. I will triumph. I will parcel out Shechem and apportion the valley of Sukketh.

Starting point is 01:08:30 Gilead is mine and Manassah is mine. Ephraim is my helmet. Judah is my sceptre. Moab is my wash basin. Upon Edom, I toss my sandal. Over Philistia, I shout in triumph. Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom? Have you not rejected us, O God? Will you no longer march out, O God with our armies? Give us aid against the enemy for the help of man is worthless. With God, we will perform with valor, and he will trample our enemies. Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 60. Why does David feel rejected by God at the beginning of Psalm 60?

Starting point is 01:09:16 What does David want God to do? Does David believe God will help them triumph? How do you know if he does or not, based on what he says in this Psalm? Okay, so now we can start Psalm 61, which is called You Have Heard My Vows, another Psalm written by David. Psalm 61, verse 1. Hear my cry, O God, attend to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call out to you, whenever my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Starting point is 01:09:53 For you have been my refuge, a tower of strength against the enemy. Let me dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wing. For you have heard my vows, O God, you have given me the inheritance reserved for those who fear your name. Increase the days of the king's life? May his years span many generations. May he sit enthroned in God's presence forever. Appoint your loving devotion and your faithfulness to guard him. Then I will ever sing praise to your name and fulfill my vows day by day.

Starting point is 01:10:32 Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 61. What is David seeking from God in Psalm 61? What do you learn about David from Psalm 61? What do you learn about God throughout Psalm 61? Okay, so now we can start Psalm 62, which is called Waiting on God, and it is another Psalm written by David. Psalm 62, verse 1. In God alone, my soul finds rest.

Starting point is 01:11:07 My salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my soul. salvation, he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. How long will you threaten a man? Will all of you throw him down like a leaning wall or a tottering fence? They fully intend to cast him down from his lofty perch. They delight in lies with their mouths they bless, but inwardly they curse. Rest in God alone, O my soul, for my hope comes from him. He alone is. He alone is. my rock and my salvation. He is my fortress. I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor rest on God. My strong rock. My refuge is in God. Trust in him at all times, O people. Pour out your

Starting point is 01:11:57 hearts before him. God is our refuge. Lowborn men are but a vapor. The exalted, but a lie. weighted on the scale they go up, together they are but a vapor. Place no trust in extortion or false hope in stolen goods. If your riches increase, do not set your heart upon them. God has spoken once. I have heard this twice, that power belongs to God and loving devotion to you, O Lord, for you will repay each man according to his deeds. Okay, so pause there at the end of someone.

Starting point is 01:12:36 Psalm 62. What is the theme of Psalm 62? What attribute of God is David focusing on in this Psalm? Who does David feel threatened by in Psalm 62? What imagery does David use to describe God in this Psalm? Who is David talking to in Psalm 62? Is he talking to himself, God, another group of people, or a combination of these groups? There's a transition after verse 8. In verse 8, David is telling people to put their trust in God. Then in verse 9, he starts talking about lowborn and exalted men. He says, lowborn men are but a vapor, the exalted but a lie. Waited on the scale, they go up.

Starting point is 01:13:31 Together, they are but a vapor. Place no trust in extortion or false hope in stolen goods. If your riches increase, do not set your heart upon them. Who is David talking about in these verses? What do these verses mean and how do they relate to the things? theme of taking refuge in God. What conclusion does David come to at the end of Psalm 62? In Romans chapter 2 verse 6, Paul quotes the second half of Psalm 62 verse 12, which says, For you will repay each man according to his deeds.

Starting point is 01:14:11 In Romans 2, Paul is warning people not to judge each other and teaching about God's judgment. Read through Romans 2 to get the full context of that chapter. Why do you think Paul quotes Psalm 62 verse 12 in Romans 2, verse 6. Okay, so now we can start Psalm 63. This Psalm is believed to have been written by David when he was in the wilderness of Judah. This story was told in 2 Samuel chapter 15, verses 30 to 37. If you want to go back and read that section for context. Psalm 63, which is titled Thirsting for God.

Starting point is 01:14:52 Psalm 63, verse 1. O God, you are my God. Earnestly I seek you, my soul thirsts for you. My body yearns for you in a dry and weary land without water. So I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and glory. Because your loving devotion is better than life, my lips will glorify you. So I will bless you as long as I live, in your name, I will lift my hands. My soul is satisfied as with the richest of foods.

Starting point is 01:15:27 With joyful lips, my mouth will praise you. Whenever I remember you on my bed, I think of you through the watches of the night. For you are my help. I will sing for joy in the shadow of your wings. My soul clings to you. Your right hand upholds me. But those who seek my life to destroy it

Starting point is 01:15:48 will go into the depths of the earth. They will fall to the power of the earth. They will fall to the power of the sword. They will become a portion for foxes. But the king will rejoice in God. All who swear by him will exult, for the mouths of liars will be shut. Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 63.

Starting point is 01:16:09 How does David feel in this Psalm? And what imagery does he use to describe the way he feels? Where has David seen God, according to Psalm 63? What causes David to glorify God in Psalm 63? What does David think will happen to his enemies in Psalm 63, and what does he think will happen to those who rejoice in God? Okay, so now we can start Psalm 64, which is called the hurtful tongue. Psalm 64 verse 1.

Starting point is 01:16:52 Hear, O God, my voice of complaint. Preserve my life from dread of the enemy. hide me from the scheming of the wicked, from the mob of workers and iniquity, who sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows, ambushing the innocent in seclusion, shooting suddenly without fear. They hold fast to their evil purpose. They speak of hiding their snares. Who will see them, they say?

Starting point is 01:17:23 They devise injustice and say, we have perfected a secret plan, for the inner man and the heart are mysterious. But God will shoot them with arrows. Suddenly they will be wounded. They will be made to stumble their own tongues turned against them. All who see will shake their heads. Then all mankind will fear and proclaim the work of God, so they will ponder what he has done.

Starting point is 01:17:51 Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him. Let all the upright and heart exalt. Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 64. How does David feel in this Psalm? What does David want from God in this Psalm? Who is David's enemy in Psalm 64? What does he want God to preserve or protect him from? How does David think God will deal with this enemy?

Starting point is 01:18:28 What does David say about the wicked and the righteous in Psalm 64? Okay, so now we can read Psalm 65, which is called Praise Awaits God and Zion. Psalm 65 verse 1. This is also a Psalm written by David. Praise awaits you, O God and Zion. To you, our vows will be fulfilled. O you who listen to prayer, all people will come to you. When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions.

Starting point is 01:19:03 Blessed is the one you choose and bring near to dwell. in your courts. We are filled with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple. With awesome deeds of righteousness, you answer us. Oh, God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth, and of the farthest seas, you formed the mountains by your power, have girded yourself with might. You stilled the roaring of the seas, the pounding of their waves, and the tumult of the nations. Those who, To live far away fear your wonders. You make the dawn and sunset shout for joy.

Starting point is 01:19:43 You attend to the earth and water it, with abundance you enrich it. The streams of God are full of water, for you prepare our grain by providing for the earth. You soak its furrows and level its ridges, you soften it with showers and bless its growth. You crown the year with your bounty, and your paths overflow with plenty. The pastures of the wilderness overflow. The hills are robed with joy. The pastures are clothed with flocks, and the valleys are decked with grain. They shout in triumph.

Starting point is 01:20:22 Indeed, they sing. Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 65. What type of Psalm is this? A lament or a praise? What is David praising God for in Psalm 65? What effect does God have on his people in Psalm 65? How does David describe the way God takes care of the earth, and how does this symbolize God's provision?

Starting point is 01:20:59 Okay, so now we can start Psalm 66, which is called Make a Joyful Noise. Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth, sing the glory of his name, make His praise glorious, say to God, how awesome are your deeds, so great is your power that your enemies cower before you. All the earth bows down to you. They sing praise to you. They sing praise to your name. Come and see the works of God.

Starting point is 01:21:30 How awesome are his deeds toward mankind. He turned the sea into dry land. They passed through the waters on foot. There we rejoice in him. He rules forever by his power. His eyes watch the nations. Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves. Bless our God, O peoples.

Starting point is 01:21:52 Let the sound of his praise be heard. He preserves our lives and keeps our feet from slipping. For you, O God, have tested us. You have refined us like silver. You let us into the net. You laid burdens on our backs. You let men ride over our heads. We went through fire and water,

Starting point is 01:22:13 but you brought us into abundance. I will enter your house with burnt offerings. I will fulfill my vows to you, the vows that my lips promised and my mouth spoke in my distress. I will offer your fatlings as burnt offerings with the fragrant smoke of rams. I will offer bowls and goats.

Starting point is 01:22:36 Come and listen all you who fear God, and I will declare what he has done for me. I cried out to him with my mouth, mouth and praised him with my tongue. If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But God has surely heard. He is attended to the sound of my prayer. Blessed be God who has not rejected my prayer or withheld from me, his loving devotion. Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 66. What type of Psalm is this Psalm a lament or a praise? What is the call to action in Psalm 66? What is the author want those reading this Psalm to do? How is God described in Psalm 66? What miracles of God

Starting point is 01:23:29 are described in Psalm 66? What does Psalm 66 say about the way God protects us and rescues his people? What is the author going to offer to God? What do those offerings symbolize? What can we learn about praise and worship from Psalm 66. Okay, so now we can start Psalm 67, which is called, May God cause his face to shine upon us. And this is an anonymous Psalm. Psalm 67, verse 1. May God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause his face to shine upon us,

Starting point is 01:24:17 that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. Let the people praise you, O God. Let all the peoples praise you. Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the people justly, and lead the nations of the earth. Let the peoples praise you, O God. Let all the peoples praise you.

Starting point is 01:24:38 The earth has yielded its harvest. God our God blesses us. God blesses us, that all the ends of the earth shall fear him. Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 67. What is the main theme of Psalm 67? How do you think the author of Psalm 67 felt when they were writing this Psalm? What does the author of Psalm 67 hope for?

Starting point is 01:25:11 What does Psalm 67 teach us about the relationship between God and his people? Okay, so now we can start Psalm 68, which is called God's enemies are scattered, a Psalm written by David. Psalm 68, verse 1, God arises, his enemies are scattered, and those who hate him flee his presence. As smoke is blown away, you will drive them out. As wax melts before the fire, the wicked will perish in the presence of God.

Starting point is 01:25:45 But the righteous will be glad and rejoice before God. They will celebrate with joy. Sing to God. Sing praises to his name, exalt him who rides on the clouds. His name is the Lord and rejoice before him. A father of the fatherless and a defender of the widows is God in his holy habitation. God settles the lonely in families.

Starting point is 01:26:12 He leads the prisoners out to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a sun-scorged land. Oh, God, when you went out before your people, when you marched through the wasteland, the earth shook and the heavens poured down rain before God, the one on Sinai, before God's before God the God of Israel. You sent abundant rain, O God. You refreshed your weary inheritance. Your flock settled therein. O God, from your bounty you provided for the poor.

Starting point is 01:26:45 The Lord gives the command a great company of women proclaim it. Kings and their armies flee in haste. She who waits at home divides the plunder. Though you lie down among the sheepfolds, the wings of the dove, are covered with silver, and her feathers with shimmering gold. When the Almighty scattered the kings in the land, it was like the snow falling on Zalman. A mountain of God is Mount Boshan, a mountain of many peaks is Mount Boshan.

Starting point is 01:27:18 Why do you gaze in envy, O mountains of many peaks? This is the mountain God chose for his dwelling, where the Lord will surely dwell forever. The chariots of God are tens of thousands, thousands of thousands they are. The Lord is in his sanctuary, as he was at Sinai. You have ascended on high. You have led captives away. You have received gifts from men, even from the rebellious that the Lord God may dwell there. Blessed be the Lord who daily bears our burden, the God of our salvation. Our God is a God of deliverance.

Starting point is 01:27:58 Lord God is our rescuer from death. Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies, the hairy crowns of those who persist in guilty ways. The Lord said, I will retrieve them from Boshan. I will bring them up from the depths of the sea, that your foot may be dipped in the blood of your foes, the tongues of your dogs in the same. They have seen your procession, O God.

Starting point is 01:28:26 the march of my God and king into the sanctuary. The singers lead the way, the musicians follow after, among the maidens playing tambourines. Bless God in the great congregation. Bless the Lord from the fountain of Israel. There is Benjamin the youngest ruling them, the princes of Judah in their company, the princes of Zebulun and of Naftali. Summon your power, O God. Show your strength, O God, which you have exerted on our behalf.

Starting point is 01:28:56 Because of your temple at Jerusalem, kings will bring you gifts. Rebuk the beasts in the reeds, the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations, until it submits, bringing bars of silver. Scatter the nations who delight in war. Invoys will arrive from Egypt. Cush will stretch out her hands to God. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth. Sing praises to the Lord.

Starting point is 01:29:24 to him who rides upon the highest heavens of old. Behold, his mighty voice resounds. Ascribe the power to God whose majesty is over Israel, whose strength is in the skies. Oh God, you are awesome in your sanctuary. The God of Israel himself gives strength and power to his people. Blessed be God. Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 68.

Starting point is 01:29:51 What is the main theme of Psalm 68? How is God characterized at the beginning of Psalm 68 in verses 1 to 2? What imagery does David use, and how does this help us better understand who God is? How does David describe the righteous in verse 3? How does David describe God throughout the rest of Psalm 68? What imagery does he use? What characteristics of God does he focus on? What do you learn about God in his relationship with his people?

Starting point is 01:30:30 What references does David make in Psalm 68 to people, places, or events we've read about in earlier books of the Bible? Why do you think David makes these references? How might those references be relevant to the original audience? Which characteristics of God stood out to you most in Psalm 68? And how might knowing that characteristic impact your life? Okay, so now we can read Psalm 69, which is called The Waters Are Up to My Neck, also written by David. Psalm 69, verse 1.

Starting point is 01:31:12 Save me, O God, for the waters are up to my neck. I have sunk into the miry depths, where there is no footing. They have drifted into deep waters where the flood engulfs me. I'm weary from crying, my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God. Those who hate me without cause outnumber the hairs of my head. Many are those who would destroy. me, my enemies for no reason. Though I did not steal, I must repay. You know my folly,

Starting point is 01:31:45 O God, and my guilt is not hidden from you. May those who hope in you not be ashamed through me, O Lord, God of hosts. May those who seek you not be dishonored through me, O God of Israel. For I have endured scorn for your sake, and shame has covered my face. I have become a stranger to my brothers and a foreigner to my mother's sons, because zeal for your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.

Starting point is 01:32:17 I wept and fasted, but it brought me reproach. I made sackcloth my clothing, and I was sport to them. Those who sit at the gate mock me, and I am the song of drunkards. But my prayer to you,

Starting point is 01:32:34 O Lord, is for a time of favor. In your abundant loving devotion, oh God, answer me with your sure salvation. Rescue me from the mire and do not let me sink. Deliver me from my foes and out of the deep waters. Do not let the floods engulf me or the depths swallow me up. Let not the pit close its mouth over me. Answer me, O Lord, for your loving devotion is good. Turn to me in keeping with your great compassion. Hide not your face from your servant, for I am in distress. Answer me quickly. Draw near to my soul and redeem me. Ransom me because of my foes. You know my reproach, my shame and disgrace. All my adversaries are before you. Insults have broken my heart and I am

Starting point is 01:33:28 in despair. I looked for sympathy, but there was none. For comforters, but I found no one. They poisoned my food with gall and gave me vinegar to quench my thirst. May their table become a snare. May it be a retribution and a trap. May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever. Pour out your wrath upon them and let your burning anger overtake them. May their place be deserted. Let there be no one to dwell in their tents, for they persecute the one you struck, and recount the pain of those you wounded. Add iniquity to their iniquity.

Starting point is 01:34:11 Let them not share in your righteousness. May they be blotted out of the book of life, and not listed with the righteous. But I am in pain and distress. Let your salvation protect me, O God. I will praise God's name and song and exalt him with thanksgiving. And this will please the Lord more than an act.

Starting point is 01:34:32 more than a bull with horns and hoes, the humble will see and rejoice. You who seek God, let your hearts be revived. For the Lord listens to the needy and does not despise his captive people. Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves in them. For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah, that they may dwell there and possess it. The descendants of his servants will inherit it. and those who love his name will settle in it. Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 69.

Starting point is 01:35:08 How does David feel during Psalm 69, and what metaphor does he use to describe his emotional state? Why do you think David chose that metaphor and imagery? What has happened to David to make him feel this way? Who is against him, and why does David think these people are against him? What is David asking God for in Psalm 69? What have David's enemies done to him, and what does David want to happen to his enemies? Is David's heart in the right place? Is this how we should treat our enemies?

Starting point is 01:35:50 How does David show that he still has hope in God? Okay, so now we can read Psalm 70, which is called Hurry, O Lord, to help me. Written by David. Psalm 70, verse 1, make haste, God, to deliver me. Hurry, O Lord, to help me. May those who seek my life be ashamed and confounded. May those who wish me harm be repelled and humiliated. May those who say, aha, aha, retreat because of their shame.

Starting point is 01:36:22 May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. May those who love your salvation always say, Let God be magnified. But I am poor and needy. Hurry to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer. O Lord, do not delay. Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 70.

Starting point is 01:36:42 What is David asking God to do in this Psalm, and what does this tell us about the situation David is in? What does David want to happen to his enemies? What does David want to happen to those who seek God? This is a short Psalm, but can we learn anything from Psalm 70 about asking God for help in times of need? And if so, what can we learn? Okay, so now we can start Psalm 71,

Starting point is 01:37:18 which is called Be My Rock of Refuge. This is an anonymous Psalm. Psalm 71 verse 1. In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge. Let me never be put to shame. In your justice, rescue and deliver me. Incline your ear and save me. Be my rock of refuge, where I can always go.

Starting point is 01:37:39 Give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. Deliver me, O God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and ruthless. For you are my hope, O Lord God, my confidence from my youth. I have leaned on you since birth. You pulled me from my mother's womb. My praise is always for you.

Starting point is 01:38:02 I have become a portent to many. But you are my strong refuge. My mouth is filled with your praise and with your splendor all day long. Do not discard me in my old age. Do not forsake me when my shorthy. strength fails, for my enemies speak against me, and those who lie in wait for my life conspire saying, God has forsaken him, pursue him, and seize him, for there is no one to rescue him.

Starting point is 01:38:29 Be not far from me, O God. Hurry, oh my God, to help me. May the accusers of my soul be ashamed and consumed. May those who seek my harm be covered with scorn and disgrace. But I will always hope, and will praise you more and more. My mouth will declare your righteousness and your salvation all day long, though I cannot know their full measure. I will enter in the strength of the Lord God.

Starting point is 01:38:55 I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone. O God, you have taught me from my youth, and to this day I proclaim your marvelous deeds. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, until I proclaim your power to the next generation. Your might to all who are to come, Your righteousness reaches to the heavens, O God. You who have done great things,

Starting point is 01:39:20 who, O God, is like you. Though you have shown me many troubles and misfortunes, you will revive me once again. Even from the depths of the earth, you will bring me back up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once again. So I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, oh my God. I will sing praise to you with the liar,

Starting point is 01:39:42 O Holy One of Israel. When I sing praise to you, my lips will shout for joy, along with my soul, which you have redeemed. My tongue will indeed proclaim your righteousness all day long, for those who seek my harm are disgraced and confounded. Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 71. What is the main theme of this Psalm? How does the author describe God in Psalm 71? What does the author hope for in Psalm 71? The author often mentions their youth and their impending old age throughout Psalm 71.

Starting point is 01:40:28 When the author talks about the span of their life, what do we learn about their relationship with God? Why might it be important for us to reflect on our youth and consider our future? What do we learn about the author's relationship with God? Why does this author choose to praise God? Okay, so now we can start Psalm 72, which is the final Psalm and Book 2. two of Psalms, and this one is called Endow the King with Your Justice. And it says it is of Solomon. Psalm 72, verse 1.

Starting point is 01:41:09 Endow the king with your justice, O God, and the son of the king with your righteousness. May he judge your people with righteousness, and you're afflicted with justice. May the mountains bring peace to the people, and the hills bring righteousness. May he vindicate the afflicted among the people. May he save the children of the needy and crush the oppressor. May they fear him as long as the sun shines, as long as the moon remains through all generations. May he be like rain that falls on freshly cut grass,

Starting point is 01:41:42 like spring showers that water the earth. May the righteous flourish in his days and prosperity abound until the moon is no more. May he rule from sea to sea and from the Euphrates to the ends of the earth. May the nomads bow before him, and his enemies lick the dust. May the kings of Tarshish and the distant shores bring tribute. May the kings of Shiba and Siba offer gifts. May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him, for he will deliver the needy who cry out, and the afflicted who have no helper.

Starting point is 01:42:20 He will take pity on the poor and needy and save the lives of the oppressed. He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their blood is precious in his sight. Long may he live. May gold from Shiba be given him. May people ever pray for him. May they bless him all day long. May there be an abundance of grain in the land. May it sway atop the hills. May its fruit trees flourish like the forests of Lebanon, and its people like the grass of the field. May his name endure forever. May His name continue as long as the sun shines. In him may all nations be blessed. May they call him blessed.

Starting point is 01:43:04 Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds. And blessed be his glorious name forever. May all the earth be filled with his glory. Amen and amen. Thus conclude the prayers of David, son of Jesse. Okay, so pause there at the end of Psalm 72. What do you think the context of this Psalm is?

Starting point is 01:43:32 Some people think this Psalm was written by David for Solomon. Others think it was written by Solomon for David. So what do you think the context is? What is the theme of Psalm 72? What is the author asking God to do? What does the author of Psalm 72 desire for the king? These desires are revealed through a series of May statements that read like blessings for the king.

Starting point is 01:44:06 What do these May statements show us about who the king is? Their responsibilities, their relationship to their people, and their relationship to God. Then the author shifts focus in verses 18 to 19 by praising God. Why do you think the author makes that shift at the end of Psalm 72? The final verse says, thus conclude the prayers of David, son of Jesse. And that's how Book 2 of the Psalms,

Starting point is 01:44:37 Psalms ends. There will be more Psalms written by David in the other books. So why do you think Psalm 72 says that it concludes David's prayers? Why do you think those who originally compiled the Psalms chose to end Book 2 with Psalm 72? Is there anything about Psalm 72, its themes or context, that make it unique or fit into the broader themes of book 2? Okay, so that brings us to the end of book 2 of the Psalms. We read through Psalm 42, all the way to Psalm 72, and we're able to sit and think through each of these Psalms intentionally and critically. I hope that you learned new insight into the Psalms and gained a deeper understanding of God's Word and your relationship with Him. As you continue meditating on these Psalms, think about Book 2 as a whole. Did you recognize

Starting point is 01:45:35 any overarching themes? Do you understand why these Psalms were grouped together? Did you learn anything about yourself and your relationship with God while reading through these Psalms? Did you learn anything about our human emotions and how important it is to express our thoughts and feelings to God and to each other? As always, thank you so much for listening. I hope this podcast continues to bring you joy in a closer connection with God. I appreciate all of your support and patience as I work through this project. I hope you'll join me next time as we work through Book 3 of the Psalms, and I will talk to you in the next one. Thank you.

Bible: Beginning to End - Psalm 42-72

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