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Psalms
with Lee Campbell

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Week 5: Psalms of Praise [1] 

Overview

Psalms of praise (yadah - the verb meaning, 'to praise') are identified as such because of their form and subject matter. Praise psalms are often more general in their content and more focused on who God is rather than what he has done. When God's actions are described, they are frequently used to detail aspects of God's character, which are then praised by the psalmist. Inevitably, there is overlap between these genres, however, close reading of praise and thanksgiving literature does show differences. 

Hymns 

Situation of the psalmist

Structure of the psalm

Analysis of the psalm

1

SING for joy in the LORD, O you righteous ones;1 Praise is becoming to the upright.2

Sing, you righteous, in YHWH, For upright ones praise [is] comely.[4] 

YHWH

Sing b/c of joy in YHWH...It's fitting for the godly to do so.

1 saddiq; "YHWH watches[5]  over the righteous" Ps.1:6

2 yasar; the word for 'right' & 'upright' are the same (v.4); it means without deception (32:2) & full of integrity; it is used in parallel with terms like 'faithful', 'trustworthy' & 'righteous' (19:7-8; 92:15)

The upright know, love & submit to YHWH vv.4-19...So, it only makes sense they would get together and praise God.

2

Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; Sing praises to Him with a harp of ten strings.

Give you thanks to YHWH with a harp, With psaltery of ten strings sing praise to Him,
  • Thank YHWH w/ music…sing praises to him w/ music
3

Sing to Him a new song;1 Play skillfully with a shout of joy.

Sing you to Him a new song, Play skillfully with shouting.
  • Sing to YHWH w/ a new song…play well w/ shouts.

1 the songs are new b/c YHWH’s actions are new…this speaks to the fact he expected ongoing redemptive actions by God.
4

For the word of the LORD is upright, And all His work is done in faithfulness.

For upright [is] the word of YHWH, And all His work [is] in faithfulness.

The Word of YHWH is straight & true.

The Work of YHWH is faithful.
5

He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the LORD.

Loving righteousness and judgment, Of the kindness of YHWH is the earth full.

YHWH loves righteousness & justice

YHWH is loving
6

By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, And by the breath of His mouth all their host.

By the word of YHWH The heavens have been made, And by the breath of His mouth all their host.

Through the Word YHWH created.
7

He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deeps in storehouses.

Gathering as a heap the waters of the sea, Putting in treasuries the depths.

He controls the locations of waters.
8

Let all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.

Afraid of YHWH are all the earth, Of Him are all the inhabitants of the world afraid.

All should fear & be awestruck by YHWH

Keep in mind that all the qualities of God-as-creator just mentioned stand in opposition to the fragmentary pantheon of gods & goddesses amongst the pagans. Paganism seeks to manipulate gods but here is the God, who cannot be manipulated…it’s terrifying to pagans but not to the upright.
9

For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.

 For He has said, and it is, He has commanded, and it stands.

B/C He spoke and it happened

10

The LORD nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples.

YHWH made void the counsel of nations, He disallowed the thoughts of the peoples.

YHWH blocks the actions of (wicked) nations…

11

The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to generation.

The counsel of YHWH to the age stands, The thoughts of His heart to all generations.

…but His plans never fail.

12

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.

O the happiness of the nation whose God [is] YHWH, Of the people He did choose, For an inheritance to Him.

Thus, His people will always be blessed.

Israel has this special status (Ex.19:5; Deut.9:26)
13

The LORD looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men;

From the heavens has YHWH looked, He has seen all the sons of men.

YHWH sees everything.

14

From His dwelling place1 He looks out On all the inhabitants of the earth,

From the fixed place of His dwelling, He looked unto all inhabitants of the earth;

Identical semantic parallel with v.13

1 makon – this may be a technical reference to the throne of God
15

He who fashions the hearts of them all,1 He who understands all their works.

Who is forming their hearts together, Who is attending unto all their works.

As creator, YHWH understands everyone.

1 yahad – ‘all’ OR lit. ‘together’; Thus, it could be ‘their heart together’; It probably means that the Lord alone is the maker of the innermost being of humans.
16

The king is not saved by a mighty army; A warrior is not delivered by great strength.

The king is not saved by the multitude of a force. A mighty man is not delivered, By abundance of power.

Zechariah 4:6,10

Not by armies

Not by personal strength
17

A horse is a false hope for victory; Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.

A false thing [is] the horse for safety, And by the abundance of his strength He does not deliver.
  • Not by horses
18

Behold, the eyes of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope1 for His lovingkindness,

Lo, the eyes of YHWH [is] to those fearing Him, To those waiting for His kindness,

YHWH is attentive to those who fear & hope in Him.

1 Or wait
19

To deliver their soul from death And to keep them alive in famine.

To deliver from death their soul, And to keep them alive in famine.

YHWH rescues and protects.
20

Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield.

Our soul has waited for YHWH, Our help and our shield [is] He,

So we have decided to fear & hope in Him

21

For our heart rejoices in Him, Because we trust in His holy name.

For in Him does our heart rejoice, For in His holy name we have trusted.

We rejoice in Him b/c we trust Him.

22

Let Your lovingkindness, O LORD, be upon us, According as we have hoped in You.1

Let Your kindness, O YHWH, be upon us, As we have waited for You!

1 Or waited for

Love us because we hope in you YHWH.

Praise for What He's Done - Hope for What He'll Do  

Covenant Psalms

God's covenant relationship with Israel is a key theme in the Old Testament.[6]  A covenant (berit) is an agreement, a pact or contract between two parties. Often, covenants between God and others had the form of an imposed agreement by a conqueror upon those who were conquered:[7] 

  1. The parties are identified
  2. There's a recounting of the history of the relationship
  3. Rules controlling the future relationship are detailed
  4. Positive and negative consequences related to the rules of conduct are described
  5. Others are mentioned as witnesses to the treaty[8]  and
  6. The writing and disposition of two copies of the treaty are detailed.[9] 

Format aside, the covenants between God and others emphasize the personal relationship he desires.[10]  There are several identifiable covenants in the Old Testament: Adamic, Noaic, Abrahamic, Mosaic & Davidic. Psalmists usually focus on the three associated with Israel, the Abrahamic,[11]  Mosaic[12]  and Davidic.[13]  

Situation of the psalmist

There are different views of the place of this psalm in the Hebrew liturgy. Some think this is associated with autumnal festivals (vv.3-4) 

Structure of the psalm

Analysis of the psalm

To the Overseer. -- `On the Gittith.' By Asaph.

1

Sing for joy to God our strength; Shout joyfully to the God of Jacob.

To the Overseer. -- `On the Gittith.' By Asaph. Cry aloud to God our strength, Shout to the God of Jacob.

Joyfully sing & shout to God Israel’s strength
2

Raise a song, strike the timbrel, The sweet sounding lyre with the harp.

Lift up a song, and give out a timbrel, A pleasant harp with psaltery.

Sing & make music
3

Blow the trumpet at the new moon, At the full moon, on our feast day.

 Blow in the month a trumpet, In the new moon, at the day of our festival,

Blow the sofar at all the festivals
4

For it is a statute for Israel, An ordinance of the God of Jacob.

For a statute to Israel it is, An ordinance of the God of Jacob.

It’s what God said to do…

5

He established it for a testimony in Joseph When he went throughout2 the land of Egypt. I heard a language that I did not know.

A testimony on Joseph He you placed it, In his going forth over the land of Egypt. A lip, I have not known - I hear.

…it tells how I rescued you

sepat lo –yada’ti ‘esma – ‘a language I did not understand I hear’; this could refer to the praise of the Hebrew people
6

I relieved his shoulder of the burden,1 His hands were freed from the basket.2

From the burden his shoulder I turned aside, His hands from the basket pass over.

1 OR 'removed his shoulder from'

2 OR 'brick load'
7

You called in trouble and I rescued you; I answered you in the hiding place of thunder;1 I proved you at the waters of Meribah.2

In distress you have called and I deliver you, I answer you in the secret place of thunder, I try you by the waters of Meribah. Selah.

…it tells how I disciplined you

1 The thundering on Mt. Sinai (Ex.19:18-19; 20:18)

2 Ex.17:1-7; Nu.20:1-13 (Deut.33:8; Ps.95:8; 106:32)
8

Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you;1 O Israel, if you would listen to Me!

Hear, O My people, and I testify to you, O Israel, if you do hearken to me:

1 OR 'bear witness against'

Listen to me!

vv.8-10 are very similar to several passages in Deuteronomy but chapters 5 & 32 especially.
9

Let there be no strange god among you; Nor shall you worship any foreign god.

There is not in you a strange god, And you bow not yourself to a strange god.

Don’t commit idolatry – I rescued you & provide for your needs
10

I, the LORD, am your God, Who brought you up from the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.

I am Jehovah your God, Who brings you up out of the land of Egypt. Enlarge your mouth, and I fill it.
11

But My people did not listen to My voice, And Israel did not obey Me.

But, My people hearkened not to My voice, And Israel you not consented to Me.

There’s a change in tense – from present to past.

My people did not listen.
12

So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their heart, To walk in their own devices.

And I send them away in the enmity of their heart, They walk in their own counsels.
  • So I let them follow their path (ironic justice)
13

Oh that My people would listen to Me, That Israel would walk in My ways!

O that My people were hearkening to Me, Israel in My ways would walk.

I want my people to heed me.
14

I would quickly subdue their enemies And turn My hand against their adversaries.

As a little thing their enemies I cause to bow, And against their adversaries I turn back My hand,

If so, I would quickly deal with their adversaries
15

Those who hate the LORD would pretend obedience to Him, And their time of punishment would be forever.

Those hating Jehovah feign obedience to Him, But their time is - to the age.

Those who hate YHWH pretend obedience

ittam – their time, referring to judgment & subjection to others; some suggest the variant spelling ba’atatam – in their terror or bi’utam – in their horror
16

But I would feed you with the finest of the wheat, And with honey from the rock1 I would satisfy you.

 He causes him to eat of the fat of wheat, And with honey from a rock I satisfy you!

I want to bless you in astounding ways.

1 This is from the song of Moses (Deut.32:13)

Hymns of Zion/ Temple

These psalms either praise Zion, the mountain upon which Jerusalem is built or the temple of God in Jerusalem. They are related psalms. Zion is praised because the temple of God, representing God's presence amongst his people, is located there. God is the great creator-warrior king of Israel. Canaanite theology located their chief God, El, on Mount Zaphon and their other major deities upon other mountains.[14]  In a similar manner, Zion theology places YHWH upon Mount Zion.[15]  According to Psalm 132:13, Zion is the place God has chosen to manifest his presence in a special way to Israel. 

Situation of the psalmist

Structure of the psalm

This psalm seems to be divisible into three parts 

Analysis of the psalm

1

The earth is the LORD'S, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it.

To YHWH is the earth and its fullness, The world and the inhabitants in it.

The world & it’s people belong to YHWH

2

For He has founded it upon the seas And established it upon the rivers.1

For He on the seas has founded it, And on the floods He does establish it.

1 See the article on the use of demythologized paganism in the Old Testament.

B/C He’s the creator.

3

Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?1 And who may stand in His holy place?

Who goes up into the hill of YHWH? And who rises up in His holy place?

So, who’s worthy to come before YHWH?

1 a reference to Mt. Zion (Ps.2:6) (a.k.a. holy hill 15:1; holy place 24:3), the location of the temple in Jerusalem

4

He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood1 And has not sworn deceitfully.

The clean of hands, and pure of heart, Who has not lifted up to vanity his soul, Nor has sworn to deceit.

1 Or in vain

The upright will receive blessing & protection.

The upright do the right thing, with the right attitude, humbly and honestly; this doesn’t

5

He shall receive a blessing from the LORD And righteousness1 from the God of his salvation.

He bears away a blessing from YHWH, Righteousness from the God of his salvation.

1 sedaqah is better translated, ‘vindication’ in the sense of a just defense. Thus, the psalmist assures that God favors the upright and he vindicates the upright.

6

This is the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face -- even Jacob.

This is a generation of those seeking Him. Seeking Your face, O Jacob! Selah.

The literal rendering shows a chiastic device in use by the psalmist

chaisti2.gif (2053 bytes)

This is true for the nation as well.

7

Lift up your heads, O gates, And be lifted up, O ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in!

Lift up, O gates, your heads, And be lifted up, O doors age-during, And come in does the king of glory!

Let the king of glory into Jerusalem

8

Who is the King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, The LORD mighty in battle.

Who is this -- `the king of glory?' YHWH -- strong and mighty, YHWH, the mighty in battle.

YHWH seba’ot – the Lord of hosts; God Almighty the head of a vast army – a juggernaut to the enemies of God.

This is king YHWH, our warrior

9

Lift up your heads, O gates, And lift them up, O ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in!

Lift up, O gates, your heads, And be lifted up, O doors age-during, And come in does the king of glory!

Let the king of glory into Jerusalem

Identical parallel with v.7

10

Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory.

Who is He -- this `king of glory?' YHWH of hosts -- He is the king of glory! Selah.

This is king YHWH of hosts.

Royal Psalms

These are psalms that praise God for his protection and rule either indirectly through the king or directly through God himself. 

Situation of the psalmist

God is our redeemer (goel), King, judge & warrior. Longman suggests that this psalm was probably sung when Israel defeated her enemies.[16] 

Structure of the psalm

This psalm has three parts or stanzas. Each stanza is distinguishable from the others based on differences in content. 

Analysis of the psalm

1

O sing to the LORD a new song, For He has done wonderful things, His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him.

Sing you to YHWH a new song, For wonders He has done, Given salvation to Him has His right hand and His holy arm.

God as warrior (Ex.15:3)

Sing YHWH a song Israel b/c he's done wonderful things

  • He has won the battle (YHWH is our warrior/king)
2

The LORD has made known His salvation; He has revealed His righteousness1 in the sight of the nations.2

YHWH has made known His salvation, Before the eyes of the nations, He has revealed His righteousness, (a pivot pattern - 'before the eyes of the nations' belongs to the clause before & after)

1 (i.e. faithfulness to His gracious promises)

2 Gen.12:3; see v.3

He has shown his righteousness to all people
3

He has remembered His lovingkindness1 and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

He has remembered His kindness, And His faithfulness to the house of Israel, All ends of earth have seen the salvation of our God.

1 hesed - love; covenant love; not b/c they were better than others but b/c of God's choice (Deut.7:7-11)

2 Parallel with v.2 (c.f. Gen.12:3); Abrahamic covenant

He has loved us…he has been faithful to us in front of the whole world
4

Shout for joy1 to the LORD, all the earth; Break forth2 and sing for joy1 and sing praises.

Shout to YHWH, all the earth, Break forth, and cry aloud, and sing.

Shout joyfully to YHWH earth

  • because he is your king

1 hariu (joy) 2 pishu (break forth) rhyming sounds
5

Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, With the lyre and the sound of melody.

Sing to YHWH with harp, With harp, and voice of praise,

2 Or voice of song (accompanied by music)
6

With trumpets and the sound of the horn Shout joyfully before the King, the LORD.1

With trumpets, and voice of a cornet, Shout you before the king YHWH.

1 an inclusio for the stanza running from 4-6; Also, v. 4a raises the question, "why?" that is answered here…b/c YHWH is king.
7

Let the sea roar and all it contains,1 The world and those who dwell in it.

Roar does the sea and its fullness, The world and the inhabitants in it.

1 Lit. - its fullness

Let the sea, world & inhabitants roar, rivers clap & mountains sing for joy

  • because YHWH is coming to judge the world righteously & justly

c.f. Ps.93
8

Let the rivers clap their hands,1 Let the mountains sing together for joy1

Floods clap hand, together hills cry aloud,

1 personification; c.f. Rom.8:18-27
9

Before the LORD, for He is coming to judge the earth; He will judge the world with righteousness And the peoples with equity.1

Before YHWH, For He has come to judge the earth, He judges the world in righteousness, And the people in uprightness!

1 Or uprightness

c.f. Ps.94; 96

Stooping to make us great Ps. 18:35 

Therefore, put your confidence in Him (Ps.59:16f; 62:2, 6-8; 2Chron.16:9)

Messianic Psalms

The term messiah simply means, the anointed one. This derives from the tradition of pouring olive oil on the head of a king, prophet or priest when they were commissioned - as a public testimony of their appointment. The term came to have a specialized meaning in Hebrew literature as a particular individual whom God would send at some future date to restore theocracy on earth and who was, in fact, God himself, although this information was only slowly revealed. Early references do not specify that they refer to a single character - the Messiah. Rather, we infer it from the claims they do make and from their similarity to other definitive messianic passages.  

Situation of the psalmist

This is a psalm of David, more than that is unclear.

Structure of the psalm

This psalm is formed from two oracles. 

Analysis of the psalm

A Psalm of David.

1

The Lord says to my Lord: Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.1

 The affirmation of Jehovah to my Lord: `Sit at My right hand, Till I make your enemies your footstool.'

YHWH says to Adonai – I will subjugate your enemies to you.

1an idiom arising from the practice of a king putting his feet on the necks of his defeated enemies (Josh.10:24; 1Ki.5:3)

See Mt.22:44
2

The LORD will stretch forth Your strong scepter from Zion, saying, Rule in the midst of Your enemies.

 The rod of your strength does Jehovah send from Zion, Rule in the midst of your enemies.

You will rule your enemies from Jerusalem
3

Your people will volunteer freely in the day of Your power;1 In holy array,2 from the womb of the dawn, Your youth are to You as the dew.3

Your people are free-will gifts in the day of Your strength, in the honors of holiness, From the womb, from the morning, You have the dew of your youth.

1 Or army

2 Or the splendor of holiness

3 Or The dew of Your youth is Yours; MT reads, ‘young men will come like the dew’ a reference to the quantity of volunteers for the Lords army.

  • Your people will volunteer for your vast army.
4

The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind, You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.

Jehovah have sworn, and does not repent, `You art a priest to the age, According to the order of Melchizedek.'

YHWH will make you a Melchizedek priest

Gen.14:18; Zech.6:13; Heb.5:6-10; 7:3, 22
5

The Lord is at Your right hand; He will shatter1 kings in the day of His wrath.

The Lord on your right hand smote kings In the day of His anger.

1 Or has shattered

  • The Lord will destroy all opposition
6

He will judge among the nations, He will fill1 them with corpses, He will shatter2 the chief men over a broad country.

He does judge among the nations, He has completed the carcasses, Has smitten the head over the mighty earth.

1 Or has filled

2 Or has shattered
7

He will drink from the brook by the wayside; Therefore He will lift up His head.

From a brook in the way he drinks, Therefore he does lift up the head!

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Notes:

[1]  I am indebted to Dennis Bratcher for these genre's and sub-categories of Psalms. See, The Christian Resource Institute website at http://www.cresourcei.org/psalmtypes.html Copyright © 1999 Christian Resource Institute. My use of Bratcher's genres should not be construed as an endorsement of the views expressed on his web site, which I do not endorse. Return to Text

[2]  The word hymn derives from the Greek word hymnos meaning a song of praise to God. Return to Text

[3]  Psalms 15, 19, 50, 78, 111, 139 have elements of praise and wisdom; Psalms 16, 67 have elements of praise and gratitude (i.e. Psalm 67 is also a reference to the conditions of the Abrahamic covenant); Psalm 44 has elements of the royal psalm, wisdom and praise; Psalm 139 seems to have elements of praise, wisdom & lament (i.e. imprecation & repentance forms of lament). Return to Text

[4]  The italicized material adjacent to each verse is the literal translation of the Hebrew text. Return to Text

[5]  yodea - knows; the same term used to describe sexual intimacy btw. husband & wife Return to Text

[6]  This is not the only motif, however. For example, God is portrayed as a patriarchal redeemer (i.e. goel), shepherd, spouse, father, mother, warrior/king. Return to Text

[7]  This Near Eastern contract has the form of a Suzerain vassal treaty; see Deuteronomy, Exodus 20, Joshua 24, 1 Samuel 12 for such formats. Return to Text

[8]  Gods, people and creation itself Return to Text

[9]  Notice in Joshua 24:1 #1; vv. 2-13 #2; vv. 14-15 #3; vv.19-20 #4; v.22 #5 & vv. 24-25 #6. Return to Text

[10]  Notice how often we read things like, "I will be their God and they will be my people." Return to Text

[11]  Gen 12:1-3 Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father's house, To the land which I will show you; And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." (c.f. 15:1-21 for the cutting of the covenant); references to the Abrahamic covenant are much more oblique in the psalms (e.g. Ps.72:17; 67; 47:8; 22:28; 113:4) Return to Text

[12]  References to 'the Law' are usually references to the Mosaic covenant, 203 of 220 times torah is used it means the law of God according to Kaiser; This covenant is very complex and extraordinarily detailed. The actual particulars of the covenant extend from Exodus 20-23 and further elaboration constitutes the entire book of Leviticus. Consequences were specified if Israel failed to keep their end of the bargain (c.f. Ex.20:5-6, 12; 23:20-33; Lev. 26 and see Deuteronomy 27-28);. Return to Text

[13]  That night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying: "Go and tell my servant David...(9) I will make your name great...(10) I will provide a place for my people Israel...so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed...(11) I will also give you rest from all your enemies...(I) will establish a house for you...(12) I will raise up your offspring to succeed you...I will establish his kingdom. (13,16) Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever. 2 Samuel 7:4-16 c.f. Psalm 89:3f; 26ff & Psalm 132:11-18 Return to Text

[14]  See the article, Paganism in the Old Testament Return to Text

[15]  I don't intend to suggest by this expression that Zion theology is a disconnected patch on the quilt that is OT theology...I only intend to indicate the theology being emphasized when the imagery of Mt. Zion is employed. Return to Text

[16]  Consider how we are engaged in a great war ourselves (Eph.6:12; Rev.19:11-21) Return to Text