sign in sign up
<<
Home , Psalm 113, Psalm 114, Psalm 115, Psalm 116, Psalm 117, Psalm 118

Buck Anderson Grace Church

“” (Songs) of Ascent, Psalms, Psalms, Psalm 150

In the finale of the , the inspired poet called on every person to praise for His powerful deeds and supreme greatness.

Psalms Bible Study: Evening Week 1 Intro & Psalm1 Week 2 (Skip a week) Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Psalms of Ascent, Hallel Psalms, Psalm 150, Praise & Worship

I. The Songs of Ascent when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD.” Our feet are standing within your gates, O . :1-2

¾ Psalms 120-134 ¾ Also: Pilgrim Songs, Songs of Degrees or Gradual Psalms ¾ So named because the pilgrim sang them as they traveled from their homes all over the land and ascended Mt. /Jerusalem (2600’) for the annual feasts (Lev. 23) ¾ Meant to provide travel inspiration ¾ “A ” – superscription found in all 15 ¾ Expresses the confidence & hope of worshippers ¾ composed at least four of these 15 psalms (Pss. 122, 124, 131, and 133). wrote one (Ps. 127), and the remaining 10 are anonymous.

Jerusalem (Zion) is prominently mentioned in these psalms: ¾ "Our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem" (122:2) ¾ "Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion" (125:1) ¾ "When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed" (126:1) ¾ "May the Lord bless you from Zion all the days of your life” (128:5) ¾ "May all who hate Zion be turned back in shame" (129:5) ¾ "The Lord has chosen Zion, he has desired it for his dwelling" (132:13).

Peace is an important concept in the Songs of Ascents. ¾ Two psalms end with the blessing: "Peace (shalom) be upon " (125:5; 128:6). ¾ Psalm 122 is a for the peace of Jerusalem.

God’s protection is another theme of these psalms: ¾ "The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore" (121:8) ¾ "As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore" (125:2) ¾ "Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain" (127:1).

Two consecutive songs of ascent mention the blessing of children: ¾ "Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them" (127:3-5) ¾ "Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table" (128:3).

¾ The Songs of Ascents are short and average about seven verses, whereas in Psalms as a whole, the average psalm length is about 16 verses. ¾ But for all their brevity, they are profoundly inspirational. ¾ The returning exiles may have sung: "Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the . Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him" (:4-6). The last verse became the basis of the famous hymn "Bringing in the Sheaves." Similarly, a popular Hebrew folk song is based on :1, which proclaims: "How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!" provides a fitting conclusion to this collection: "Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord who by night in the house of the Lord. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord. May the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth, bless you from Zion" (vs. 1-3).

The Festivals in Zion ¾ Hebrew calendar originally began in the spring ¾ Once in the land the beginning of the calendar moved to the fall festivals ¾ The worship calendar contained three pilgrimages: (spring, early summer, fall) ¾ The festivals were characterized by rejoicing, sacrifices, psalms, special and ceremony particular to each fest.

The Hebrew Calendar (original order): ¾ Purim: from Esther ¾ or Feast of Unleavened Bread ¾ Firstfruits (with Feast of Unleavened Bread) ¾ (Feast of Weeks; Shabouth) ¾ (beginning of new calendar) ¾ Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) ¾ Booths or Feast of Tabernacles/Ingathering

II. The Hallel Psalms Psalms 113-118 form the Hallel, the Hymns of Praise, which were to be sung at the Festivals of Passover, Pentecost, & Tabernacles, as well as the Festival of the Dedication and New Moons. At a domestic celebration of the Passover, Psalms 113 and 114 would be sung before the meal, and Psalms 115-118 after it, when the fourth cup had been filled. , at least, was probably the hymn sung by Jesus and His disciples in the upper room at their Passover supper (Matt. 26:30; Mk. 14:26).

Psalm 113:1-3 “Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD. Praise the name of the LORD. Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and forever. From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the LORD is to be praised.”

Psalm 113 is a psalm of praise for the Lord's greatness and grace. Anyone who knows of the incarnation could not miss the obvious parallels between the psalm and that doctrine. It is the nature of the LORD to come down in order to exalt the helpless and the weak.

Psalm 114 celebrates from Egypt, and so is altogether appropriate at Passover, or any other national Festival. It declares how delivered His people with miraculous intervention, calling for the earth to tremble at His presence.

Psalm 115 was apparently written in a time of national humiliation. It is a prayer for the Lord to vindicate His honor by delivering His people. The psalm contrasts the powerless of the pagans, who drag down their worshippers to their level of impotence and senselessness, with the sovereign Lord who is omnipotent. Israel’s sense of her own need adds to the call for faith in Him.

Psalm 116 is a psalm that praises the Lord for answered prayer and promises lifelong praise for it. The psalmist can look forward to a long, tranquil life because the Lord proved Himself gracious to him. The psalmist had not lost faith in the great time of trouble, and so can now praise the Lord and edify others. The psalm is praise for deliverance from imminent danger of death.

Psalm 117 is a call for praise for the Lord's loyal love and truth. Some have suggested that this short passage served as a doxology in the use at the Festivals. At any rate, it is used by Paul in Romans 15:11 to show that the grace of God was extended to .

Psalm 118, perhaps the grandest of the Hallel psalms, is filled with significant theology and typology. Note 118:22-29!!

III. Psalm 150 ¾ Psalm 150 is the finale in the Psalms’ concluding “praise-fest” known as the Hallelujah Psalms (146-150) ¾ Psalm 150 is the last of the 150 psalms found in the psalter ¾ “Hallelujah” begins & ends each of these final 5 psalms. ¾ 33% of the “praise” terms in the entire Book of Psalms occurs in these final 5 psalms. ¾ Musically, Psalm 150 is the crescendo of the Psalms, the climatic end of the inspired hymnal. 13 usages of “praise” ¾ Psalm 150 is the final doxology of the Psalms. Its message is simple and action-oriented: Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!

Psalm 150 1 Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty expanse. 2 Praise Him for His mighty deeds; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness. 3 Praise Him with trumpet sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre. 4 Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe. 5 Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with resounding cymbals. 6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!

Psalm 150 A. The Call (150:1)

1 Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty expanse.

B. The Cause (150:2)

2 Praise Him for His mighty deeds; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.

C. The Celebration (150:3-5)

3 Praise Him with trumpet sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre. 4 Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe. 5 Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with resounding cymbals.

D. The Culmination (150:6) The Psalms’ Final Words: Let everything that has breath give praise to the LORD! Hallelujah!

“LORD” in Psalm 150:6 יהוה YHWH Yahweh Yah

“Praise the LORD” in Psalm 150:6 Hy w llh Hallel u yah

“Praise” in Psalm150:6 llh (Hallel)

“Praise” in Psalm 150:6 ¾ Deep acknowledgement of Superiority or Greatness ¾ Commend for a Reason ¾ Exalt; Lift up ¾ “Bragging on somebody for something” ¾ Articulate the Particulars!

Examples of Praise: ¾ Sarah's beauty (Gen. 12:15) ¾ Tyre’s wealth (Ezek. 26:17) ¾ Good wife’s works (Prov. 31:31)

“In any area of life one naturally praises what one appreciates; in fact, the praise is part of the enjoyment. It does not matter whether it is sports, flowers, sunsets, children, cars, great books, or anything else. To enjoy something fully one must speak of it.” —C.S. Lewis, Reflections in the Psalms

Psalm 150:6 Let everything that has breath give praise to the LORD! Halleluyah!

Names of OT Writers with Yah (shortened form of Yahweh = YHWH)

. Nehemiah = hy"m.x,n> Nechemyah Meaning: 'Yah comforts' . Jeremiah = hy"m.r>yI Yirmeyah or Why"m.r>yI Yirmeyahu Meaning: 'Yah loosens' . = Why"[.v;y> Yeshayahu Meaning: 'salvation of Yah' . Obadiah = hy"d>b;[o Obadyah or Why"d>b;[o Obadyahu Meaning: 'servant of Yah' . Zephaniah = hy"n>p;c. Tsephanyah or Why"n>p;c. Tsephanyahu Meaning: 'Yah has treasured' . Zechariah = hy"r>k;z> Zekaryah or Why"r>k;z> Zekaryahu Meaning: "Yah remembers" or "Yah is renowned" . Micah = Why>k('ymi Mikayehu or Why>k('mi Mikayehu Meaning: 'Who is like Yah?'

Other Names:

. Joshua = [;WvAhy> Yehoshua or [;vuAhy> Yehoshua Meaning: 'the LORD is salvation' . Daniel = laYEnID' Daniyyel or laenID' Daniel Meaning: 'God is my judge' . Hosea = [;veAh Hoshea Meaning: 'salvation' . Joel = laeAy Yoel Meaning: prob. 'the LORD is God' . Samuel = laeêWmv. Shemuel Meaning: ‘Heard of God’ . Ezekiel = laqe’z>x,y> Yehezekel Meaning: ‘God strengthens’

Additional Notes from ISBE:

Nothing is known of the person of Malachi. Because his name does not occur elsewhere, some scholars indeed doubt whether "Malachi" is intended to be the personal name of the prophet. But none of the other prophetic books of the is anonymous. The form Heb: mal'akhi, signifies "my messenger"; it occurs again in 3:1; compare 2:7. But this form of itself would hardly be appropriate as a name without some additional syllable such as Heb: Yah, whence Heb: mal'akhiah, i.e. "messenger of Yahweh." Haggai, in fact, is expressly designated "messenger of Yahweh" (Hag 1:13). Besides, the superscriptions prefixed to the book, in both the and the , warrant the supposition that Malachi's full name ended with the syllable Heb: -yah. At the same time the Septuagint translates the last clause of Mal 1:1, "by the hand of his messenger," and the Targum reads, "by the hand of my angel, whose name is called the scribe." Jerome likewise testifies that the of his day ascribed this last book of prophecy to Ezra (V. Praef. in duodecim Prophetas). But if Ezra's name was originally associated with the book, it would hardly have been dropped by the collectors of the prophetic who lived only a century or two subsequent to Ezra's time. Certain traditions ascribe the book to Zerubbabel and Nehemiah; others, still, to Malachi, whom they designate as a Levite and a member of the "Great ." Certain modern scholars, however, on the basis of the similarity of the title (1:1) to Zec 9:1; 12:1, declare it to be anonymous; but this is a rash conclusion without any substantial proof other than supposition. The best explanation is that of Professor G.G. Cameron, who suggests that the termination of the word "Malachi" is adjectival, and equivalent to the angelicus, signifying "one charged with a message or mission" (a missionary). The term would thus be an official title; and the thought would not be unsuitable to one whose message closed the prophetical Canon of the Old Testament, and whose mission in behalf of the church was so sacred in character (1-vol HDB).