The Psalms

The Psalms appears to be the hymn-book of the temple in Jerusalem, containing poems from more than one century, for many situations, and from both the northern and southern kingdoms. They offer us words suitable for the deepest despair to the highest praise of God. "They are poetry" but "Hebrew poetry does not use rhyme or the rhythms of speech, but derives its shape from the balancing of ideas."[10] This can take various forms: repetition of an idea in different words; contrast with the opposite idea; or "Merismus", mention of opposite extremes such as rich and poor, meaning everybody[21 p.16–17].

Psalms use poetic language, described in the comments on Genesis 4:23–24. "Probably all of us come to poetry with different literary expectations from those with which we approach prose" [21 p.123].

The origins of the Psalms are generally not stated so almost all that is believed about them is deduced and could be wrong; but the general consensus is that they are "the hymn-book of the second temple". Sometimes the context can be found which is very helpful. It is assumed that the Psalms were first collected around the time of King David (though some are older than that) and used in Temple worship, and then finally edited around the time of the Exile or soon after. We assume the psalms were chanted or sung. Perhaps there was a group of professional musicians and poets who wrote and performed them. The Psalms provide clearest picture of what the Temple worship was like, though some Psalms may have been intended for individual rather than corporate worship.

Most Bibles show sub-headings such as "A Psalm of David" for many of the psalms. The earliest copies from Qumran either lack these, or they differ from the ones used later, so they were a late addition to the text, and may be historically inaccurate.[ pp.80–81]

Unlike modern worship, there are more laments than praise songs. Many (such as 44 and 89) show exilic origins by dealing frankly with the contrast between what was hoped for, because God seemed to promise it, and God is good anyway, and what has happened. there is no answer to these disappoinments and puzzlements, except to gaze on God and his glory, and perhaps plead for relief.

"Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggemann describes many of the psalms as having a common movement: from 'orientation' (knowing where you are, where you 'stand'), through 'disorientation' (being confused and thrown off course by circumstance), to 'reorientation' (finding a new, deeper way to see the world and God)." [15]

Gunkel saw five groups ("books") of Psalms within the whole:

1.	Psalms 1–41	"Psalms of David" (the headings are not original[1 p.xxxix] and in Hebrew "le David" means "to David" or "for David" but not "by David", though Jesus ascribes Psalm 110:1 to David in Matthew 22:43 and 2 Samuel 23:1 calls David "the sweet psalmist of Israel")
2.	Psalms 42–72	Psalms of the Sons of Korah (using Elohist language). Psalm 65 mentions David in the heading but since it assumes the existence of the Temple, built after David's death, it does not seem to have been written in his lifetime. Psalm 53 is almost identical to Psalm 14 which is in the previous section.
3.	Psalms 73–89	Psalms of Asaph (using Elohist language)
4.	Psalms 90–106	Songs of Ascents
5.	Psalms 107–150	more "Psalms of David".

Each of these "books" ends with a short refrain which does not form part of the psalm's content, but is printed in modern Bibles as if it did.

Within these books Gunkel found nine types:

Hymns about the King or God e.g. Psalms 47, 93;
cries for help e.g. Psalms 44, 74;
laments for individual use e.g. Psalms 3, 5, 6, 7, 13;
psalms of confidence;
thanksgivings for individual use e.g. Psalms 30, 32, 138;
pilgrimage songs (for the 3 annual pilgrimages to Jerusalem) e.g. Psalm 84, 122;
thanksgivings for communal use e.g. Psalms 67, 124;
wisdom poems e.g. Psalm 1, 112;
others such as ordinations, e.g. Psalms 15, 60, 119.

Other categories can be used:

Royal Psalms: those that would only make sense if the king were present; these may date from King Solomon.

Primitive theology: e.g. Psalms 24, 104, 131 use pre-exile theology e.g. "Lord God of Hosts" and references to Shiloh. Some psalms definitely pre-date David e.g. Psalm 29:1 refers to "sons of gods" using the Canaanite word Baalim (though it is translated more acceptably in NIV).

It also seems that there are groups of Psalms in the editors mind that do not match the categories mentioned above; for example, Psalms 105 and 107 both review history in order to remind the hearer of how God has been seen at work in the past.

Note some pre-exile prophets seem to quote phrases from the Psalms (or vice versa).

Psalms 2 and 23 definitely date from King David's time. Psalm 18 = 2 Samuel 22 so we know these are David's words and we know the context. Some say Psalm 2 dates from David's coronation, but I disagree because it refers to Zion (= Jerusalem) which was not then conquered.

It is thought that the selection was done in the Southern Kingdom and reflects their wants, though some Northern psalms are included, e.g. Psalm 42:6–7, Psalm 53, and Psalms 80–81. Psalm 10 and 16 use a Northern dialect word for not: where we would expect to find the Southern word lo we find the Northern dialect word bal.

Psalm 45 is unique in not mentioning God. It may have been composed for the wedding of Ahab and Jezebel in 869 B.C.E., and makes use of a pun on Ahab's name: love is ahabh. Some Psalms are thought to be post-exile because like Ezekiel and 2nd Isaiah they dwell a lot on God's Glory (apparently hoping for a return to former glory); Psalm 103 resembles Isaiah 40–56.

Psalms need rhythm or metre. The usual forms of Hebrew poetry are found:

Antithesis

the Lord lift up the down trodden,
but the wicked he casts down

Synthesis

I have set up my King,
on Zion's holy hill

Build-ups

ascribe... [in general terms];
ascribe... [more specifically]; e.g. Ps 96:1–2

Antiphon

Question: who is the King of Glory?
Answer: ...

There are many terms which we do not understand e.g. Selah which some suggested was a pause but may be an action e.g. congregation to stand or turn round. This word is generally translated "side" but is given as "rib" in the second creation narrative in Genesis 2. (The fact that it appears right at the end of some psalms rules out some possible meanings such as a change of soloist, tune or key.) Seir seems to be a song with instruments; Maskill seems to be a didactic poem set to music.

Commentary

1:1

cf. Jeremiah 17:7–8. The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3–11, Luke 6:20f) can be seen as a re-working of this psalm, but with a bias towards the poor.

1:2

The idea of delighting in the law may seem strange to us. That is because we misunderstand the word "Law". The Jews rejoiced that they had been given a covenant relationship with God. This fallen world damages our purity and the Law contained remedies for that. Jesus was often exposed to impurity—he ate with tax collectors and sinners, touched the dead, etc—which was clearly the right thing to do under the circumstances. You cannot tackle evil by remaining holy and aloof.

1:3

The mention of fruit in season implies patience, which in turn requires trust in God, until that season comes. See also the comment on Revelation 22:2.

2:1

Some say Psalm 2 dates from David's coronation, but I disagree because it refers to Zion (=Jerusalem) which was not then under David's control.

2:1

These verses are quoted in Acts 4:25–26.

2:7

This verse is quoted in Mark 1:11.

4:6

Disappointment breeds cynicism, but see the hope that Jesus brought in John 1:46.

7:36

When Jesus cursed the tree and it withered in Matthew 21:19, the disciples may have seen it as comparable with these verses.

8:4

This verse is quoted in Hebrews 2:6.

8:5

See Appendix 2 Angels.

8:6

This verse is quoted in 1 Corinthians 15:27–28. Under his feet: cf. footstool in Psalm 110:1.

Psalms 9 and 10 have Acrostic structures; the verses start with each letter in the Hebrew alphabet (an idea developed in Psalm 119).

10:1

This Acrostic psalm (which is a continuation of psalm 9) uses a Northern dialect word for not: where we would expect to find the Southern word lo we find the Northern dialect word bal.

11:4

cf. Habbakuk 2:20.

See Appendix 2: Poor.

This psalm is particularly relevant to people in ongoing suffering including refugees. "We met an Iraqi refugee family who had a traumatic story fleeing from Mosul in Iraq. The family had been separated while fleeing and didn't know whether the other half of the family were alive. It took them two years to be reunited in Jordan. After we listened to their powerful story, I asked whether there had been a passage of scripture that had been meaningful to them during this harrowing experience. The daughter started to read Psalm 13 in Arabic. As she read, the whole family (there were three generations there: the grandmother of the girl, her parents and her brother) all started crying." [14]

13:1–2

"How long": cf. Psalm 35:17, Revelation 6:10.

This psalm is almost identical to Ps 53.

This psalm is believed to be an "entrance liturgy" for use at the start of a temple service. It shows the kind of worshipper the Lord is seeking.

15:1

Tent means the same as the tabernacle, which housed the Ark while the Hebrews were wandering. The hill represents Jerusalem, where the Temple was in later years. Both represent the holy place where God dwelt.

15:2

This verse places truth in the context of God's will, along the lines expounded by Dietrich Bonhoeffer[2]; see comment on Exodus 20:16.

16:1

This psalm uses a Northern dialect word for not: where we would expect to find the Southern word lo we find the Northern dialect word bal.

See comment on Luke 24:25–27.

16:10

This verse was quoted in support of Christian teaching about resurrection by St Peter in Acts 2:27–28 (with the following verse) and St Paul in Acts 13:35.

16:11

See comment on Luke 24:25–27.

17:3

This self-righteous claim can only be fulfilled by Jesus.[17 p.112]

18:1

See 2 Samuel 22; we know these are David's words and we know the context.

Waters: see Appendix 2 Water.

18:6

cf. Ps 34:6, Ps 120:1 and Jonah 2:2; this Psalm probably pre-dated Jonah so he was quoting from memory in his hour of need.

18:7

Kadesh: see Appendix 3 Kadesh.

18:25–26

cf. Matthew 5:7 in the Beatitudes.

18:27

cf. Luke 1:52 in the Magnificat.

19:1

This psalm is a key one for understanding the Jewish mind; it emphasizes how the law is a guide to be grateful for, not a burden to be resented; cf. Ps 23:4.

19:10

Sweet: cf. Ezekiel 3:3, Revelation 10:10.

22:1

This psalm of complaint was quoted by Jesus when he was in distress on the cross (Matthew 27:46 and Mark 5:34); the end of the psalm indicates the hope he clung to. The distress of this Psalm is followed by hope in Psalm 23 and triumph in Psalm 24.

See comment on Luke 24:25–27.

22:6

The reference to being cast-off (the Tyndale translation) indicates that the person suffering the horrors described in this psalm was a scapegoat in the sense of the Law of Moses (Leviticus 16:8f).

22:8

cf. Matthew 27:43.