Summer in the Psalms Part 10 - The Center of it All
September 1, 2024
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. —1 Peter 2:9
- Praise opens the door for encountering God in every moment of life.
- Praise is the means by which God’s rule is invited into unruly circumstances.
- We enter his gates with praise. Gratitude is the
Book 5 Characteristics - Psalm 107-150
- Psalms 107 through 150 make up the fifth and final section of the Book of Psalms.
- Compiled for use after return from Babylonian exile.
- Most of the psalms in this part of the Book of Psalms were designed for use in
- Worship rises in volume and beauty until in the closing words the ultimate purpose is declared: “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.”
- Fifteen of them are ascribed to David, one to Solomon, and the rest remain anonymous.
- Book V relates to the Book of Deuteronomy since it speaks of a new beginning in the Promised Land.
- Jehovah is used as the divine name in this last section of the Book of Psalms.
Theme: God is my Redeemer.
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy. —Psalm 107:2
Jesus bought us with His own blood! In that sense, we belong to God.
For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. —1 Corinthians 6:20
1. The longest chapter in the Bible, Psalm 119, is in Book 5. All 176 verses mention God’s
in some form.
9 How can a young man cleanse his way?
By taking heed according to Your word.
10 With my whole heart I have sought You;
Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!
11 Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.
12 Blessed are You, O Lord!
Teach me Your statutes.
13 With my lips I have declared
All the judgments of Your mouth.
14 I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,
As much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate on Your precepts,
And contemplate Your ways.
16 I will delight myself in Your statutes;
I will not forget Your word.
—Psalm 119I will worship toward Your holy temple and praise Your name for Your loving-kindness and for Your truth and faithfulness; for You have exalted above all else Your name and Your word and You have magnified Your word above all Your name! —Psalm 138:2 AMP
2. The shortest chapter in the Bible, Psalm 117, is in Book 5. This is a song about the
of God and our response in worship.
- Psalm 117 is also the middle chapter of the entire Bible, the very center of 1,189 chapters spanning Genesis 1 through Revelation 22.
1 Praise the Lord, all you nations. Praise him, all you people of the earth.
2 For his unfailing love for us is powerful; the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever. Praise the Lord! —Psalm 117
a) Psalm 117 is the call for every nation, tribe, and tongue to
9 And they sang a new song, saying:
> “You are worthy to take the scroll, > And to open its seals; > For You were slain, > And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
> 10 And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth.”
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice:
> “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain > To receive power and riches and wisdom,
And strength and honor and glory and blessing!” —Revelation 5:9-12
- It’s what the finished work of Jesus on the cross has accomplished - redemption provided for every tribe, tongue, and nation.
b) It’s a song about God’s
- It’s the
13 indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying:
> “For He is good,
For His mercy endures forever,”
that the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, 14 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God. —2 Chronicles 5:13-14
3. Psalm 118 is a song about the Finished Work of Jesus on the
.
Of the 31,173 verses contained in the Bible, Psalm 118:8 is the
Psalm 118:8 - It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.
26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”
27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is My blood of the ]new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 29 But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. —Matthew 26:26-3030 After singing psalms, they went out to the Mount of Olives. —Matthew 26:30 Holman translation
But not just any Psalms - the Paschal Psalms. The greek word hymneo specifically refers to the singing of paschal hymns which are Psalms 113 - 118 and 136.
Psalm 118 brings the centrality the
The most striking aspects of Psalm 118 are its numerous verses which relate
Psalm 118
1 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
2 Let Israel now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
4 Let those who fear the Lord now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
5 I called on the Lord in distress;
The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place.
6 The Lord is on my side;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?
7 The Lord is for me among those who help me;
Therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me.
8 It is better to trust in the Lord
Than to put confidence in man.
9 It is better to trust in the Lord
Than to put confidence in princes.
‘Yes, it is so much better to trust in the Lord to save me than to put my confidence in
10 All nations surrounded me,
But in the name of the Lord I will destroy [overcome] them.
11 They surrounded me,
Yes, they surrounded me;
But in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
12 They surrounded me like bees;
They were quenched like a fire of thorns;
For in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
13 You pushed me violently, that I might fall,
But the Lord helped me.
14 The Lord is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation.
15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation
Is in the tents of the righteous;
The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.
16 The right hand of the Lord is exalted;
The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.
17 I shall not die, but live,
And declare the works of the Lord.
18 The Lord has chastened me severely,
But He has not given me over to death.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness;
I will go through them,
And I will praise the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord,
Through which the righteous shall enter.
21 I will praise You,
For You have answered me,
And have become my salvation.
22 The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
23 This was the Lord’s doing;
It is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Save now, I pray, O Lord;
O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity.
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
We have blessed you from the house of the Lord.
27 God is the Lord,
And He has given us light;
Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will praise You;
You are my God, I will exalt You.
29 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.