Psalms: Praise the LORD!
(1:1-6, 19:14, 145:21, 150:1-6) Pastor Heo
Psalm 1
1 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, 2 but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. 3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. 4 Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
Psalm 19
14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 145
21 My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.
Psalm 150
1 Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. 2 Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. 3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, 4 praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, 5 praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. 6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.
“Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.” Do you have breath? This is in order to praise the LORD.
Psalms is the hymn book, song book, prayer book of the Bible. It is the largest and most widely used book in the Bible. It explores the entire range of human history, experience, emotion, in a personal, practical way.
About Psalms
Psalms = 150 Psalms (poems, songs, chapters).
- These run from the Creation through the patriarchal, monarchical periods.
- This book includes many topics = peace, war, prayer, lamentation, petition, judgment, punishment, songs of thanksgiving, blessing, etc. There are MANY topics.
- These prayers are personal and national. These portray the most intimate feelings of ONE person, and some also portray all the needs and feelings of God, or the people, etc.
- These were accompanied by strings and were the hymn book for the church.
- The songs were collected, but remained unnamed for a long time. Among them,
- 74 were written by David,
- 12 by Asaph,
- 11 by the sons of Korah,
- 2 by Solomon,
- 1 by Moses,
- 1 by Ethan,
- the rest unknown.
- These were used by Jesus and quoted in the New Testament and became a hymnal for the early church.
The book of Psalms has some records :
#1: More chapters than any other book in the Bible;
#2: Psalms = EXACTLY in the middle of the Bible (numerically). There are 1089 chapters in the Bible.
#3: Psalm 117 = the exact center of the Bible. This chapter = the shortest chapter in the whole Bible (2 verses).
Psalm 117
1 Praise the LORD, all you nations. Extol him all you peoples, for great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.
#4: Longest chapter in the Bible = Psalm 119 (it focuses on the Word of God, his laws and statutes – in 176 verses, only about 3 do not expressly name “God’s word” or “God’s Law” etc).
Psalm 119…
Why does it have 176 verses? It is written according to the alphabet of Hebrew. There are 22 letters * 8 verses each = 176 total verses.
The longest chapter 119 (it focuses on the Word of God, his laws and statutes – in 176 verses, only about 3 do not expressly name “God’s Word” or “God’s Law” etc – so, it’s one of my favorites).
Psalm 119
This starts with the word “blessed” – also chapter 1 starts with the word “blessed” and we can match this in the NT too.
- “the Law of God”
- “the statutes of God”
- “the precepts of God”
- …
- “your decrees”
- “your commands”
- “your righteous laws”
- “your decrees”
- “your Word(s)”
- “your commands”
- “hidden your Word in my heart”
- “teach me your decrees”
- “all the laws”
- “your statutes”
- “your precepts”
- “your decrees…your word”
- “your Word”
- “your law”
- “your commands”
- “your laws”
- “your commands”
- “your statutes”
- “your decrees”
- “your statutes”
- “your word”
- “your decrees”
- “the teaching of your precepts”
- “your Word”
- “your law”
- “your laws”
- “your statutes”
- “your commands”
- “your decrees”
- “I will keep your law.. obey it”
- “your commands”
- “your statutes”
- “your word”
- “your promise”
- “your laws are good”
- “your precepts”
- “your promise”
- “your word”
- “the word of truth…your laws”
- “your law”
- “your precepts”
- “your statutes”
- “your commands”
- “your commands”
- “your word”
- “your promise preserves my life”
…
(so far, only verse 4 did not explicitly mention one of these. Check the rest, there are only 2 more that don’t explicitly mention “God’s word” in this way)
Actually, the book of Psalms is the biggest book, but originally it was FIVE books in one. These songs were five books put together. (Book 1 = chp 1-41) – each book corresponds to the Pentateuch and ends with a doxology of praise.
Book 1 (chp 1-41) corresponding to Genesis (Creation and man)
- Doxology of praise/worship = Chp 41:13 “Praise be to the LORD the God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.”
Book 2 (chp 41-72) corresponding to Exodus (deliverance & redemption)
- Doxology = Chp 72:18-19 “Praise be to the LORD God the God of Israel who alone does marvelous deeds. Praise be to his glorious name forever, may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.”
Book 3 (chp 73-89) = Leviticus (worship / sanctuary)
- Chp 89:52 “Praise be to the LORD forever. Amen and Amen.”
Book 4 (chp 90-106) = Numbers (wilderness and wandering)
- Chp 106:48 “Praise be to the LORD the God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, ‘Amen, Praise the LORD!’”
Book 5 (chp 107-150) = Deuteronomy (Scriptures and Praise)
Psalm 150
1 Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. 2 Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. 3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, 4 praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, 5 praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. 6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.
Another key issue in Psalms = 22 Messianic prophecies – fulfilled in the NT.
22 Messianic prophecies in the Psalms
Sisters read prophecy, Brothers read in the NT, the fulfillment.
| About | Prophecy | Fulfillment |
|---|---|---|
| God will declare Christ as his one and only son | Psalm 2:7 “I will proclaim the Lord’s decree – he said to me, you are my son, today, I have become your Father.” | Matt. 3:17 “And a voice came down from heaven and said, this is my son, with him I am well pleased.” |
| Jesus will be resurrected | Psalm 16:10 “Because you will not abandon me in the grave, nor will you let your holy one see decay.” | Mark 16:6-7 “Don’t be alarmed, he said, you are looking for Jesus, the Nazarene who was crucified. He is not here, he is risen… But go, tell his disciples…” |
| All things will be put under Jesus feet (all authority) | Psalm 8:6 “You made them rulers over the works of your hands and put everything under their feet.” | Hebrews 2:8 “And put everything under his feet including everything under him, God left everything that was not subject to him, yet at present we do not see everything subject to him.” |
| Jesus forsaken on the cross | Psalm 22:7-8 “All who see me mock me…” | Luke 27:35 “The people stood watching and the rulers even sneered at him.” |
| He will be scorned and mocked | Psalm 22:7-8 “All who see me mock me…” | Luke 27:35 “The people stood watching and the rulers even sneered at him.” |
| His hands and feet will be pierced | Psalm 22:16 “They have pierced my hands and my feet.” | John 20:25-27 “He said to them, ‘unless I see the nail marks and the piercing in his side, I will not believe it.’” |
| They will cast lots for his clothes | Psalm 22:18 “they divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing” | Matt 27:35-36 “When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots…” |
| Not one of his bones will be broken | Psalm 34:20 “Not one of his bones will be broken” | John 19:31-33 “The soldiers broke the legs of the first man and the other…Jesus was already dead… they did not break his legs.” |
| He will be accused by false witnesses | Psalm 35:11 “Ruthless witnesses come forward, they question me…” | Mark 14:57 “Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him.” |
| Jesus will be hated without accord | Psalm 35:19 “Let not those who are my enemies hate me without reason…” | John 15:25 “But this is to fulfill the prophecy ‘They hated me without reason’” |
| Jesus came to do God’s will | Psalm 40:7-8 “I desire to do your will, oh my God, … I proclaim your righteousness in the great assembly.” | Hebrews 10:7 “And I said, ‘Here I am, it is written about me, I have come to do your will, oh Lord.” |
| Jesus will be betrayed by his close friend | Psalm 41:9 | Luke 22:47 “While he was still speaking, a crowd came out, led by Judas….” |
| Jesus’ throne will be eternal | Psalm 45:6 “Your throne oh God will last forever and ever.” | Hebrews 1:8 “But about the son, he said, ‘Your throne oh God will last forever and ever…’” |
| Jesus will ascend to God’s right hand | Psalm 68:18 “When he ascended on high…” | Mark 16:19 “After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken into heaven and sat on the right hand of God.” |
| Zeal for God’s house consumes him | Psalm 69:9 “zeal for your house consumes me” | John 2:17 |
| He will be given vinegar and wine to drink on the cross | Psalm 69:21 “They … gave me vinegar for my thirst” | Matt 27:34 “There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall…” |
| Jesus prayed on the cross for his enemies | Psalm 109:4 “In return for my friendship, they accused me, and I am a man of prayer.” | Luke 23:34 “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” |
| Judas’ position will be filled by another | Psalm 109:8 “May another take his place” | Acts 1:20 “For said Peter, … ‘May another take his place of leadership.’” |
| Jesus’ enemies will finally be subject to him | Psalm 110:1 “The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand…” | Matt 22:44 “The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand…” |
| Jesus will be our eternal priest in the order of Melchizedek | Psalm 110:4 “you are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek” | Hebrews 5:6 “you are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek” |
| Jesus is chief cornerstone | Psalm 118:22 “the stone the builders refused has become the cornerstone” | Matt 21:42 “the stone the builders rejected has become the capstone” |
| Jesus came (and is coming) in the name of the Lord | Psalm 118:26 “blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” | Matt 21:9 “they shouted, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’” |
*Psalm 22 looks like a very Messianic Psalm – lots of stuff about Jesus in there
Thank you very much, but still there is so MUCH to do with you. I will finish before 1pm…
Praise the LORD, Psalms is the biggest book and therefore has MUCH to speak of.
Let me speak of chapter 1.
It begins with “blessed” – this corresponds to Jesus’ sermon on the mount – the beatitudes (Matt 5,6,7). As we know, Psalm 1 starts with “blessed is the man” and it shows two kinds of men – the blessed one, the wicked one.
- The blessed man is like a tree planted by still water.
- But the wicked is like chaff that the wind blows away.
DESTINY: blessed = eternal life with God; wicked = eternal death, perish
- Question: WHAT makes the blessed, blessed and the wicked, wicked?
- Ans: The WORD of God (v. 2-3) “He meditates on the Word of the Lord day and night.”
This corresponds to the beatitudes in Matt 5-7
- Eight blessings – “blessed are the meek, the mourners, the hungry and thirsty for righteousness, the merciful, the peacemakers, the persecuted, the pure in heart” –
- Jesus then shows two kinds of gate – two gates, two roads. One gate = eternal life; one gate = eternal destruction.
- Also two kinds of trees and fruit (good / bad).
- There are two kinds of builders (built on sand = destroyed / built on the rock = survive).
What makes these differences different? The WORD OF GOD.
Jesus’ conclusion “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice will be like a man who built his house on the rock; but everyone else is like a man who built his house on sand.”
The KEY word/answer = the WORD OF GOD.
Our topic = “Praise the Lord”
- WHY? According to the Psalms: because of WHO God is
- He is great,
- good,
- sovereign over all creation,
- holy,
- loving,
- kind,
- gentle,
- compassionate,
- excellent,
- salvation through Christ,
- wonderful works,
- all about him is revealed through Christ)
- HOW can we praise him?
- With songs,
- worship,
- witnessing Christ,
- proclaiming the “good news”,
- confession,
- enjoying his presence,
- abundant assurance of salvation,
- offerings,
- sacrifices,
- tithes,
- helping others,
- giving thanksgiving.
Amen? Amen.
Let’s close with Psalm 150
Psalm 150 (12x “praise…”)
1 Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. (whom do we praise)
2 Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. (for what reason we praise)
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, 4 praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe (flute), 5 praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. (how we can praise him)
6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD. (who, where, when can we praise him?)
Let’s praise the LORD individually – let’s pray and in our prayer, praise Him. Even our time is very short – can you praise him with more than 100 reasons? Can you count 1,000 reasons why we should/must/ought to praise him? There are innumerable, countless reasons.
Let’s shout in our prayer for him.
