Psalm 32:1-5: A Series of Threes

November 10, 2022Posted inPsalms Commentary
We have here a series of threes. In verses 1-2 are three terms for justification: transgression is forgiven, sin is covered, and the Lord does not impute iniquity. In verses 3-4 David gives us three descriptions of his spiritual condition: "my bones grew old through my groaning," "your hand was heavy on me," and "my…

Psalm 30: Centered on Verse 7

November 3, 2022Posted inPsalms Commentary
Psalm 30 is a difficult psalm for especially two reasons. The first reason is that the heading is rather mysterious: A Song at the dedication of the house of David. The second reason is that there is a dramatic change in tone in verse 7. That verse begins with a very positive statement: LORD, by…

Psalm 22:22-31: Praise of the Anointed in His Deliverance

October 27, 2022Posted inPsalms Commentary
In the first part of this psalm, we see the sufferer forsaken and in anguish. In the second part we see him delivered and rejoicing. The contrast between the two sections is very great, and the transition from one to the other extremely abrupt. The change takes place in the last sentence of verse 21,…

Psalm 22, Part 1: Lament of the Anointed in His Suffering

October 6, 2022Posted inPsalms Commentary
There are several quotations from and references to Psalm 22 in the gospels. Matthew 27:46: And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is, My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Matthew 27:42,43: He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is…

Psalm 29: The Power of the Voice of Yahweh

September 29, 2022Posted inPsalms Commentary
Matthew 8: 23-27 shows us the power of the voice of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him.And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke…

Psalm 70: A Clever Chiasm

September 22, 2022Posted inChiasms, Psalms Commentary
To the Chief Musician, of David, to Cause to Remember 1. O God, to deliver me, O Yahweh, to my help hurry. 2. Let them be ashamed and confounded who seek my soul. Let them be turned back and humiliated who delight in my evil. 3. Let them return as a consequence of their shame…

Psalm 16: A Pilgrim’s Song

September 15, 2022Posted inPsalms Commentary
In Acts 2 Peter says about verses 9 and 10 in this psalm: Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath…

Psalm 9: A Prayer of the Oppressed for Justice

September 2, 2022Posted inPsalms Commentary
This is a psalm about the judgment of God on the unbelieving that saves us, his people, from their oppression. Let’s look at some of its prominent features. 1. The Structure of the Psalm The psalm has three main parts. In the first part (vv. 1–8) David praises the Lord for upholding his right and…

Psalm 100: Four Triple Parallelisms

August 18, 2022Posted inPsalms Commentary
In Hebrew poetry the usual form of parallelism is a pair of lines that are roughly the same in meaning (synonymous), or that present a contrast (antithetical). In Psalm 6 we see nine verses in the standard form, and all of these except verse 3 are synonymous. But one verse (v.6) adds a third line…

Christ in the Psalms of Suffering

June 23, 2022Posted inPsalms Commentary
To speak of Messianic psalms as if there are only a few psalms that speak prophetically of the sufferings and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ is a serious mistake. Christ’s presence in the psalms is pervasive.  They are his songs first, and ours only as we are one with him. One of the best…