Search The Scriptures —Study 111 — Psalms 137 and 138

Study 111 From the Book of Psalms is: Psalms 137 and 138

With this study we end, for now, the study of the book of psalms. Tomorrow, we will start with 2 Chronicles.

Ps. 137. The psalmist expresses the deep feeling of the exiles in Babylon, as the stinging experience of hostile surroundings and treatment, and the memory of the cherished city of Jerusalem, now a mass of rubble and ruin, overwhelm them.

          1-   Ps. 137. What interest and concern made the captives in Babylon weep rather than sing? Do you ever feel any similar constraint?

             2-   Whence does the writer of Ps. 138 gain the conviction that God is at work in his life? Examine the details of his confidence. How much of his confession can you make your own?

3-   137:6, 7. What place ought we to give in our thought, prayer and preaching to divine vengeance and just recompense? Cf. Ezk. 25:12-14; Rom. 12:19-21.

LINKTO THE VERSES LISTED

Search The Scriptures —Study 110 — Psalm 136

Study 110 From the Book of Psalms is: Psalm 136

The psalm divides into a call to give thanks (verses 1-3), a description of God in His creative acts (verses 4-9), and then in His acts of salvation (verses 10-22), ending with a deduction and summary (verses 23-26).

          1-   By what titles is God described? See verses 1-3 and 26, and cf. Dt. 10:17; Ne. 1: 4, 5.  What acts demonstrate the appropriateness of these titles? And how do these acts show God’s ‘steadfast love’?

      2-   What permanent lessons does the psalmist draw out? Compare the same themes in Ps. 107.

LINKTO THE VERSES LISTED

Search The Scriptures —Study 109 — Psalm 135

Study 109 From the Book of Psalms is: Psalm 135

1-   Who are summoned to praise the Lord? Why is it so reasonable to do so? See verses 1-5.

2-     As is so often the case, the thought goes back to God both as the Creator and the Redeemer. Why are these two activities so significant. What does each reveal about God in contrast to idols, and what should contemplation of them move us to do?

LINKTO THE VERSES LISTED

Search The Scriptures —Study 108 — Psalms 133 and 134

Study 108 From the Book of Psalms is: Psalms 133 and 134

        1-   Ps. 133. By what two similes does the psalmist depict the blessings of love and unity? What is the force of these similes? Cf. Jn. 13:34, 35; 1 Jn. 2:7-11.

         2-   Ps. 134. Note the ‘two-way traffic’ sustained in the house and from the city of the Lord. Where ought we to go to share in it? Cf. Heb. 10:24, 25; 12:22-24.

Notes.

           1-   133:2, 3. These similes both indicate copiousness. The oil was poured upon Aaron’s head so plentifully that it reached even the collar of the robe.  The dew of Hermon was also noted for its abundance.

            2-   Ps. 134 is a Temple son, consisting of the call of the worshippers as they left the Temple in evening to priests who were to serve during the night, together with the priestly blessing in response. It forms an appropriate ending to the book of pilgrim songs. 

LINKTO THE VERSES LISTED

Search The Scriptures —Study 107 — Psalm 132

Study 107 From the Book of Psalms is: Psalm 132

This is another psalm describing the procession into the Temple as the king enters for his coronation. With him he brings the ark, the symbol of God’s presence, as David did on the first occasion of this sort.

      1-   What lessons do we learn about the presence of God among His people? What did it mean to the king as he looked at his responsibilities for his own life and for the life of the nation? Cf. 2 Sa. 7:1-17.

       2-   How do failures to enjoy blessings and promises of this sort arise? See how some of the kings went astray (1 Ki. 11:1-6; 15:1-5; 2 Ki. 13:1-6).

Note. Verse 6. ‘Ephrathah’ is the ancient name of Bethlehem, the home of David (see NBD, p. 383), and ‘the fields of Jaar’ mean Kiriath-jearim (1 Sa. 7:1ff; 1 Ch. 13:5ff), where the ark rested before David brought it to Jerusalem

LINKTO THE VERSES LISTED

Search The Scriptures —Study 106 — Psalms 130 and 131

Study 106  From the Book of Psalms is: Psalms 130 and 131

             1-   Study the psalmist’s attitude in prayer. On what things does he particularly concentrate (a) about himself, and (b) about God? How does his renewed contact with the Lord enable him to encourage others?

               2-   What four things does the psalmist say about himself in Ps. 131? Cf. Mt. 11:29; Phil. 4:11-13, 17, 18.

LINKTO THE VERSES LISTED

Search The Scriptures —Study 105 — Psalms 127-129

Study 105 From the Book of Psalms is: Psalms 127 -129

        1-   Ps. 127 and 128. What is the secret of true prosperity?  Cf. Ps. 37:5-7; Pr. 3:5-8.

         2-   Ps. 129. What two permanent truths concerning the life of the servants of God in the world are here set forth? Compare the experience of the Servant in Is. 50:4-10, and the example of Jesus as the Servant of God in 1 Pet in 1 Pet. 2:19-23.

LINKTO THE VERSES LISTED

Search The Scriptures —Study 104 — Psalms 124-126

Study 104 From the Book of Psalms is: Psalms 124 – 126

        1-   Ps. 124. What salutary reflections does the psalmist draw from the narrow escape that is past? How do past experiences buoy up present faith? What ought we to learn from them?

       2-   Of what two things did the mountain beneath, and the mountains around, Jerusalem speak to God’s people? With Ps. 125, cf. Dt. 33:27-29a.

       3-   In Ps. 126, what are the effects of God’s intervention? Note the significance of the illustrations used. What kind of hope does such recollections inspire?

LINKTO THE VERSES LISTED

Search The Scriptures —Study 103 — Psalm 122 and 123

Study 103 From the Book of Psalms is: Psalms 122 and 123

                1-   Ps. 122. What is this pilgrim’s attitude to Jerusalem, and why does he obey the summons to come and to pray? Cf. Dt. 12:5-7; Ps. 87

             2-   According to Ps. 123, what is the best antidote to despondency? Cf. also Heb. 4:16.

LINKTO THE VERSES LISTED

Search The Scriptures —Study 102 — Psalms 120 and 121

Study 102  From the Book of Psalms is: Psalms 120 and 121

In Ps. 120-143 we have a book of pilgrim songs, probably used on the way up to Jerusalem for the great national festivals. Gradually the pilgrim approaches Zion where God is, and where the people enter afresh into the blessings of His love and redemption.

          1-   What does Ps. 120 teach about the menace of the tongue and the way of control? Cf. Ps. 141:3, and the very similar teaching in Jas. 3:1-12; 4:1-3.

           2-   In Ps. 121 the infinite concern and care of God is shown. How, when and where can a man look to this God? And what will He constantly do for us?

Note. 120:5. Meshech is somewhere between the Black sea and the Capian Sea (Gn. 10:2; Ezk. 27:13; 32:26); Kedar is a tribe of Bedouins in the Syrian-Arabian desert (Gn. 25:13; Is. 42:11). They are so far from one another that their significance here is probably a symbol of quarrelsome adversaries without any special reference to their geographical position.

LINKTO THE VERSES LISTED