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Psalms
©2010Barry Liesch
Biola University
La Mirada, California
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Why important to You
Way to learn language of prayer
Keeps us close to heart of God
Offers deep encouragement
Resource for song texts
Resource for scripture reading
Resource when counseling
Billy Graham reads 5 psalms daily!
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Crafting of Psalms
Parallelism
Affirming, Opposing
Advancing, Climactic
Acrostic (8)
First letter of each line/pattern
Chiasm (AB C BA) (AB CC BA)
Refrains (12)
Imagery
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Writers/Authors
101 Psalms bear name headings
David (73)
Sons of Asaph (12)
Sons of Korah (11)
Solomon (2)
Moses (1)
Heman (1)
Ethan (1)
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Writers/Authors
Ascription of “David” could mean:
By David
In the style of David
By the authority of David
Dedicated to/for David
About David (circumstance)
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Division into 5 books
5 books (analogy: 5 books of Law?)
 1-42;
43-72; 73-89; 90-106; 107-150
1-72 Mainly Private
More personal/mostly Davidic
Used publicly later
73-150 Mainly Corporate
Generally public/interactive
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Psalm types
3 main types
Praise, Thanksgiving, Lament
Other types
Royal (11) enthronement/ceremonies
Liturgical
sacrifice, processions, ascents
pilgrimage, antiphonal,
movement (bowing, prostrating)
Wisdom/Torah/Instruction
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Date of Psalter
Final Editing -> Post Exilic Period?
By the rivers of Babylon we sat
and wept…for there our captors…
demanded songs of joy… How can
we sing the Lord’s song in a
strange land.
Ps 137
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Types
Laments: largest category
why?
Why are laments missing in today’s
worship?
Exception
Redman: “you give and take
away”
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Psalm 118
Corporate/Antiphonal
Let Israel say
His mercy endures forever
Let the house of Aaron now say,
His mercy endures forever
Let those who fear the Lord say,
His mercy endures forever.
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Psalm 136
Corporate/Antiphonal
Give thanks to the Lord
For He is good, his mercy endures
forever.
To him who alone does great
wonders
For He is good, his mercy endures
forever.
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Psalm 24 Entrance Psalm
Corporate Dialogue
All. Who may ascend the hill of the Lord?
Priest. He who has clean hands and a pure
heart
Priest. Lift up your heads, O you gates
that the King of Glory may come in
All. Who is this King of Glory?
Priest. The Lord strong and mighty…
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Psalm 26
Liturgical Movement
I wash my hands in innocence
And go about your altar, O Lord,
Proclaiming aloud your praise
And telling all your wonderful deeds
26;6-7
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Psalm 68
Liturgical Procession
Your procession has come into view, O
God,the procession of my God and
King into the sanctuary.
In front are the singers, after them
the musicians; with them are the
maidens playing the tambourines
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Books on Psalms
C.S. Lewis. Reflections on the Psalms
An introduction
Gerald Wilson. The NIV Application
Commentary: Psalms.
Volume 1 (Psalms 1-72) 1000 pages!
John Goldingay. Psalms, Vol 1, 2, 3.
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