The Psalms in Historical Context


Bible Class Lessons


by Jeff Smelser



PREFACE


The approach of this study is to relate the Psalms to their historical settings in the Old Testament wherever possible. In most of these cases, the historical setting is first suggested by the title attached to the individual psalm.

The origin and accuracy of these titles is a question of some interest to commentators. Generally, it seems, commentators are willing to second guess the accuracy of these titles.

The approach taken in the preparation of this material was to give the titles the benefit of the doubt. In the process of studying the psalms, it seemed that in many cases, the material in the psalm reinforced the historical setting indicated by the title, and in other cases, nothing in the psalm contradicted the title. The titles showed themselves sufficiently reliable that, in a few cases where something in the psalm might, at first glance, appear to belie the claim of the title, the title's claim was not quickly dismissed. Instead, upon further consideration, it was seen that the meaning of the psalm was in fact not necessarily at odds with the indicated historical setting.

A total of 99 psalms are covered in these lessons. The first psalm studied is probably the earliest of the Psalms. Psalm 90 was written by Moses and is studied against the backdrop of the forty years of wandering in the wilderness.

Beginning with lesson three, the focus is on those Psalms of David that, with a reasonable degree of probability, can be placed chronologically in the context of David's life. These are studied in chronological order, against the backdrop of 1 & 2 Samuel, and 1 Chronicles. The student is encouraged to fill in the history in between the psalms to maintain the continuity.

After studying these psalms against a historical backdrop, and learning much about the connotations of various phrases, one is better equipped to move on to a study of other psalms of David where similar language and themes occur, but which cannot be related to particular events in David's life.

Finally, later psalms by various authors are studied, with some particular attention given to the Songs of Ascents and the Psalms of Asaph.

The Psalms in Historical Context


Index


Introduction to the Psalms....................... Lesson aleph

Introduction to the Songs of Ascents....... Lesson 44

Introduction to the Psalms of Asaph........ Lesson 45


Psalm Lesson   Psalm Lesson   Psalm Lesson   Psalm Lesson
2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

12

10

13

13

13

14

15

15

16

16

17

17

17

18

19

11

20

21

21

10

23

23

24

24

24

  28

29

30

31

32

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

45

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

25

25

6

26

9

3

26

27

27

28

29

30

10

56

46

9

4

17

5

31

3

4

32

2

8

  61

62

63

64

65

68

69

70

73

75

76

78

79

80

81

82

83

86

90

96

101

103

105

108

109

32

32

10

33

34

34

35

36, 30

47

49

50

52

52

52

53

53

54

36

1

7

37

37

7

38, 8, 4

38

  110

120

121

122

123

124

125

126

127

128

129

130

131

132

133

134

138

139

140

141

142

143

144

145

38

44

44

44

44

44

44

44

44

44

44

44

44

44

44

44

39

40

41

41

4

41

42

43

 


Lesson aleph


Introduction to the Psalms


HEBREW POETRY


1. What are the primary characteristics of our traditional poetry?


2. In Hebrew poetry, parallelism was characteristic. Observe the following types of parallelism in the passages cited:



3. Other features of some Hebrew poetry are acrostic arrangement, assonance, and alliteration. Psalm 119 illustrates each of these.


4. Examples of poetry can be found in the Old Testament in books other than the Psalms


Ex. 15:1-18

Dt. 32, 33

Jdg. 5

Job 3-41

Proverbs

Song of Solomon


THE BOOK OF PSALMS


The title of the Book


The Hebrew title is "the Book of Praises" or "praises"


"Psalms" is the title found in the Septuagint


The use of the Psalms


1 Chron. 15:16-24

Ps. 6, 12, Ps 46 Ps 8, 81,84

See Perowne, p. 88f - "Measures"

Mt. 26:30 (Ps. 113-118) "Hallel" Ps. 120-134 ("Ascents")


The Organization of the Psalms


It is actually 5 books of Psalms

Book I

Psalms 1-41

primarily psalms of David, perhaps one or two by Solomon

Yahweh occurs 273 times, Elohim occurs 15 times


Book II

Psalms 42-72

primarily psalms of David, some by sons of Korah..

Yahweh occurs 30 times, Elohim occurs 164 times


Book III

Psalms 73-89

psalms of Asaph, one by David, about three by sons of Korah, and a couple of others

Yahweh occurs 44 times, Elohim occurs 43 times


Book IV

Psalms 90-106

primarily anonymous, one or two by David, one by Moses

Yahweh occurs 103 times, Elohim does not occur


Book V

Psalms 107-150

many by David

Yahweh occurs 236 times, Elohim occurs 7 times


Questions



1. Compare Psalm 14 and Psalm 53, and note the differences between these two psalms. What difference do you see that is consistent with the fact that one psalm is in Book I while the other is in Book II?



2. What does Psalm 72:20 tell the reader? Compare Job 31:40. Who was the author of Psalm 72 according to its title? If the title is correct, then what does Psalm 72:20 refer to? Relative to divisions of the psalms into books, where is Psalm 72:20, and what do you know about the first two books of Psalms that might explain the meaning of Psalm 72:20?