Keith Essex
Psalms

Keith Essex's correlating video lecture(s) from The Master's Seminary:

• Lecture 20: Introduction to Psalms;
• Lecture 21: Organization, Types, and Themes of Psalms; and
• Lecture 22: Interpretive Issues of and Preaching of Psalms.

7. Psalms [MSB, 729-30; ESVSB, 935-41; HSB, 877-80; RANE, 194-204; DOTWPW, 593-605; see Adult Bible Fellowship notes on Psalms at www.drbarrick.org]
   1. Introduction [see NIDOTTE, 4:1100-15; see DOTWPW, 578-90]
      1. Title
         1. Hebrew: "tehillim" – "praises"
         2. LXX: "psalmoi" – "songs accompanied by the plucking of strings"
      2. Authors
         1. David (73x - Ps 3-9; 11-32; 34-41; 51-65; 68-70; 86; 101; 103; 108-110; 122; 124; 131; 133; 138-145) [see DOTWPW, 86-8]
         2. Moses (1x – Ps 90)
         3. Solomon (2x – Ps 72; 127)
         4. Asaph (12x – Ps 50; 73-83) [see DOTWPW, 24-6]
         5. The Sons of Korah (10x – Ps 42; 44-49; 84; 85; 87) [see DOTWPW, 26-7]
         6. Heman (1x – Ps 88)
         7. Ethan (1x – Ps 89)
      3. Date: From 1410 BC (Ps 90) to 450 BC (Ps 126)
      4. Organization
         1. Book 1 (Ps 1-41)
         2. Book 2 (Ps 42-72)
         3. Book 3 (Ps 73–89)
         4. Book 4 (Ps 90-106)
         5. Book 5 (Ps 107-150)
   2. The Types of Psalms [MSB, 731; CBCOT, 47-50; see DOTWPW, 71-8]
      1. The Basic Types of Psalms (see 1 Chr 16:4) [See The Basic Types of Psalms.]
         1. Remembrance
         2. Acknowledgement
         3. Praise
      2. The Form of the Psalms [COTC, 197-232; see DOTWPW, 227-36] [See Psalms: Structure; Psalms: Authorship.]
         1. The Lament Psalms [i.e. Psalms of Disorientation - COTC, 198; see DOTWPW, 384-99]
            1. The Parts [COTC, 199-201]
               1. Address
               2. Lament
               3. Confession of Trust
               4. Petition
               5. Vow to Praise / Declarative Praise of God
            2. The Psalms
               1. Individual Laments: Ps 3-7; 9-10; 12-14; 17; 22; 25-28; 31; 35; 38-43; 52-57; 59; 61; 63-64; 69-71; 77; 86; 88; 89; 109; 120; 140-142
               2. National Laments: Ps 44; 60; 74; 79; 80; 83; 85; 90
         2. The Declarative Praise Psalms [i.e. Psalms of Reorientation - COTC, 198; see DOTWPW, 805-8]
            1. The Parts [COTC, 222-3]
               1. Proclamation to Praise God
               2. Introductory Summary Statement
               3. Report of Deliverance
               4. Praise of God
            2. The Psalms: Ps 18; 30; 32; 34; 40; 106; 116; 138
            3. Subcategories
               1. Psalms of Individual Thanksgiving
               2. Psalms of Community Thanksgiving
         3. The Descriptive Praise Psalms [i.e. Psalms of Orientation - COTC, 198; see DOTWPW, 300-5]
            1. The Parts [COTC, 221]
               1. Call to Praise
               2. Cause of Praise
               3. Renewed Call to Praise
            2. The Psalms: Ps 33; 36; 105; 111; 113; 117; 135; 136; 146; 147
            3. Subcategories [COTC, 219-21]
               1. Hymns (Ps 24; 29; 33; 100; 103; 105; 111; 113-114; 117; 135-136; 145-150)
               2. Enthronement Psalms (Ps 47; 93; 95-99)
               3. Songs of Zion (Ps 48; 84; 87)
               4. Royal Psalms (Ps 2; 20-21; 45; 72; 89; 101; 110; 132; 144)
               5. Creation Psalms (Ps 8; 19; 104)
      3. Other Types of Psalms
         1. The Songs of Ascent (Ps 120-134)
         2. The Wisdom Psalms (Ps 1; 37; 119)
   3. Major Themes [see DOTWPW, 590-2]
      1. The Sovereign God
         1. The God of Creation (Ps 33; 74; 89; 95; 104; 135; 136; 147; 148)
         2. The God of Israel (Ps 105; 106)
         3. The God of the Nations (Ps 33)
         4. The God who will establish His Rule upon the Earth (Ps 2)
      2. The People of God – the Righteous; The Enemies of God – the Wicked (Ps 1)
      3. God's Attributes Known to His People (Ps 100; 107)
         1. Loyalty (Ps 5:7; 6:4; 13:5; 17:7; 18:50; 21:7; 23:6; 25:6, 7, 10; 26:3; 31:7, 16, 21; 32:10; 33:5, 18, 22, 36:5, 7, 10; 40:10, 11; 42:8; 44:26; 48:9; 51:1; 52:1, 8; 57:3; 10; 59:10, 16, 17; 62:12; 63:3; 66:20; 69:13,16; 77:8; 5:7, 10; 86:5, 13, 15; 88:11; 89:1, 2, 14, 24, 28, 33, 49; 90:14; 92:2; 94:18; 98:3; 100:5; 101:1; 103:4, 8, 11, 17; 106:1, 7, 45; 107:1, 8, 15, 21, 31, 43; 108:4; 109:12, 16, 21, 26; 115:1; 117:2; 118:1, 2, 3, 4, 29; 119:14, 64, 76, 88, 124, 149, 159; 130:7; 136:1-26; 138:2, 8; 141:5; 143:8, 12; 144:2; 145:8; 147:11)
         2. Goodness (Ps 16:2; 25:8; 34:8; 54:6; 68:10; 73:1; 86:5; 100:5; 106:1; 107:1; 118:1, 29; 119:68; 135:3; 136:1; 145:9)
         3. Faithfulness (Ps 33:4; 36:5; 40:10; 88:11; 89:1, 2, 5, 8, 24, 33, 49; 92:2; 96:13; 100:5; 119:75, 86, 90, 138; 143:1)
         4. Righteousness (Ps 7:9; 11:7; 15:2; 22:31; 31:1; 35:24; 50:6; 51:14; 69:27; 71:2, 15, 16, 19, 24; 72:1; 89:16; 97:6; 98:2; 103:17; 111:3; 112:3, 9; 119:40, 142; 143:1; 145:7)
         5. Compassion (Ps 25:6; 40:11; 51:1; 69:16; 77:9; 78:38; 79:8; 103:4, 8, 13; 106:46; 111:4; 112:4; 116:5; 119:77)
      4. David / The Davidic Covenant (Ps 78; 89; 132)
   4. Purpose: The righteous pray to and praise Yahweh as they await the coming of God's Kingdom. [See Brian G. Toews - Themes and Purpose.]
   5. The Literary Structure (see outline; CBCOT, 51)
   6. Bibliography
      1. Exegetical:
         • Craigie, Tate, Allen, Psalms (WBC). 3 vols.
         • Goldingay, Psalms 1-41; Psalms 42-89; Psalms 90-150 (BCOTWP). 3 vols.
      2. English Interpretation:
         • Kidner, Psalms (TOTC). 2 vols.
      3. Expositional:
         • Spurgeon, The Treasury of David.
         • Wilson, Psalms (NIVAC). 2 vols.
      4. Theological:
         • Grogan, Prayer, Praise & Prophecy: A Theology of the Psalms.
   7. Selected Interpretive Problems
      1. The Interpretation of the Psalms [see DOTWPW, 605-13]
         1. Individual Expressions of Spirituality
         2. Forms Used in Israel's Worship
         3. Read as a Book [cf. MSB, 730; ESVSB, 941]
      2. The Imprecations in the Psalms (98 vv. in 32 Psalms; especially Ps 58; 109; 137) [MSB, 730; ESVSB, 938; DOTWPW, 314-20; see J. Day, Crying for Justice]
         1. Evil Emotions, to be avoided or expressed and relinquished
         2. Consonant with Old Covenant Morality, but inconsistent with the New
         3. Appropriately Uttered Only by Christ (and His followers)
         4. An Expression of the Divine Curse (Gen 12:3)
      3. The Messianic Nature of the Psalms [MSB, 730; DOTWPW, 466-71]
         1. Nonexistent
         2. Indirect
         3. Direct (cf. Acts 2:29-31)
   8. Preaching Psalms

Used with permission by Dr. Keith Essex. Redistribution without express permission from Dr. Keith Essex is prohibited.