JUNE 1 PSALMS 1 -6

June 1 BIBLE BLOG
Psalms 1-6



If you look at the hymnals of the early 19th Century, you’ll see that few of them had any music. People were taught tunes, and poets wrote verses to fit them. When people got together for camp-meetings or outdoor “brush arbor services” on the Prairie, they already knew the tunes and were taught the new lyrics line by line. 

Today we enter Israel’s songbook. It began with King David, the sweet psalmist of Israel, and was continued by the Levite musicians who continued the temple worship that David and Solomon began. These are the words of their worship songs, Hebrew poetry, 150 of them arranged into 5 books (possibly to imitate the holy nature of the first five books of the Bible); they represent the widest range of human emotion, proving, once-for-all, that God has broad enough shoulders to receive our cries and complaints, our anger and frustration, as well as our praise and joys.

Psalm 1 is uniquely placed at the beginning as one of the great songs of praise for the Law of God. Meditate on God’s Law and you will be like a well-rooted “tree planted by streams of water.” Ignore God’s Law and you will be like “chaff that the wind drives away!”

Psalm 2 is the first great Messianic psalm; the word “Anointed” in verse 2 refers to Him. This psalm asks “Why do the nations rage against the Messiah, who is God’s Son and should be worshipped (kissed; v. 12)?

Psalm 3 is the first of the psalms directly attributed to David, though he wrote it in later in life, when, as king, his son Absalom rebelled against him. Anyone in stressful times can read this and find hope!

Psalm 4 is also a cry of David. It begins with stress and uncertainty and ends with peace and confidence in God’s sovereignty! (NOTE: the inscription “to the choirmaster” in this and other psalms!”)

Psalm 5 is one of Pastor Paul’s favorites, especially the paraphrase written by Eugene Peterson called The Message. Find a copy and read the first three verses. I love the covering and protection promised in the last 2 verses, as well!

Psalm 6 is the first, we think, to mention one of the tune names I was talking about; it is inscribed to the choirmaster with stringed instruments according to the Sheminith. I’d love to hear that tune; maybe we will in heaven. This psalm is another of David’s pleas to God for deliverance. Is your soul “greatly troubled?” (v. 3) Do you find yourself flooding your bed with tears? (v. 6) Then this psalm is for you!

Tomorrow, we continue our trek through the Psalms;


Your brother in the Word,
Pastor Gary