Know Your Bible

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Know Your Bible
Welcome to Week 5
The Psalms and other poetry
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I need a language that is large enough to
maintain continuities, supple enough to express
nuances across a lifetime, that brackets child
and adult experiences, and courageous enough to
explore all the countries of sin and salvation,
mercy and grace, creation and covenant, anxiety
and trust, unbelief and faith that comprise the
continental human condition Where will we
acquire a language that is adequate for these
intensities? Where else but in the
Psalms? Eugene Peterson
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The psalms are poems, and poems intended to be
sung not doctrinal treatises, nor even sermons
They must be read as poems if they are to be
understood Otherwise we shall miss what is in
them and think we see what is not. CS Lewis
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Conventions of Hebrew poetry

• Reiteration
• Parallelism
• Acrostics
• but not Rhyme.

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Different moods of the psalmist

• happy (33, 47) (secure 23)
• complaining (10, 13)
• in need of Gods protection (17)
• celebrating God with exuberant praise (150)
• marvelling at Gods glory (24)

Some focus on Gods word (119), some look to the
future Messiah (22)
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Scenes from Davids life

• hiding in cave 57,142
• escape from palace 59
• facing his own sin after adultery 51
• Absaloms rebellion 3
• defeat of the Edomites 60.

Groupings of Psalms include Exodus collection
90-106 Songs of Ascents 120-134 final Hallel
146-150.
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Psalm 103

• What does this psalm tell us
• about Gods benefits?
• about Gods character?
• about our response to Him?

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Jesus quoting from the Psalms

• Matt 1315 Ps.11970
• Hearts dull of hearing
• Matt 2116 Ps.82
• Out of the lips of infants.
• Matt 2142 Ps. 11822
• The stone which the builders rejected
• Matt 2244 Ps. 1101
• The Lord said to my Lord.
• Matt 2746- Ps 221
• Why have You forsaken me?
• John 1318 Ps. 419
• A false friend who eats my bread

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Other poetry/wisdom books

• Proverbs
• Written by Davids son, King Solomon.
• Practical wisdom for everyday situations.
• The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom
  (Proverbs 910)
• Ecclesiastes
• Writer unknown.
• Deals with the essential meaning of life.
• God has set eternity in the human heart
  (Ecclesiastes 311)

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Other poetry/wisdom books

• Song of Songs (Song of Solomon)
• a romantic drama that symbolises Gods love
  for His chosen people and Christs love for the
  church.
• Job
• the story of one mans trials and sufferings
  facing the question, Why do the innocent
  suffer?

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Memory verse
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do
no lean on your own understanding. In all your
ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths
straight (Proverbs 35,6)
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Next session on 4/11/12
Prophecy