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Psalms 104

1 - Bless The LORD, my soul.The LORD, my God, you are very great.You are clothed with honor and majesty.
2 - He covers himself with light as with a garment.He stretches out the heavens like a curtain.
3 - He lays the beams of his rooms in the waters.He makes the clouds his chariot.He walks on the wings of the wind.
4 - He makes his messengers winds;his servants flames of fire.
5 - He laid the foundations of the earth,that it should not be moved forever.
6 - You covered it with the deep as with a cloak.The waters stood above the mountains.
7 - At your rebuke they fled.At the voice of your thunder they hurried away.
8 - The mountains rose,the valleys sank down,to the place which you had assigned to them.
9 - You have set a boundary that they may not pass over;that they don't turn again to cover the earth.
10 - He sends springs into the valleys.They run among the mountains.
11 - They give drink to every animal of the field.The wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 - The birds of the sky nest by them.They sing among the branches.
13 - He waters the mountains from his rooms.The earth is filled with the fruit of your works.
14 - He causes the grass to grow for the livestock,and plants for man to cultivate,that he may produce food out of the earth:
15 - wine that makes glad the heart of man,oil to make his face to shine,and bread that strengthens man's heart.
16 - The LORD's trees are well watered,the cedars of Lebanon, which he has planted;
17 - where the birds make their nests.The stork makes its home in the cypress trees.
18 - The high mountains are for the wild goats.The rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.
19 - He appointed the moon for seasons.The sun knows when to set.
20 - You make darkness, and it is night,in which all the animals of the forest prowl.
21 - The young lions roar after their prey,and seek their food from God.
22 - The sun rises, and they steal away,and lay down in their dens.
23 - Man goes out to his work,to his labor until the evening.
24 - The LORD, how many are your works!In wisdom have you made them all.The earth is full of your riches.
25 - There is the sea, great and wide,in which are innumerable living things,both small and large animals.
26 - There the ships go,and leviathan, whom you formed to play there.
27 - These all wait for you,that you may give them their food in due season.
28 - You give to them; they gather.You open your hand; they are satisfied with good.
29 - You hide your face: they are troubled;you take away their breath: they die, and return to the dust.
30 - You send out your Spirit and they are created.You renew the face of the ground.
31 - Let The LORD's glory endure forever.Let the LORD rejoice in his works.
32 - He looks at the earth, and it trembles.He touches the mountains, and they smoke.
33 - I will sing to the LORD as long as I live.I will sing praise to my God while I have any being.
34 - Let my meditation be sweet to him.I will rejoice in The LORD.
35 - Let sinners be consumed out of the earth.Let the wicked be no more.Bless The LORD, my soul.Praise Yah!

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Psalms Images and Notes

The Book of Psalms

Psalm 2:7-9 - I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou [art] my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give [thee] the heathen [for] thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth [for] thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

Psalm 8:3-4 - When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

Psalm 53:1-3 - The fool hath said in his heart, [There is] no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: [there is] none that doeth good. God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were [any] that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; [there is] none that doeth good, no, not one.

The Old Testament - A Brief Overview

Bible Survey - Psalms
Hebrew Name - Tehillim "praises"
Greek Name - Psalmoi (Greek form of the Hebrew mizmor, meaning instrument songs)
Author - David (According to Tradition)
Date - 1056 BC Approximately
Theme - Give praise to the Lord
Types and Shadows - In Psalms Jesus is the One worthy of all praise

The Tomb of King David in Jerusalem
Painted Sketch of the Tomb of King David in Second Temple Jerusalem

Summary of The Book of Psalms

The title of the Book of Psalms in the Hebrew is sepher tehillim, meaning "book of praises", and indeed it is a fitting title. Every chapter is devoted to praise and thanksgiving from the author to Yahweh. This book clearly provides hope and confidence in the Lord as the maker of all things, the ultimate ruler of everything including the universe. He sees everything, knows everything, he has no limits, his presence is everywhere even in darkness there is no hiding and he is to be praised.

The Psalms are full of religious poetry and this was not uncommon in the ancient Near Eastern nations and peoples, and it was not surprising for the Hebrews to have produced such a powerful work. David was the recognized writer of the Psalms and they are many times referred to as the Psalms of David, although some of the chapters are not attributed to him in the notes.

The Psalms of David included Psalms 2-41 (except Psalms 33), Psalms 51-72, Psalms 108-110, and Psalms 138-145. David was no doubt a very skillful musician, the Bible mentions that he played the lyre for King Saul (1 Samuel 16:23), and the prophet Amos mentions that David invented instruments of music for worship of the Lord (Amos 6:5). There is also mention in the book of Samuel about David lamenting over Saul and Jonathan in a poetic fashion revealing his natural ability.

David went to many experiences in his life that he wrote about, especially when he was hunted down by King Saul from place to place like a "Partridge" in the wilderness. David was a young shepherd, he knew what it was like to tend his flock and to guard them from predators, this gave him a beautiful imagery for the Lord the great Shepherd. David was also a musician, a man of war, a king, a father, a husband, a friend, and many more. He repented over his sin in Psalm 51, acknowledging himself to be a sinner before God and God alone. God called David "a man after my own heart" and these experiences allowed him to share with the reader, a man who knew the heart of God. David was a master at finding different ways to praise God in life experiences and the book of Psalms is a wonder book for those who want to know how to please God. He was filled with the Holy Spirit (1 Samuel 16:13). There is no doubt the David wrote most of the Psalms, and the ones that he did not write are in his style as well.

Among the Psalms are two collections of Levitical Psalms, one is ascribed to the "sons of Korah" (Psalms 42-49), the other is ascribed to Asaph (Psalms 73-83 and Psalms 50). These exalt the tribes of Joseph. There are Psalms mentioning Moses, Haman, Ethan, and Solomon, some are anonymous (Psalm 33, 84-89). Some of the Psalms reveal a strong liturgical emphasis which might've been used in worship services, or on special days and do not mention the author (Psalms 91-100).

It is impossible to determine exactly how the Psalms were compiled and collected, and dating them is also difficult for most of the Psalms. Some of the Psalms are commemorating victories, while others are historical, remembering the Lord and God's people in past events. Other Psalms are prophetic and look to the future and the coming of the Messiah, as well as the heavenly kingdom. There are Psalms of affliction, lamentation and remorse over sin, as well as songs of Thanksgiving and trusting the Lord.

Some of the songs were chosen to be good for reciting on certain Jewish holy days, like the Sabbath, or Passover, the feast of Tabernacles, etc. There are titles on about 100 of the Psalms, the titles are so old that they cannot be understood even in the second century BC. Some of the titles point to the source of the Psalm, while others point to a certain purpose, or a certain melody, or something related to music.

Outline of the Book of Psalms

Psalms is divided into five books : Psalms 1-41, which witness to David's life and faith; Psalms 42-72, a group of historical writings; Psalms 73-99, ritual psalms; Psalms 90-106, reflecting pre-captivity sentiment and history; and Psalms 107-150, dealing with the captivity and return to Jerusalem. These five books are often regarded as the devotional counterpart to the five books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy).

ARCHAEOLOGY

House of David Inscription - Tel Dan Stele

Tel Dan Stele - House of David Inscription
1 Kings 2:11 - And the days that David reigned over Israel [were] forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.

An inscription containing the words "house of David" was found on a black basalt stone slab called the Tel Dan Stele, from Tel Dan, Israel, 9th Century B.C.

 Interesting facts about the Psalms: The book of Psalms is the longest book in the Bible. The 119th Psalm is a longest chapter in the whole Bible. The 117th Psalm is the shortest chapter in the Bible and located in the middle. When the Old Testament is quoted in the New Testament by someone, over one third of all the quotes are from the Psalms.

Quick Reference Map
Map of the Empires of David and Solomon
Map of the Empires of David and Solomon (Click to Enlarge)

Quick Reference Maps - Psalms

Hebron

Mahanaim

Zion and the City of David

The Kidron Valley and David's City

The Empire of David and Solomon

The Kingdom of David

Shiloh

Kirjath Jearim

Jabesh Gilead

Michmash

Judah in the Time of David

The City of Nob and David's Flight

The First Day. Light.

Psalms Resources

Samuel the Prophet
Saul, Israel's First King
King David
King Solomon

More About the Book of Psalms
Psalms in the Picture Study Bible
Timeline of the Ancient World
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