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Psalms 109

1 - God of my praise, don't remain silent,
2 - for they have opened the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of deceit against me.They have spoken to me with a lying tongue.
3 - They have also surrounded me with words of hatred,and fought against me without a cause.
4 - In return for my love, they are my adversaries;but I am in prayer.
5 - They have rewarded me evil for good,and hatred for my love.
6 - Set a wicked man over him.Let an adversary stand at his right hand.
7 - When he is judged, let him come out guilty.Let his prayer be turned into sin.
8 - Let his days be few.Let another take his office.
9 - Let his children be fatherless,and his wife a widow.
10 - Let his children be wandering beggars.Let them be sought from their ruins.
11 - Let the creditor seize all that he has.Let strangers plunder the fruit of his labor.
12 - Let there be no one to extend kindness to him,neither let there be anyone to have pity on his fatherless children.
13 - Let his posterity be cut off.In the generation following let their name be blotted out.
14 - Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered by The LORD.Don't let the sin of his mother be blotted out.
15 - Let them be before the LORD continually,that he may cut off their memory from the earth;
16 - because he didn't remember to show kindness,but persecuted the poor and needy man,the broken in heart, to kill them.
17 - Yes, he loved cursing, and it came to him.He didn't delight in blessing, and it was far from him.
18 - He clothed himself also with cursing as with his garment.It came into his inward parts like water,like oil into his bones.
19 - Let it be to him as the clothing with which he covers himself,for the belt that is always around him.
20 - This is the reward of my adversaries from The LORD,of those who speak evil against my soul.
21 - But deal with me, the LORD the Lord, for your name's sake,because your loving kindness is good, deliver me;
22 - for I am poor and needy.My heart is wounded within me.
23 - I fade away like an evening shadow.I am shaken off like a locust.
24 - My knees are weak through fasting.My body is thin and lacks fat.
25 - I have also become a reproach to them.When they see me, they shake their head.
26 - Help me, The LORD, my God.Save me according to your loving kindness;
27 - that they may know that this is your hand;that you, The LORD, have done it.
28 - They may curse, but you bless.When they arise, they will be shamed,but your servant shall rejoice.
29 - Let my adversaries be clothed with dishonor.Let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe.
30 - I will give great thanks to the LORD with my mouth.Yes, I will praise him among the multitude.
31 - For he will stand at the right hand of the needy,to save him from those who judge his soul.

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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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