Psalm 8 Continued… One cannot read Psalm 8 without recalling the language and categories of creation in Genesis 1: The heavens and the earth (Psalm 8:1, 9) and finally, humanity, as the culmination of the works of creation (Psalm 8:4-6). In Genesis these are concluded with God’s deputizing humanity to subdue and rule over creation […]

Psalm 8 Continued… When we come to verse 4, we arrive at the heart of this Psalm. “What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?” (Psalms 8:4) The word translated “man” is Hebrew for “mankind.” This question is asked three separate times in our Old […]

Psalm 8 Continued… The latter part of Psalm 8:1 reads: “You have set your glory above the heavens.” He continues in verse three, “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place.” (Psalm 8:3) Sixteen different times in the Psalms does David refer […]

Psalm 8 Continued… Psalms 8:2 reads, “From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.” This verse was quoted by Jesus in Matthew 21. “But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and […]

Psalm 8 This is the only praise Psalm which is addressed entirely to the LORD. No call to worship like Psalm 95:1, ‘O come let us sing unto the LORD’. No asides to the congregation like Psalm 107:2, ‘Let the redeemed of the LORD say so’. David just breaks out into unhindered praise of the […]

Psalm 7 Continued… In the fall of 2021 we did a 14-week long study of the names of God at our church. It was a rich experience. One of the great things about Psalm 7 is the use of God’s names throughout this Psalm. Eight times the tetragrammaton (YHWH) occurs. This is God’s personal name. […]

Psalm 7 Continued… “O Lord my God, if I have done this and there is guilt on my hands —  if I have done evil to him who is at peace with me or without cause have robbed my foe —  then let my enemy pursue and overtake me; let him trample my life to […]

Psalm 7 Continued… Psalm 7 opens with these words: “O Lord my God, I take refuge in you; save and deliver me from all who pursue me, or they will tear me like a lion and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.” (Psalm 7:1-2) David’s opening words of this psalm are […]

Psalm 7 Continued… There are a lot of metaphors in David’s Psalms. This one, Psalm 7, is no exception. There are six metaphors David employs that open up windows for us into the cultural world of David. Four of these metaphors are applied to the Lord as warrior, giving us some insight into the weapons […]

Psalm 7 Psalm 7 is seventeen verses long. Remember that these were songs, for the most part, and they were played to musical instruments. So the structure of these psalms in interesting to give attention to for the flow of these psalms can shed light on the way it was intended to be heard. This […]