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Wednesday 06/18/25
Thru the Bible: Psalm Book V: Chapters 146-150
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Everything that has breath, Praise the Lord!
Well tonight we wrap up the book of Psalms. It’s been one of the most educational and informative books we’ve studied yet.
In it we…
- Identifying the Psalms various authors and time periods
- Got to know how the greater book of Psalms was compiled from all of the individual psalms
- We came to understand the 5 book divisions
- We learned more about Hebrew poetry
All in all, we’ve obtained a decent education over the past year. In fact, it may shock you to realize that we started the book of Psalms back on May 1st 2024 with – The Book of Psalms – Overview & Structure!
At any rate, as I told you last week these final 5 chapters are the ending doxology to the entire book of Psalms.
I also told you last week that in general a doxology is considered a composition praising God. However, strictly speaking it “should be” a composition praising the glory of God.
The word Doxais the Greek word for “glory” and God’s glory in particular. Since it is from this Greek word that the English word ‘Doxology’ is derived, a true doxology would not simply express praise to God in general, but particularly capitalize on His transcendent glory. These last 5 Psalms largely stick to this definition.
The word Glory means dignity, honor, majesty, splendor & even wealth. Ultimately though, glory is a word which points to one’s character and impressive, sometimes weighty presence.
All that having been said, these Psalms do not require much in the way of explanation or deeper teaching – they are what they are – simple praises to God’s grandeur and glory!
Psalm 146:1-10,
This psalm confronts the reader with the fact that our only hope comes from God. That people and plans cannot deliver us, but only God Who alone has supreme power.
“(1) Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul! (2) I will praise the LORD as long as I live! I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist!
(3) Do not trust in princes, or in human beings, who cannot deliver! (4) Their life’s breath departs, they return to the ground; ON THAT DAY their plans die.
(5) How blessed is the one whose helper is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, (6) the One Who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, Who remains forever faithful, (7) vindicates the oppressed, and gives food to the hungry.
The LORD releases the imprisoned.
(8) The LORD gives sight to the blind.
The LORD lifts up all who are bent over.
The LORD loves the godly. (9)
The LORD protects the resident foreigner;
He lifts up the fatherless and the widow, but He opposes the wicked. (10)
The LORD rules forever, your God, O Zion, throughout the generations to come!
Praise the LORD!”
Psalm 147:1-20,
“(1) Praise the LORD, for it is good to sing praises to our God!
Yes, praise is pleasant and appropriate! (2)
The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem, and gathers the exiles of Israel.
(3) He heals the brokenhearted, and bandages their wounds.
This verse reminds me of Hosea 6:1-2,
“(1) Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us, and He will heal us; He has wounded us, and He will bind up our wounds. (2) He will revive us after two days, and on the third day He will raise us up so we can live in His presence.”
This was written during a time of Israel’s unfaithfulness to God as the entire book of Hosea addresses. Though it was a prophetic book of judgment, because those being judged were God’s people it was therefore also a redemptive book and ultimately pointed to the redemption afforded Israel through their Messiah Jesus as verse 2 clearly predicts –
“(2) He will revive us after two days, and on the third day He will raise us up so we can live in His presence.”
God is SO good!
“(4) He counts the number of the stars; He names all of them.
(5) Our Lord is great and has awesome power; there is no limit to His wisdom.
(6) The LORD lifts up the oppressed, but knocks the wicked to the ground.
(7) Offer to the LORD a song of THANKS! Sing praises to our God to the accompaniment of a harp!
(8) He covers the sky with clouds, provides the earth with rain, and causes grass to grow on the hillsides.
(9) He gives food to the animals, and to the young ravens when they chirp.
(10) He is not enamored with the strength of a horse, nor is He impressed by the warrior’s strong legs.
(11) The LORD takes delight in His faithful followers, and in those who wait for His loyal love.”
The Holman draws attention to another aspect of the word “delight” by pointing out that God “VALUES those who fear Him”. Also the idea of waiting is actually coupled with the idea of hope. So this is a favorable expectation! It is faith (relational trust), which places us in the position of waiting with anticipation of good from God’s hand.
I’ve pointed to this verse many times in my teaching because it informs us that God takes pleasure in those who expect in His mercy.
This tells us MUCH about God’s character.
God is a God of mercy, and while He does NOT tolerate those who are presumptuous upon Him, He deeply values those who know Him well enough to anticipate mercy from Him!
This is a relational aspect of God which is very feminine. God wants to be known and wants those who are in relationship with Him to live in a way which anticipates His ways, because they know Him! This is something women often do in their marital relations. They get upset when their husband does not know them well enough to anticipate certain actions. To them it is a sign that he does not know them, which in turn is a sign that he really does not see them. Does not study them, has interest in them beyond what they can do for him. It swings contrary to relational intimacy and in that way is hurtful to many wives. Perhaps more than it needs to be, but I think they come by this desire honestly. It is, in general – though expressed a bit more selfishly, a tendency of God.
Again this expectation is NOT the same as presumption/ That possibility is removed from this consideration by the fact that the verse begins with “those who respect Him”.
So here we learn that God values those who respect Him and out of their affectionate reverence for Him and knowledge of His good character, expect Him to respond with tender loving kindness!
“(12) Extol the LORD, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion!
(13) For He makes the bars of your gates strong. He blesses your children within you.
(14) He brings peace to your territory.
He abundantly provides for you the best grain. (15)
He sends His command through the earth; swiftly His order reaches its destination.
(16) He sends the snow that is white like wool; He spreads the frost that is white like ashes.
(17) He throws His hailstones like crumbs. Who can withstand the cold wind He sends?
(18) He then orders it all to melt; He breathes on it, and the water flows.”
It may just be me, but I don’t think we realize how measured God’s actions are.
It isn’t until we look at the greater universe that we see planets and moons where the environment is hostile to an extreme. It is by looking at these other places, even within our own solar system that we realize what truly cold and truly hot looks like.
When we see this, we realize the minute temperature fluctuations here on earth are actually quite tame and offer us a variety of temperate zones from which we can choose to live.
The words here show an immediate involvement in these fluctuations God sends snow, throws hailstones, breathes upon it to melt it into water. Whether taken literally or as a poetic literary device, it is still by the hand of God that all these things occur.
“(19) He proclaims His word to Jacob, His statutes and regulations to Israel.
(20) He has not done so with any other nation; they are not aware of His regulations.
Praise the LORD!”
Psalm 148:1-14,
“(1) Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the sky! Praise Him in the heavens! (2) Praise Him, all His angels! Praise Him, all His heavenly assembly!
(3) Praise Him, O sun and moon!
Praise Him, all you shiny stars! (4)
Praise Him, O highest heaven, and you waters above the sky!
(5) Let them praise the name of the LORD, for He gave the command and they came into existence. (6) He established them so they would endure; He issued a decree that will not be revoked.
(7) Praise the LORD from the earth, you sea creatures and all you ocean depths, (8) O fire and hail, snow and clouds, O stormy wind that carries out His orders, (9)
you mountains and all you hills, you fruit trees and all you cedars, (10)
you animals and all you cattle, you creeping things and birds, (11)
you kings of the earth and all you nations, you princes and all you leaders on the earth, (12) you young men and young women, you elderly, along with you children!
(13) Let them praise the name of the LORD, for His name alone is exalted; His majesty extends over the earth and sky.
(14) He has made His people victorious, and given all His loyal followers reason to praise – the Israelites, the people who are close to Him.
Praise the LORD!”
Psalm 149:1-9,
“(1) Praise the LORD!
Sing to the LORD a new song!
Praise Him in the assembly of the godly!
(2) Let Israel rejoice in their Creator!
Let the people of Zion delight in their King!
(3) Let them praise His name with dancing!
Let them sing praises to Him to the accompaniment of the tambourine and harp!
(4) For the LORD takes delight in His people; He exalts the oppressed by delivering them.
(5) Let the godly rejoice because of their vindication! Let them shout for joy upon their beds!
(6) May the praises of God be in their mouths and a two-edged sword in their hands, (7) in order to take revenge on the nations, and punish foreigners.”
“(8) They bind their kings in chains, and their nobles in iron shackles, (9) and execute the judgment to which their enemies have been sentenced.
All His loyal followers will be vindicated.
Praise the LORD!”
This psalm might seem more suited to another era from the past and was no doubt composed with that in mind. However, there is a future day in which this will be realized by us when we are privileged to participate in the establishment of Jesus’ Millennial reign.
Revelation 19:11-18 – this is just following the wedding feast of the Lamb where it says we were allowed to wear white robes, of fine linen – bright and clean which are the righteous acts of the saints. It says,
“(11) Then I saw heaven opened and here came a white horse! The One riding it was called “Faithful” and “True,” and with justice He judges and goes to war.
(12) His eyes are like a fiery flame and there are many diadem crowns on His head. He has a name written that no one knows except Himself.
(13) He is dressed in clothing dipped in blood, and He is called the Word of God.
(14) The armies that are in heaven, dressed in white, clean, fine linen, were following Him on white horses.
(15) From His mouth extends a sharp sword, so that with it he can strike the nations.
He will rule them with an iron rod, and He stomps the winepress of the furious wrath of God, the All-Powerful.
(16) He has a name written on His clothing and on His thigh:
“King of kings and Lord of lords.”
(17) Then I saw one angel standing in the sun, and he shouted in a loud voice to all the birds flying high in the sky:
“Come, gather around for the great banquet of God, (18) to eat your fill of the flesh of kings, the flesh of generals, the flesh of powerful people, the flesh of horses and those who ride them, and the flesh of all people, both free and slave, and small and great!”
The similarities between Psalm 149 and the events following the Wedding Feast of the Lamb are more than coincidental. Though it no doubt had many ways in which it was realized naturally in Israel’s past, it will one day be realized finally on the day Jesus our Great God, Lord and King establishes His kingdom on earth, and we will be with Him!
Psalm 150:1-6,
“(1) Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary! Praise Him in the sky, which testifies to His strength!
(2) Praise Him for His mighty acts!
Praise Him for His surpassing greatness! (3)
Praise Him with the blast of the horn!
Praise Him with the lyre and the harp! (4)
Praise Him with the tambourine and with dancing!
Praise Him with stringed instruments and the flute! (5)
Praise Him with loud cymbals!
Praise Him with clanging cymbals! (6)
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! PRAISE THE LORD!”
Well that concludes our study of the entire book of Psalms. I know from the feedback you all have given that it has blessed you as it has myself. I can honestly say I will never read the psalms the same way, in fact this past year as we’ve been traversing them, it has radically changed my understanding and appreciation of them!
What lavish love God has poured out upon us to give us such a treasure of poems, songs, praises, prayers, contemplations, laments and even judgments which are so intimately human as to be within the experiences of every human regardless of age, nationality or time.
Praise the Lord!
Blessings!
Tri
