True Worship: Themes within Psalms

The book of Psalms is one of the largest books in the Bible. It is a compilation of various authors with various messages. One of the most influential and important characters of the Old Testament, King David, wrote a substantial amount and rightly so. David was a skilled musician and poet and the Psalms are a declaration of this. While David wrote many of the Psalms, other authors wrote what was on their heart as well. Some of these authors included the sons of Korah, Ethan, Haman, Asaph, Moses, and Solomon. These were all great examples of worshippers of God. They were honest with Him. They loved Him. They, at times, questioned Him. Whatever their hearts may be, there is no question that they worshipped Him. This paper on the book of Psalms will point out a couple of themes for the over all five books of Psalms, including a theme of crying out to God, the work of God, and man’s response to God.

            Book 1 of Psalms begins in chapter one and ends in chapter 41. These Psalms are all Davidic psalms. The first chapter gives an overview of the whole message of the Psalms. This first chapter discusses the righteous man in verses 1 through 3. The righteous man is blessed or happy and his delight is in the law of the Lord. In verses 4 through 6 the wicked man is discussed. The wicked man cannot stand and will fail in the wind. In both of these sections, the work of God is shown towards each individual. The Lord will make the righteous man firm in his foundation and he will prosper but the wicked man will not be able to stand in the judgment nor in the assembly of the righteous. The reason this may be a summary of the message of Psalms is because it testifies to the order of the whole book. Book 1 is a compilation of poems and songs that cry out to God for salvation. David is crying out to God to save him from his enemies. He says that the way of the wicked are prevailing and that the righteous man is suffering and he cries out to God to do something about this. This rising against God can be seen within the first verse of the second chapter, “Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed…” There is an evil that is rising in the hearts of men and they are planning against the God of heaven. The nations are beginning to turn from the Holy God. “O Lord, how my adversaries have increased! Many are rising up against me. Many are saying of my soul, ‘There is no deliverance for him from God’…Arise, O Lord, save me, O my God!” (Ps. 3:1-2, 7a). These are but just the beginning of the cries of David throughout Book 1. David cries out for grace, he cries out for deliverance, he cries out for refuge. Over and over again, the reader can see that David cries out to God. It is a good example showing the need to cry out to God in times of need, in times of trouble, in times of evil. Book 1 ends with hope as David proclaims, “But You, O Lord, be gracious to me and raise me up, that I may repay them. By this I know that You are pleased with me because my enemy does not shout in triumph over me. As for me, You uphold me in my integrity and You set me in Your presence forever” (Ps. 41:10-12). Book 2 begins in chapter 42 and ends in chapter 72, and is a continuation of cries of lament over enemies.

Book 3 begins in chapter 73 and ends in chapter 89, and book 4 begins in chapter 90 and ends in chapter 106. These books declare what God has done. He is working among the righteous and the wicked. He is the One who answers the cries of our hearts. He is the One who takes care of the righteous and the wicked in a way that is according to His will. They also declare who He is among His works. Book 3 opens up with “Surely, God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart!” (Ps. 73:1). This is an opening statement showing who He is and to whom is goodness is bestowed upon. Many other psalms within these books show how God has worked within creation. He is the God who works deliverance (Ps. 74:12). Psalm 78 is a declaration to the people to tell of the works of God to their children, “We will not conceal them from their children, But tell the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength and His wondrous works that He has done” (v. 4). They declare His dwelling places according to Psalm 84: 1. This is also the beginning of Book 4 as it states, “Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were born or You gave birth to the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God” (Ps. 90: 1). The psalmist declares his faithfulness and lovingkindness (Ps. 92:2). Over and over again, in book 4 God is declared as reigning and His attributes are declared. These are great examples to show how to declare the glory of God. When we cry out to God, He will work. It may not always seem that He is at the time but when one looks back at the circumstances, the results can be seen and God can be glorified for what He has done and who He is!

Book 5 begins in chapter 107 and ends in chapter 150. This book’s them is the appropriate response to God. It is a time to show obedience to the Lord as well as a time of thanksgiving and praise to God. There are many mixtures of the authors within Book 5 and each give an appropriate response to God for who He is and what He has done within their own lives, the lives of the nations, and throughout creation! It is a time to use different musical instruments and their voices. It is a time to show reverence and obedience through diligent study of His word. The first verse of Book 5 declares that there should be a time of thanksgiving and honor for the Lord. It states, “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hands of the adversary and gathered from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south” (Ps. 107:1-3). Time and time again, the psalmist declares within Book 5 that he will sing praises to God (Ps. 108:1,3; 109:30). The people of God are to give thanks to their God or what He has done in their lives. “Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart, in the company of the upright and in the assembly. Great are the works of the Lord; they are studies by all who delight in them” (Ps. 111:1-2). This is a great verse to show how obedience is a proper response to God. There cannot be obedience to the Lord though if there is not an understanding of what is expected by God. It is clear within Book 5 that careful study of God’s word is a proper response to Him. All of chapter 119 is a declaration about this response. The first few verses give a great example of what is expected from the book

Psalm 119: 1-8

“How blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord. How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, who seek Him with all their heart. They also do no unrighteousness; they walk in His ways. You have ordained Your precepts, that we should keep them diligently. Oh that my ways may be established to keep Your statutes! Then I shall not be ashamed when I look upon all Your commandments. I shall give thanks to You with the uprightness of heart, when I learn Your righteous judgements. I shall keep Your statutes; do not forsake me utterly!” (emphasis added)

It is clear here that a correct response to God is to know His word and to know His commandments. It is not enough to just know them, though. It is necessary to keep them and walk in them according to what they declare. This is the whole message of chapter 119 and is a great example for the believer in how studying God’s word is an act of worship. The ending of Book 5 is Psalm 150 and is a declaration for His people to praise Him in celebration. It is a call to bring out the musical instruments. It can be assumed that a time of celebration with music and dance is an appropriate response to God.

            The psalms are filled with so much truth and the themes can be endless if they are studied diligently. The themes of crying out to God (Book 1 and 2), God at work (Book 3 and 4), and man’s response to God (Book 5) are just a few examples of what can be seen within the psalms. What is neat is to think of all three of these themes within the context of salvation and the regenerate heart. If a believer is a true believer, he has seen the enemy and it has been his own sinful heart. He cries out to God for salvation and God hears his cry. It is the work of God that is declared as God brings salvation to the heart that cries out. The man has become renewed and has seen what God has done within His own heart and through out time. He must have an appropriate response to the God has saved his soul. He wants to know God and do the things of God and declare His glory. This book is a great example of the story of salvation and of the renewed heart!