Knowing God through the Psalms

Psalm 1 and 2 are often seen as the introduction to the Book of the Psalms. Psalm 1 recognizes the instructive nature of the Psalter as Scripture for the individual. Psalm 2 addresses the people of God collectively.

The title associates the psalm with a particular event in the life of David concerning the false accusations of a Benjaminite named Cush.

Lament psalms are petitions raised by individuals to God for divine assistance in areas of sickness, accusations, loneliness, persecution, fear, guilt, and overall personal challenges.

Psalm 18 may be classified as a thanksgiving psalm or even a royal psalm. King David pens these words of gratitude to the Lord for delivering him.

Psalm 30 is classified as one of the finest psalms in the psalter. This psalm of thanksgiving rejoices in God’s grace after being disciplined for pride or presumption. The restoration David experiences results in praise—a key theme in these twelve verses.

A majority of scholars believe that Psalms 120-134 are a collection of songs used by pilgrims. Psalm 121 serves as a prime example of these psalms—a psalm that reiterates the Lord’s care for those who seek Him.

While many of the psalms refer to Yahweh as king, there are a particular group of psalms that focus on royal imagery and language.

Psalm 110 is arguably one of the most fascinating psalms in the psalter. Due to its theological richness, it is little surprise that this psalm is the most frequently quoted or referenced Old Testament passage in the New Testament!

Last week we examined messianic psalms. In particular, we focused on Psalm 110–the most cited Old Testament passage in the New Testament. This week we will look at the most obscure of the messianic psalms, Psalm 40.