Psalms
Mostly credited to David, several are written by others.
Expressions
- remind us of history and where we come from
- express anger over injustice
- encourage us to join in community
- aid in lamenting
Lament
Psalm 12:title–8 (LEB):
12 For the music director; on the Sheminith. A psalm of David. 1 Save, O Yahweh, for the pious have ceased to be; for the faithful have vanished from among the children of humankind. 2 They speak falseness to each other. With flattering lips, with a double heart they speak. 3 May Yahweh cut off all flattering lips, the tongue speaking great boasts— 4 those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail. Our lips are on our side. Who is master over us?” 5 “Because of the oppression of the afflicted, because of the groaning of the poor, now I will rise up,” Yahweh says. “I shall put them in the safety for which they long.” 6 The words of Yahweh are pure words like silver refined in the crucible on the ground, refined seven times. 7 You, O Yahweh, will protect them. You will preserve him from this generation always. 8 The wicked prowl about when vileness is exalted among the children of humankind. Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M., eds. (2012). The Lexham English Bible (Ps 12:title–8). Lexham Press.
Thanskgiving
Psalm 8:title–9 (LEB): 8 For the music director, on the Gittith. A psalm of David.
1 Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth, who put your splendor above the heavens. 2 From the mouth of children and infants you have founded strength on account of your enemies, to silence the enemy and the avenger. 3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you set in place— 4 what is a human being that you think of him? and a child of humankind that you care for him? 5 And you made him a little lower than heavenly beings, and with glory and with majesty you crowned him. 6 You make him over the works of your hands; all things you have placed under his feet: 7 sheep and cattle, all of them, and also the wild animals of the field, 8 the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea, everything that passes along the paths of seas. 9 Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all of the earth! Hymnic
Psalm 150:1–6 (LEB): 150 Praise Yah.
Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty firmament. 2 Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to the abundance of his greatness. 3 Praise him with blast of horn; praise him with harp and lyre. 4 Praise him with tambourine and dancing; praise him with strings and flute. 5 Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with clashing cymbals. 6 Every breathing thing, let it praise Yah. Praise Yah. Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M., eds. (2012). The Lexham English Bible (Ps 150:1–6). Lexham Press.
Distress
Psalm 120:title–7 (LEB): 120 A song of ascents.
1 In my distress I called to Yahweh, and he answered me. 2 “Deliver my life, O Yahweh, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.” 3 What shall be given to you, and what more shall be done to you, deceitful tongue? 4 The sharpened arrows of a warrior, with burning charcoals from broom trees. 5 Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar. 6 Too long my soul has had its dwelling near one who hates peace. 7 I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war. Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M., eds. (2012). The Lexham English Bible (Ps 120:title–7). Lexham Press.
Psalm 128:title–6 (LEB): 128 A song of ascents.
1 Blessed is everyone who fears Yahweh, who walks in his ways. 2 You will indeed eat of the labor of your hands; you will be happy and it will be well with you. 3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house. Your children will be like olive shoots about your table. 4 Look, for thus shall a man be blessed who fears Yahweh. 5 May Yahweh bless you from Zion, that you may see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life, 6 and that you may see your children’s children. May peace be upon Israel. Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M., eds. (2012). The Lexham English Bible (Ps 128:title–6). Lexham Press.
Imprecatory
Psalms where you call out for vengenve
Psalm 109:title–31 (LEB): 109 For the music director. A psalm of David.
1 O God of my praise, do not keep silent, 2 for wicked and deceitful mouths have opened against me. They speak to me with a lying tongue. 3 They also surround me with words of hate, and fight me without cause. 4 In return for my love they accuse me, though I am in prayer. 5 So they inflicted evil against me in return for good and hatred in return for my love. 6 Appoint over him a wicked man, and let an accuser stand at his right hand. 7 When he is judged, let him come out guilty, and let his prayer become as sin. 8 Let his days be few; let another take his office. 9 Let his children be orphans, and his wife a widow, 10 and let his children wander aimlessly and beg, and let them plead from their ruins. 11 Let the creditor seize all that is his, and let strangers plunder his property. 12 Let there be none who extend to him loyal love, nor any who pities his orphans. 13 Let his descendants be cut off. Let their name be blotted out in the next generation. 14 Let the iniquity of his ancestors be remembered before Yahweh, and let the sin of his mother not be blotted out. 15 Let them be before Yahweh continually, that he may cut off their memory from the earth, 16 because he did not remember to show loyal love, but he pursued anyone, poor or needy or brokenhearted, to slay them. 17 Because he loved cursing, let it come upon him. Because he did not delight in blessing, let it be far from him. 18 Because he wore a curse as his robe, let it enter his body like water, and into his bones like oil. 19 May it be for him like a garment in which he wraps, and a belt he continually wears. 20 Let this be the punishment for my accusers from Yahweh, even those who speak evil against my life. 21 But you, O Yahweh my Lord, deal with me for your name’s sake. Because your loyal love is good, deliver me, 22 for I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me. 23 Like a lengthening shadow I am passing away; I am shaken off like a locust. 24 My knees buckle from fasting, and my body grows lean without fat. 25 And so I am a disgrace to them; when they see me, they shake their heads. 26 Help me, O Yahweh my God; save me according to your loyal love, 27 that they may know that this is your hand, that you, O Yahweh, you have done it. 28 Let them curse, but you bless. When they arise, let them be put to shame, that your servant may be glad. 29 Let my accusers put on disgrace, and let them cover themselves with their shame as with a robe. 30 I will give thanks to Yahweh exceedingly with my mouth, and in the midst of many I will praise him, 31 for he stands at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those judging his life. Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M., eds. (2012). The Lexham English Bible (Ps 109:title–31). Lexham Press.
Notes on Psalm 109
Psalm 109:20 (LEB): 20 Let this be the punishment for my accusers from Yahweh, even those who speak evil against my life. Q: reward is used in ESB, punishment in LEB... totally different connotations?
Psalm 109:20 (ESV): 20 May this be the reward of my accusers from the Lord, of those who speak evil against my life! Goofy Hebrew here - could be translated This is what my accusers want Adonai to do, those who speak evil against me
Verses 1-5: multiple enemies are mentioned
Verse 6: David asked for a wicked man (someone evil) to oppose his enemy... now there's one enemy and David is asking for aid from evil?
It's like the Psalm is from David's perspective in the first paragraph, then from 6-20 the perspective switches to that of David's enemies against himself. This would make the Jewish translation of verse 20 makes sense since... It's about what Yahweh's enemies want Yahweh to do to his people (ie. David).
Marty's take is that this Psalm is of David reflecting on the Nabal and Abigail incident. Maybe it's David reflecting on how he wanted his enemies destroyed but in hindsight he sees that his enemies in that scenario had a case against him