Setting
The Psalm 13 is used in temple ceremonies (communal) even though the original expression was individual lament. But scholars agree that psalmist express his/her personal experience of deep sorrows, struggles and enemies surround him/her. Broyles suggests that Psalm 13 verse 4 point out struggle has brought near death and prolonged suffering. At the same time he says that there is no way to know the nature of suffering. It may not be physical suffering but groaning from separation from God. Craigie suggests, “the distress is probably the fear and proximate to death brought by grave illness.” For Mays distress comes from existential crisis. He says, “the Psalm is concerned … with s structure of neediness that brings to light the full character of the predicament of existence … what attacks our existence exposes and makes us wonder world and God.”
Regarding the date of the Psalm there are two opinions. One group accepts the Psalm as a Psalm of David which is known as superscription. For them the date text is taken for granted. The other group does not take the superscription value. They agree that the date of text cannot be dated with certainty.
Authorship
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It is legitimate to speak of Davidic collection rather authorship of David. In Hebrew David means “on behalf of David,” “for David,” “belong to David,” “with reference to David,” “dedicated to David,” or it refer reign of Davidic descendant. Mowinckel suggests that Ledavid must be translated “for David.” There are some scholars who are in favour of Davidic authorship even though they deny Davidic authorship. Kraus says that Ledavid should be understood as indicating Davidic authorship. Craigie admits that tradition identifies David is as a composer, musician and signer. The Psalm 13 has connection in David’s
St. Albans Psalter Psalm 68 is not long, but it does have lots of detailed material to study the author’s choice of language, and the power of the images that are being conveyed to the readers through an emotional and sentimental way. The simplicity of this psalm’s gives it power, since it expresses an emotional despair in a careful shaped prayer, which comes from a human being in what seems to be a life-threatening situation. In the image and the content, the psalmist’s travels an arc of desperation to salvation, in a vivid personal plea to Christ to save him from what seems to be a swirling vortex of hopelessness that threatens to pull him under forever.
The fiftieth psalm begins with the heading “A psalm of Asaph”. Whether it was officially written by him or simply dedicated to him , it is noteworthy to understand who Asaph was and the impact he had on the music and worship of Israel. Asaph was part of a music guild in the court of David along with Heman (1 Chronicles 6:39 ) and Ethan (1 Chronicles 15:19). These men were appointed to lead the musical celebration for the return of the Ark of the Covenant when King David danced passionately enough to embarrass his wife Michal (1 Chronicles 15:16ff). He also served under the leadership of King Solomon during an incredibly significant theophany of the glory of God (2 Chronicles 5:12-14). Perhaps this dramatic encounter with God led to the divine inspiration of Psalm 50’s theophany. Not only was Asaph a music leader, but also a writer of music and referred to as a “seer” (2 Chronicles 29:30). Evidently Asaph’s ability to “see” was an asset in the writing of this psalm, for Asaph “saw” quite a startling prophecy of God and his coming judgments on His people.
There is no doubt that the psalms are key to spirituality and take on a journey to true intimacy with God. In the book of psalms, the movement of the psalms portrays a life that is symmetrical and full of happiness to a life that has somehow ran itself into the ground. However, through God’s grace life is healed to a state of renewal where praises and thanksgiving are lifted up. These themes are common all throughout the Psalter. It is these themes that Walter Brueggemann refers to as periods of orientation, disorientation, and new orientation referred to above. It is these three themes that we must take in as one to fully experience the Psalter. For “the Psalms are not only addressed to God. They are a voice of the gospel, God’s good word for God’s faithful people” (pp. 2). Without the entire Psalter how can one manage to get the full aspect of the gospel. This is how the psalms become truly spiritual: orientation, disorientation, and new
Verse 2 of psalms continues to deal with the soul of the psalmist. The palmist said, “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God?” The language of the thirsty soul is also found in (Ps. 63:1, 143:6). Once again the psalmist uses strong imagery in the above statement. The above statement suggests that the psalmist feels internally disconnected from God. The psalmist expresses a longing for the living God. This may have been...
The book of Psalms is a collection of prayers, poems and hymns. Ultimately Psalms can be categorized under three main literary genres: laments, praise hymns, and thanksgiving psalms. Laments which the majority of psalms falls under are meant to be used in broad fashion rather than to relate to one set situation. Praise hymns are to praise God and all of his Glory. Last, thanksgiving psalms are to thank God for responding to our needs. In addition there is a natural breakdown of the Psalms into five main sections. Psalms was written over many centuries by many different people with King David being the main contributor. In addition to David we see the following contribute: Moses, Heman the Ezrahite, Ethan the Ezrahite, Solomon, Asaph, and the sons of Korah. Upon examination we find the oldest psalm (90) and the latest (137) are sometime apart. The latest being around 586 to 538 B.C. It is concluded that some person (albeit unknown) must have started the compilation around 537 B.C. Psalms is the longest book in the Bible, it includes 150 individual psalms. Key topics include God, his creations, war, wisdom, justice, worship, judgement, and sin. Some Major events that take place in Psalms include : The glory of God and the dominion of man, Praising God for His works and words, Psalm of the Good Shepherd, Psalm of the Great Shepherd, Psalm of the Chief Shepherd, The wedding Psalm, Psalm of life and the Psalm of
Psalms 3, 18, and 63 have headings that are related to the historical event described in the books of Samuel. The headings in the passages in each Psalms have similar themes to the passages related in 1 and 2 Samuel. They portray the mood and feelings that David would have felt while encountering those events. Although it is difficult to identify if these headings were specifically related to the Psalms, it is clear that readers are able to understand the psalm better with these headings. According to Nogalski, the connections of the headings in each Psalms “suggests that the psalms were used to clarify and sharpen the narrative or David’s character” (2001, p. 169). Since these Psalms portray an individual psalm, the headings provide a setting
Psalm 89 of the Book of Psalms, advocates the message of consequentialism, foreground by man’s relationship with God, with direct lin...
Throughout the Psalm, the author consistently begs the Lord for help against his adversaries, seeking to battle fear with reassurance through his God. The poem is considered it to be a lament, for as Xenos Christian Fellowship states, “[it is] an address to God; a complaint; a request and usually an expression of trust” (Psalms). When examining the situation, a desperate emotion is displayed as the narrator pleads, speaking to the Lord. Nothing leads a reader to believe that the writer is an unreliable narrator; however, it is uncertain if these battles and people perusing him are real or figments of his imagination. The text says, “My enemies are in hot pursuit; all day long they press their attack… All day long they twist my words; all
David is the first king that God chooses to lead His people (Saul was chosen by the Israelites). God makes a covenant with him that there will always be a descendant of his on the
The Psalms were written by several authors under the inspiration of the Spirit of God. The Oldest psalm preserved for us is Psalm Ninety. Other Authors of the Psalms include: David, who is attributed to writing Seventy Three of the Psalms. Asaph was the music director during the reigns of David and Solomon. He wrote twelve psalms.
Psalm 109 begins with a superscription that we have seen several times before, “A Psalm of David” (Bible 873). David is believed to be the author of this Psalm. Psalms 109 though is not a usual Psalm by David; this particular Psalm is classified as an Imprecatory Psalm or a Cursing Psalm. The idea of Imprecatory Psalms is very unsettling for people and the church. This though goes with a misunderstanding of what is involved in actually making an imprecatory prayer.
We get a glimpse of how they present the character David in the first scenes of the show. He is someone who takes responsibility for his actions and inactions. This occurs when a lion gets his flock when he has the job of keeping the flock safe. He does that by not having his father faces the possibility of flocking happening because of the tax collectors for not paying his taxes. Which he can not do because of the lion.