Old Testament chapter 22, Old Testament chapter 21
Theories on the Psalms' arrangement
1. there may be a connection b/w the book arrangement and the five books of the Torah
Imprecatory psalms call on
God to judge one's enemies
At the fountainhead of Israel's wisdom traditions stood who?
Solomon
Hymns focus on
individual or corporate praise to God
major objective of Proverbs
instruction for all
the five basic divisions of the Book of Psalms
1-41 42-72 73-89 98-106 107-150
Examples of wisdom psalms
1. Psalm 1 a direct-to the point observation on life blessed are those who avoid sin and delight in God's word they become like trees planted in streams of life giving water they fulfill God's highest purpose for them the wicked find no such favor Psalm 14 David described the fool who said God did not exist living for the Lord is worth it because God will restore the fortunes of the righteous Psalm 73 Asaph wrote that nothing else mattered other than following the Lord faithfully
examples of lament psalms
1. Psalm 3 David wrote it when fleeing his son Absalom Psalm4 and Psalm 6 David expresses anguish to God he asks how long before God delivers him
examples of imprecatory psalms
1. Psalm 35 & 69 David asks God to take his side against those who contended with him he asks the Lord to intervene and judge them he asks for God's judgement to rescue him and his people Psalm 137 a captive asks God to avenge his people the Babylonians mocked them the Edomites turned traitor on them
Why does Psalms have a unique place in the Scriptures?
1. They gave us insight into the Israelite worship the songs sang, the themes, what was dear to their hearts gave us insight the psalms describe the corporate and personal worship certain psalms served the entire body of believers others relate to personal experience 2. they deal with all aspects of Hebrew life God was praised for his special blessings and mighty deeds. forgiveness was asked for their sin sometimes they lamented difficult times or implored God to curse enemies of the faith
two types of wisdom literature
1. discoursive wisdom found in Job 2. instructional literature found in Proverbs
What does the Book of Psalms contain?
150 songs from Hebrew life and worship dear to peoples hearts it reflects their personal experiences
The Instruction of Amenomope came before what?
200 years before Solomon, around 1200 b.c.
How many psalms have no authorship?
50
How many psalms begin with "A psalm of David"?
73
What does the chapter open with?
Agur's confession that he does not have great wisdom and understanding
Who was Asaph?
David appointed him chief musician Asaph wrote a variety of psalms
What does Psalm 8 reflect?
David's own experience with God its a hymn of praise
What are the closest parallels to the Book of Proverbs?
Egyptian instructional wisdom
classification of the Psalms
German scholar Hermann Gunkel laid the foundation for the study of the psalm classification he stated that psalm writers used certain poetic forms and styles to express similar ideas hymns of praise followed a certain pattern so did community laments, psalms of thanksgiving
the Book of Psalms bears witness to what?
Jesus as the son of God sacrifice for sin, our great high priest risen from the dead King of kings Lord of lords
Who exerted a great influence on the Book of Psalms?
King David
Who are the sons of Korah?
Korah denotes a man who contended with Aaron for the priesthood God judged Korah and his followers Korah may refer to two or more different families b/c it was a common name
Who aggressively seeks to be found by humankind?
Lady Wisdom
What was the first of God's created order?
Lady Wisdom it stood at His side as He fashioned the universe
Who is Psalm 90 ascribed to?
Moses
another example of a hymn of praise
Psalm 136 in corporate worship, a responsive reading it calls for praise to God for His magesty, creative power, saving power, sustaining power, and His faithfulness
examples of Royal Psalms
Psalm 2 describes haughtiness toward the Lord and his anointed God established a father-son relationship it may be a coronation psalm Israel recited it as she crowned a new king Psalm 45 dedication to the king march victoriously in battle extol the king's righteousness affirm God's anointing of him Psalm 110 the Lord would shatter other kings and extend David's scepter David was ordained a special priest the Lord's presence with David would result in victory
examples of Messianic Psalms
Psalm 2 describes the king as God's anointed one describes the Messiah as God's Son Psalm 16 David affirmed God would never abandon him describes the Messiah as risen and glorified Psalm 22 also a lament psalm begins with words Jesus uttered from the cross "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" David thought God had abandoned him David's psychological and emotional suffering foreshadowed Christ's physical suffering Psalm 45 describes Christ's kingship Psalm 110 denotes Christ's role as Lord of David and our great high priest
examples of Penitential Psalms
Psalm 38 David described his guilt that overwhelmed him his pain never left him David called God his Savior Psalm 51 the most famous penitential psalm dealt with David's sin with Bathseba and the arranged death of her husband Uriah David poured out his repentant heart to God he asked God to forgive him he needed God to cleanse him, and purify his heart
Who are Psams 72 and 127 ascribed to?
Solomon
The Book of Proverbs contains sayings from whom?
Solomon, Agur, Lemuel
Who does the opening verse in the Book of Proverbs relate to?
Solomon, the greatest wise man and the catalyst of Old Testament wisdom literature
What is the Book of Proverbs?
a collection of short sayings it instructs the reader how to live well
the last psalm in each collection typically contains what?
a doxology an ascription of praise to the Lord it ties off that part of the Book of Psams
What is Psalm 150 an example of?
a hymn it commands us to praise the Lord 13 times in six verses praise God in His sanctuary, in the heavens, and praise His power and greatness praise God with instruments and all flesh praise God
What is stated in 3:1-35 regarding the benefits of wisdom?
a lifetime of serenity and victory trust in the Lord with all your heart in all your ways acknowledge him
What is a proverb?
a succinct and persuasive saying proven true by experience topics include everything in God's universe and how it operates a collection of timeless truths or basic values proven by previous generations
What did God's people express through their worship?
about the great truths people believed in
the literary device used in Proverbs 31
acrostic
A wise man will do what?
adorn his father's instruction and mother's teaching
What do Proverbs 1:8-9:18 warn against?
adultery, and dangers of immoral women
When were the psalms compiled into one volume?
after the Babylonian exile
Why should we treat the psalms as authentic?
all of the ancient copies of the psalms contain the same headings as the ones we see today
With proverbs, heir general quality means you should
always be looking for the underlying principle of the statement
What do the psalms represent?
an ancient songbook of God's people
the Book of Psalms represents
an ancient songbook of Israel
When is it suggested that the Book of Proverbs was composed?
an early first millenium it implies that Solomon wrote most of the material
What does the Book of Proverbs consolidate?
ancient Israel's truths based on experience offers believers practical advice on holy living
In 1:20-33, wisdom is personified as what?
as a woman rejecting her advice is tantamount to hating knowledge and rejecting the fear of Yahweh her invitation is to life and security
Why do many find the imprecable psalms troubling?
because of the harsh words ex: destroy Babylonian infants by dashing them against rocks these psalms help us see the human side of Scripture they leave judgement in God's hands only God had the absolute right to judge
Why are the psalms valuable for counseling?
because the psalms concern every aspect of life many writers of the scriptures went through the same types of struggles
Imprecatory Psalms
call for God's judgement against God's enemies and/or his people's enemies individual or corporate in nature angry content
sayings of the wise men
careful observance to these sayings results in trust in the Lord and a solid foundation in the truth 30 sayings
What chapters of the book of Proverbs were probably from non-Israelites?
chapter 30, and part of chapter 31
Penitential Psalms
confess sorrow for sins appeal to God for grace and forgiveness it may be for one person's sins, or many peoples' sins
Why would many of the proverbs be of interest to Hezekiah?
deal with topics of leadership Kings thirst for truth
Messianic Psalms
describe some aspect of the Messiah's person or ministry they describe God's anointed one the Messiah would one day restore Israel and establish everlasting salvation
What is the unifying purpose of the collection of the Book of Proverbs?
encourage the reader to live righteously and justly before God
What are the sayings in 1:8-9:18?
fatherly talks they contrast sexual immorality with devotion to wisdom, which involves sexual purity
What is the first and controlling principle of wisdom?
fear of God
Royal Psalms
focus on the king as son of David and God's chosen man to rule his people focus on Israel's king sometimes portray him as heir to God's covenant with David
Where does psalm come from?
from the Greek word psalmos it means a song or a hymn
Wisdom psalms provide
general observations about life
Wisdom Psalms
general observations on life especially God and our relationship to him they are self-evident descriptions of the way God has intended life to be
sayings of Lemuel
he learned the proverbs at his mother's knee it warns about royal responsibility do not indulge appetites at the expense of their people specifically, it warns abut drunkenness it leads to neglect of the law and persecution of the oppressed
the first test of a man's character
his choice of a wife his success depends on her character
How do the Psalms state God's truth?
in a beautiful style it speaks to our minds and hearts
The wisdom in the Book of Proverbs is rooted in what?
in a personal knowledge of God
Penitential psalms feature
individual or corporate confession and repentance
The Book of Proverbs is what type of wisdom literature?
instructional or didactic in nature usually optimistic about life
true wisdom
is a relationship with God
What does paragraph 2:1-22 state about wisdom?
it is attainable you must search for it as you search for silver wisdom, knowledge, and understanding are gifts from God they come from the Lord's mouth they are the truths of God's eternal ways
What does the seven verse introduction state?
it states the book's purpose
Lament Psalms
lament one's condition usually include statements of lament, statement of trust in God, and affirmation of praise to Him the last psalm type usually contain three elements, not always in the same order 1. bemoan one's condition 2. state trust in God 3. some kind of praise
Who wrote the psalms?
many people contributed to the songs and poems
What is chapter 5:15-23 about?
marital faithfulness is a joy of wisdom sexual delight is God's gift to a married couple faithfulness to one's wife is a source of joy and satisfaction
Sayings of Agur and King Lemuel
may have existed independently before becoming part of the book they may be of Arabian descent supported by the slight textual variant
Why is the Book of Psalms divided into five books?
no one really knows why it may reflect tradition
Is there an organizing principle or structure in the Proverbs of Solomon?
no, there is no organizing principle or structure
Are proverbs commands?
no, they are not commands thy are a general principle of life
Are proverbs promises?
no, they are not promises they are statements of general truth they are not hard-and-fast promises
Lament psalms bemoan
one's condition state trust in God end with praise
Proverbs 1-9 are basically
parental discourse to children
What do the Proverbs of Solomon cover?
poverty and wealth slander self-discipline work and laziness rash promises discipline in education sickness and grief old age
What kinds of psalms did David write?
praises, laments, penitential, imprecatory, royal, and messianic psalms
Sayings of Agur emphasizes what the enemy of wisdom is?
pride
What does the Book of Proverbs contain?
proverbs and wisdom sayings from different authors from different sources compiled in a library of wisdom teachings on how to fear the Lord and shun evil
David was interested in establishing music for what?
public worship
What was the Israelite's world of experience?
rational perceptions and religion are not differentiated no attempt to separate faith from knowledge fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge/wisdom
Solomonic sayings from Hezekiah's collection
scribes in Hezekiah's court copied and compiled this collection they have a short, forceful style Hezekiah's scribes organized certain proverbs into small, topical collections
What does the Book of Proverbs contain?
seven collections of proverbs from different authors
What does chapter 5:1-14 warn against?
sexual sin it lists the dire consequences of sexual impurity
a key element of wisdom in human relationships
sexuality the beauty of love within marriage the power of sex presents a danger for wreckage
basic characteristics of hymns
some are hymns of praise, either corporate or personal praise
hymns
songs of praise and thanksgiving to God for who he is and what he has done
Proverbs in chapters 10-22
specific proverbs for youth, covering a variety of subjects
What do many of David's psalms describe?
specific times in his life Psalm 3: fled from his son Absalom Psalm 51: after Nathan confronted him about Bathsheba Psalm 57: as he hid from Saul in the cave
What does Agur's collection illustrate?
that pride is the enemy of wisdom and no friend of God
What was the contents of the Israelite education?
the Book of Proverbs
The 30 sayings of the wise men in the Book of Proverbs have much in common with what?
the Egyptian document known as "Instruction of Amenopope" it has a prologue and 30 chapters of instructions for well-being most scholars believe the Hebrew proverbs were modeled on an Egyptian original the Hebrew text tends to clarify the Egyptian document
Messianic psalms describe
the Messiah
In chapter 7:1-27, it is the most powerful unit on what?
the dangers of sexual impurity make careful decisions sexual sin first takes root in the heart
according to the Book of Proverbs, what is the beginning of knowledge?
the fear of the Lord
Proverbs are not only human observations
the instructions are also part of God's revelation to Israel and all believers
Royal psalms focus on
the king of Israel
What is chapter 8:1-36 about?
the pinnacle of the Bible's view of wisdom it contrasts with preceding sections that warn of infidelity wisdom is personified as a woman who is cherished, adored, and honored provides a man with clear choices between wisdom and sin
What do the random order of the Proverbs of Solomon reflect?
the random manner in which we deal with the life-issues they address
What is Agur's collection marked by?
the repetition of numerical sayings
What does the Book of Proverbs illustrate?
the retribution principle by emphasizing the two ways of living the way of wisdom, or folly way of wisdom is living in a relationship with God way of folly is living without a regard for God or his instruction
the closing paragraphs emphasize what?
the role of the virtuous wife and mother as the one most able to build up a character of wisdom in the family
the Book of Proverbs
the second book of wisdom literature
What theme does the Book of Proverbs continue?
the theme of contrasting two ways of living life
Proverbs of Solomon
the unit consists of proverbial sayings in poetry of two lines each these are distichs the parallelism is almost always antithetical
What is the way of folly?
the way of life suggested by peers, leading to sin
What does the introduction in the Book of proverbs highlight?
the ways of wisdom and the way of folly
the wisdom of finding an excellent wife
these verses are an acrostic the first letter of each line is the next successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet there are 22 lines, one for each of the 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet
Why are the Book of Psalms spiritually helpful to us?
they have experienced the joy, sadness, mourning, forgiveness, and other experiences that touch our lives we can learn from them and apply their truth to our lives
How do the Book of Psalms make a special contribution to the Bible?
they provide an understanding of Israelite worship they touch on all aspects of Hebrew life
In the Book of Proverbs, whose lives are seen as wise?
those who maintain a relationship with God and adhere to His ways
in the Books of Proverbs, who are fools?
those who reject God's laws and refuse to keep his covenant their life choices are folly
What is the Book of Proverb's goal?
to instruct the young to also help those who already have wisdom
psalm titles may contain musical notatons
to the choir master: maybe people sang them in public worship other musical notations remain a mystery
What does chapter 4:1-27 contain?
two paths that are taught by the father to his son handed down from generation to generation the contrast of the two paths culminates in: the path of the righteous they walk in the safe light of the day the wicked stumble about in deep darkness
taking your deepest concerns to God
usually results in a change of attitude the troubles don't seem so big anymore
why does it end with the importance of finding an excellent wife?
warned against sexual impurity exalted the role of women personified wisdom as a woman worthy of marriage
Proverbs intends to present what?
wisdom needed for successful living instruction for living in a relationship with God and His created world
