You are on the third Psalms 120-150 Study Page of  

  ReadBibleAlive.com

Study No.16 : Psa 135:1-12 : The Lord's Greatness

A. Find Out:

1. What is the call and to whom? v.1,2

2. Why? v.3,4

3. What does the psalmist know? v.5

4. How does He show that? v.6,7

5. How did He show it in history? v.8,9

6. How further did He show it in history? v.10-12

 

B. Think:

1. What general reasons does the psalmist give to praise the Lord?

2. What specific reasons had Israel to praise the Lord?

3. What personal reasons do we have to praise Him?

C. Comment:

Psa 134 was almost a prologue to this psalm which continues the exhortation to praise the Lord (v.1) but extends it to cover everyone who come to the Lord in the Temple (v.1,2). Praise isn't a mindless thing; it should have content, reasons, and they are given here.

The first reason is simply that God is good (v.3). So obvious is this that most of us take it for granted, but the truth is that we have a benign God of love and everything He does is good. He has expressed that goodness, revealed Himself, through the life of Israel (v.4).

Having said that, God is greater than just His acts in respect of Israel . He is great (v.5) and greater than anything man can dream up in the form of man-made gods. He does whatever He wants (v.6) and He has the power to do that, changing the weather if He wants (v.7). There is no limit to His abilities.

But He's not just the God of Creation, He's also the God of History. He intervened in Egypt on Israel 's behalf and delivered them (v.8,9) and having taken them out of Egypt He then took them through other lands and into the Promised Land, despite the other opposing nations (v.10-12). In all these ways He acted into history on Israel 's behalf. There was much to praise Him for.

 

D. Application:

1. God is Lord over Creation and Lord of History. Worship Him!

2. The Lord has also acted in respect of our lives and brought us salvation.

    Worship Him!

 

Study No.17 : Psa 135:13-21 : God versus Idols

A. Find Out:    

1. What will continue? v.13

2. Why? v.14

3. What are idols like? v.15-17

4. Who will become like them? v.18

5. So who is exhorted to do what? v.19-21

 

B. Think:

1. What was the emphasis of all the previous verses?

2. Why do you think idols are mentioned?

3. So what is the ultimate point being made?

C. Comment:

The call at the beginning of the psalm was to praise the Lord. This was followed by a series of reasons: first that He had chosen Israel ; second, that He could change the world as He wished and third, that He had acted to deliver Israel and then take them into the Promised Land. This meant that His name was known widely (v.13) and gave them confidence to believe that He would always be there for them (v.14).

But then the psalmist, to contrast with the Lord, speaks of idols that are man-made (v.15) that have all the appearance of beings but in reality cannot speak, see or hear (v.16,17). In other words they are completely impotent and they have no life. Be warned, implies the psalmist, those who make them or trust in them will be the same (v.18) – without life, i.e. dead!

Thus the call is to all Israel (v.19a), the priesthood (v.19b), and the Temple servants (v.20a), and is to praise the Lord, the One who dwells in Jerusalem (v.21) in the Temple (implied as they process up to it). The psalmist has provided many reasons for the procession to praise the One they go to meet. We too need to challenge and remind ourselves that we have much to praise Him for. He has sent Jesus to die for us, He has granted us forgiveness of sins, and Sonship, He has given us His Holy Spirit, and a purpose and destiny in life, He has done all these things for us simply because He loves us.

 

D. Application:

1. Think on what the Lord has done for you.

2. Work through those things and praise Him for them.

 

 

Study No.18 : Psa 136 : God of gods

A. Find Out:

1. How is God first described? v.1-3

2. For what reason first of all? v.4-9

3. For what reason second? v.10-15

4. For what reason third? v.16-22

5. How does he summarise all that? v.23-25

6. How is God finally described? v.26

 

B. Think:

1. How would you summarise God's activity here?

2. What is His motivation?

3. What should be our response?

C. Comment:

This is a bigger psalm with big elements in it. We should note in passing the refrain that occurs with every verse, that explains God's motivation – it is His enduring, everlasting love. Everything else flows from that. The fact is that God is love (1 Jn 4:8,16).

But then the second feature of this psalm is the call to give thanks to the Lord (v.1-3,26). Notice the difference in spelling layout of Lord in verses 1 and 3. He is first the ‘I am', the eternal everlasting One. Second, He is God above all man-made gods, and third, He is Lord over all lords. i.e. He is Supreme or Sovereign. The call to give thanks flows out of this knowledge, that He is sovereign – He is sovereign over all Creation for He made it (v.4-9), and he is sovereign over Israel who He delivered out of Egypt (v.10-15) and took through the lands of others to the inheritance He had for them, the Promised Land (v.16-22).

Summarising it all, the psalmist says the Lord remembered them in their low estate – as slaves in Egypt (v.23) and He freed them from that slavery (v.24) and now He provides for them (v.25). The overriding fact of His sovereignty being over all, is that He reigns from heaven (v.26), He is indeed Supreme over all things. Don't take it for granted, but He doesn't sit back and just observe His world – having created it, He interacts with it for His supreme purposes. He is Lord!

 

D. Application:

1. Do we realise and appreciate God's greatness?

2. Do we give thanks to Him for all He has done for us?

  

 

Study No.19 : Psa 137 : The Anguish of Captivity

A. Find Out:

1. Where did they do what and what happened to them? v.1-3

2. Yet what did they feel? v.4

3. But what did they vow? v.5,6

4. What do they remember happening? v.7

5. What do they anticipate? v.8,9

 

B. Think:

1. What experience does the psalmist remember?

2. What had they determined?

3. What had they wanted?

C. Comment:

This is a psalm that was apparently written in the past tense about what had happened in the Exile. It is all about feelings. The psalmist takes us back to the time when they were in Babylon (v.1), presumably at a river settlement (remember Ezekiel had been by the River Kebar – Ezek 1:1-3). As they remembered Jerusalem they wept (v.1) and it seemed impossible to sing songs about Jerusalem while they were far from it (v.2-4) even though their captors goaded them to (v.3).

But even if they felt unable to sing about Jerusalem they determined never to forget it (v.5,6). The city meant so much to them they determined not to forget that source of past joy (v.6).

But more than that they felt an injustice, they felt that that others had been unrighteous in terms of what had happened to Jerusalem . The Edomites, who had always been a thorn in the side of Israel , coming and attacking them from the south, had rejoiced at the downfall of Jerusalem (v.7), and they want the Lord to deal with them. But if the Edomites had been bad, the Babylonians who had actually destroyed Jerusalem had been worse, and so they are sure these people will be judged and repaid for what they had done (v.8,9). Yes, we know that the destruction of Jerusalem had been God's judgement but he used unrighteous people's desires to bring it about – but that didn't excuse them their unrighteousness.

 

D. Application:

1. Do we anguish when the Lord has to bring judgement?

2. Do we understand that ongoing sin brings judgement?

  

  

Study No.20 : Psa 138 : Confidence in God

A. Find Out: 

1. What did David say he would do and why? v.1,2

2. What had happened? v.3

3. What does he want who to do and when? v.4,5

4. What does he know the Lord does? v.6

5. What does he know the Lord does for him? v.7

6. What confidence does he have for the future? v.8

 

B. Think:

1. What has David obviously learned of God in the past?

2. How does that give him confidence for the future?

3. Who else does he want to experience this?

C. Comment:

David has experienced the Lord. He called to the Lord in weakness (implied) and the Lord answered him (v.3) and gave him a boldness and inner strength. He is aware that he lives in difficult times with enemies all about, yet the Lord saves him (v.7). He has learnt that “ God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (Prov 3:34 & v.6 implied).

This experience has stirred David's heart. As a result of what he has experienced and what he has learnt, he declares that he will praise the Lord with all his heart (v.1a), even in the of the gods of foreign peoples (v.1b). He has learnt his position and so he will bow in worship before the Lord (v.2a), acknowledging His greatness – His love and His faithfulness (v.2b), because in all that He has done, the Lord's name has been lifted and His word confirmed (v.2c).

But this isn't just a self-centred thing, he wants others to know this same experience, he wants other kings to come and hear the Lord (v.4b) and realise His glory (v.5b) so that they too will praise the Lord (v.4a,5a). As he pours all this out he is aware of a hope for tomorrow, that God will fulfil His purposes for David (v.8a), in the knowledge of that love that lasts for ever (v.8b), so that the Lord will never give up on him in the years ahead (v.8c).

 

D. Application:

1. Have we known the Lord answer when we call? Praise Him!

2. Do we know security in His great love? Worship Him!

 

Study No.21 : Psa 139:1-12 : Total Security

A. Find Out:

  

1. What does David say the Lord has done? v.1

2. What does the Lord know about him? v.2-4

3. What does he consider the Lord has done? v.5

4. What does he consider about all this? v.6

5. What does he next consider? v.7-10

6. What further will not keep him from the Lord's eyes? v.11,12

 

B. Think:

1. How would you summarise verses 1-4?

2. How would you summarise v.8-12?

C. Comment:

David has this incredible sense of being known by the Lord. In sci-fi space films they talk about being scanned by an approaching ship. David has this same sort of feeling; the Lord has scanned him and utterly known him (v.1). The Lord sees his actions (v.2a), his thoughts (v.2b) and his intentions (v.3,4). It's like he's been shut in (v.5) before the Lord so that He can observe him totally, but the thought that the Lord knows everything is almost beyond him (v.6).

If he wanted to flee these all-seeing eyes of the Lord, where would he go? (v.7) If he went upwards to the outer limits (v.8a), the Lord is there, if he were able to go to the deepest depths (v.8b), the Lord is there. If he fled round to the other side of the world (v.9), the Lord would still be there – to guide him and hold him (v.10). Now that IS total security!

He considers even complete darkness coming on him, even there the Lord would see him (v.11,12). Nothing but nothing can keep the Lord from Him. He always sees him, He is always there for him. This isn't a psalm about escape, but about security. As the apostle Paul was to say to the Romans, basically nothing but nothing can keep us from God's love (Rom 8:38 ,39). It doesn't matter where we are or whatever the circumstances, the Lord will be there; He will see us and He will be there for us.

 

D. Application:

1. Do you have this sense of being totally known and totally loved?

2. Do you have this sense of total security wherever you are?

 

  

Study No.22 : Psa 139:13-24 : Known from Conception

A. Find Out:

1. What area of the Lord's knowledge does he consider next? v.13-16

2. What next does he consider about the Lord? v.17,18

3. What does he wish the Lord would do? v.19

4. Why? v.20-22

5. What does he ask the Lord to do about himself? v.23,24

 

B. Think:

1. What does David realise about the Lord and himself?

2. What does he feel about the wicked?

3. What does this make him ask about himself?

C. Comment:

We saw in the first half of the psalm yesterday how it is all about the Lord knowing us. David now goes right back to the time when he was growing in his mother's womb. He considers this was an act of God (v.13,14) and therefore the Lord knows every intimate detail about him (v.15,16), even his whole future mapped out for him. This is an incredible thought that God was involved in our very formation. Whoever we are, we are, therefore, no mistake. God was working on us then and He continues to work on us every day of our lives – and He knows what is coming and the plans He has for us in the coming days.

The things the Lord knows about us are countless, and the things we realise we know about Him are similarly countless (v.17,18) so we can fall asleep thinking of Him and when we wake, there is still more to think about. But not everyone thinks about Him like this. There are wicked people who speak very differently about the Lord (v.19,20) and as he thinks about them, David realises he hates them and their hatred for the Lord (v.21,22) and he wishes the Lord would do away with them (v.19a).

However as soon as he thinks this he realises that he too is prone to getting it wrong and so He asks the Lord who sees him through and through to search him and check out that there is nothing in him that is wrong, so he can deal with it (implied v.23,24)

 

D. Application:

1. God knew me from birth and has a plan for my life. Hallelujah!

2. God sees our wrong thoughts. Confess then and get rid of them.

   

   

Study No.23 : Psa 140 : Please Protect Me

A. Find Out:

1. From whom, doing what, does David ask deliverance? v.1,2,4,5

2. What also had they been doing? v.3,11

3. How does he describe the Lord? v.6,7

4. What does he ask? v.8

5. What further does he ask? v.9-11

6. What further does he say he knows about the Lord? v.12,13

 

B. Think:

1. How would you summarise David's present plight?

2. What two things does he want the Lord to do?

3. What encouragement does he have to ask for this?

C. Comment:

This psalm was obviously written by David during one of those many times when he found opposition from enemies coming against him. He describes those who oppose him as evil (v.1a), men of violence (v.1b), wicked (v.4a) and proud (v.5a). He says that they devise plans against him (v.2a), plans to stir up war (v.2b), plans to trip him up (v.4b), and ensnare him (v.5). These are all very graphic descriptions and show the intensity of his feelings about those who come against him.

He asks the Lord, first of all, to rescue him (v.1a), protect him (v.1b,2b) and keep him (v.4a). In other words he asks the Lord to save him from the hands of this opposition. But he doesn't leave it there; he asks the Lord to deal with these unrighteous enemies who slander him (v.3,9b,11), to bring trouble on their heads (v.9) and cast them down so they will not recover (v.10). In other words he asks the Lord not merely to rescue him from them, but to deal with them in such a way that they can't come back at him again.

David sees the Lord as his deliver, his shield (v.7), because he knows the Lord as one who stands up for the weak and the poor and the righteous and upright (v.12,13), so he ask in confidence for the Lord to come on his behalf and deliver him, because he obviously feels each of these descriptions fit him.

 

D. Application:

1. Do you have opposition? Call on the Lord.

2. Do you know the Lord as the upholder of the righteous?

   

 

Study No.24 : Psa 141 : Praying against Evil Deeds

A. Find Out:

1. How does David come to the Lord? v.1,2

2. What does he ask for himself? v.3,4

3. What is he willing to take? v.5

4. Yet who is he praying against? v.5c

5. What does he want to happen to them? v.6,7,10

6. How does he come to the Lord and what does he ask? v.8,9

 

B. Think:

1. What does he ask about his own actions?

2. What does he ask about his own security?

3. What does he ask for evil doers?

C. Comment:

David comes before the Lord in prayer (v.1,2). He desires that the Lord will hear him (v.1b), and that his prayer will ascend to God like acceptable incense (v.2). He asks first of all for his own actions. He ask the Lord to help him to be righteous, to guard what he says (v.3) and what he does (v.4), so he won't get sucked into the ways of the wicked.

He is quite happy to be rebuked or chastised (v.5) to deal with anything wrong in him (implied). He clearly wants to stand before the Lord righteously. He is upset by the evil deeds of the wicked (v.5c), unrighteous rulers who have no regard for his words of righteousness (v.6), and he desires that the Lord deal with them (v.7).

But there is more to it than that. These evil doers have not only been doing wrong (which has grieved him), they have not only been disregarding what he has to say, they have also been plotting against him, plotting his downfall (v.9), indeed plotting his death (v.8b). He comes to the Lord as a refuge (v.8) and clearly wants the Lord to protect him and save him from their schemes. He wants their own schemes to turn upon them and bring them down (v.10)

It is a psalm with a common theme for David. He clearly lived through tumultuous times and was so often beset by enemies, simply because he was the Lord's man.

 

D. Application:

1. As you come to the Lord, clear your heart, ensure you are righteous.

2. Don't try to oppose those against you. Ask the Lord to do it.

  

 

RECAP No.3  Psalms 135-141

SUMMARY :

In this third group of 9 studies we have seen :

 

	Psa	Content
16	135:1-12	The Lord's Greatness
17	135:13-21	God versus Idols
18	136	God of gods
19	137	The Anguish of Captivity
20	138	Confidence in God
21	139:1-12	Total Security
22	139:13-24	Known from Conception
23	140	Please protect me
24	141	Praying against evil deeds

 

COMMENT :

  These are psalms of the greatness of the Lord, the One who is above all others, the One who upholds us, the One who knows us through and through, who is there to protect us and keep us righteous in the face of enemy attacks.

 

LESSONS?

	Psa	Subject
16	135:1-12	God is Lord over Creation and Lord of History.
17	135:13-21	Think on what the Lord has done for you.
18	136	Do we realise and appreciate God's greatness?
19	137	Understand that ongoing sin brings judgement
20	138	Do we know security in His great love?
21	139:1-12	Do I have this sense of being totally known and totally loved?
22	139:13-24	God knew me from birth and has a plan for my life.
23	140	Do you know the Lord as the upholder of the righteous?
24	141	Don't try to oppose those against you. Ask the Lord to do it.

 

PRAY :

  Lord, please remind me again and again of your greatness. When the enemy comes in, remind me that you are there for me. You know everything there is to know about me, and yet you still love me and are there to bless me. Thank you so much.