“The Spirit Helps Us To Pray”

A Biblical Theology of Prayer

Lesson 5

Prayer and the Psalms

Background• Who wrote: David, Solomon, Asaph, Moses, ???

• What is expressed: themes include Royal Psalms, Psalms of Zion, Penitential Psalms, Wisdom Psalms, and Psalms of Praise (Hallel)

• When written: beginning with Moses over 1000 years

• How compiled: structured into five books – Book I (1-41), Book II (42-72), Book III (73-89), Book IV (90-106), and Book V (107-150)

Characteristics of the Psalms• The Psalms were written for singing

• The Psalms were written over the period of 1000 years

• The Psalms were written in the language of the human spirit

• The Psalms and writing of the Psalms were part of the ordinary life of the Israelites

• The Psalms were written for different purposes

• The Psalms were written in the language of response

Categories of the Psalms"Royal" Psalms emphasize "God, as King," through the use of the phrase, "the Lord reigns” and speak to His rule as Creator, Savior, and as "the coming One.“

The "Zion" Psalms, focus on Jerusalem, using its endearing name, "Zion." These Psalms rhapsodize on the city, and Holy Temple as God’s place for worship.

The "Penitential" Psalms, are those in which the psalmist confesses sin to the Lord, asks for forgiveness, and then praises the Lord for the renewed relationship, which God's forgiveness provides, e.g., Psalm 51.

The "Wisdom" Psalms, focus on some of the same issues as the Book of Proverbs, presenting a sharp contrast, between the righteous and the wicked.

The "Imprecatory" Psalms are sometimes thought to conflict with the sentiment of the Gospels, but they actually reflect God's abhorrence of evil.

The “Passover" Psalms, were sung at the beginning of the Passover, and were called the "Egyptian Hallel; celebrating the great acts of the Lord, in delivering His people from Egypt and a future and final deliverance through the Jesus.

The "Hallel" Psalms. These Psalms focused on the exodus from Egypt. They praise God for His character, and for His saving work.

The Names of God “The Lord” (1:2) – “God of my righteousness” (4:1) – “My King” (5:2) – “O Lord my God” (7:1) – “The Lord most High” (7:17) – “God of my salvation” (18:46) – “God of Jacob” (20:1) – “O my strength” (22:19) – “King of glory” (24:7,8) – “Lord of hosts” (24:10) – “God of glory” (29:3) – “O Lord God of truth” (31:5) – “The Lord God of Israel” (41:13) – “O Mighty One” (45:3) – “the King of all the earth” (47:7) – “God of Abraham” (47:9) – “God most high” (57:2) – “Yah” (68:4) – “the Almighty” (68:14) – “God the Lord” (68:20) – “O Holy One of Israel” (71:22) – “O Shepherd of Israel” (80:1) – “the Lord our Maker” (95:6) – “God their savior” (106:21) – “the Mighty One of Jacob” (132:2) – “the God of gods” (136:2) – “the God of Heaven” (136:26)

Attributes of God “a shield for me” (3:3) – “my glory” (3:3) – “the One who lifts up my head” (3:3) – “the righteous God” (7:9) – “a just judge” (7:11) – “a refuge” (9:9) – “the portion of my inheritance” (16:5) – “my strength” (18:1) – “the horn of my salvation” (18:2) – “my support” (18:18) – “my shepherd” (23:1) – “my light and my salvation” (27:1) – “the strength of my life” (27:1) – “the saving refuge of His anointed” (28:8) – “my helper” (30:10) – “rock of refuge” (31:2) – “my hiding place” (32:7) – “my help and my deliverer” (40:17) – “the God of my life” (42:8) – “my exceeding joy” (43”4) – “a very present help in trouble” (46:1) – “our guide even to death” (48:14) – “my defense” (59:9) – “my God of mercy” (59:10) – “a shelter for me” (61:3) – “a strong tower” (61:3) – “a father of the fatherless” (68:5) – “a defender of windows” (68:5) – “the strength of my heart” (73:26) – “my portion forever” (73:26) – “the great God and the great King above all gods” (95:3) – “He who keeps Israel” (121:4) – “your shield at your right hand” (121:5) – “my portion in the land of the living” (142:5) – “my high tower” (144:2)

A Hearing and Listening God• Psalm 4:1 “be merciful to me and hear my prayer.” Psalm 5:3 “In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice.” Psalm 10:17 “You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted.” Psalm 17:6 “give ear to me and hear my prayer.” Psalm 54:5 “Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth.”

•Psalm 6:9 “The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer.” Psalm 28:6 “Praise be to the LORD, for he has heard my cry for mercy.” Psalm 116:1 “I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.”

Psalm 5:2 “Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray.” Psalm 39:12 “Hear my prayer, O LORD, listen to my cry for help.” Psalm 55:1 “Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea” Psalm 143:1 “O LORD, hear my prayer, listen to my cry”

Psalm 66:19 “but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer.”

Praying the Psalms

• The Psalms teach us to pray through imitation and response...

• The Psalms take us deep into our own hearts

• Most importantly, the Psalms force us to deal with God as He is, not as we wish he was.

A Biography of Jesus• His eternal Sonship is declared in the 2nd Psalm

"Jehovah said unto Me, Thou art My Son; This day have I begotten Thee." • His incarnation is foretold in the 40th Psalm

“sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you have prepared for me”• His favorite name, "Son of Man," is taken from the 8th Psalm

“what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?” • His trust in God and obedience to Him set forth in the whole of the 18th

Psalm “It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.” • His moral excellence in the 45th Psalm “You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace,

since God has blessed you forever.”• His life of self-sacrifice is shown from the 69th Psalm

“and the insults of those who insult you fall on me” • His passionate devotion to God's service is also seen in the 69th Psalm

“for zeal for your house consumes me”

A Biography of Jesus• His rejection is mentioned in the Sixty-Ninth “…I am scorned, disgraced and shamed; all my enemies are before you.”

• His entry into Jerusalem was foreshadowed in the 118th Psalm“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD”

• The conspiracy of His foes against Him is in the 31st Psalm “For I hear the slander of many;…they conspire against me and plot to take my life.”

• His betrayal by one of the Twelve is foretold in the 41st Psalm “Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me”

• The manner of His death is foretold in the 22nd Psalm “a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet.”

• the disposition of His clothes is mentioned in the 22nd Psalm“They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.”

• His cry of desertion was in the opening words of this Psalm“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

A Biography of Jesus• That His bones should not be broken is predicted in the 34th Psalm

“he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.” • His dying words were from the 31st Psalm

“Into your hands I commit my spirit” • His resurrection is foretold in the 16th, as cited in Peter's sermon at

Pentecost “because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.”

• His ascension, also, is mentioned“You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”

• His kingdom and its ultimate triumph are described in 72nd Psalm“He will endure as long as the sun, as long as the moon, through all generations.”

• His coming in judgment in the 50th and the 98th Psalms“He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that he may judge his people” “let them sing before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.”

God’s Mission in the PsalmsThe condition of the Nations:

“Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?” (2:1); “The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug; their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.” (9:5); “Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.” (46:6); “For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens.” (96:5); Why do the nations say, "Where is their God?” (115:2)

The Lord’s response:

“Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.” (2:8); “He is the God who avenges me, who subdues nations under me” (18:47); The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples; “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (46:10);

The Outcome:

“God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne” ( ). He rules forever by his power, his eyes watch the nation… ( ). The LORD has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations ( ). All nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed (72:17).

Our Response:

“May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth (67:4). “Praise the LORD, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples” (117:1)

A Prayer of RevivalPrayer that the Lord will restore favor to the land (Psalm 85)

• Remembering God’s favor – “You have been favorable…You have brought back…you have forgiven…You have covered all their sins…” (v 1-3)

• Pleading for God’s presence - “Restore us, O God”…”Revive us again”…”show us your mercy”…”grant us your salvation.” (4-7)

• Acknowledging God’s Word - “I will hear what God the Lord will speak…let them not turn back to folly…surely His salvation is near to those who fear him…” (v 8 -9)

• Rediscovering God’s ways – “mercy and truth met…righteousness and peace have kissed. Truth shall bring out of the earth, righteousness shall look down from heaven.” (v 10-11)

• Anticipating God’s blessing - “Yes the Lord will give what is good…our land will yield it’s increase. Righteousness will go before Him, and shall make his footsteps our pathways.” (v 12-13)

Next Week

The prayers of Latter LeadersAnd Prophets

(Chapters Five and Six)

Pages 119 - 180