SOME STUDY QUESTIONS:
What is the main form of
this Psalm? What’s going on in it? (vv1-5, v6, v9)
What scenario or scene do
you think it fits?
What kind of distress do
you think is envisaged in v1? See also vv5, 7-8
Are there different “voices”
in the Psalm?
Can you work out who is
speaking to whom about whom at each point in the Psalm?
Who is the (masculine singular)
“you” the Psalm addressed in vv1-4?
Who are the “we” in v5?
Who is the “I” who speaks
in v6?
What does the word
“anointed” mean in v6? To whom would it have referred in its original context?
Can you spot any repeated
words or ideas in the Psalm? (The NIV has unfortunately obscured some of the
repeated words so trying to look at another (more literal) translation (? ESV,
NKJV, NASB or something) might possibly help if you’re feeling really keen!)
What does the Psalmist ask
God for?
What does he think the
consequences will be? Where does his confidence come from?
What does the Psalm’s
example suggest that we should do in times of trouble?
(What are we inclined to do instead?)
(What are we inclined to do instead?)
What does the Bible think
of as the significance of God’s name (v1, v5, v7)?
What would be our
contemporary equivalent of “chariots and horses”? (v7)
What other things are we
or others inclined to trust in today?
Given that we’re probably
not expecting to go to war any time soon, how might we apply the Psalm?
Given that we don’t live
in ancient Israel as God’s covenant nation with God’s anointed king, how would
we apply this Psalm today?
How would we relate this
Psalm to Jesus?
Theme and aim sentences?
(i.e. what is the big idea / main teaching point of the Psalm? How do you think
God wants this Psalm to change us? What should we do or think or feel or believe
or not in the light of it?)
Prayer and praise in the
light of this Psalm?
* * *
OUTLINES:
Kidner:
The Day of Trouble
Vv1-5: The Lord will
answer you! – a corporate invocation of blessing by the congregation on the
king
Vv6-8: He will answer – a
single voice (the king himself?) is confident of God’s response
V9: Answer us – the
people respond with a final, brief, urgent prayer
Motyer:
Before Battle: Prayer and
Assurance
The first voice: a plea
that the king’s prayer be heard and his offering acceptable (vv1-4)
The second voice: the king
speaks on behalf of his army (v5)
The first voice again: a
wish that the king’s prayer be answered (v5c)
The second voice again:
the king’s confidence in Yahweh (v6)
The first and second
voices together: united reliance on Yahweh (vv7-8)
The first voice again: a
final prayer that Yahweh hears and answers (v9)
Expositor’s Bible:
Prayer for Victory
A. Prayer in need (v1)
B. Praying for God’s Royal
Help (vv2-4)
C. Rejoicing in
anticipation (v5)
B’. Confidence in God’s
Royal Help (vv6-8)
A’. Prayer in Need (v9)
* * *
NOTES:
Vv1-4 – petitions
addressed to God
Vv7-9 – the anticipated
joy of victory (we / us)
Motyer
Vv1-4 – prayers for you
(masculine singular)
Vv5a-b – we / our God
V5c – praying to “you”
V6 – I
Vv7-8 – we
V9 – addressing Yahweh as
king
Wilcock:
Vv1-5 – addressed by us
(the congregation) to you (the king / the Lord’s anointed) about him (God) – an
oblique prayer like “God bless you” rather than, “God, please bless them!
V6 – An individual voice –
an I – maybe a prophet or priest or Levite. Or maybe the king speaking about
himself in the third person.
Vv7-8 – we speak again
about God and our enemies
V9 – we speak to God about
the king
Parallel between vv1 and 9
(repetition of LORD, day and answer) obscured by the NIV
V1: May Yahweh answer you
in the day of adversity
V9: Yahweh, please save!
True King, answer us the day we call.
Notice the repetitions:
Wilcock: “May the Lord answer (… answer … answer) [vv1, 6, 9], because we pray
in the name (… the name … the name) [vv1, 5, 7] of the God who saves (… who
saved … who saves) [vv5-6, 9]”
The distress of v1 ? an
impending battle, implied by the chariots and horses mentioned in v7. We may
imagine in the king offering sacrifices (v3) and making plans (v4) before going
into battle.
The Psalm as an act of
worship / a mini church service for different voices / speakers preparing for
battle.
God’s name (v1, v5, v7) –
not like a magic spell to be invoked as in some pagan religions but God’s
revealed character, his name stands for who he is, what he’s like
The you is masculine singular
throughout, identified as the Lord’s anointed in v6
V1 – protect you – lit.
place you high (as on a rock, where you will be safe), a refuge / stronghold /
retreat or bulwark
V2 – sanctuary is simply
holiness, lit. from the holiness, but the parallel with Zion, God’s holy hill,
makes it likely that this is a reference to the Jerusalem sanctuary, the Holy
Place, the holy of holies
V2 – help from Zion, v6,
help from heaven
V4 – it could just mean
“may God give you what you want” but perhaps we could see it as a prayer that
God would shape his desires and then grant them?!
V4 – cf. the similar
language in 21:2 – The two Psalms might be prayers either side of a crisis,
here, in the day of trouble, Ps 21, the day of rejoicing
Cf. God save the Queen
Vv5, 6, 9 (also 21:1, 5)–
the same root word for victory / salvation, yasa, as in the name Jesus, Saviour
V6 – anointed = Christ,
messiah – Old Testament kings were anointed with oil
V7 – boast / trust is a
translator’s inference – the only verb in the sentence is “we will make
mention”, perhaps with the special meaning of proclaiming / recording God’s
name in worship to bring his power into the midst, invoking God’s name for
blessing and victory – the phrase suggests allegiance, regard, confession / to
swear by – cf. he swears by his favourite remedy or devise
V7 – chariots and horses –
the most formidable force in ancient times – cf. Ex 14; Judges 4
V8 – every knee will bow
to the victorious King Jesus – Phil 2:10
V9 – maybe “Let the king
answer us” or “the King will answer us” “in the day of our calling”
V9 – maybe “O King,
answer” as in the NIV footnote, addressing God as the true and ultimate king –
praying to the King for the king, to the heavenly king for the earthly king
Make times of trouble
times of prayer! When faced with distress, pray.
The solidarity of the king
and his people – the king’s victory is the people’s victory – cf. David
defeating Goliath and Israel triumphs over the Philistines – cf. King Jesus’
victory for us
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