| Psalms 108-111 This psalm joins together two previous psalms: v. 1-5 quote almost exactly Psalm 57:7-11; v. 6-13 quote Psalm 60:5-12. This has some sense to it, since Psalm 57 is a personal supplication, while Psalm 60 is a national supplication. v. 1 steadfast – set and firm v. 2 Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn! – a beautiful image: the poet's song of praise wakes the new day v. 3 praise You – Having awakened creation to praise God in the dawn, the psalmist now turns to human society. He wants glorify God among all the nations and peoples of the earth. v. 4 Your mercy – As the glow of dawn spreads across the sky, the poet compares the light to God's mercy and truth: His presence is everywhere. (Hebrew thinking prefers a concrete image to an abstract idea, such as "God's omnipresence.") v. 5 Be exalted – The poet's heart breathes a prayer that God's person and name will be honored in all the earth. v. 7 God has spoken…"I will divide Shechem" – God lays claim to these places. the valley of Succoth – probably in the lower part of the Jabbock valley in Jordan; near modern-day Amman v. 8 Judah is my lawgiver – Literally: "Judah is my scepter." Refers to the inheritance prophetically foreseen for Judah by his father Jacob (Gen. 49:10). The ruling house of David arose out of the tribe of Judah. v. 9 Moab is my washpot – Or, "washbasin." Moab borders the Dead Sea. This image shows the disdain the psalmist feels for the nations opposing Israel. Moab is just a humble vessel for bath water. Over Edom will I cast my shoe – a gesture used in legal proceedings when someone officially took over possession of property; a similar custom is found in Ruth 4:7-8 triumph – shout in triumph v. 10 Who will bring me into the strong city? – May refer to the fortified capital of Moab. Israel was involved in a critical siege against the city. v. 11 Is it not You, O God, who cast us off? –In spite of the apparent abandonment of Israel during military setbacks, the psalmist is confident that God will come to Israel's aid. You, O God…did not go out with our armies – The idea of God marching out with the army picks up a common theme from the books of Joshua, Judges, and First and Second Samuel. v. 12 The help of man is useless – A key lesson of this psalm: only God can be the true source of our help. Through God we will do valiantly – In due course the nation, with God's help, will triumph over her enemies. He…shall tread down our enemies – A frightening picture of God stamping out the enemies of Israel like grapes in a vat. Psalm 109 This psalm is a plea for help in the midst of personal pressure, false accusations and injustice. There is a major question of interpretation embedded it: namely, who is the actual "speaker" in v. 6-19? The poet? Or is he quoting his enemies accusations against him? The psalmist gives a clue with the change from "they" in v. 1-5 and then back again in v. 19. This is a technique often used in Hebrew poetry to indicate what we would indicate with quotation marks. He is, in all likelihood, quoting the words of his accusers as a basis for his plea in v. 20 that all their evil wishes toward him would turn back on their own heads. v. 1 Do not keep silent – The psalmist pleads with God not to remain silent in the face of the problems he is facing. v. 2 the mouth of the wicked – The parallel "mouth of the wicked" // "mouth of the deceitful" is poetic parallelism; it is not two groups of people that are referred to but one. This is also a clear example of how Hebrew thinking prefers concrete nouns and verbs rather than abstract terms to express an idea: the mouths of the accusers wide open, their tongue flapping with lies. v. 3 surrounded…with words of hatred – Like a malicious pack of animals or a swarm of insects, the hateful accusations of his enemies swirl around the poet. fought against me without a cause – It is characteristic of an evil attack that it is either groundless or based upon a triviality. v. 4 In return for my love – The psalmist had treated his accusers as his friends. accusers – The verb is related to the word for satan; it appears again as a noun in v. 6, 20, and 29. It pictures a prosecutor in a court case and suggests that the enemies of the poet are not content with attacking his personal character but are also attempting to bring legal charges against him. (The quintessential "Satan" is the Devil; his expulsion from the "heavenly court" is described in Rev. 12:10. God is not willing to accept his accusations against those who belong to Christ.) I give myself to prayer – the poet prays for his accusers v. 5 evil for good…hatred for my love – another mark of evil and false accusations v. 6 Set a wicked man – It is highly likely that verse 6 begins a long and extended quote of the hostile curses that his accusers have wished upon the head of the psalmist. (See introduction above.) The psalmist will pick up all this in v. 20 and pray that it will boomerang back on those attacking him. let an accuser stand at his right hand – During a court proceeding (probably at the gate of the city), the accuser had to face the accused. It is likely that the defense stood at the right hand of the accused. Thus, the sense of this verse is that there will be no one to defend him. v. 7 let his prayer become sin – His enemies wish that the poet's very attempt to reach God will be held against him, which is a sharp contrast to the generous prayer of the psalmist for his foes in v. 4. v. 8 let another take his office – The goal of his enemies seems to have been, among other things, to strip the accused of his public posts and recognition. This phrase was used by Peter to describe the fate and destiny of Judas (Acts 1:20). v. 9 Let his children – This verse reflects the deep conviction that our actions are not restricted to our private lives…both blessings and curses impact those we are tied to and those who come after us. v. 10 from their desolate places – from the ruin of their homes v. 11 the creditor – The borrower had relatively little protection and was at the mercy of the lender. his labor – the net assets he has managed to acquire v. 12 favor – "to show pity upon" v. 13 Let his posterity be cut off – A terrible thought and fate in Jewish culture. Consider the statement of a holocaust survivor in the memorial at Yad Vashem: "My six lovely children are my revenge on Hitler!" v. 14 iniquity of his fathers – His enemies want the psalmist's entire family to be wiped out. v. 15 the memory of them – Literally, "their name." The name of a person is extremely important in Hebrew thought: it represents their entire potential and, at the end of life, all that they have been and accomplished. v. 16 did not remember – This verse, through verse 18, spells out the core of his enemy's accusations against the poet. Probably recited to God as a type of "cursing" prayer. v. 18 clothed himself – The image pictures covering oneself with a "curse" (here and in the next verse), "taking it to heart" so to speak, it becomes incorporated into one's entire being. v. 20 Let this be – This probably marks the end of the speech of his accusers that the psalmist has been quoting. those who speak evil against my person – The enemies whose accusations against him and curses against him he has been quoting in v. 6-19. The psalmist now he reacts by asking that these malevolent wishes boomerang and hit his enemies with full force. v. 21 for Your name's sake – The poet pleads that the blatant injustice being practiced against him besmirches God's honor; he pleads with Him to defend it. v. 22 For I am – These next few verses graphically illustrate the effect his enemies' attack is having on the psalmist. v. 23 I am shaken off like a locust – Probably means that the poet is completely disregarded by everyone; as if he were a grasshopper one shakes off in a moment. v. 28 Let them curse, but You bless – Along the same lines of Joseph's reply to his brothers: "You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good" (Gen. 50:20). When they arise – One dresses when one rises from bed; this prepares for the image in the following verse. v. 29 Let my accusers be clothed with shame – The poet prays that his accusers who have "dressed themselves with cursing" (v. 18-19) will in reality be dressed in shame and disgrace. v. 30 I will greatly praise the LORD – Praise, literally meaning to extol or acclaim. This verse marks the change of the poet's plea for help into a hymn of thanksgiving. I will praise Him among the multitude – He is convinced that God has heard his prayer and he will soon be thanking God in the worshipping multitude in the Temple. v. 31 For He shall stand at the right hand of the poor – Better translated: "He stands at the right hand of the poor." This is the place God takes in the midst of this sinful and suffering world; He is at the side of the poor. Psalm 110 This little psalm is one of the most important for the New Testament, appearing in eight separate passages (Matt. 22:43-44; Mark 12:36; Luke 20:42-43; Acts 2:34-35; Heb. 1:13, 5:6, 7:1, 10:13). It is a royal psalm, which is a group of psalms that all emphasize how God works for and through His anointed king. They deal with various themes, such as God's rule of the world (Psalms 43, 47, 93, 96-99) and the major events of the reign of the king. The prophets of Israel were often aware that the immediate event they were speaking of pointed to an ultimate fulfillment in the future (1 Peter 1:10-12). In the case of this psalm, while it clearly refers to the historical promise to David and his descendents, it also points to a distant fulfillment in the quintessential descendent of David, Jesus, at a time unknown to the author. Thus this psalm, in its prophetic and "messianic" character, points forward to the person and work of Christ. v. 1 The LORD said to my Lord – This refers in the historical context to the newly anointed king. "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool" – The seat at the right hand of the king indicated a position of co-regency. The protection of God for the anointed ruler against his enemies is a major theme in the royal psalms. There are carvings and wall paintings from Egypt and Assyria showing the ruler with his feet resting on the head and neck of captive kings. v. 2 the rod of Your strength – the royal scepter; symbol of authority and power v. 3 Your people shall be volunteers – for service in the army in the day of your power – the day when the troops are mustered for battle In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning – The army is pictured as righteous and glowing with life as it marches out into the dawn. You have the dew of Your youth – The whole scene radiates with the energy and power of the young king. v. 4 The LORD has sworn and will not relent – God's "oath" refers to His covenant promise to David (2 Chron. 6:14-17). "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek" – The priestly elements recorded about David's life point to a higher order of priesthood than that exercised by the descendents of Aaron, who were the line of high priests in Israel. Melchizedek was the king and high priest of Jerusalem who blessed Abraham following his victory over an alliance of kings (Gen. 14:18; Heb. 7:1). v. 5 The Lord is at Your right hand – The psalmist pictures God fighting at the right hand of the king as he achieves a military victory. In ancient hand-to-hand sword combat, one's "right hand" was the most vulnerable, lacking the protection of a shield; thus, the choice of who fought at one's right hand was extremely important. v. 7 He shall drink of the brook by the wayside – God, the mighty warrior, accompanies the king as he pauses to drink from a stream and refresh himself during the pursuit of his enemies. Psalm 111 This little psalm reviews the way God helps and cares for His people. It is one of eight acrostic psalms (9-10; 25; 34; 37; 111; 112; 119 and 145). These poems are structured around the letters of the Hebrew alphabet (sometimes with omissions). This creative technique helped focus the worshipper/prayer's mind and also aided memory. In Psalm 111 and the next psalm, 112, each half line of poetry begins with a word starting with a different (sequential) letter of the Hebrew alphabet. v. 1 Praise the LORD! – Hallel-lu-Jah! in the assembly of the upright – a ruling council, political, religious, or both in the congregation – the assembly of the people, the worshipping people of God v. 3 His righteousness endures forever – Our "goodness" is very inconsistent; we can be wonderfully gracious one moment and petty and mean the next. God's character is entirely different; He is unswerving in His compassion and justness. v. 4 He has made His wonderful works to be remembered – God's prophets constantly challenged Israel to not forget God's goodness to her. v. 5 His covenant – His solemn promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the "umbrella" under which Israel—and the church of Christ—lives and acts v. 6 the heritage of the nations – the Promised Land (Gen. 12:1-3) v. 7 All His precepts are sure – His Word, the "Torah" v. 8 They stand fast forever and ever – the Hebrew term implies uprightness and integrity v. 9 He has sent redemption to His people – Redemption, God's work of bringing His fallen creation back to Himself, is the greatest work of all. Verses 9 and 10 each have three lines with three different letters of the Hebrew alphabet (in contrast to the usual two lines of the previous verses). Because the Hebrew alphabet has 22 letters, this makes for a total of ten lines of poetry; the first 8 with 2 letters each, the last two, with 3. (This pattern is repeated in Psalm 112.) v. 10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom – This is a frequent biblical theme (Prov. 1:7) and reminds the worshipper of where to "start" in life. | 
108:3 I will praise You, O LORD, among the peoples, And I will sing praises to You among the nations.
–A Song. A Psalm of David.
Junior High Ministry