Page 78 - The Poetic Books - Student Text

90:14 “Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be
glad all our days.’
92:2 “…proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night.
94:18 “When I said, ‘My foot is slipping,’ your unfailing love, LORD, supported me.”
98:3 He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to Israel; all the ends of the earth
have seen the salvation of our God.
100:5 “For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues
through all generations.”
101:1 I will sing of your love and justice; to you, LORD, I will sing praise.”
103:4 “…who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.”
106:1 “Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures
forever.”

Psalms 105 and 106 are both historical accounts. Psalm 105 records history from the perspective of
God’s faithfulness (105:8) while Psalm 106 records the continued sin of Israel (106:6). The issue is faith in
the promises of God (106:12, 24). Can we believe him? Can we say “Amen” to him (106:48)?

As we have seen before, the Messiah speaks in these psalms. First person reflections are not the
thoughts of the writers. They are inspired utterances about the anointed one (2:2). He speaks. Those
who believe in his words can then join him in joyful expectation. “I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge
and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust’ (91:2).” “You have exalted my horn like that of a wild ox; fine
oils have been poured on me (92:10).” “I will be careful to lead a blameless life – when will you come to
me (101:2).” It is through him that others can approach God, having their sins forgiven. Along with him,
they say “The LORD is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him (92:15; cf. 73:25;
89:26).”

The entirety of Book V reflects dominant theology from Psalm 1-2. Psalms 107 and 118 emphasize the
eternal nature of God’s love. “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever (107:1, 8,
15, 21, 31; 118:1, 2, 3, 4, 29; also 108:4; 109:12, 16, 21, 26).” The law of God is the theme of Psalm 119
(cf. Ps. 1:2). Psalms 120-137 are called “songs of ascents.” They were sung by pilgrims on their way to
Jerusalem to celebrate the religious festivals of Israel and speak often of Zion (2:6; 120:5; 122:1, 2;
125:1; 126:1; 128:5; 129:4; 132:13; 133:3; 134:3). The final sub section, 135-145, highlights kingship.
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“Such a reading of the Psalter opens the way to an eschatological and messianic
interpretation of many texts which had originally only a limited national and historic
setting. The Psalter comes to be seen as a magnificent dramatic struggle between the
two ways – that of Yahweh, his anointed king, and the company of the just, and that of
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the wicked, the sinners, the evil-doers.”

125 Michael K. Snearly, “The Return of the King” in The Psalms, eds Andrew J. Schmutzer & David M. Howard, 212-
213.
126 J. P. Brennan, “Psalms 1-8: Some Hidden harmonies” (Biblical Theology Bulletin 10:25-29, 29, quoted in David M.
Howard, The Structure of Psalms 93-100 (Winona Lake: Eisenbraums, 1997), 5.
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