Sunday, 31 May 2020
Walking with God through Psalms
The Prince of Preachers, Charles Spurgeon called Psalms the “Treasury”. The book of Psalms is a gold mine. (Samuel Whitefield). How should we go about discovering this treasure? There are many golden nuggets embedded in PSALMS. Psalms is very unique Book compare to the rest of the books of the Bible. The Bible is God’s Word speaking to us. Psalms is human responses to God in all its expressions of real life. In the Psalms we find honest, sometimes brutal, expressions of the human heart. The songs and poems express the highest joy and the deepest pain and sorrow. The authors plead with God, shout at God, and beg God for forgiveness. The writers exalt virtues and righteousness, and they condemn with harshness the ugly abuses people sometimes carry out. Psalms contains the deepest expression of pain, hopelessness, and despair and the highest expressions of praise. No matter where a Psalm begins, the Psalms end with a profound sense of hope and confidence in God’s faithfulness.
The Book of Psalms is believed to be the most widely read of all the books in the Old Testament. Psalms is a collection of poems, songs, and prayers that express the feelings of the Israelites throughout their journey in the history of the Jews. The original meaning of the word “PSALMS” means to “pluck” the strings of an instrument, such as a harp or lyre. Later, it came to refer to the lyric poem sung to the accompaniment of string instruments. The Psalms becomes the Hymnbook of the Hebrew people in the Old Testament.
Majority of the Psalms were written by King David (73), Asaph (12), the Songs of Korah (12), Solomon (2), Moses(1), Heman(1), Ethan(1), and 48 others were anonymous.
The Book of Psalms is divided into five books, each closing with a doxology or benediction. These five books were probably introduced to imitate the five books of the TORAH.
Introduction Psalms 1 -2
Book 1. Psalms 3-41; “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel! From everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen.”
Book 2. Psalms 42-72; “And Blessed be the glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen.”
Book 3. Psalms 73-89; “Blessed be the Lord forevermore! Amen and Amen.”
Book 4. Psalms 90-106; “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel. From everlasting to everlasting! Praise the Lord.”
Book 5. Psalms 107-145. “Let everything has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Conclusion Psalms 146-150
The Psalms can be identified into few basic types.
LAMENTS, An expression of grief, pain, loss, incomprehension, confusion, or dissatisfaction directed to God. Laments brings a troubled situation before the Lord, asking Him for help. There are community (Psa 2) and individual (Psa 13) laments. This is the largest by far, up to a third of all the Psalms are lamentations.
PRAISE, which call God’s people to celebrate His great attributes and deeds. (Psalms 8, 93, 145)
THANKSGIVING, as an expression of joy and thankfulness to God in response to some gracious act of God. There are individual as well as community thanksgiving Psalms, community Psa. 9 and individual Psa. 30.
WISDOM Psalms which give advice about responsible living, (Psa. 1, 37, 49, 73, 112 and 128), which reflect the themes from the Wisdom Books (Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon).
How do we meditate on the Psalms?
- Read Psalms slowly and deliberately in order to take in the sights and sounds, taste, touch and smell in which the truth of God is contained.
- It is very important to know, who is speaking and to whom?
- Psalms is poetry. Poetry is using words to draw pictures. Identify the environment of the text, for example is in the battle front; in the temple or in the tent of the Lord, in the farm, etc.
- What is the main theme of the text?
- What does it say about Jesus?
- What it means to be in the presence of the Holy God?
- Reading Psalms is never completed until we response in prayer to God.
Why do we read Psalms? (from the Life Application Bible)
When we want:
To find comfort Psalm – 23
To meet God intimately – Psalm 103
To learn a new prayer – Psalm 136
To learn a new song – Psalm 92
To learn more about God – Psalm 24
To understand yourself more clearly – Psalm 8
To know how to come to God daily – Psalm 5
To be forgiven for your sins – Psalm 51
To feel worthwhile – Psalm 139
To understand why you should read the Bible – Psalm 119
To give praise to God – Psalm 145
To know God is in control – Psalm 146
To give thanks to God – Psalm 136
To please God – Psalm 15
To know why you should worship God – Psalm 104
As we read and memorize the Psalms, we will gradually discover how much they are already part of us. They put words into our deepest hurts, longings, thought, and prayers. They gently push us toward being what God designed us to be – people loving and living for Him. (Life Application Bible)
Prayer for today
Our Father in Heaven, we thank You for giving us the Psalms. From the Psalms we can learn from the Psalmist there is no shame to bare ourselves before you with both our joys as well as our sorrows. O Lord, help us to express ourselves freely in your presence. Help us to cultivate a closer relationship with You. Teach us devote ourselves to You. Open our mouth and enable us to pray and worship You. As we gain a clearer picture of who You are, teach us to love you with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind and with all our strength.
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord! Psalm 150.6
Amen and Amen.
Pastor Isaac Yim
每日灵粮
31/05/20星期日
作者：严以撒牧师
布道王子查尔斯•司布真（Charles Spurgeon）把诗篇称为“宝库”。诗篇书卷是个金矿。 （Samuel Whitefield）。我们应该如何去发掘这个宝藏呢？ 诗篇中镶嵌了无数的金块。诗篇与圣经中其他的书卷比较起来是非常独特的一本书。圣经是神对我们说的话。诗篇则是人类在现实生活中对上帝的回应。在诗篇中，我们发现了人类内心真实的、有时是残酷的表达。歌谣和诗歌表达了最高的喜悦和最深的痛苦及悲伤。作者向上帝恳求，对上帝呐喊，并祈求上帝的宽恕。作者们推崇美德和公义，他们也严厉地谴责人们的丑陋举止。诗篇包含了痛苦、绝望和失望的最深刻的表达，同时也发出了最崇高的赞美。无论诗篇从何处开始，诗篇的结尾总是对神的信实充满希望和信心。
诗篇被认为是所有旧约书卷中最被广泛阅读的。诗篇是诗歌，歌谣和祈祷文的汇集，其表达了以色列人在犹太历史中的感受。 “诗篇”一词的本义是指“弹奏”诸如竖琴或七弦琴之类的乐器的弦。后来，这是指在丝弦乐器伴奏下演唱的抒情诗。诗篇成为旧约中希伯来人的赞美诗。
多数诗篇是由大卫王（73），亚萨（12），可拉后裔的诗（12），所罗门（2），摩西（1），希幔（1），以探（1）以及48位匿名作者所撰写。
《诗篇》分为五卷，每卷书以荣耀颂或祝福作为结束。这五卷书的选编也许是为了仿效摩西五经的五卷书。
引言，诗篇1 -2
第一卷，诗篇3-41； “耶和华以色列的 神、是应当称颂的、从亘古直到永远。阿们、阿们。”
第二卷，诗篇42-72； “他荣耀的名、也当称颂、直到永远．愿他的荣耀、充满全地。阿们、阿们。”
第三卷，诗篇73-89； “耶和华是应当称颂的、直到永远。阿们、阿们。”
第四卷，诗篇90-106;“ 耶和华以色列的 神、是应当称颂的、从亘古直到永远。愿众民都说、阿们。你们要赞美耶和华。”
第五卷，诗篇107-145。 “凡有气息的、都要赞美耶和华。你们要赞美耶和华。”
结尾，诗篇146-150
诗篇可以分为几种基本类型。
‘哀歌’，向上帝表达悲痛，痛苦，失落，不理解，困惑或不满。哀歌乃是把一个困境带到主的面前，并向祂求助。例如，全民（诗篇第 2篇）和个人（诗篇第 13篇）的哀歌。诗篇中多达三分之一的诗篇属于哀歌。
‘赞美’，呼唤神的子民来称颂祂伟大的属性与作为。 （诗篇8，93，145）
‘感恩’，是对上帝的恩典表达了对上帝的喜乐与感恩。其中有个人以及全民的感恩诗，全民（诗篇第9篇）和个人（诗篇第 30篇）。
‘智慧’诗篇，提供有关尽责生活的劝告（诗篇第1、37、49、73、112和128篇），反映了智慧书卷（约伯记，箴言，传道书和雅歌）的主题。
我们该如何默想诗篇？
1.缓慢而慎重地阅读诗篇，以了解其中包含上帝真理的景象，声音，滋味，触碰和气味。
2.要知道是谁在说话以及向谁说话，这是非常重要的。
3.诗篇是诗歌体的写作方式。诗歌体乃是用文字来表达一个景象。确定经文的环境，例如在战争前线；在圣殿或耶和华的会幕中，在农场中等等，
4.经文的主题是什么？
5.关于耶稣它怎么说？
6.与圣洁的神同在意味着什么？
- 我们需在祷告中回应上帝才算把诗篇阅读完毕。
为什么我们要读诗篇？ （摘自生命应用圣经）
当我们想要：
找到安慰–诗篇23
亲密接触上帝–诗篇103
学习新的祷告–诗篇136
学习一首新歌–诗篇92
进一步了解上帝–诗篇24
更加清楚地了解自己–诗篇8
每天来到上帝面前–诗篇5
为自己的罪求赦免–诗篇51
感到有价值–诗篇139
理解为什么你要读圣经–诗篇119
赞美上帝–诗篇145
知道上帝在掌权–诗篇146
感谢上帝–诗篇136
取悦上帝–诗篇15
知道为什么你应该敬拜上帝–诗篇104
当我们阅读并背诵诗篇时，我们将逐渐发现它们已经成为我们生命的一部分。它们在我们最深的伤痛，渴望，思想和祈祷中向我们说话。它们温柔地把我们塑造成上帝要我们成为的样式—成为一个爱神并为祂而活的人。 （摘自生命应用圣经）
今天的祷告
我们的天父，我们感谢你所给我们的诗篇。从诗篇中，我们在诗人的身上学习到，在你面前敞露自己的喜乐与伤痛并不是什么羞耻的事。主啊，帮助我们在你面前坦率的表达自己。帮助我们与你建立更亲密的关系。教导我们为你摆上自己。开我们的嘴，让我们可以向你祷告与敬拜你。当我们更认识你的时候，教导我们尽心，尽性，尽意与尽力的爱你。
凡有气息的、都要赞美耶和华。你们要赞美耶和华。诗篇150.6
阿们、阿们。
王月妃译