Category: Psalms

Psalms 107 - 150

12/29/2011

         The fifth and final book of the Psalms demonstrates a faith that has survived the tribulations of Book Three and has grown even more after taking refuge in Yahweh throughout the fourth book.
         Just like the third book, the fifth begins with a reference to Yahweh’s goodness: Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good (Psalm 107:1); but this time it doesn’t question His goodness as in Psalm 73; instead, the psalmist has learned to take refuge in Yahweh’s eternal mercy: For his steadfast love endures forever! (Psalm 107:1) And he doesn’t simply wait for Yahweh’s mercy; he has experienced it anew, as the next verse tells us, “Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble” (Psalm 107:2).
         And he celebrates a specific salvation. The fourth book ended with a petition for Yahweh’s mercy, “Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the nations (Psalm 106:47). Now Psalm 107 celebrates His answer, “He [the LORD] has redeemed [us] from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south” (Psalm 107:3). After a long and difficult wait, Yahweh’s people have experienced His salvation and therefore wait with even more confidence and longing for new manifestations of His mercy: “Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom? Have you not rejected us, O God? You do not go out, O God, with our armies. Oh grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man! With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes” (Psalm 108:10-13).
         As we find in Psalm 108, the references to Yahweh’s anointed one have returned, the references to the Davidic covenant which nearly disappeared through the fourth book.   But here it is a transformed covenant, one that uncovers new and more glorious vistas than any seen during David’s reign. We find that the future Anointed One will surpass even David: “The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool’” (Psalm 110:1). Jesus observes, “If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?” (Matthew 22:45; see also Mark 12:37 and Luke 20:44) That is to say, how may an ancestor, especially an ancestor as great as King David, bow in submission to one of his descendants? This descendant must be far more glorious and exalted than previously imagined. David recognizes this in Psalm 110; the future Anointed One, Jesus Christ, is prior and superior to him and will reign in righteousness with complete victory over His enemies. What David experienced personally and historically in Yahweh’s covenant is simply a reflection of the glorious covenant between the Father and the eternal Anointed One.
         A heart grateful for salvation responds in praise and worship, and therefore the fifth book of the Psalms dedicates ample space to worship in psalms which call upon all Yahweh’s people and even all of creation to worship Him: “Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts!” (Psalm 148:1-2). Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! (Psalm 150:6) May our reading of all the Psalms and even all the Bible strengthen our faith in spite of tribulations and stir us to joyful worship of our Lord and Savior.

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Psalms 120 - 134

12/28/2011

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         Psalms 120 – 134 form a unit called “The Songs of Ascent”. There is a variety of opinions about the meaning of this title, including that the Israelites sang these psalms as they travelled to Jerusalem and participated in the annual celebrations at the temple. If this is true, we can divide the psalms this way: Psalm 120 refers to the preparation for the trip; Psalm 121 is sung as the travelers climb the first series of hills on their way to Jerusalem; Psalm 122 refers to their approach and arrival in the city; Psalms 123 – 133 are sung as petitions in the temple; and Psalm 134 sings their goodbye to Jerusalem as they return home. Although these psalms are closely related to the prayers and ceremonies in the temple, they are not a complete dissertation about worship; for example, they contain no reference to blood sacrifices. Nevertheless, they can teach us quite a bit about Israelite worship in the temple and our worship today as a church.
         We can summarize the spirit of worship in these 15 psalms through two verses in the Lord’s Prayer, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9-10). These verses recognize an overwhelming difference between the events on earth and the glorious reign of God in the heavens. Here on earth injustice, sin and oppression run rampant; in the heavens justice, holiness and glory abound. The disciple who prays the Lord’s Prayer longs for the reign of God in the heavens so much that he cries out for His reign to break forth here on earth. When this happens, His name is hallowed / sanctified.
         We find this same passion in the Songs of Ascent: may the righteous, merciful and glorious reign of Yahweh in the heavens manifest itself and overcome the injustices and sin that His people suffer on earth. Here on earth, things do not go as they should: “Deliver me, O LORD, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue… Too long have I had my dwelling among those who hate peace… The plowers plowed upon my back; they made their long furrows” (Psalm 120:2, 6; 129:3). Therefore, the faithful look to Yahweh: “To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! Behold, as the eyes of the servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he has mercy on us” (Psalm 123:1-2).
         These 15 psalms are not content with looking toward God in a general sense. They call Him “Lord” (Adonai) only once, “God” three times and “the Strength of Jacob” twice. But they call Him “Yahweh” (LORD) 54 times, crying out for a response to Him who always was, is and always will be, to Him who was, is and always will be faithful to His covenant, to Him who responded, responds and always will respond to His people in mercy. They cry out to Him with the same name that He declared to them as blessed recipients of His covenant with their forefathers.
         And they hope in Him: “Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him (Psalm 126:5-6). They continue to trust His faithfulness and mercy even though they may not see evidence of them for decades: “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate” (Psalm 127:4-5). They continue to hope in Yahweh even though they may not see the answer to their prayers for generations: “The LORD bless you from Zion! May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life! May you see your children’s children! Peace be upon Israel!” (Psalm 128:5-6). They continue to trust because they know that He who gave the promises is faithful to fulfill them: “O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time forth and forevermore” (Psalm 131:3).
         In the midst of all this, His people are encouraged as they see their harmony in worship, together as one family in Yahweh: “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD!’” (Psalm 122:1). “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” (Psalm 133:1) As His people gather obediently with forgiven and purified hearts in genuine devotion, they realize that Yahweh’s justice and mercy are reigning over them. Despite their differences, when they gather in Yahweh’s name, the kingdom of heaven begins to manifest itself, and they worship Yahweh: “The tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD” (Psalm 122:4). In this way, the Israelites in the temple (and we in the church) find our geographical place transformed into Yahweh’s dwelling place, where He reigns in righteousness and justice (Psalm 132:14-18).
         May the prayer and worship in our churches also manifest a desperation with a world that does not know Yahweh, a fervent desire for His glorious and just reign and a secure hope in His covenant. May we grow in harmony as we lift up our petitions and praises to the same God through whom we are saved.

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Psalms 90 - 106

12/27/2011

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         In Psalm 89 we finished the third book, the darkest of the psalms, and now we enter the fourth, a book that perseveres in hope in Yahweh.
         Psalm 90, the oldest of the psalms, goes back to the historic roots of Israel to remind us of Yahweh’s faithfulness despite the darkness of Psalms 88 y 89, “Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations” (Psalm 90:1). Here Moses reminds us that God is exalted, greater and more glorious than creation or time, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God… For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night” (Psalm 90:2, 4). On the other hand, we human beings are like a dream, like grass that flowers in the morning but by afternoon, is faded and withered (Psalm 90:5-6).
         One of the main reasons for the vast difference between Yahweh’s glory and our impermanence is sin, “You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence” (Psalm 90:8). Therefore, the appropriate response of all human beings first and foremost is repentance, “Return, O children of man!” (Psalm 90:3) Afterwards, with a humble and contrite heart, we can be guided by Yahweh, “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).
         Recognizing that Yahweh is exalted while we are sinners in need of repentance, Moses now can ask the same question that disturbed the psalmist in Psalm 89:46, “Return, O LORD! How long?” (Psalm 90:13) But Moses sends his cry along another path than the psalmist Ethan the Ezrahite in Psalm 89. Instead of crying out according to the Davidic covenant, Moses returns to the roots of the covenant given in Exodus and requests that Yahweh’s righteous anger be propitiated according to His abundant mercy: “Have pity on your servants! Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days” (Psalm 90:13-15). He intercedes for Israel according to the mercy of Yahweh, our exalted and faithful God.
         And the rest of Book Four continues along these notes. References to King David and the Davidic covenant almost completely disappear. In the midst of the tribulation of the anointed one, Psalms 90 – 106 return to Yahweh’s eternity and His eternal mercy: “He has broken my strength in midcourse; he has shortened my days. ‘O my God,’ I say, ‘take me not away in the midst of my days – you whose years endure throughout all generations!’ Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, but you are the same, and your years have no end” (Psalm 102:23-27).
         They remind us of Yahweh’s past mercies, the ones that shone forth in the years before David, “Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered, O offspring of Abraham, his servant, children of Jacob, his chosen ones!” (Psalm 105:5-6)
         They invite us to learn from His past mercies to avoid punishment for complaining and rebellion: “Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness, when your fathers put me to the test and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work. For forty years I loathed that generation and said, ‘They are a people who go astray in their heart, and have not known my ways.’ Therefore I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest’” (Psalm 95:8-11).
         Then with faith firmly anchored in Yahweh’s former mercies, the fourth book responds to the desperation of the third by recognizing His mercies behind-the-scenes even in the midst of tribulation: “Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress, when he heard their cry. For their sake he remembered his covenant, and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love. He caused them to be pitied by all those who held them captive” (Psalm 106:44-46).
         Therefore the fourth book ends with a secure faith in Yahweh’s future mercies: “Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise. Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’ Praise the LORD!” (Psalm 106:47-48).
         In this way the fourth book of the Psalms gives us a powerful prescription to counteract the depression and spiritual listlessness that come with tribulation. It teaches us to contemplate Yahweh’s exaltedness, focusing above all on His mercy. As we recall His past mercies, we look for evidence of His hands at work in present suffering and cry out to Him with a secure faith in expectation of His future mercies.

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Psalms 73 - 89

12/22/2011

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         The first two books of Psalms end on a positive note in Psalm 72 as it pleads for Yahweh to manifest His righteousness during Solomon’s reign. But when book three begins with Psalm 73, immediately we see that something’s wrong.
         The first verse declares God’s glory: Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart (Psalm 73:1). But then the psalmist Asaph immediately confesses that there was a time he doubted that statement, even to the point of almost losing his faith in God! “But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped (Psalm 73:2). Here he quickly identifies the root of his doubt: For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked (Psalm 73:3). Instead of the widespread righteousness that the people had pleaded for in Psalm 72:4, 12-13, Asaph experienced economic injustice with no sign of change. The arrogant prospered and grew in arrogance while humble believers suffered (Psalm 73:4-14).
         Without going into Psalm 73 verse-by-verse here (that will be a topic for another video), notice for now that Yahweh saves the psalmist from his crisis of faith. Asaph finishes the psalm noticing not only Yahweh’s righteousness but also His profound mercy. And even though at the beginning he almost could not agree with the statement: Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart (Psalm 73:1), now he can declare joyfully and from personal experience: But as for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works (Psalm 73:28).
         But torments of doubt assault faith again in Psalm 74, and not just on a personal but national level: “O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture? (Psalm 74:1) Then it describes the complete, long-term destruction of the sanctuary by God’s enemies while He does nothing to stop it (Psalm 74:3-11). The psalmist goes on to contemplate the power, righteousness and salvation of God in ancient times, and therefore cries out to Him now (Psalm 74:12-23), but different from many of the psalms of the first two books, rescue doesn’t appear. The psalmist responds to this crisis by faith, but it’s a faith in-waiting for salvation to appear.
         In other words, Psalms 73 and 74 introduce us to the darkest of the psalms, to book three that extends from Psalm 73 to Psalm 89. Just as Psalms 1 and 2 served as a double-paneled door to the rest of the psalms, Psalms 73 and 74 serve as the doorway to a dark basement that frightens anyone who would go down the steps. Psalm 1 said about the blessed man, “In all that he does, he prospers (Psalm 1:3); Psalm 73 answers, “All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence (Psalm 73:13). Yahweh declares in Psalm 2, “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill” (Psalm 2:6); now Psalm 74 laments, “They set your sanctuary on fire; they profaned the dwelling place of your name, bringing it down to the ground (Psalm 74:7). The enthusiasm and hope that started the book of Psalms has ground to a halt in the muddy ditch of tribulation.
         It is especially in the third book of the Psalms that we find out that the believers’ cries for Yahweh’s righteousness in Psalm 72 have gone unfulfilled. Psalm 88 is probably the darkest of all; it echoes many of Job’s concerns about Yahweh’s righteousness when he was at the darkest stages of his contemplation. And Psalm 89 begins by declaring Yahweh’s mercy and covenant with His anointed one in a style very similar to many of the psalms of the first two books (Psalm 89:1-37), but in a sudden change that borders on sarcasm, irreverence and bitterness, he accuses Yahweh of having thrown out His covenant with His anointed one (Psalm 89:38-45). The glory, security and hope in the anointed, so firmly declared in Psalms 2 and 72, now are stamped out… but not completely abandoned. The psalmist lifts up only one petition to Yahweh, declared twice: “Remember… Remember, O Lord, how your servants are mocked (Psalm 89:47, 50). Even in all his disappointment, the psalmist is certain that when Yahweh simply turns to His people, His righteousness must be displayed. He will defeat all His enemies and exalt His anointed one again. Even in the midst of desperation, Psalms 88 and 89 recognize that the display of Yahweh’s righteousness and justice is only a question of timing.
         Of course the third book of psalms applies to our walk with Yahweh today. All believers should have our sensibilities shocked as we see and live through injustice in our societies and cry out in agreement with these psalms: How long, O LORD? And we read with longing the response of our Lord, “Surely I am coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:20)

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Psalms 1 - 72

12/12/2011

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         Now that we’ve seen the double-door entry to the Psalms (Psalms 1 and 2), we’re going to describe quickly the first two books of psalms, Psalms 1 – 72.
         The authors identified here include King David (the author of nearly all of these psalms), the Sons of Korah (who wrote or sang Psalms 42 – 49) and Asaph (the author of Psalm 50). The Sons of Korah are descendants of Korah who helped direct the rebellion against Moses and Aaron in Numbers 16. He and his associates in the rebellion were swallowed alive by the earth or consumed by fire, but his sons did not die (Numbers 26:10-11). Many generations later one of his descendants, the singer Heman, was singled out with his sons by David and the Levites to direct the music for worship in the LORD’s house (1 Chronicles 6:31-33, 37). His relative Asaph joined him in singing and in the direction of the instruments (1 Chronicles 15:16-17, 19); he also led by sounding the cymbals (1 Chronicles 16:4-5).
         In this section of the psalms the Anointed One’s petitions to Yahweh and His testimonies of salvation stand out. For example, notice in Psalm 3 how he presents his petition to Yahweh:” O LORD, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; many are saying of my soul, there is no salvation for him in God” (Psalm 3:1-2).
         David responds to this tribulation by crying out to Yahweh with a security or certainty based on the relationship between Yahweh and His Anointed One described in Psalm 2. Here he prays, “But you, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head” (Psalm 3:3).
         Thereafter he finds salvation: “I cried aloud to the LORD, and he answered me from his holy hill. I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the LORD sustained me” (Psalm 3:4-5). And because of this rescue, he can look to Yahweh again to preserve him in future challenges: “I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. Arise, O LORD! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked” (Psalm 3:6-7).
         Therefore, because of Yahweh’s faithfulness in saving him, David announces salvation to all His people: “Salvation belongs to the LORD; your blessing be on your people!” (Psalm 3:8) These themes of petition to Yahweh, His rescue / salvation and the announcement of His salvation to the entire community are going to repeat themselves throughout this section of the psalms.
         Other psalms in this section concentrate on the glory of Yahweh like Psalm 8 that opens and closes appropriately with the declaration, “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! (Psalm 8:1, 9) Others like Psalm 32 stand amazed at the forgiveness that Yahweh grants repentant sinners. Others like Psalm 16 and Psalm 23 rejoice in His faithful love. Psalms 36 and 37 like many others rejoice in Yahweh’s righteousness and justice. This section ends with Psalm 72 and the hope that Yahweh’s salvation, glory, forgiveness, righteousness and faithful love are all displayed in the next generation when David’s son, Solomon, reigns. Therefore, as we read Psalms 1 – 72, let’s praise and glorify Yahweh for His glorious attributes and pray in hope for the generations that follow.

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Psalms 1 - 2

12/10/2011

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         Psalms 1 and 2 are often compared to a double-door leading into all the rest of the psalms.
         If we think of these two psalms that way, notice first that Psalm 1 tells us about the importance of reading all of the psalms in context with the rest of the Bible. If we want the blessing that verse 1 promises, we must find our joy, our delight, in all of Yahweh’s law. If we only pick up the Bible to read the psalms, even though we have good intentions like finding comfort in the midst of trials, verses 1-2 tell us how far we are from knowing God: “Blessed is the man who[se]… delight is in the law of the LORD” (Psalm 1:1-2), a reference to the first five books of the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy). The law of the LORD is the basis for understanding all of the psalms. They were written by men who rejoiced in the law; they console and give comfort to those who know His word and obey it. As we read the psalms, let’s not forget this point of entry.
         Psalm 2 prepares us for the importance of God’s Anointed in the psalms that follow. The Anointed, called the Messiah in Hebrew or the Christ in Greek, refers to someone who is anointed with oil, showing he is set apart by the LORD, His chosen instrument for the purpose of redeeming or rescuing His people, chosen to reign and govern in justice and righteousness (read 1 Samuel 16:1-13 to see an example from Israelite history). Historically, this title referred to King David or his descendant who reigned from the throne in Jerusalem, but the prophetic meaning of many of the verses about the Anointed point to a Being much greater and more glorious than King David, a physical descendent who at the same time is from eternity, Jesus Christ.
         For example, the first verses of Psalm 2 tell us about a rebellion against Yahweh and His Anointed. “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, ‘Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.’” (Psalm 2:1-3) The rest of the psalm sings of Yahweh’s condemnation of their rebellion, His reaffirmation of the Anointed One and His warning that the kings love His Anointed with fear and trembling.
         Notice that in Acts 4 in the New Testament, Jesus’ disciples understand these verses as a prophecy about Him. In prayer they say, “Through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, ‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’ – for truly in this city they were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place (Acts 4:25-28). According to Jesus’ disciples, King David was not the subject of the psalm as much as God’s means of communication, His mouthpiece through whom He instructed us about Jesus Christ, the Anointed par excellence, how He was to be rejected by the Jewish and Gentile leaders who crucified Him, and how He would be vindicated by the Father in His resurrection.
         Therefore, from the double-doors of Psalms 1 and 2, we see the importance of reading the Psalms with our attention placed on all of God’s law, delighting in it in obedience, and at the same time submitting ourselves to His Chosen One. If we rejoice in God’s word and submit to His Anointed One, we are ready to enter into the Book of Psalms.

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Some helps on reading the book of Psalms

12/10/2011

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    A few details to clarify our reading of the book of Psalms:
    1) Notice that Psalms is divided into five books.
    Book One runs from Psalms 1 – 41 and ends with a verse in worship to the LORD and a response from the congregation: “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and amen.” (Psalm 41:13)
    Book Two covers Psalms 42 – 72 and also ends with a verse of worship and a congregational response: “ Blessed by his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and amen! (Psalm 72:19). Next is an editorial annotation that says, “The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended.” (Psalm 72:20)
    The third book runs from Psalms 73 – 89 and also ends with worship and a response: “Blessed be the LORD forever! Amen and Amen. (Psalm 89:52)
    The fourth begins with the oldest psalm, written by Moses (Psalm 90) and runs through Psalm 106 which ends in similar fashion to the others: “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’ Praise the LORD! (Psalm 106:48)
    The fifth covers Psalms 107 through 150 and ends by saying, “Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD! (Psalm 150:6)
    Normally we make no reference to any of these five books within the book of Psalms. Nevertheless, making note of them here will help us to distinguish many impressive psalms one from another and help us see major themes that join them together.
    2) Remember that the Psalms were given to be sung, to direct and express the Israelites’ worship of Yahweh. Unfortunately, no recording exists from this time period! If one existed, I think we would be shocked by how differently it sounds from singing in our churches today, all of which stem from systems and theories of music developed in the last several centuries.
    3) When we refer to a psalm, we never say “chapter” but “psalm”. Therefore all of our references to the book of Psalms are different from our references to any other book of the Bible.
    4) Notice that sometimes the word “Selah” appears at the end of some verses (for the first time in Psalm 3); it is normally placed on the right hand side of a column. Nobody knows exactly what it means although the vast majority of commentators believe that it indicates a pause in the singing, possibly to tune and adjust instruments or so that the congregation can reflect on what they’ve just sung. When we read the psalms today, it’s helpful to pause at the word “Selah” to contemplate what has just been read. When we read the psalms out loud, we never say “Selah”.
    5) Notice that Psalm 117 is the shortest and 119, the longest.
    6) Notice that most English translations give God’s name as “LORD” in capital letters (rather than the name Jehovah or Yahweh) and the divine title Adonai as “Lord” with only the first letter capitalized. This translation practice has a long history that comes from the caution and reverence that the Jews maintained toward the divine name so that it would not be pronounced in vain. Even today, when many devout Jews read the Word of God and come to the four Hebrew letters that represent the divine name, they do not pronounce them but say “Hashem” which means “The Name”. English translators wanted to guard that same respect and translated the divine name as LORD while the title Adonai, which literally means “Lord”, is translated with only one capital letter. That is how we get the strange rendering in English, “The LORD said to my Lord” where there is no difference in pronunciation, but the first instance of LORD is the divine name and the second, the title Adonai. (Psalm 110:1) Personally, I do most of my Bible study, reading and preaching in Spanish which translates the divine name as “Jehová”, so when I write in English, I often refer to God by His name directly, either Jehovah or Yahweh, where English translations refer to Him as LORD.

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Psalms 107 - 150

Psalms 120 - 134

Psalms 90 - 106

Psalms 73 - 89

Psalms 1 - 72

Psalms 1 - 2

Some helps on reading the book of Psalms

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