New Year’s Reading on the Book of Psalms
The new year is here, with a golden opportunity to read more and better in the months ahead. Maybe you were given money for books for Christmas. Wonderful! There’s little that I enjoy more than helping other people spend money on good books!
I want to recommend the possibility of your working through three books on the Psalms from which I’ve learned this last year. I can’t say, of course, that I’ve been persuaded of every point on which they argue. But I can say that I feel myself truly indebted to each author.
Psalms by the Day by Alec Motyer (Christian Focus Publications, 2016)
If there was just one new title on the Book of Psalms that I wish everyone could obtain, it would be this one. It is truly a mine of gold, but it happily requires the reader to do very little digging on his own.
The book is arranged for reading through the Psalter in just seventy-three days (Day 1: Psalms 1–2; Day 2: Psalms 3–7; Day 3: Psalms 8–10, and so on). Along the way, Motyer provides three components to elucidate and apply your reading. His subtitle introduces them as, A working translation with analysis and explanatory notes, and a “Pause for Thought” based on the passage read.
First, a working translation. For many readers, this will prove to be the single most enlightening benefit. Motyer explains in his introduction, What I have set out to do in offering my own translation of the Psalms is to bring you as near as I can to the Hebrew of the original. Pause for a moment and think about that: to bring you as near as I can to the Hebrew of the original. Doesn’t that sound great?
One of the most helpful ways in which Motyer does this is by following the order of the Hebrew text rather than (as most English translations) rearranging the original wording for the sake of a smooth English reading. Following the Hebrew order often displays emphases that our English translations forfeit. For a single example, compare the following:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeth me beside the still waters
(KJV: Ps. 23:1–2).Yahweh is my shepherd: I will not lack.
In pastures of fresh grass he makes me lie.
Beside secure waters he guides me
(Motyer: Ps. 23:1–2).
The last clause of verse 1 states confidently, “I shall not want.” Then our English texts begin the next two lines with their subject, “he” (the Lord). But actually, as Motyer displays, these two lines in the Hebrew text open with prepositional clauses. What’s the difference?
The difference is that by opening with the prepositional clauses, the Hebrew text throws the accent toward what it is that the subject (“he”) provides so that his sheep do not lack; “in pastures of fresh grass he makes me lie” and “beside secure waters he guides me” (my emphasis in order to highlight the psalmist’s).
Second, Motyer provides analysis and explanatory notes. Throughout his translation Motyer inserts superscripted numbers beside words or phrases that he elucidates in side notes (not footnotes). These are refreshingly pithy in contrast to the insufferable lengths to which commentaries seem to trend today.
To give an example from the lines already quoted, notice the translation “secure waters” in the last line. “Secure” isn’t a modifier that would generally occur to us as an appropriate or even desirable description of needed water. But Motyer clarifies briefly, “Lit. ‘waters of rest,’ but the word has a wide range: rest, home, security, quiet.” These kinds of short hints are scattered throughout Motyer’s work, repeatedly starting one’s mind running with its own satisfying applications.
Third, Motyer provides “Pause for Thought” sections at the conclusion of every day’s reading. These are brief (less than a page), warm, and devotional in nature—not trite and timeworn, but perceptive, fresh, and rooted rigorously in what the text actually says, rather than what merely sentimental minds might imagine that it does.
The result of Motyer’s confining himself to just these three components is a commentary of a little more than four hundred pages that is sufficiently satisfying without running on tediously. It makes for a just-right companion for those having no knowledge of Hebrew but wishing that they could penetrate a level or two deeper than their English text. I’ve been recommending it to folks in our church ever since it was published, and I’ve been gratified that they generally testify to their being regularly delighted with the surprising insights that they’re receiving.
The Flow of the Psalms by O. Palmer Robertson (P&R Publishing, 2015)
Most Christians assume that the Psalter is something like a modern hymnbook, but minus the advantage of a good hymnbook’s topical arrangement (beginning, for instance, with anthems of Trinitarian praise and concluding with Christian living). The Psalms are assumed to be generally disconnected and detached, something like Solomon’s proverbs are from one another.
But for about thirty to forty years now, Psalms scholars have been exploring the possibility that the Book of Psalms may be proclaiming a demonstrable, overall message, and that in order to do so, its chapters have been almost as deliberately sequenced as those in a major prophet or a Pauline epistle.
For many years O. Palmer Robertson has attempted to discover whether there is such a structure to the Psalter. The Flow of the Psalms explains his conclusions to date on this project. Walter Kaiser calls it a groundbreaking and innovative piece of research . . . that will open up new vistas of study and preaching.
Robertson takes as his starting point the often overlooked fact that the Psalter is made up of five books (Psalms 1–41; 42–72; 73–89; 90–106; 107–150), each of which concludes with a similar doxology (Psalm 41:13; 72:18–19; 89:52; 106:48; 150). Within these books are recognizable clusters, bound into units by their subject matter (as the kingship psalms, 20–24, in Book 1), or authorship (for instance, the “Sons of Korah,” Psalms 42–49 in Book 2), or title (as “A song of degrees;” Psalms 120–34 in Book 5), or some other unifying element.
In Robertson’s understanding (and many others’ as well), Psalms 1 and 2 function in tandem as introductory to the entire Psalter. Taken together, these two very brief psalms anticipate major themes that permeate all five books (13). What are these permeating themes?
Psalm 1 divides the entire human race into just two categories of people. They are the righteous and the wicked, and in the end they are judged on the basis of their response to God’s revealed Torah, the law, the teaching, the instruction of the Lord (13). This is the first major theme, and throughout the Psalter the contrast between these two sets of people is highlighted in various ways. Their paths, their struggles with one another in this life, and their ultimate destinies are revealed graphically through the life experiences of the psalmists.
Psalm 2 introduces the second major theme of the Psalter as being the person of God’s Messiah, his perpetual dynasty, and his permanent dwelling place. From a redemptive-historical perspective, the Lord’s covenant with David provides the essential framework for understanding the Psalms (14). The Lord has declared that His anointed Son, who is also David’s ultimate “son,” will rule over the uttermost parts of the earth. Though this divine decree is stubbornly contested by one of the categories of people in Psalm 1 (the wicked) throughout every age of human history, the divinely decreed outcome is unshakably assured. Eventually, all the nations and all their peoples will serve Him. Thus the climactic praises with which each of the Psalter’s five books concludes:
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen (Ps. 41:13, ending Book 1).
Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen (Psalm 72:18–19, ending Book 2).
Blessed be the Lord for evermore. Amen, and Amen (Ps. 89:52, ending Book 3).
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord (Ps. 106:48, ending Book 4).
Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord (Ps. 150:6, ending Book 5 and the entire Psalter).
Robertson then suggests a one-word summarization for each of the five books of the Psalter. Each word is in relation to the struggle between the righteous and the wicked, especially as that conflict progresses through human history toward the divinely decreed victory for David’s ultimate Seed, the Messiah.
Book 1 is Confrontation, a word that reflects the opening framework of the two introductory psalms. Robertson postulates that David the son of Jesse was the man chosen by God . . . the head of the line that would ultimately lead to the Royal Redeemer. As such, he must enter into mortal conflict with the many enemies of the Messianic kingdom (53).
Book 2 in Robertson’s understanding can be characterized by the word Communication. This is because many of the psalms in this collection address the peoples, nations, foreigners or all mankind. And these psalms manifest a different attitude toward the nations and peoples of the world from the prevailing perspective in Book I (85). Even though they continue to be enemies, the nations are told messages that they would be wise to hear and to apply (as introductory Psalm 2 exhorted, vv. 10–12).
Book 3 is a striking contrast, with its strong and repeated theme of the defeat of God’s people at the hands of invading international enemies (122). So Robertson captures this book in the word Devastation.
Instead of anticipating the establishment of the Davidic dynasty that will come only through David’s intense personal struggles (Book I), or presenting the rule of God and his Messiah as an accomplished fact, though constantly under attack (Book II), Book III of the Psalms raises the dark specter of international armies who devastate David’s dynasty and the Lord’s dwelling place at the temple in Jerusalem. This third book of the Psalter ends with the distressing circumstance in which the Lord’s enemies have “mocked every step of your anointed one” (Ps. 89:51) (145–46).
Robertson’s analysis of Book 4 resolves into the conclusion that it reflects a matured perspective on Yahweh’s lordship over all the peoples of the world (164). For this reason he characterizes it with the word Maturation. His thought is that the intent of this Book (and Book 5) is to redirect the hopes of the reader away from an earthly Davidic kingdom to the kingship of Yahweh (147). Greater trust must be placed in the eternal kingship of Yahweh, who will be true to his covenantal promise to David.
Book III concluded with God’s covenant people and their king suffering in the agonies of exile, with the dwelling place of Yahweh utterly devastated. Yet in a way that cannot be humanly explained, the nation’s exile at the hands of international enemies has become the “proving ground” of the people’s faith in the certainly that Yahweh will do it (148).
In his analysis of Book 4 Robertson most applies covenant theology’s eschatological perspective. From the perspective of Book IV, Yahweh’s kingship is not to be regarded as yet to be realized at some time in the future. Instead, God must now be worshipped as King, not only among his people but also throughout the nations of the world (156). Nonetheless, his exposing and explaining the kingship theme in this book is very helpful. All that a dispensational theologian needs to do is recalibrate the application of it to include a future, earthly fulfillment.
Book 5 is Consummation. It is the largest of the five and concludes, as already noted, with the magnificent Hallel psalms calling everything in heaven and upon earth to praise the Lord.
Nothing of similar deep analysis is available on the central message and broad structure of the Psalter. For that reason alone, Robertson is a must-read for anyone grappling with those issues. Anyone who works with it will concur pretty quickly that it is immensely helpful at many points and in its explanations of many overlooked emphases in individual psalms. Once you read it, you’ll almost certainly reach for it whenever you preach on any particular psalm.
Singing the Songs of Jesus by Michael LeFebvre (Christian Focus, 2010)
I highly recommend this small book (160 pp). LeFebvre’s (pronounced luh-feb) thesis is that the Book of Psalms is unique among the books of the Bible. It alone has been written to be both God’s words to us and our words back to Him. It is the only book of the Bible with God as the audience and God’s people as the appointed speakers (16).
But in addition, the Book of Psalms is a hymnbook. That means that in the Psalms we are not only informed of what to say to God, especially in worship, but also directed also to say these things to Him singingly, musically. Not that they are to be sung only. They are also to be prayed. But they must not be omitted from our singing. Which brings LeFebvre to suggest a place, perhaps the place, where the so-called “worship wars” are being fought at the wrong level. He appreciates that many of our traditional hymns and gospel songs are theologically rich and deservedly precious. But he asks whether it has been right for the churches to adopt them as replacements for Psalm singing (27).
LeFebvre himself has moved from membership in a Baptist church in Chicago (during which time he worked for Bill Gothard’s Institute in Basic Life Principles and aided hymnologist Al Smith in his research and writing of hymn histories) to now pastoring a small Reformed church that sings psalms exclusively. Yet he continues to hold great appreciation for the rich heritage of beautiful songs written by gifted hymnwriters through the centuries (28). But his concern is that when extra-biblical songs are the diet of worship, and when they restrain our expectations so that the hymns God gave his church now seem “unfit,” some kind of recovery operation is needed (29).
In order to prod his readers toward that recovery operation, LeFebvre argues that there are at least two characteristics of the Psalms that make them unique—and uniquely powerful—for modern Christian worship (32). The first is that they are the only songs a church sings which are divinely inspired. Some modern hymnwriters may be better poets . . . some of the songs produced in recent centuries may be easier to understand and more aesthetically pleasing to sing, but they are not inspired and inerrant. He quotes the early-church pastor/theologian Athanasius, who warned against trying to recast or completely change their words. Their expressions [are] superior to those we construct . . . [for it is] the Spirit who speaks in the saints . . . [to] render assistance to us (37).
The beautiful thing about the Psalms is that they are above suspicion. Even if we wonder what a Psalm means, we never need to wonder if it is true. We can pour our hearts into them as we sing, without having to fear whether we are professing error (41).
The second characteristic of the Psalms that LeFebvre argues is unique is that they were what he calls “king-led.” He explains David’s God-given authority in establishing not only the categories and arrangements of the temple musicians, but also the actual content of their singing (1 Chron. 25). Three times the Scripture says that all these things were, literally (Hebrew text), by the hands of the king (or, according to the order of the king [KJV]; under the direction of the king [NASB].) So, LeFebvre points out, the whole collection is rightly called “the Psalms of David,” because they all speak “in the king’s voice” (42).
What this means, then, is that when the Lord’s people (whether OT, NT, or the present) sing the psalms, it is David, and (here is where LeFebvre extends his reasoning to make the point captured in his book’s title) ultimately, David’s Son who are leading their worship. When you sing the Psalms, you are actually singing the songs of Jesus, with Jesus as your songleader (50).
No other praise song can do that. Fanny Crosby can offer us beautiful songs that edify our faith. William Cowper can give us words that help verbalize the awe that is in our hearts for the sacrifice of Christ. Such poets have made tremendous contributions to Christian devotion by their songs. But it is in the biblical psalms alone that Jesus himself, our priestly king, leads our song proclamations in the presence of the Father (51).
Whatever one’s reaction to this proposal may be initially, the suggestion at least merits a moment’s consideration. One constraining reason for doing so is that the writer of Hebrews quotes Psalm 22:22 as saying something very similar to (or perhaps exactly) what LeFebvre is arguing: I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee (Heb. 2:12). Here is an unquestionably Messianic psalm (see vv. 1, 16, 18 and even 8). The author of Hebrews relies upon one of its statements to confirm that the Messiah and saved sinners are brethren. But Psalm 22:22 says something else as well, which the Hebrews author doesn’t mention (as it isn’t his chief point). The speaker in the psalm who calls us his brethren will also sing praise to God the Father in the midst of the church. We are directed to join Him in the singing of both this psalm and all other psalms (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16).
The singer, of course, is the Messiah, David’s Son- King. And according to Psalm 22, it is prophesied that He will someday sing God’s praises in the midst of the church among His brethren. This is Lefebvre’s point: When you sing the Psalms, you are actually singing the songs of Jesus, with Jesus as your songleader.
In the remainder of his book LeFebvre explores the ramifications of this thesis for the whole debatable issue of which psalms are specifically Messianic. He argues that a case can be made that all of them are in some senses, even those classified as penitential (since Christ truly bore both our sins and their guilt). This leads to his understanding of the related topics of (1) a right use and singing of the imprecatory psalms, (2) journeying with the Psalter through troubles to the ultimate destination of praise, and (3) applying a more robust use of the psalms to the current controversy of contemporary worship.
Blessed will be the man who meditates in Psalms in 2020. These three titles will almost certainly pave your way to doing it more fruitfully.
(Originally published in FrontLine • January/February 2020. Click here to subscribe to the magazine.)
Dr. Mark Minnick pastors Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Greenville, South Carolina. You can access his sermons at mountcalvarybaptist.org/pages/ sermons/default.aspx.
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