Motor
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
PSALMS 19 ANALYSIS
A PAPER SUBMITTED TO DR. MARK MCGINNISS
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR
THE COURSE OBST 610
LIBERTY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
BY SONJA HILL
JULY 6, 2012 The Book of Psalms is a compilation of beautifully exquisite poems which were used as prayers as well as sung as praise and worship songs for public and private worship by the children of God. The Psalms are not simply prayers nor are they simply hymns, they cannot be considered solely prophetic or fully law, yet they are comprised of all of the previously stated elements. The goal of this paper is to analyze the 19th Psalm by presenting a summary of the Psalm, discussing the literary features and interpretive issues and exploring the theological applications of the Psalm.
Introduction
Psalm 19 was written by David and is looked upon as the Hebrew poem which exhibits the most splendor and beauty of the Psalter. Longman and Garland allude to the following statement of C. S. Lewis in their book The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Psalms, “C. S. Lewis, 63, wrote, ‘I take this to be the greatest poem in the Psalter and one of the greatest lyrics in the world.’” Psalm 19 falls under the description of a Torah psalm, because the theological expressions within the psalm focus on the Torah itself, the law which was given to the nation of Israel on Mount Sinai by God. This psalm is a praise of the law. Psalm 19 is the reply to Psalm 18’s cry for a nation in trouble. Psalm 19 is the result of salvation through the law of God, the Torah.
Psalm Structure
Psalm 19 is thought to be a Torah psalm that was meant to be a song for worship and praise of the redemptive law of God. This is evident in the fact that the psalm is addressed by David as being for the Director of music. Psalm 19 was most likely a hymn with which David sought to extol the Glory of God. Psalm that were addressed in similar manner were all “Probably a liturgical
PSALMS 19 ANALYSIS
A PAPER SUBMITTED TO DR. MARK MCGINNISS
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR
THE COURSE OBST 610
LIBERTY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
BY SONJA HILL
JULY 6, 2012 The Book of Psalms is a compilation of beautifully exquisite poems which were used as prayers as well as sung as praise and worship songs for public and private worship by the children of God. The Psalms are not simply prayers nor are they simply hymns, they cannot be considered solely prophetic or fully law, yet they are comprised of all of the previously stated elements. The goal of this paper is to analyze the 19th Psalm by presenting a summary of the Psalm, discussing the literary features and interpretive issues and exploring the theological applications of the Psalm.
Introduction
Psalm 19 was written by David and is looked upon as the Hebrew poem which exhibits the most splendor and beauty of the Psalter. Longman and Garland allude to the following statement of C. S. Lewis in their book The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Psalms, “C. S. Lewis, 63, wrote, ‘I take this to be the greatest poem in the Psalter and one of the greatest lyrics in the world.’” Psalm 19 falls under the description of a Torah psalm, because the theological expressions within the psalm focus on the Torah itself, the law which was given to the nation of Israel on Mount Sinai by God. This psalm is a praise of the law. Psalm 19 is the reply to Psalm 18’s cry for a nation in trouble. Psalm 19 is the result of salvation through the law of God, the Torah.
Psalm Structure
Psalm 19 is thought to be a Torah psalm that was meant to be a song for worship and praise of the redemptive law of God. This is evident in the fact that the psalm is addressed by David as being for the Director of music. Psalm 19 was most likely a hymn with which David sought to extol the Glory of God. Psalm that were addressed in similar manner were all “Probably a liturgical
References: Baker, Kenneth L. Ed. NIV Study Bible. (Grand Rapids, MN: Zondervan, 2002). Bullock, C. Hassel Encountering the Book of Psalms: A Literary and Theological Introduction. (Grand Rapids, MN: Baker Academic, 2001). Longman III, Tremper and David E. Garland, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Psalms. (Grand Rapids, MN: Zondervan, 2008). Psalm 19. BibleStudyTools.com. http://www.biblestudytools.com/. Psalm 19, Holy Bible, NIV. BibleGateway.com. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2019&version=NIV Spurgeon, Charles H, “ The Treasury of David,” The Spurgeon Archive. http://www.spurgeon.org/treasury/ps019.htm#expl