Tag Archives: Psalms

Psalm 54

Posted on June 13, 2015 by ehurst

David wrote several psalms while fleeing Saul’s hand. This refers to the narrative in 1 Samuel 23. In this case, David with his private army was hiding somewhere south of Hebron, in the open country near the village of Ziph … Continue reading →

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Psalm 53

Posted on June 6, 2015 by ehurst

This is quite similar to Psalm 14. While we can only guess, perhaps it’s appearance here in Book 2 simply means it was used in a different context, which would give it a different emphasis. We see it has a … Continue reading →

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Psalm 51

Posted on May 23, 2015 by ehurst

A psalm by David, this refers to events narrated in 2 Samuel 11-12. That story has it all: adultery, murder and scandal. We struggle to understand a biblical morality that is so foreign to Western instincts. Because of our longstanding … Continue reading →

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Psalm 50

Posted on May 16, 2015 by ehurst

If we take Asaph as the name of the man known to lead the Temple musicians, then he must have also been a prophet of some sort, for his psalms typically deal with the judgment of God. Were Jehovah like … Continue reading →

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Psalm 49

Posted on May 9, 2015 by ehurst

We should not assume that figurative language indicates actual belief. The Ancient Near Eastern civilizations as whole generally avoided discussing the afterlife because they made no pretense of understanding it. Instead, they relied on a range of confused metaphors to … Continue reading →

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Psalm 48

Posted on May 2, 2015 by ehurst

The third in the praise trilogy, we have now the emphasis on Zion. We’ve seen God as Protector, as King, and now His earthly capital reflects His glory. Depending on the particular translation, there is reference to Mount Zaphon or … Continue reading →

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Psalm 47

Posted on April 25, 2015 by ehurst

This second song in a trilogy has become the source for quite a number of hymns and praise songs in recent decades. The first half serves to justify the rest. In these first four verses, this psalm written by the … Continue reading →

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Psalm 46

Posted on April 18, 2015 by ehurst

A psalm from the Korahites, Martin Luther said this was the basis for his famous “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” hymn, but there are also more recent songs from it. This and the next two seem to form a … Continue reading →

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Psalm 45

Posted on April 11, 2015 by ehurst

The dedication line says this was written by a Temple cantor, one of the Kohathites. Some scholars note that this psalm cannot be associated with any historical figure. Rather, it sounds like an idealized image of a royal wedding. Our … Continue reading →

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Psalm 44

Posted on April 4, 2015 by ehurst

Western scholars seem to be unsure whether the Sons of Korah wrote this or if it was simply dedicated to them. English translations vary on whether it is “by” or “for” them. Even more disturbing is the insinuation by Western … Continue reading →

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