Wisdom Class 11: Psalms 30-40

The required reading for Sunday, June 6 is Psalms chapters 30-40

Bible Reading Assignment
For Sunday, we'll review next eleven Psalms:

1. Psalm 30: The Blessedness of Answered Prayer (Dedication of David's Palace)
2. Psalm 31: The Lord a Fortress in Adversity (A Song of Trust)
3. Psalm 32: The Joy of Forgiveness (A Psalm of Penitence)
4. Psalm 33: The Sovereignty of the Lord in Creation and History (A Psalm of Joy and Praise)
5. Psalm 34: The Happiness of Those Who Trust in God (David's Thanks for Deliverance)
6. Psalm 35: The Lord and Avenger of His People (An Imprecatory Psalm)
7. Psalm 36: Man's Wickedness and God's Perfections (Trust in God) 
8. Psalm 37: The Heritage of the Righteous and the Calamity of the Wicked (Trust in God)
9. Psalm 38: Prayer in Time of Chastening (A Psalm of Bitter Anguish)
10. Psalm 39: Prayer for Wisdom and Forgiveness (Frailty and Vanity of Life)
11. Psalm 40: Faith Preserving in Trial (Praise for a Great Deliverance)

Notes on each Psalm below are provided as additional background to help you understand the context or classification of each as you read the Psalm. For class on Sunday, choose one or two of these Psalms and be prepared to describe what the message of the Psalm is and any interesting details.

Psalm 30: The Blessedness of Answered Prayer (Dedication of David's Palace)

Dedication of David's palace after he had conquered Jerusalem, and made it his capital (2 Samuel 5:11; 7:2). David had often been near death, but God brought him through every time. He would sing praise to God forever.

Psalm 31: The Lord a Fortress in Adversity (A Song of Trust)

David, in constant danger, trouble, grief or humiliation, always implicitly trusted in God. Jesus quoted His dying word from this Psalm (5; Luke 23:46)

Psalm 32: The Joy of Forgiveness (A Psalm of Penitence)

Occasioned, no doubt, by David's sin with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11-12). He can find no words to express his shame and humiliation. Yet this is the same David who repeatedly avowed his righteousness (Psalms 7:3, 8; 17:1-5; 18:20-24; 26:1-14).

From verse 1 we see David showing gratefulness for God's forgiveness from sins. Verses 3-4 illustrate how concealing his sin really caused David physical illness as his "bones grew old" and "day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;" from David's regret. We can conclude that David improved upon acknowledging his sin to God, verse 5. David then declares that everyone should turn to God for preservation and deliverance, verses 6-7. The speaker appears to become God in verses 8-9 where He will "instruct and teach" and "guide you with My eye" so we shouldn't be line animals without understanding who must be restrained to cooperate. The final two verses return to David speaking and rejoicing in the Lord.

Along with Psalm 32, the other Penitential Psalms are 6, 25, 38, 51, 102, 130, and 143.

Psalm 33: The Sovereignty of the Lord in Creation and History (A Psalm of Joy and Praise)

Another Psalm of rejoicing in the Lord, praising Him with singing and instruments. It mentions a new song in verse 3, and in 40:3, 96:1, 98:1, 144:9; and Revelation 5:9 and 14:3. Just as David sang to the Lord with a new song here, the faithful will be singing a new song to the Lord at the end.

This Psalm also includes a lesson in why we should fear the Lord, He created the heavens and earth (6-9), He will bless the nations whose God is the Lord (10-12), and His eye "is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy," (18) "To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine" (19).

Psalm 34: The Happiness of Those Who Trust in God (David's Thanks for Deliverance)

We need to strive for David's devotion and "bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth." For those who fear God, "the angel of the Lord encamps all around." The eyes and ears of the Lord are toward the righteous, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. As this Psalm closes, it reminds us that the life of a Christian will be difficult "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all."

Psalm 35: The Lord and Avenger of His People (An Imprecatory Psalm)

Other imprecatory Psalms include 52, 58, 59, 69, 109, and 137. They breathe vengeance on enemies. They are not God's pronouncements of His wrath on the wicked, but are the prayers of a man for vengeance on his enemies, just the opposite of Jesus' teaching that we should love our enemies. How can we explain this?

Many people want to believe that God allowed man to kill man during the old testament times because it preserved the Nation of Israel until Christ and that God now is all merciful and would never harm a soul. But God is just and fair and will still bring destruction upon those who don't obey his commandments. As we see in 1 Thessalonians 5 concerning the day of the Lord will come as a "thief in the night" and those unprepared will suffer "sudden destruction" just "as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they will not escape." God is just to reward those who obey and just to punish those who disobey when the day of the Lord comes, judgment day and the end of the earth.

The primary difference between the time of David and today is that the judgment of God came while people still walked on the earth through wars and blessings at the hand of God, while today the judgment will come after we die or if the Lord returns while we are still alive. To me, it is more fearful today because we can't witness the punishment of God first hand to increase our faith (fear) in God, but we must read from the bible and believe that God is with us and that our reward will be there when we die, faithfully.

Psalm 36: Man's Wickedness and God's Perfections (Trust in God)

We see the true wickedness of man illustrated, with no fear for God. In Contrast, David describes the awesome mercy, faithfulness, righteousness, and judgments of the Lord and concludes requesting that the workers of iniquity be cast down and not be able to rise.

Psalm 37: The Heritage of the Righteous and the Calamity of the Wicked (Trust in God)

Continuing the theme from Psalm 37, but making it personal David declares "Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And whither as the green herb." As the faithful, we should "Trust in the Lord" (3-4), Commit our way to the Lord (5-6), and "Rest in the Lord" (7-8) because we have nothing to worry about, "He shall deliver them [the faithful] from the wicked, And save them, Because they trust in Him." (40)

Psalm 38: Prayer in Time of Chastening (A Psalm of Bitter Anguish)

One of the Penitential Psalms (see on Psalm 32 above). It seems that David was suffering from a loathesome disease, caused by his sin, on account of which his closest friends and nearest relatives had become estranged, and enemies had multiplied and become very bold. It shows how the "man after God's own heart" sometimes went to the depths in sorrow and humiliation for his son.

Psalm 39: Prayer for Wisdom and Forgiveness (Frailty and Vanity of Life)

Jeduthun in this, and titles of 62 and 77, was one of David's three music leaders, the other two being Asaph and Heman (1 Chronicles 16:37-42). Also he was the king's seer (2 Chronicles 35:15).

Through this Psalm we see David trying to guard his ways to avoid sinning and asking for God's help by hearing his prayers.

Psalm 40: Faith Preserving in Trial (Praise for a Great Deliverance)

The law of God was in his heart (8). Yet he was utterly crushed by his iniquities (12). The last part of this Psalm is the same as Psalm 70. It seems to have Messianic reference (7, 8; Hebrews 10:5-7; 1 Peter 5:7).

Note:  Haley's Bible Handbook, 24th Edition and The Holy Bible, new King James Version, Reference Edition, Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.were used in preparing the comments in this post.