< Psalms Book 4 (Psalms 90-106)
Sept. 21, 2024 version
Psalm 90-91– The Eternal God and Lost Time
1. In Ps 90:1-17, how do you handle when you feel like you have to wait for an eternity?
2. In Ps 90:1-17, what is an outline of this psalm?
3. In Ps 90:2-3, what is the paradox here about dust and eternity?
4. In Ps 90:5-6, Ps 103:15; Isa 40:6-8,24; 51:12; Jms 1:24 how are we like grass?
5. In Ps 90:9, how have their days passed/dwindled in God’s wrath?
6. In Ps 90:12, how are we to number our days?
7. In Ps 90:14, what does the morning represent here?
8. In Ps 90:15, what is the unusual request Moses is asking here?
9. In Ps 91:3, what is the snare of the fowler / bird-catcher mentioned?
10. In Ps 91:3, what is pestilence?
11. In Ps 91:4a, 17:8; 57:1; 61:4f, how are we under God’s pinions?
12. In Ps 91:4 and many passages talk of God’s right arm and hands, so does that mean God has a body like a man?
13. In Ps 91:4f, how is God’s truth as a shield and buckler?
14. In Ps 91:11-12, does this refer to Jesus, or to all believers?
Psalm 92-93 – He is Still on the Throne
1. In Ps 92:1-15, when was this song sung?
2. In Ps 92:10, how was David’s horn exalted?
3.: In Ps 92:12-14, why is the data palm mentioned here?
4. In Ps 92:14, what does it mean to bring forth fruit in old age?
5. In Ps 93:1, how is the Lord clothed with majesty and strength?
6. In Ps 94:1-23, what is an outline of this psalm?
A: The psalm is arranged as a chiasm.
1-2 The God of vengeance
- 3-7 How long with the wicked triumph with arrogance?
- - 8-11 God will rebuke the wicked
- - 12-15 God will bless the wise
- 16-21 Condemnation of the wicked
22-23 God our refuge will destroy them
See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.5 p.610 for more info.
7. In Ps 94:1 what does this teach about vengeance?
8. In Ps 94:1-7, for what exactly is the psalmist praying?
9. In Ps 94:10, what does it mean that vengeance belongs with God?
10. In Ps 94:11 why are the thoughts of man useless?
11. In Ps 94:12 why does God sometimes discipline His beloved children?
12. In Ps 94:20 what is a “throne of destruction” or a “corrupt throne”?
Psalm 95-97 – Kneel before our Maker
1. When was Ps 95;1-11 written?
2. In Ps 95:8, how can we choose to harden or not?
3. In Ps 95:7-11, what are the two main points?
4. In Ps 95:9-11, how do people sometimes test God today?
5. In Ps 96:1-12, why could one argue this is not a praise psalm?
6. In Ps 96:1, why is the emphasis not on singing a song, but on singing a new song?
7. In Ps 96:9-13, what two very different emotions are juxtaposed here?
8. In Ps 97:1-12, what is the main point of this psalm?
9. In Ps 97:1, why are islands emphasized here?
10. In Ps 97:2 and 2 Chr 6:1, how are clouds and darkness around God, and in Ps 104:2 how is God covered with light?
11. In Ps 97:7 and 1 Chr 16:25-26, how are there many gods?
12. In Ps 97:7, why does Heb 1:6 quote this from the Septuagint?
13. In Ps 97:10a, are Christians supposed to hate?
14. In Ps 97:10b, how does God preserve the souls of His saints?
Psalm 98-101 – Kneel before our Maker
1. In Ps 98:1, what type of music is suitable for worship?
2. In Ps 98:1; 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 144:9; 149:1 is it OK in church to sing songs whose words are not bible verses?
3. In Ps 98:5-6, 12 Chr 16:5,6; 2 Chr 5:12,13; 29:25-30; Ezra 3:10-13, how does this relate to not using musical instruments I church?
4. In Ps 98:8, how do the floods clap their hands?
5. In Ps 99:1-9, why we should exalt God?
6. In Ps 99:6, Aaron was among God’s priests, but how were Moses and Samuel priests?
7. Why is Ps 100:1 like Ps 66:1?
8. What is Ps 101:1-8 about?
9. In Ps 101:1-8, what is the structure of this psalm?
A: This short psalm is a chiasm with the following structure.
1-3a The king commits to God’s righteousness
- 3b-5 The king will hate evil
- - 6 The king will love God’s people
- 7 the king will not remove evil and evil people from his courts or the land
8 the king will root out injustice
See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.5 p.641 for more info.
10. In Ps 101:5 why are secret things highlighted here?
11. In Ps 101:7-8, what does this say about public office?
Psalm 90-91– The Eternal God and Lost Time – some brief answers
1. In Ps 90:1-17, how do you handle when you feel like you have to wait for an eternity?
A: This psalm is an invitation to ponder something we talk about every single day, but we rarely think about, or at least not deeply: time.
The superscription says this psalm was written by Moses, which would make this the oldest psalm written. It is fitting that this psalm highlights time, because Moses had to wander with the Israelites in the wilderness for 40 years, and Moses found he had a lot of time on his hands. How would you feel if, through no fault of your own, other people’s actions now caused you to wait and not be able to do much, for forty years. You could be disappointed, as I am sure Moses was. You could ask, “why me”, or get depressed, or you could respond like Moses and praise God. Moses was in a unusual situation here, having to wait essentially the rest of his life; and when you are in an unusual situation, that is especially a time to praise God!
AS someone once said, when you ask God for something, throw away your watch, but keep your sneakers beside your bed.
See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.5 p.592 for more info.
2. In Ps 90:1-17, what is an outline of this psalm?
A: This is arranged as a chiasm.
1-2 The Lord is God
- 3-6 God’s authority over people
- - 7-10 God’s wrath
- - 11-12 Our response to God’s Wrath
- 13-16 Praying for God’s mercy
17 May God’s kindness be on us
See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.5 p.593 for more info.
3. In Ps 90:2-3, what is the paradox here about dust and eternity?
A: The Hebrew word here for destruction is unusual; it specifically refers to crushed matter. Physically we are like clay puppets slowly disintegrating as we walk across the stage of life. Physically out bodies are journeying to a destination of dust, yet still, we have a hunger for permanence. The only reason that makes sense is that there is something in us that knows it is eternal. Go dhas placed eternity in our hearts, as Ecclesiastes 3:11 says. Everything around us looks like it is decaying or passing away; but God has the last word.
See The MacArthur Bible Commentary p.658, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.5 p.593, the New International Bible Commentary p.619, and the Evangelical Commentary on the Bible p.389 for more info.
4. In Ps 90:5-6, Ps 103:15; Isa 40:6-8,24; 51:12; Jms 1:24 how are we like grass?
A: We are grass that quickly grows and quickly withers. Charles Spurgeon summarizes this verse: grass is “sown, grown, blown, mown, gone”. However brief our earthly lives might be though, Jesus, in speaking of the lilies of the field in Matthew 6:28-30, assures us that God cares so much more for us than grass.
See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.5 p.689
5. In Ps 90:9, how have their days passed/dwindled in God’s wrath?
A: This was likely written by Moses during the 40 years of wandering. There are two aspects of how this is true.
Out of God’s pleasure: The anonymous author of this psalm talks of the days of God’s people, spent not in the joy of fellowship with God; but the sorrow and hard times disobeying God.
Dwindling days: That also expresses regret at what could have been. So many days, really years, have already passed of missed opportunities and blessings.
We also see both aspects near the end, in Psalm 90:14-15.
See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.859, the Keil-Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament vol.5 part 3 p.48-49, and The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.553 for more info.
6. In Ps 90:12, how are we to number our days?
A: The eternal God does not change; but we do. All our lives, we should realize that our lives on earth are fleeting (Psalm 39:4-6; 90:3-6; 144:4; James 1:10-11). Life on earth is more precious when we realize just how short it is, at least compared to eternity.
7. In Ps 90:14, what does the morning represent here?
A: Morning stands for a new, joyful beginning. Too long have they been in the night; but there is a new day coming when God’s people will be obedient and have His favor. The season of affliction in Psalm 90:15 will be over.
See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.859 and the Keil-Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament vol.5 part 3 p.58 for more info.
8. In Ps 90:15, what is the unusual request Moses is asking here?
A: Moses is asking that they be made to rejoice for as long a time as they had been afflicted, if not longer.
See The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.554 for more info.
9. In Ps 91:3, what is the snare of the fowler / bird-catcher mentioned?
A: A fowler’s snare is a hidden, sudden, shocking surprise to healthy birds that they can be caught so that they can be killed and consumed. The bird does not ponder the shortness of its remaining life because it has no clue. Sometimes a bird is unaware that it is in fatal peril trapped until it decides to get out. Some temptations today consume us, slowly, yet thoroughly, like smoking, alcoholism, and drugs. Other temptations consume our soul, making us not even wanting to live an abundant, addiction-free life. But if you have lived your life foolishly, and so much of what you could be seems permanently lost now, God is almighty. You can pray to God ot ask Him to “restore the years the locusts have eaten” as Joel 2:25-26 promised to Israel.
See the Keil-Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament vol.5 part 3 p.63, the New International Bible Commentary p.619, The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.860, and The MacArthur Bible Commentary p.658-659 for more info.
10. In Ps 91:3, what is pestilence?
A: This is a plague, usually of deadly sickness. Circumstances beyond our control can present themselves to us. We might not always be able to control what circumstances happen, but we can decide how we respond to those circumstances.
11. In Ps 91:4a, 17:8; 57:1; 61:4f, how are we under God’s pinions?
A: Pinions are the outermost part of bird wings. They have long feathers. The picture here is that we are little baby birds or chickens whom God, as the mother bird, covers with her wings to protect them from the weather.
William MacDonald, the author of the Believer’s Bible Commentary, on p.689 said that when he was five years old, living in the Wester Hebrides (northwest Scotland), he was about to die of diphtheria. His Christian mother turned away from him because she did not want to watch him take his last breath. All of a sudden, her brother-in-law from the next village knocked on the door. He told him she didn’t have to worry about William; he is going to recover and one day he will come to Christ. The mother asked why he said that. The brother-in-law said that he was reading Psalm 91 when God distinctly spoke to him that this would happen.
See The MacArthur Bible Commentary p.659 and The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.5 p.599 for more info.
12. In Ps 91:4 and many passages talk of God’s right arm and hands, so does that mean God has a body like a man?
A: No. Psalm 91:4 says that God covers us with his feathers, but that beautiful metaphor of God’s love does not make God look like a bird! Isaiah 44:13 say men worship images in the form of man. If God’s body was like man, it should say these images were in God’s form. While God can appear in any form, this does not mean God the Father has an intrinsic form of a man, any more than He has an intrinsic form of a bush.
On the other hand, after Jesus’ incarnation on earth as both God and man, Jesus is even still now man, as Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
See the discussion on Exodus 8:19 for more info.
13. In Ps 91:4f, how is God’s truth as a shield and buckler?
A: God’s truth protects us in two ways. A shield is something a warrior actively uses to block arrows and sword thrusts. The other word is something that passively blocks the same. It could be a piece of armor or a city wall; we are not certain of the word. The KJV and NRSV say “buckler”, which is part of a soldier’s armor. (Most infantry soldiers did not have armor, but armor was greatly valued.) The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.860 and The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.5 p.599 say, “rampart”. A rampart was part of the wall of a city.
14. In Ps 91:11-12, does this refer to Jesus, or to all believers?
A: Psalm 91:1 says this refers to “He that dwells in the shelter of the Most High.” This certainly would refer to the Messiah, but it also applies to us, since Jesus lives in us. Satan quoting Psalm 91:11-12 to Jesus in Matthew 4:6 and Luke 4:10-11 explicitly proves this refers to Jesus since Jesus did not deny that the verses referred to Him.
Psalm 92-93 – He is Still on the Throne – some brief answers
1. In Ps 92:1-15, when was this song sung?
A: In Jewish tradition this was sung in the morning on the Sabbath by the Levites.
See the Keil-Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament vol.5 part 3 p.66 and The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.5 p.603 for more info.
2. In Ps 92:10, how was David’s horn exalted?
A: Horn is a symbol of strength. God strengthened David from being a shepherd boy to being a king, and then made David’s kingdom very powerful.
3.: In Ps 92:12-14, why is the data palm mentioned here?
A: The date palm tree grew in the Mideast, and at maturity it produce 300 to 400, or sometimes as much as 600 pounds of fruit.
See the Keil-Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament vol.5 part 3 p.71 for more info.
4. In Ps 92:14, what does it mean to bring forth fruit in old age?
A: This means to have children in old age.
5. In Ps 93:1, how is the Lord clothed with majesty and strength?
A: When we see a person, typically we only see their face and arms, and their clothes. Likewise, when we “see” God in nature, we see His “clothing” of majesty and strength. While we do see the One True God in nature, we do not see Him directly, face-to-face, until we get to Heaven (1 Corinthians 13:12; Psalm 27:8; Job 19:26-27).
Continuing with the clothing metaphor, we are all not rightfully clothed until we get to Heaven, according to 2 Corinthians 5:4-6.
6. In Ps 94:1-23, what is an outline of this psalm?
A: The psalm is arranged as a chiasm.
1-2 The God of vengeance
- 3-7 How long with the wicked triumph with arrogance?
- - 8-11 God will rebuke the wicked
- - 12-15 God will bless the wise
- 16-21 Condemnation of the wicked
22-23 God our refuge will destroy them
See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.5 p.610 for more info.
7. In Ps 94:1 what does this teach about vengeance?
A: This verse implies, and other verses teach, that vengeance belongs to the Lord, not to us. Other verses that tell us as individuals not to get vengeance are Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 5:38-46; Luke 3:27-36; Romans 12:17,19; and 1 Peter 3:19. God can “shine forth” and be glorified here, and that opportunity might be lost if you get vengeance yourself.
See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.861-862 and The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.5 p.610 for more info.
8. In Ps 94:1-7, for what exactly is the psalmist praying?
A: He is praying that God would restrain the power and influence of the wicked. He is also praying that their time of triumph would be cut short. In the first stanza, 1-3, he is making the request. In the second stanza, 4-7, he details what the wicked were doing.
See the Keil-Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament vol.5 part 3 p.78-79 and The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.555 for more info.
9. In Ps 94:10, what does it mean that vengeance belongs with God?
A: Vengeance does not belong with us, for we are commanded not to get revenge. The judge of the universe will, sooner or later, mete out justice that many people deserve. Strictly speaking, God will not give to all what they deserve, because believers will not get what we deserve, but they will receive God’s grace and mercy instead, because Jesus took upon Himself the punishment that we deserved.
10. In Ps 94:11 why are the thoughts of man useless?
A: Man is on earth for such a very short time (Isaiah 40:24) and God can frustrate anyone’s plans (Proverbs 16:3-6). Ultimately all of man’s ambitions, designs, and knowledge, apart from God are in the end all for nothing.
11. In Ps 94:12 why does God sometimes discipline His beloved children?
A: It seems unpleasant to us, but God disciplines us for our benefit, as a good Father disciplines his children according to Hebrews 12:5-11.
12. In Ps 94:20 what is a “throne of destruction” or a “corrupt throne”?
A: The wicked are in power. This is a throne or ruling authority in opposition to God’s truth and laws. There have been many rulers against God and godly living in history, and there are many today.
See The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.555 and the New International Bible Commentary p.621 for more info.
Psalm 95-97 – Kneel before our Maker – some brief answers
1. When was Ps 95;1-11 written?
A: Scripture does not say and we don’t know. However, because of the allusions to the Israelites wandering in the wilderness it is guessed that it was written by David around the time of the Feast of Tabernacles.
Like some other psalms, you need to read this psalm with “two eyes”. One eye is looking around and learning from the experience of others. The other eye, which is what the psalm starts with, is enthusiastically looking up at God, who Himself has a complete eye view of everything.
See The MacArthur Bible Commentary p.660 and the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.694-695 for more info.
2. In Ps 95:8, how can we choose to harden or not?
A: External positive and negative influences can affect us, but we can choose how much to be affected, if at all. God gives us grace for our heart both to be soft for Him, and to stay soft for Him. However, we are responsible for valuing what God has given us.
3. In Ps 95:7-11, what are the two main points?
A: The two points deal with God’s perspective and our human perspective. This half of the psalm shows God’s care for His disobedient people. Even when God was angry at them, He did not abandon them. The other perspective is to observe and learn. Things did not go well at all for God’s people when they refused to follow and obey Him. We need to apply that lesson to ourselves, and ask what could be more important, what could be better, what could give us a better outcome long-term than obeying God? Since the answer is “nothing” we should be more careful not to harden our hearts but to obey God and draw close to Him.
We can’t just pass this off as a lesson something for Old Testament people, because this passage is quoted as a warning in Hebrews 3:7-11.
See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.863, the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.695, and The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.556 for more info.
4. In Ps 95:9-11, how do people sometimes test God today?
A: Sometimes God wants us to move, and we won’t move unless and until, like Gideon, God makes it unmistakably obvious. There is a difference between praying for confidence and praying for absolute certainty. Other times we won’t stop going in the wrong direction unless, like Balaam, God makes it crystal clear. Just remember James 4:17: “Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do, yet fails to do it, is guilty of sin.”. (BSB)
Imagine your got marriage, and your spouse never stopped “testing” if your love was still there or not. Theat would get very annoying after a while. WE should not be testing God either.
If you are testing God, the real question is not whether God will pass, but rather whether or not you will pass. In the case of the Israelites, they did not pass through to the blessings of the Promised Land, with the exception of Joshua and Caleb.
See the New International Bible Commentary p.622 and the Evangelical Commentary on the Bible p.390 for more info.
5. In Ps 96:1-12, why could one argue this is not a praise psalm?
A: This is a praise song, but technically it is presented not so much as praise to God but as an appeal to other people, inviting them to praise God. It includes many different kinds of praise: singing; proclamation, recalling His deeds, ascribing glory and honor, and reverent fear. In other words, praise should be “bursting at the seams”! If you constantly praise God in your life that is great. But is your life one where you invite others to praise God too?
See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.863, the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.694-695,696, and the Evangelical Commentary on the Bible p.390 for more info.
6. In Ps 96:1, why is the emphasis not on singing a song, but on singing a new song?
A: Singing and playing old songs is just fine. However, within the limits of orderly worship (1 Corinthians 14:32), God likes some innovation, as long as the gospel message is not changed (Galatians 1:6-9).
7. In Ps 96:9-13, what two very different emotions are juxtaposed here?
A: Like many other psalms, this coming from unsatisfied desire; a longing that God would come, we would dwell with Him, in happiness and harmony. Yet intertwined with this desire is a trembling in verse 9. A trembling because of what will happen when he comes. On one hand, as believers we serve God in love, and love drives out fear as 1 John 4:18. Hebrews 12:18-22 contrasts the fearful experience of the Israelites with our joyful, fearless experience now as believers. But on the other hand, even as believers we still tremble, mourn, or on occasion even cry for the lost, as Peter did in Acts 20:31; 2 Corinthians 2:4; and Philippians 3:18.
Jeremiah 9:1 says, “Oh, that my head were a spring of water, and my eyes a fountain of tears! I would weep day and night over the slain daughter of my people.” (BSB).
See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.863-864 for more info.
8. In Ps 97:1-12, what is the main point of this psalm?
A: This is a psalm of clarity. The writer has a vision of great clarity of God watching over everything and God’s future coming. When we meditate on God’s word, one purpose is to clarify and crystallize in our mind on who God is and our service to Him. With a clear picture, our prayers can have more focus.
9. In Ps 97:1, why are islands emphasized here?
A: In David’s time there were few believers on any islands. In the future, there will be many believers where there were none before this time. Geographically, Cyprus, all the Greek islands, tiny Malta, and Sicily were all islands where there would later be many Christians.
10. In Ps 97:2 and 2 Chr 6:1, how are clouds and darkness around God, and in Ps 104:2 how is God covered with light?
A: Perhaps the images of God given in Isaiah 6 and Ezekiel 1, 8 will help here. They show God as radiant, and surrounded by unapproachable light (1 Timothy 6:16). However, Ezekiel shows darkness and clouds around and under the throne. Isaiah 6 shows smoke coming out of the temple.
Deuteronomy 4:11; 5:22-23; Psalm 18:9,11; Jeremiah 13:16; Ezekiel 30:3,18; 32:7-8; 34:12; Joel 2:2; Amos 5:18-20; and Zephaniah 1:15 also show darkness around God and His coming.
See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.864 for more info.
11. In Ps 97:7 and 1 Chr 16:25-26, how are there many gods?
A: The Bible teaches there are many idols worshipped as false gods, but only one true God. Mormons look in vain for this verse to support their saying there are many [legitimate] gods.
When you become a part of God’s kingdom, who have to lose something, - your false gods. Leave those behind.
See When Critics Ask p.241, When Cultists Ask p.66, and The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.5 p.617-618 for more info.
12. In Ps 97:7, why does Heb 1:6 quote this from the Septuagint?
A: The Septuagint and the Masoretic text differ here, and the Septuagint might have been more correct on this verse. Almost all of the Old Testament quotes in the New Testament, written in Greek, are from the Septuagint.
See the Keil-Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament vol.5 part 3 p.95, the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.697 for more info.
13. In Ps 97:10a, are Christians supposed to hate?
A: Both yes and no. We are supposed to hate sin, but the New Testament never shows Christians are to hate any person. In fact, 1 Corinthians 13:13 says the greatest Christian virtue is love, and 1 John 4:8,20 show that no one can live in hatred of their fellow man and be a genuine Christian. Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. The second greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:30-31).
See the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.697 for more info.
14. In Ps 97:10b, how does God preserve the souls of His saints?
A: We can see two ways. First, in this life, God watches over us. That does not mean no we will never die or no calamity will happen to us. Rather, nothing bad will happen to us that God will not allow, and God will not have a way for us to get through. Second, God preserves us to go to heaven (or Paradise and then heaven for Old Testament saints) after we die.
See The MacArthur Study Bible p.662 for more info.
Psalm 98-101 – Kneel before our Maker – some brief answers
1. In Ps 98:1, what type of music is suitable for worship?
A: Any combination of notes and rhythm is, of itself either suitable or not suitable for worship. Rather, particular music, in a particular culture, can tend to draw people into worship of God or distract people from worship. Sometimes for someone music can be so good and engrossing, that one concentrates on the music instead of God. Beware when you go to church to hear the music, or hear a good speaker instead of worshipping God and growing in Him.
A new song is called for because there are always fresh reasons to worship. If your worship of God is consistent that is great; but is your worship also “fresh”.
See The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.556 for more info.
2. In Ps 98:1; 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 144:9; 149:1 is it OK in church to sing songs whose words are not bible verses?
A: Sure, as these verses say. Some people in reformation times, and the ministry “Still water Revival” today, believe words to Christian songs should only be words of the Bible. But singing to the Lord a new song in Psalm 98:1 goes against that.
See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.864 for more info.
3. In Ps 98:5-6, 12 Chr 16:5,6; 2 Chr 5:12,13; 29:25-30; Ezra 3:10-13, how does this relate to not using musical instruments I church?
A: The Church of Christ denomination says that musical instruments cannot be used in church only voices. However, some still listen to and sing songs with musical instruments outside of church, though that is not official. The lyre and horn are certainly mechanical musical instruments. David used musical instruments, namely a lyre, in worshipping God. Church of Christ people claim that was only good in Old Testament times and not New Testament times.
However, musical instruments are rightly used to praised God in Heaven in Revelation 5:8. How could God like musical instruments in the Old Testament, not like them in the New, but like them again in Heaven. If a Church of Christ person says that outside of church they are fine, but not inside of church, remind them that they would even agree that God’s church is not a building but where believer’s gather together. If they say that musical instruments are wrong to worship God anywhere in these times, ask why we can use musical instruments for any purpose, including a national anthem for our country, but not give that honor to God.
See The MacArthur Bible Commentary p.663 for more info.
4. In Ps 98:8, how do the floods clap their hands?
A: This poetic expression describes a joy as vibrant as a flood flowing over the land.
5. In Ps 99:1-9, why we should exalt God?
A: The first half of the psalm gives a number of reasons based on God’s character. God reigns, He is great and high above all the people, his name is great and awesome, he establishes justice and judges rightly. The last half of the psalm gives reasons based on what God has done.
6. In Ps 99:6, Aaron was among God’s priests, but how were Moses and Samuel priests?
A: Let’s look at Moses first, and then Samuel. Moses was of the tribe of Levi, like his brother Aaron, and Moses presented the people before God. However, going forward, Aaron, his sons, and their descendants were ordained as Aaronic priests, after the order of Aaron. Moses’ children were not priests at all. Hebrews 7:15-17 tells us that Jesus, who was not a descendant of Aaron, much less Levi, was not a priest after the order of Aaron, but a priest after the order of Melchizedek. God can choose priests however he wants. Moses could be said to have represented the people before God, but he was not after the order of Aaron.
Samuel trained under the Aaronic priest Eli, and Samuel ministered before the Lord with a priestly ephod (1 Samuel 1:18), offered sacrifices to God (1 Samuel 16:2). However, Samuel was not from Levi, much less Aaron, bur rather an Ephraimite according to 1 Samuel 1:1.
See the Kiel-Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament vol.5 part 3 p.102 for more info.
7. Why is Ps 100:1 like Ps 66:1?
A: The phrase “shout joyfully to God/the Lord all the earth” (NASB) is found in both places. One would not expect believers, back then or now, to shout joyfully to the Lord once and never do so again.
8. What is Ps 101:1-8 about?
A: Psalm 101 is a short psalm that can be called “the psalm of the heart and eyes”. David refused to look at wicked things, and God cuts off those who have a disdainful look. God’s eyes will look on the faithful of the land. The wicked will not endure in God’s sight.
This song is also viewed as an oath of office for a king.
David promised to walk with a perfect heart, and stay away from those with wicked hearts.
See the New International Bible Commentary p.625, the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.701, the Evangelical Commentary on the Bible p.391, The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.866, and The MacArthur Bible Commentary p.664 for more info.
9. In Ps 101:1-8, what is the structure of this psalm?
A: This short psalm is a chiasm with the following structure.
1-3a The king commits to God’s righteousness
- 3b-5 The king will hate evil
- - 6 The king will love God’s people
- 7 the king will not remove evil and evil people from his courts or the land
8 the king will root out injustice
See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.5 p.641 for more info.
10. In Ps 101:5 why are secret things highlighted here?
A: Political schemes and actions often unfold in secret. When the king uncovers behind-the-scenes malicious attempts to damage another person’s reputation, he should act. Anyone who knowingly makes a false accusation should face meaningful consequences.
11. In Ps 101:7-8, what does this say about public office?
A: Not only is David pledging not to practice deceit, speaking lies, be wicked, or do injustice, but he will not let anyone be in his house or court who is that way either. They should not be allowed to practice their wickedness in society. Even if you are not dishonest or unjust yourself, but you knowingly employ dishonest people, then you are going against Psalm 101:7-8.
See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.5 p.642-643, the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.701, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.558, and The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.866 for more info.