Study Focus: Psalm 15, Psalm 24, Psalm 51, Psalm 122.
In the middle of the Bible, the Psalms contain testimony about ancient Israel’s praying and worshiping. Not only the professional priests are praying. The people of the land, poets, and kings sing praises to the Creator and Savior. But they also weep and cry to the Lord, longing for His judgment and salvation. Among these psalms, which reflect the suffering of the ancient people of Israel, we also may find prophetic flashes concerning the end of time, when the great Judge will finally come in response to the longing of the nations. The eschatological thrust of these psalms has been noted by numerous biblical scholars.
In the next two lessons, we will search these sacred poems and songs to find messages that speak to those of us who live in the time of the end. We will think about our suffering, our frustrations, and our painful experiences in response to God’s silence. We will yearn for peace in the moments of trouble and wars. We will cry with the people of the Psalms. But we also will be comforted and strengthened in our hope as we learn about the reality and the certainty of God’s promise. Our last response then will be to worship the Lord. We will then grasp better the depth and significance of the longing of Israel. But more important, we will discover how relevant the songs of these poets and priests of the Psalms are for us who live in the time of the end.
Part II: Commentary
For this journey inside the “soul” of the prophetic message, we have chosen four psalms: Psalm 122 for its intense and poignant appeal, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Ps. 122:6, NKJV); Psalms 15 and 24 because both psalms wonder about the absence of the Lord and ask the same puzzling questions: “Who may dwell in Your holy hill?” (Ps. 15:1, NKJV), “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?” (Ps. 24:3, NKJV); and Psalm 51 for its trembling supplication before the presence of the Lord in His temple: “Create in me a clean heart, O God” (Ps. 51:10).
Psalm 122: The Peace of Jerusalem. Although Psalm 122 is attributed to David (Ps. 122:1), many biblical scholars have questioned this connection on the basis of the reference to the “house of the Lord” (Ps. 122:9, NKJV). It is argued that David could not have mentioned “the house of the Lord,” that is, the Jerusalem temple, simply because the temple was not yet built in his time. Yet, the tabernacle in David’s day is often called the “house of the Lord” (1 Sam. 1:7, 24; Judg. 19:18). Thus, what is missed in this argument is the fact that Mount Moriah, which will become the place of the temple of Jerusalem, also is designated as “the mount of the Lord” very early in biblical history (Gen. 22:14). The notions of “house of the Lord” and “Jerusalem” are, therefore, to be taken in a spiritual sense that transcends the actual time of David. As David prays about the peace of Jerusalem, we are inspired to dream typologically of the spiritual Jerusalem from which peace and judgment will radiate toward the extremities of the world, as a blessing for the nations (Gen. 22:17, 18; compare with Gen. 12:3).
That David, the warrior, thinks of the peace of Jerusalem implies that the world will be at war against Jerusalem. The prophet has in view the event of “Armageddon,” as predicted in Revelation 16:16 and in Daniel 11:45. The name Armageddon, which means “mount of gathering,” refers to the mountain of the Lord where God’s people gather to worship. This “gathering” refers also to the gathering of the peoples who will come to attack God’s people. The phrase “mount of the Lord” represents, typologically, spiritual Zion or Jerusalem. David sees prophetically that the peace of the world depends on the peace of Jerusalem. Therefore, he urges us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem on which depends the peace, the blessing, and the salvation of the world.
Psalm 15 and Psalm 24: The Hill of the Lord. In Psalm 15 and Psalm 24, David asks a question that concerns the same event, that is, the occupation of the “holy Mount,” which refers to the New Jerusalem in heaven. Yet, the answer to that question is different in each psalm. In Psalm 15, the focus lies on the human level and concern for God’s people. The description of the righteous contrasts here with the description of the wicked in Psalm 14, who persecute God’s people (Ps. 14:4), who are identified as the “generation of the righteous.” God’s people seek “refuge” in the Lord (Ps. 14:5, 6, NKJV) and long for His salvation, which will come “out of Zion” (Ps. 14:7, NKJV).
Psalm 15 continues in the same vein, and the question arises, then, “Who may dwell in Your holy hill?” (Ps. 15:1, NKJV). To answer this question, the psalmist refers to God’s people who, in contrast to the wicked in the preceding Psalm, live according to principles of conduct, all of which equal the Ten Commandments: some are positive (Ps. 15:2), and some are negative (Ps. 15:3–5). The first principle includes all the others: “He who walks uprightly” (Ps 15:2, NKJV). The Hebrew word tamim, “uprightly,” means completeness, has the connotation of naiveness, and suggests a truthful religion in which there is no falsity or double-mindedness. The religion of God’s people is based on the fear of the Lord, in the middle of the psalm (see Ps. 15:4). Notice, too, that these principles are essentially of an ethical order, dealing with our treatment of others. They concern negative behavior: lying (Ps. 15:2), slandering (Ps. 15:3), and deceiving (Ps. 15:5).
Psalm 24 complements Psalm 15. Whereas Psalm 15 has an existential perspective, Psalm 24 has a cosmic perspective, which is articulated in three sections. The psalm begins with an affirmation of the God of Creation, who rules over the universe (Ps. 24:1, 2). The psalm then moves to the call to worship, through the question, “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?” (Ps. 24:3). In the Psalms, worship is generally a human response to God’s creation (Ps. 95:6, Ps. 100:1–3). The second section (Ps. 24:3–6) answers the question in Psalm 24:3 by emphasizing that only the ones who have “clean hands and a pure heart” and who have not committed idolatry qualify for ascending into the hill of the Lord, i.e., worship (Ps. 24:4, NKJV). The psalm is not referring here to an ideal of absolute perfection. Later, these worshipers are described as “the generation of those who seek” the Lord (Ps. 24:6, NKJV).
The third section (Ps. 24:7–10) is about the coming of the King of glory. God here is pictured as a victorious warrior, “mighty in battle” (Ps. 24:8, NKJV), who has defeated the forces of evil and chaos and thus has restored the order of creation. In other words, the religious ideal of God’s people, who wait for salvation out of Zion, is both vertical and horizontal. This ideal is comprised of personal faith in the invisible God and hope in the coming kingdom; thus, it is both discerning (imparting wisdom) and apocalyptic.
Psalm 51: A Clean Heart. According to the superscription of Psalm 51 (Ps. 51:1), this prayer must have been written by David when he was confronted by Nathan the prophet for his sin. But this prayer also may be understood and interpreted as a typical supplication of any person who is aware of his or her iniquity and desires to meet with our approaching God.
The prayer begins with David’s cry to God for forgiveness, with an appeal for His mercy because of his “transgressions” (Ps. 51:1). Then the psalm diverges into two parts. The first part of the psalm (Ps. 51:1–9) is a plea to God to erase his “transgressions,” which separate him from God. God is described here as merciful (Ps. 51:1), the God of “truth” (Ps. 51:6, NKJV), and as hiding His face (Ps. 51:9). The sin is so great and profound that all the words for sin are used to designate it: khet' (“sin”), pesha' (“transgression”), and awon (“iniquity”). In order to render the magnitude of his sin, the poet uses a hyperbolic image: his sin originates from the time of his conception in the womb of his mother (Ps. 51:5). Therefore, the only way for him to approach God and recover his relationship with Him is to have his sin disappear, as if nothing happened. In this first section, keywords expressing this idea of erasing punctuate the prayer: “blot out” (Ps. 51:1, 9, NKJV), “wash” (Ps. 51:2, 7, NKJV), “cleanse” (Ps. 51:2), and “purge” (Ps. 51:7).
The second part of the psalm (Ps. 51:10–19) concentrates on the idea of renewal. The keywords are “create,” “renew,” “restore,” and “build.” God is described as the Creator (Ps. 51:10, 12, 15) and Savior (Ps. 51:14). The psalm concludes with the vision of “the walls of Jerusalem” and of the sacrifice that is accepted by God (Ps. 51:18, 19).
Part III: Life Application
In light of our lesson for this week, ponder the following questions: What does the psalmist’s call to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem” mean for us today? What must we do to achieve it?
Meditate on Jesus’ recommendation to pray to our Father above, “ ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven’ ” (Matt. 6:10, NKJV). Realize that this prayer is not simply about a spiritual solution to our troubling world. This prayer is about Jesus’ coming to change the world. Discuss.
Why should our hope in the coming of the Lord, the concern over the signs of the times, the sensational events unfolding in the world, and our desire to prepare for God’s kingdom complement our personal work in character growth and development as Christians? Why should the sentiments and thoughts of our hearts correspond with our ideals of the kingdom, as well? Discuss why our religious effort toward sanctification, and our ideal of holiness, should make us more sensitive toward our neighbors and ethical in our treatment of them.
Activity: As we live in times of wars all over the world, we need to learn to pray for the “peace of Jerusalem.” This notion means that the peace of the world should be a part of our concern. Organize a week of prayer to pray for peace on earth. Learn to develop empathy for people who suffer under the conditions of war.
Notes
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Key Text: Revelation 14:1
Study Focus: Psalm 15, Psalm 24, Psalm 51, Psalm 122.
In the middle of the Bible, the Psalms contain testimony about ancient Israel’s praying and worshiping. Not only the professional priests are praying. The people of the land, poets, and kings sing praises to the Creator and Savior. But they also weep and cry to the Lord, longing for His judgment and salvation. Among these psalms, which reflect the suffering of the ancient people of Israel, we also may find prophetic flashes concerning the end of time, when the great Judge will finally come in response to the longing of the nations. The eschatological thrust of these psalms has been noted by numerous biblical scholars.
In the next two lessons, we will search these sacred poems and songs to find messages that speak to those of us who live in the time of the end. We will think about our suffering, our frustrations, and our painful experiences in response to God’s silence. We will yearn for peace in the moments of trouble and wars. We will cry with the people of the Psalms. But we also will be comforted and strengthened in our hope as we learn about the reality and the certainty of God’s promise. Our last response then will be to worship the Lord. We will then grasp better the depth and significance of the longing of Israel. But more important, we will discover how relevant the songs of these poets and priests of the Psalms are for us who live in the time of the end.
Part II: Commentary
For this journey inside the “soul” of the prophetic message, we have chosen four psalms: Psalm 122 for its intense and poignant appeal, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Ps. 122:6, NKJV); Psalms 15 and 24 because both psalms wonder about the absence of the Lord and ask the same puzzling questions: “Who may dwell in Your holy hill?” (Ps. 15:1, NKJV), “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?” (Ps. 24:3, NKJV); and Psalm 51 for its trembling supplication before the presence of the Lord in His temple: “Create in me a clean heart, O God” (Ps. 51:10).
Psalm 122: The Peace of Jerusalem. Although Psalm 122 is attributed to David (Ps. 122:1), many biblical scholars have questioned this connection on the basis of the reference to the “house of the Lord” (Ps. 122:9, NKJV). It is argued that David could not have mentioned “the house of the Lord,” that is, the Jerusalem temple, simply because the temple was not yet built in his time. Yet, the tabernacle in David’s day is often called the “house of the Lord” (1 Sam. 1:7, 24; Judg. 19:18). Thus, what is missed in this argument is the fact that Mount Moriah, which will become the place of the temple of Jerusalem, also is designated as “the mount of the Lord” very early in biblical history (Gen. 22:14). The notions of “house of the Lord” and “Jerusalem” are, therefore, to be taken in a spiritual sense that transcends the actual time of David. As David prays about the peace of Jerusalem, we are inspired to dream typologically of the spiritual Jerusalem from which peace and judgment will radiate toward the extremities of the world, as a blessing for the nations (Gen. 22:17, 18; compare with Gen. 12:3).
That David, the warrior, thinks of the peace of Jerusalem implies that the world will be at war against Jerusalem. The prophet has in view the event of “Armageddon,” as predicted in Revelation 16:16 and in Daniel 11:45. The name Armageddon, which means “mount of gathering,” refers to the mountain of the Lord where God’s people gather to worship. This “gathering” refers also to the gathering of the peoples who will come to attack God’s people. The phrase “mount of the Lord” represents, typologically, spiritual Zion or Jerusalem. David sees prophetically that the peace of the world depends on the peace of Jerusalem. Therefore, he urges us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem on which depends the peace, the blessing, and the salvation of the world.
Psalm 15 and Psalm 24: The Hill of the Lord. In Psalm 15 and Psalm 24, David asks a question that concerns the same event, that is, the occupation of the “holy Mount,” which refers to the New Jerusalem in heaven. Yet, the answer to that question is different in each psalm. In Psalm 15, the focus lies on the human level and concern for God’s people. The description of the righteous contrasts here with the description of the wicked in Psalm 14, who persecute God’s people (Ps. 14:4), who are identified as the “generation of the righteous.” God’s people seek “refuge” in the Lord (Ps. 14:5, 6, NKJV) and long for His salvation, which will come “out of Zion” (Ps. 14:7, NKJV).
Psalm 15 continues in the same vein, and the question arises, then, “Who may dwell in Your holy hill?” (Ps. 15:1, NKJV). To answer this question, the psalmist refers to God’s people who, in contrast to the wicked in the preceding Psalm, live according to principles of conduct, all of which equal the Ten Commandments: some are positive (Ps. 15:2), and some are negative (Ps. 15:3–5). The first principle includes all the others: “He who walks uprightly” (Ps 15:2, NKJV). The Hebrew word tamim, “uprightly,” means completeness, has the connotation of naiveness, and suggests a truthful religion in which there is no falsity or double-mindedness. The religion of God’s people is based on the fear of the Lord, in the middle of the psalm (see Ps. 15:4). Notice, too, that these principles are essentially of an ethical order, dealing with our treatment of others. They concern negative behavior: lying (Ps. 15:2), slandering (Ps. 15:3), and deceiving (Ps. 15:5).
Psalm 24 complements Psalm 15. Whereas Psalm 15 has an existential perspective, Psalm 24 has a cosmic perspective, which is articulated in three sections. The psalm begins with an affirmation of the God of Creation, who rules over the universe (Ps. 24:1, 2). The psalm then moves to the call to worship, through the question, “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?” (Ps. 24:3). In the Psalms, worship is generally a human response to God’s creation (Ps. 95:6, Ps. 100:1–3). The second section (Ps. 24:3–6) answers the question in Psalm 24:3 by emphasizing that only the ones who have “clean hands and a pure heart” and who have not committed idolatry qualify for ascending into the hill of the Lord, i.e., worship (Ps. 24:4, NKJV). The psalm is not referring here to an ideal of absolute perfection. Later, these worshipers are described as “the generation of those who seek” the Lord (Ps. 24:6, NKJV).
The third section (Ps. 24:7–10) is about the coming of the King of glory. God here is pictured as a victorious warrior, “mighty in battle” (Ps. 24:8, NKJV), who has defeated the forces of evil and chaos and thus has restored the order of creation. In other words, the religious ideal of God’s people, who wait for salvation out of Zion, is both vertical and horizontal. This ideal is comprised of personal faith in the invisible God and hope in the coming kingdom; thus, it is both discerning (imparting wisdom) and apocalyptic.
Psalm 51: A Clean Heart. According to the superscription of Psalm 51 (Ps. 51:1), this prayer must have been written by David when he was confronted by Nathan the prophet for his sin. But this prayer also may be understood and interpreted as a typical supplication of any person who is aware of his or her iniquity and desires to meet with our approaching God.
The prayer begins with David’s cry to God for forgiveness, with an appeal for His mercy because of his “transgressions” (Ps. 51:1). Then the psalm diverges into two parts. The first part of the psalm (Ps. 51:1–9) is a plea to God to erase his “transgressions,” which separate him from God. God is described here as merciful (Ps. 51:1), the God of “truth” (Ps. 51:6, NKJV), and as hiding His face (Ps. 51:9). The sin is so great and profound that all the words for sin are used to designate it: khet' (“sin”), pesha' (“transgression”), and awon (“iniquity”). In order to render the magnitude of his sin, the poet uses a hyperbolic image: his sin originates from the time of his conception in the womb of his mother (Ps. 51:5). Therefore, the only way for him to approach God and recover his relationship with Him is to have his sin disappear, as if nothing happened. In this first section, keywords expressing this idea of erasing punctuate the prayer: “blot out” (Ps. 51:1, 9, NKJV), “wash” (Ps. 51:2, 7, NKJV), “cleanse” (Ps. 51:2), and “purge” (Ps. 51:7).
The second part of the psalm (Ps. 51:10–19) concentrates on the idea of renewal. The keywords are “create,” “renew,” “restore,” and “build.” God is described as the Creator (Ps. 51:10, 12, 15) and Savior (Ps. 51:14). The psalm concludes with the vision of “the walls of Jerusalem” and of the sacrifice that is accepted by God (Ps. 51:18, 19).
Part III: Life Application
Notes