Biblical Reflections

Psalm 84 is a pilgrimage hymn as the people travel to Israel for one of three Feasts that required all Hebrew men who were able to be present at the Tabernacle/Temple. The intent of the psalm is to cause delight in the eyes and the hearts of God’s people to joy and privilege of worshipping in God’s house, Temple.

1-4 – The singer begins with describing the dwelling place of God and how blessed are the people who can visit and worship there.

5-9 – Next, the singer states that those who make the journey or pilgrimage to the Temple are blessed. God sustains them on their journey.

10-12 – Those who trusts in the LORD are blessed.

Psalm 83 is a community lament in which God’s people are threatened by gentile enemies. The prayer is that God will defeat the gentile enemies so that they may come to know the true God. This is an example of how we, as followers-of-Jesus, should pray for the defeat, not of our national enemies, but of our spiritual enemies so that they in defeat may come to know the true God.

1-8 – This is a call to God for a perceived existential threat by gentile nations to destroy Israel.

9-18 – The basic request is that the enemies of Israel should utterly fail in their plans to destroy Israel. The request is that the enemies be put to shame in such a way that they would seek the God of Israel.

Psalm 82 is a community lament. Although some classify it as a prophetic hymn like Psalm 81. The idea here is that the reference to “gods” is a metaphor for unjust judges whom God will judge. The psalm is an encouragement for those who are weak and low on the social scale, who suffer unjustly from those in authority over them. Further this psalm is a call to those who wield authority such as judges to use their power justly because they will someday stand before a righteous God in judgment.

1-4 – The task of the “gods” or the human judges is to give justice to the weak and fatherless and to rescue the weak and needy from the hand of the wicked. Judges must not show partiality towards the wicked. Others see these “gods” as a divine council of angelic beings.

5-7 – God pronounces judgment on judges who lack knowledge and understanding and who walk in darkness. God will judge the earth, and he will inherit al the nations, giving a prophetic word for the second coming of Christ as the ruler of all things, who will rule in true justice.

Psalm 81 is a prophetic hymn, sort of. This psalm challenges the people to faithfully follow the covenant and if they do follow the covenant, then covenant blessings would come. This psalm may have been used during the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) and the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).

1-3 – Here is a jubilant call to worship with shouts of joy.

4-7 – Then there is a recounting of how God cared for the Hebrew people in the past, leading them out of slavery and forgiving their rebellion at Meribah during the Exodus.

8-10 – God calls his people to worship only him. YHWH, your Elohim. In return God would bless them with food.

11-16 – Sadly, God’s people do not listen to God or observe his covenant. If only they did, then God would subdue their enemies and feed them with the finest food.

Psalm 80 is a community lament in which some of the people received harsh treatment from the gentile nations.

1-3 – Stir up your might to save us and to restore us.

4-7 – How long will God be angry with his people.  Obviously, they have been unfaithful.  [YHWH] Elohim Sabaoth

8-15 – The people are described as God’s grape vine

16-19 – Restore us and make us faithful.  

Psalm 79 is a community lament because of a great disaster had befallen Jerusalem, likely the Babylonia destruction.  Psalm 79 is similar to Psalm 74.  Disaster came to Jerusalem because Israel did not keep the covenant in faith.  This is also a psalm of confession, that seeks forgiveness and promises to be faithful in the future.

1-4 – Gentile nations have defiled the Temple and slain the people. 

5-7 – Query, how long of God will you let this destruction go on?

8-10 – Forgive us, help us, let the nations know that God has allowed this.

11-13 – Preserve us and return the taunts of the gentiles.  We will praise you.

Psalm 78 is a historical psalm recounting historical events when God preserved his people, even in their disbelief, and purged them of unbelievers along the way.  The point is so that future generations will take these lessons to heart and that they will faithfully embrace the covenant.

1-8 – We must recount past deeds so that our children do not forget and fail to keep covenant commandments. 

9-16 – The Ephraimites forgot God’s great deeds of the past and turned back on the day of battle.

17-31 – The people sinned against God during the Exodus despite his provision for them during their journey.

32-39 – God showed compassion after compassion to the people of Exodus, but they sinned even more.

40-55 – Remembering the plagues in Egypt and how God freed them from slavery, the people forgot and continued to rebel and to grieve God.

56-64 – The people tested and rebelled against God in the promised land.  They made and worshipped idols.  

65-72 – Finally, God rejected all and chose the Tribe of Judah, Mount Zion.  God choose David to be king.

Psalm 77 is a community lament, perhaps because the people were suffering under God’s anger for some unfaithfulness.  Each person singing acknowledges that they are part of the congregation and that their individual well-being is bound up with the well-being of the whole congregation.

1-3 – I cry aloud to God in the day of my trouble.  I cry, moan, meditate, and faint, with my hand outstretched.

4-9 – Has God forgotten to be gracious?  I consider the days of old when God was gracious. 

10-20 – Now an appeal to what God has done in the past for his people, remembering God’s deeds, wonders, and works to preserve and to save his people.

Psalm 76 is a hymn celebrating Zion as the place God has chosen for his people and his Temple. The people sing at the privilege of going to Zion and there worshipping God.

1-2 – God has made his abode in Zion.

3-9 – No one can stand against God on Zion. God rebukes the Gentile invaders.

10-12 – All the people should praise God and bring him gifts for his saving power to protect, Zion, the city, the people and the Temple.

Psalm 75 is a hymn of praise.  The psalm thanks God for the wonderful things he has done for Israel and celebrates that God is judge of all the earth and will one day put down the wicked and lift up the faithful.

1 – We give thanks to God and recount his wonderous deeds.

2-5 – God declares that at the set time he will judge the earth, rebuking the boastful and the wicked.

6-8 – It is God who executes judgment, lifting up the faithful and putting down the wicked.  All the wicked of the earth will be put down.  

9-10 – And the singer will declare God’s praises forever.