Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

• Date and Writers
  The texts of the individual psalms do not usually indicate who wrote them.1However some of the titles of the individual psalms do contain information about the writers.2This is the only really reliable information we have as ...
• Types
  The messianic psalms are perhaps the most commonly known type. They predict the coming of a messiah. Franz Delitzsch broke these psalms down into five kinds. The first is the purely prophetic, which predicts that a future Dav...
• Outline
  I. Book 1: chs. 1-41II. Book 2: chs. 42-72III. Book 3: chs. 73-89IV. Book 4: chs. 90-106V. Book 5: chs. 107-150...
• 2. The Lord's resolution 2:4-6
  2:4 David envisioned God as ruler over all sitting on His royal throne in heaven not at all threatened or worried about the plan of the nations, but laughing at its futility. The figure of God sitting on His throne is a commo...
• Psalm 3
  The title of this psalm identifies the writer as David. All but four of the psalms in Book 1 of the Psalter (Pss. 1-41) identify David as their writer, all except Psalms 1, 2, 10, and 33. The occasion of his writing this one ...
• 1. Petition for rescue 7:1-2
  On the basis of God's protection of those who trust in Him David asked for protection from those who were pursuing him, perhaps Saul's men (cf. 1 Sam. 22:8; 24:9; 26:19). He felt like a helpless lamb that a powerful ferocious...
• 2. The petition for protection 17:6-12
  David asked God to keep him from the wicked in the world who are vicious and proud.17:6-7 The psalmist based his request on God's loyal love for him as seen in His deliverance of those who take refuge in Him. He called on God...
• David's frustration and God's faithfulness to his forefathers 22:1-5
  22:1-2 Again David felt frustrated by God's lack of response to his cries (cf. 13:1-4). God would not answer David regardless of when he prayed. The Lord Jesus quoted David's words as He hung on the cross (Matt. 27:46; Mark 1...
• David's humiliation and God's faithfulness to him 22:6-10
  The pattern of David's thoughts in this section is very similar to that expressed in verses 1-5. It is a second cycle of the same lament and confidence expressed there.22:6-8 By comparing himself to a worm David was expressin...
• 2. Foes and fatigue 22:11-18
  22:11 David cried out to God to be near him with saving help since he was in great danger and there was no one to assist him. He felt very much alone and vulnerable.
• David's enemies and agony 22:12-15
  22:12-13 The psalmist felt he was at the mercy of his enemies as a person is in the presence of a dangerous bull or lion. Cattle grew large and strong in Bashan, the territory east of the Sea of Chinnereth (Galilee; cf. Num. ...
• David's enemies and agony restated 22:16-18
  22:16 David compared his enemies to wild dogs that had him surrounded and were waiting to finish him off. Already he felt as though they had begun to tear him apart by biting his extremities, his hands and feet. Years later t...
• 3. Prayer for freedom from death 22:19-21
  The psalmist pleaded with God to rescue his life from the fatal attacks of his foes to whom he referred again as wild animals. He cried to God to be near him and to act swiftly to save him.A marked change in David's attitude ...
• 4. Praise and encouragement 22:22-31
  22:22 In view of the Lord's deliverance David vowed to praise God publicly. God saved His Son from death just as He delivered the psalmist from it. In the latter case He did so by prolonging his life and in the former by resu...
• 3. God's deliverance of the upright 41:10-13
  41:10 David had asked God to restore his health so he might repay his enemies. This may seem to be an unworthy motive in view of the Lord Jesus' instruction to love our enemies and do them good (Matt. 5:44). However, individu...
• Psalm 69
  In this psalm David sought God to deliver him from destruction. He was experiencing criticism and rejection from the Israelites because of decisions he had made to do God's will. He asked God to deal with his oppressors, and ...
• Psalm 71
  This psalm expresses the faith of an older person in need who had trusted in God for many years. The writer is unknown to us. He combined elements that we find in several other psalms to communicate his thoughts (cf. Pss. 22;...
• Psalm 102
  Another anonymous writer poured out his personal lament to Yahweh (cf. Pss. 22, 69, 79). He felt overwhelmed due to an enemy's reproach. He called out for help from the God he knew would not forsake him....
• Bibliography
  Allen, Ronald B. "Evidence from Psalm 89."In A Case for Premillennialism: A New Consensus, pp. 55-77. Edited by Donald K. Campbell and Jeffrey L. Townsend. Chicago: Moody Press, 1992._____. Lord of Song. Portland: Multnomah P...
• The fruit of peace 3:1-10
  The trust of the wise son (vv. 5-6) comes from heeding sound teaching (vv. 1-4), and it leads to confident obedience (vv. 7-9)."Teaching"(v. 1, Heb. torah) means "law"or, more fundamentally, "direction."Here the context sugge...
• The Servant's ministry 49:8-13
  Isaiah now announced more about the work of the Servant (cf. 42:5-9). He will enable people around the world to return to God, similarly to how the Israelites would return to Jerusalem after the Exile. The response to God's s...
• III. The prophet's response to divine judgment (the third lament) ch. 3
  As mentioned previously, this lament is an acrostic in triplets; the same succeeding Hebrew consonant begins three verses instead of just one, as in the previous chapters. The verses are about one third as long as most of tho...
• Economic exploitation 4:1-3
  4:1 Amos opened this second message as he did the first (ch. 3), with the cry, "Hear this word."He addressed the wealthy women of Samaria, calling them "cows of Bashan."Bashan was a very luxuriant region of Transjordan east a...
• A. Habakkuk's question about Judah 1:2-4
  This section is a lament and is similar to many psalms of lament (e.g., Ps. 6:3; 10:1-13; 13:1-4; 22:1-21; 74:1-11; 80:4; 88; 89:46; cf. Jer. 12:4; Zech. 1:12).1:2 In prayer the prophet asked Yahweh "how long"would he have to...
• 3. The prophecies about Nazareth 2:19-23 (cf. Luke 2:39)
  Matthew concluded his selective account of the events in Jesus' childhood that demonstrated His messiahship and illustrated various reactions to Him with Jesus' return to Israel.2:19-20 God's sovereign initiative is again the...
• 1. Jesus' forerunner 3:1-12 (cf. Mark 1:2-8; Luke 3:3-18)
  It was common when Jesus lived for forerunners to precede important individuals to prepare the way for their arrival. For example, when a king would visit a town in his realm his emissaries would go before him to announce his...
• The perils of their mission 10:16-25
  Jesus proceeded to elaborate on the dangers the apostles would face and how they should deal with them.In His descriptions of the opposition His disciples would experience, Jesus looked beyond His death to the time of tribula...
• The crucifixion and mockery of Jesus 27:32-44 (cf. Mark 15:21-32; Luke 23:26-43; John 19:17b-27)
  Matthew's emphasis in his account of Jesus' crucifixion was on the mocking of the onlookers.27:32 Jesus was able to carry the crosspiece of His cross until He passed through the city gate (cf. Mark 15:21 John 19:17). Normally...
• The death of Jesus 27:45-50 (cf. Mark 15:33-37; Luke 23:44-46; John 19:28-30)
  27:45 That "land"(Gr. ge) was abnormally dark from noon until 3:00 p.m. Matthew's use of geprobably indicates Israel. Darkness in Scripture often represents judgment and or tragedy (cf. Exod. 10:21-22; Amos 8:9-10). Matthew's...
• 3. The temptation of Jesus 1:12-13 (cf. Matt. 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13)
  Jesus' temptation by Satan was another event that prepared the divine Servant for His ministry. Mark's account is brief, and it stresses the great spiritual conflict that this temptation posed for Jesus. The writer omitted an...
• 4. The coming of Elijah 9:9-13 (cf. Matt. 17:9-13)
  The appearance of Elijah on the mountain led to a discussion of his role as Messiah's forerunner. This conversation developed as the disciples followed Jesus down the mountain.9:9 Jesus again commanded secrecy (cf. 1:34, 43-4...
• 1. The third major prophecy of Jesus' passion 10:32-34 (cf. Matt. 20:17-19; Luke 18:31-34)
  10:32 Jesus and His disciples were travelling to Jerusalem from somewhere in Perea or Judea. They had not yet passed through Jericho (vv. 46-52). Jesus' position in front of them, in typical rabbinic fashion, suggests His det...
• The announcement of Jesus' betrayal 14:17-21 (cf. Matt. 26:20-25; Luke 22:14, 21-23; John 13:21-30)
  Mark did not record all that happened in the upper room. He stressed the announcement of Jesus' betrayal and Jesus' explanation of the significance of the bread and wine.14:17 This would have been Thursday evening. Because th...
• The crucifixion of Jesus 15:21-32 (cf. Matt. 27:32-44; Luke 23:26-43; John 19:17b-27)
  15:21 Probably only Mark mentioned Simon's sons because the Christians in Rome knew them or knew of them (cf. Rom. 16:13). Evidently Simon became a believer in Jesus. Mark mentioned very few people by name other than the Twel...
• The mockery of Jesus' crucifixion 23:33-38 (cf. Matt. 27:33-43; Mark 15:22-32; John 19:18-24)
  23:33 Luke alone called the site of Jesus' crucifixion "the place called the skull"(Gr. kranion) rather than referring to it by its Aramaic name, Golgotha, and then translating it. This was undoubtedly an accommodation to his...
• 4. The distribution of Jesus' garments 19:23-24 (Matt. 27:35-36; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:34)
  Normally the executioners of a criminal received his clothes following his death.591John spoke of the soldiers dividing Jesus' garments (plural). The Greek word translated "garments"is himatia. Usually when this word occurs i...
• 6. The death of Jesus 19:28-30 (cf. Matt. 27:48-50; Mark 15:36-37; Luke 23:46)
  John did not mention the darkness that came over the land as the other evangelists did (cf. Matt. 27:45; Mark 15:33; Luke 23:44-45). This is noteworthy in view of John's interest in the light and darkness motif. Perhaps he di...
• Bibliography
  Abbot, T. K. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistles to the Ephesians and to the Colossians. International Critical Commentary series. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1897.Aldrich, Roy L. "The Gift of God."Biblioth...
• B. Paul's preliminary hearing in court 4:16-18
  4:16 It was customary under Roman law for accused prisoners to have a preliminary hearing before their trial. At this hearing, witnesses could speak on behalf of the accused. In Paul's case no one had come to his defense. Thi...
• E. The Son's Solidarity with Humanity 2:10-18
  The writer next emphasized the future glory that the Son will experience to heighten his readers' appreciation for Him and for their own future with Him. He did this by reflecting on Psalm 8. He wanted his readers to apprecia...
• D. The Compassion of the Son 4:15-5:10
  Having explored the concept of Jesus as a faithfulhigh priest (3:1-4:14), the writer proceeded next to develop the idea that Jesus is a mercifulhigh priest in the service of God (cf. 2:17). A high priest must be faithful to G...
• Bibliography
  Adamson, James B. The Epistle of James. New International Commentary on the New Testament series. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1976; reprint ed. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1984.Bailey, Mark...
• C. The testimony of Jesus and John's response 22:12-20
  22:12 Jesus Christ repeated His promise to return soon (v. 7, cf. 1:3; 22:20)."Nowhere is a date set, nor was there any definite promise that the consummation would occur within the lifetime of the first century Christians. N...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

• Feasting On The Sacrifice
  The meek shall eat and be satisfied.'--Psalm 22:26.THE flesh of the sacrifice of his peace-offering for thanksgiving shall be offered in the day of his oblation.' Such was the law for Israel. And the custom of sacrificial fea...