There are 44 psalms in this section of the Psalter. David composed 15 of these (108-110; 122; 124; 131; 133; 138-145), Solomon wrote one (127), and the remaining 28 are anonymous. Psalms 113-118 compose the so-called Egyptian Hallel, which the Jews used in their Passover (cf. Mark 14:26). Fifteen are Songs of Ascent (120-134), and five are Hallelor Hallelujah psalms (146-150).
An unknown writer sought to motivate the Lord's redeemed people to praise Him by reviewing some of His mighty act.
This is one of the imprecatory psalms in which the writer called on God to avenge his enemies.
This is a prophetic Messianic psalm that describes a descendent of David who would not only be his son but his Lord.177This descendent would be both a king and a priest. David was a prophet, and in this psalm he revealed new information from God concerning the future. Such a prophetic message is an oracle.
There has been much speculation about the historical situation that formed the basis for what the psalmist wrote in this psalm.178It is presently unknown though David wrote it (cf. Mark 12:36).179More important than its original historical context is its prophetic significance. The New Testament contains more references to this psalm than to any other chapter in the Old Testament.
This is one of the acrostic psalms (cf. Pss. 9, 10; 25; 34; 37; 112; 119; and 145). Each line in the Hebrew text begins with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The writer evidently expressed his thoughts this way so the Israelites could memorize and recite the psalm easily. He recounted the Lord's great works of redemption that should draw out His people's praise.
"Psalms 111-113 all begin with Hallelujah, and there is a specially close bond between 111 and 112. These two are . . . a matched pair in their subject-matter, which tells of God in this psalm, and of the man of God in the next, even sharing the same or similar phrases in one or two verses."184
This is also an acrostic psalm. It focuses attention on the blessings those who fear God enjoy, especially their final exaltation.
Psalms 113-118 constitute the Egyptian Hallel(lit. praise, cf. Hallelujah). Hallelis the imperative singular and is a command to praise. The Hallelwas a collection of psalms the Jews sang at the three yearly feasts that all the males had to attend: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. They also used these psalms on other holy days. At Passover it was customary to sing Psalms 113 and 114 before the meal and 115-118 after it. They also sang Psalm 136, the "Great Hallel,"at its climax.
"There was more relevance in these psalms to the Exodus--the greater Exodus--than could be guessed in Old Testament times."186
This psalm calls on God's servants to praise Him because even though He occupies an exalted position He has humbled Himself to lift up the lowly (cf. Phil. 2:7). It expresses thoughts similar to Hannah's prayer (1 Sam. 2:1-10) and Mary's Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55).187
As mentioned previously, the Israelites sang this song at Passover. This was appropriate since it describes God delivering the nation in the Exodus.
This anonymous psalm instructs God's people to trust in the Lord rather than in idols.
An unnamed writer gave thanks to God for delivering him from imminent death and lengthening his life. He promised to praise God in the temple for these blessings.
". . . if ever a psalm had the marks of spontaneity, this is surely such a one."189
This shortest of all the psalms focuses attention on the importance of praising God for two of His most wonderful qualities, namely His loyal love and His faithfulness.
This is the last in this series of Hallelpsalms (Pss. 113-118). Psalm 136 is also a Hallelpsalm. Psalm 118 describes a festal procession to the temple to praise and sacrifice to the Lord. The subject is God's loyal love for His people. The situation behind it seems to be God's restoring the psalmist after a period of dishonor. This would have been a very appropriate psalm to sing during the Feast of Tabernacles as well as at Passover and Pentecost. The Lord Jesus and His disciples probably sang it together in the Upper Room at the end of the Lord's Supper (cf. Matt. 26:30).
"As the final psalm of the Egyptian Hallel', sung to celebrate the Passover . . ., this psalm my have pictured to those who first sang it the rescue of Israel at the Exodus, and the eventual journey's end at Mount Zion. But it was destined to be fulfilled more perfectly, as the echoes of it on Palm Sunday and in the Passion Week make clear to every reader of the Gospels."193
The anonymous psalmist who wrote this longest psalm sought refuge from his persecutors and found strength by meditating on the Word of God. He used 10 synonyms to refer to it. This psalm, the longest chapter in the Bible, is largely a collection or anthology of prayers and thoughts about God's Word.
"The author of Psalm 119 exemplifies an attitude toward the Mosaic law which was the ideal for all Israel (cf. also 19:7-11)."196
This is one of the acrostic psalms. In each strophe of eight verses, each verse begins with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In verses 1-8 each line begins with the first Hebrew letter, in verses 9-16 each line begins with the second Hebrew letter, and so on. In many English versions the translators have transliterated the Hebrew letter that begins each line in the strophe at the beginning of that strophe.
"Even the literary qualities of the 119th Psalm contribute to the development of its major theme--the Word of God in the child of God."197
Psalms 120-134 are all "songs of ascent."They received this title because the pilgrim Israelites sang them as they travelled from their homes all over the land and ascended Mt. Zion for the annual feasts. David composed at least four of these 15 psalms (Pss. 122, 124, 131, and 133). Solomon wrote one (Ps. 127), and the remaining 10 are anonymous.
In Psalm 120 an unknown composer asked God for protection from people who wanted to stir up war.
This psalm directed the thoughts of the pilgrim to God as his source of help. It gives assurance that Israel's Keeper will maintain vigilant oversight and protect His people.
David spoke of his delight in going up to the temple to worship God in this short psalm. He exhorted the Israelites to pray for the security of Jerusalem so this blessing might continue. Such a condition would glorify God as well as benefit His people.
The composer of this psalm voiced dependence on the Lord and petitioned Him for grace since Israel's enemies ridiculed her for her trust in Yahweh.
David voiced praise to God for not allowing the pagan nations that surrounded Israel to defeat and assimilate God's people.
The psalmist praised God that believers are secure in their salvation and that God will keep temptation from overwhelming them. However, he cautioned God's people to follow the Lord faithfully or lose His blessing for living as unbelievers do.
This psalm appears to date from the time of Ezra and Nehemiah when the Israelites returned from Babylonian captivity. The writer rejoiced in the Israelites' return to the land but prayed for a complete restoration.
Solomon spoke of God's blessing in family life in this ascent psalm. Trust in God yields domestic benefits that hard work alone cannot provide.
In this psalm the writer rejoiced in the Lord's blessings. He reviewed previously received blessings and then prayed for greater blessings.
God had delivered Israel from her enemies. The psalmist praised Him for doing so and then asked Him to continue doing so in this psalm.
The poet uttered a cry for God to show mercy to His people and encouraged his fellow Israelites to wait for the Lord to deliver them.
In just a few words David spoke of his humble trust in the Lord and his hope in Him. These are remarkable statements for a powerful king to have written.
The writer of this psalm led the Israelites in praying that God would bless Israel for David's commitment to the Lord.
This psalm is a classic description of the beauty of believers' unity.
This pilgrim psalm called on the priests who served Him at the temple to praise God, and it called on God to bless them.
This psalm is the "Great Hallel"that the Israelites sang at Passover when they celebrated the Exodus. The other hallelpsalms are 113-118. This psalm is unique because it repeats the same refrain in each verse. The Israelites probably sang this song antiphonally with the leaders singing the first part of each verse and the people responding with the refrain. The content and basic structure are similar to Psalm 135. With this song the Israelites praised God for His great acts and His loyal love that endures forever.
The psalmist mourned the plight of the exiled Israelites. He expressed strong love for Zion and strong hatred for Israel's enemies.
"This psalm needs no title to announce that its provenance was the Babylonian exile. Every line of it is alive with pain, whose intensity grows with each strophe to the appalling climax."205
David thanked the Lord for His loyal love and faithfulness in answering his prayer. He hoped that everyone would acknowledge God's goodness and experience His deliverance.
This psalm begins a group of eight psalms of David, his last in the Psalter. Altogether he wrote nearly half the psalms.
David praised God for His omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence in this popular psalm. It is a plea for God to search the life to expose sin. It consists of four strophes of six verses each.
"The Gelineau version gives the psalm the heading The Hound of Heaven', a reminder that Francis Thompson's fine poem of that name owed its theme of flight and pursuit largely to the second stanza here (verses 7-12), which is one of the summits of Old Testament poetry."206
David prayed for God to frustrate his enemies' attempts to trip him up with confidence that God would defend him.
In this evening prayer David asked God to protect him and enable him to continue living for God's glory.
The superscription identifies the time when David wrote this psalm. He did so when he was "in the cave,"evidently while Saul was pursuing him (cf. Ps. 57). The psalmist spoke as one who had no other hope of deliverance but Yahweh.
In this psalm David prayed for deliverance and guidance. As in the previous psalm, he called out for help against evil adversaries.
This is a prayer that asks for deliverance during war. David praised God for granting victory in past battles and requested success in a present military encounter with an enemy. He was confident that God would save His people.
"This psalm is a mosaic, not a monolith; most of its material, short of the final verses, is drawn from other psalms of David, most substantially Psalm 18."208
This acrostic psalm begins a series of six psalms, the last six in the Psalter, that are especially full of praise to God. The title, "a psalm of praise,"occurs only here in the Book of Psalms. The word "praise"appears 46 times in the last six psalms. In this psalm David praised God for His powerful acts, for an everlasting kingdom, and for His response to those who pray to Him.
An anonymous psalmist promised to praise the Lord forever because of His greatness and His grace. His faithfulness to the oppressed of the earth as Creator is the particular emphasis in this psalm. Each of the last five psalms in the Psalter (Pss. 146-150) begins and ends with a charge to "praise the Lord"(hallelujah).
God's greatness and His grace are also the theme of this psalm. However in this one an unnamed psalmist viewed God as Sustainer more than as Creator. He provides what His creatures need.
Another anonymous psalm stresses the importance of praising God. This one calls the heavens to praise Him for establishing them and the earth to bless Him for exalting Israel.
The unknown writer called on Israel to praise God who saves the submissive and punishes the nations that oppose Him.
The inspired poet called on every person to praise Yahweh for His powerful deeds and supreme greatness.
