Knowable Word - Bible study help

The Difference Between Meaning and Application

September 23, 2020 By Peter Krol

Here is a helpful devotional showcasing the difference between meaning and application. The author looks at Elisha’s “death in the pot” story in 2 Kings 4:38-41 to show how to both interpret (arriving at the author’s main point) and apply (connecting that truth to our own lives).

How many meanings does a passage of Scripture have? Sometimes we read a text and our minds race all over the Scripture with seemingly related texts and many possible meanings. Two of the challenges we can sometimes bring to our reading, interpretation, and subsequent understanding of Scripture are: 1) forgetting what Scripture principally teaches; and 2) confusing a text’s meaning with its application.

Check it out!

Share or follow:

Ecclesiastes: The Fear of God Gives Joy Amid Frustration

September 18, 2020 By Peter Krol

Proverbs is all about getting us moving in the right direction, toward the Lord and away from ourselves. Job shows us how to keep moving in that direction when everything falls apart. Ecclesiastes completes the triptych of wisdom books, inspiring us to persevere in that journey, despite how frustrating it may be to do so.

Literary Markers

Ecclesiastes does not present its divisions nearly as obviously as Job and Proverbs do. The book could almost be considered a lab report, where the wise man presents his findings to a series of inquiries. So the chief markers to look for are the first-person signals, such as “I saw,” “I turned,” and “I considered.”

But with that said, the book’s sections appear to be tightly organized around topics. And within those topics, what appears at first to be linear and uncoordinated ramblings are actually carefully arranged to increase the rhetorical impact.

For example, after the thesis of Eccl 1:2-3, we get a series of four metaphors (Eccl 1:4-7) followed by four interpretations of the metaphors (Eccl 1:8-11). Then we get a narrative reflection (Eccl 1:12-14) with poetic conclusion (Eccl 1:15), followed by another narrative reflection (Eccl 1:16-17) with poetic conclusion (Eccl 1:18).

Working through the book to find those tightly structured units, organized around a single topic, yields the following divisions*:

1:1-3: Thesis
1:4-2:26: Repetition and gain
3:1-22: God’s sovereignty
4:1-5:7: Human community
5:8-6:12: Wealth
7:1-24: Suffering
7:25-9:12: Sin
9:13-10:20: Wisdom
11:1-12:8: Walking with God
12:9-14: Conclusion

Even if I’m not exactly right on the exact divisions, the most important thing in studying Ecclesiastes is to follow the argument. It is ultimately a book of truth and wisdom, which seeks to persuade you of truth and poke you into action (Eccl 12:11). So what is that argument?

Argument

The book states its chief conclusion (Eccl 1:2) and process (Eccl 1:3) up front. The process of looking for “gain,” or profit, under the sun yields the conclusion that everything is “vanity.” “Vanity” is a squishy concept, which we must grasp if we are to follow the argument. From here, I will use the plainer word “frustration,” which presumes the arguments I offered in this post.

So what are we able to get out of life? Frustration. An endless repetition of old things that will never satisfy. Such frustration is illustrated and explained vividly (Eccl 1:4-11), leading to the twin conclusions that we cannot fix anything (Eccl 1:15), and more knowledge produces more pain (Eccl 1:18). Inspiring, huh?

But look at what happens if we run from these hard truths (these sharp, pointy sticks – Eccl 12:11)? More pleasure won’t make the truth any easier (Eccl 2:1-11). Nor will more education (Eccl 2:12-17) or more honest work (Eccl 2:18-23). You cannot retreat from life’s frustration into your muscle cars, romance novels, academia, or entrepreneurship. None of these things will help.

The best we can hope for is a supernatural joy (Eccl 2:24-25), given as a free gift of grace (Eccl 2:26) by an all-powerful God (Eccl 3:1-22). God has made it so that the world would be a frustrating place, all so we would fear him (Eccl 3: 11, 14). Even the continuous presence of injustice where we would expect justice serves this purpose, of frustrating our wildest dreams and humbling our arrogant hearts before the Majesty of God on high (Eccl 3:16-22).

So what does this mean for life on earth for those who would fear God?

First, we can avoid the dangers of going it alone (Eccl 4:1-5:7). We don’t have to be lonely (Eccl 4:1-6), we can get help (Eccl 4:7-16), and we find such things as we listen to God more than we speak to him (Eccl 5:1-7).

Second, we can be content with what our sovereign God chooses to give us. We know love of money will never satisfy (Eccl 5:8-17)—because only God gives lasting contentment (Eccl 5:18-20)—and we can beware the pain of dissatisfaction (Eccl 6:1-7). We can ask ourselves some hard questions about how much control money really gives us over our future (Eccl 6:8-12).

Third, we can take a realistic and joy-inducing view of suffering. We learn wisdom about what is worth taking to heart (Eccl 7:1-13) and what is not worth taking to heart (Eccl 7:15-24). This equips us to consider the crooked works of our sovereign God so we might fear him (Eccl 7:14).

Fourth, we can stop being so surprised by how sinful humanity is. Our joy in fearing God enables to see that sin goes very wide (Eccl 7:25-29) and very high up (Eccl 8:1-17), but has a clear endpoint (Eccl 9:1-12). Death, the wage of sin, has a profound equalizing effect on all humanity (Eccl 9:1-6, 11-12), which in turn has a profound impact on the daily choices God-fearers will make (Eccl 9:7-10).

Fifth, we’ll be persuaded of the high value of wisdom relative to folly, when we live in God’s world, which always plays by God’s rules, even when the foolish try to make it otherwise (Eccl 9:13-10:20).

Finally, these truths about a frustrating world will inspire us to persevere in trying anything (Eccl 11:1-6)—it just might work!—and enduring to the end (Eccl 11:7-8). We can rejoice now (Eccl 11:9-10) if we remember what is on its way (Eccl 12:1-8).

Conclusion

So of course, the frustration of life ought to inspire us to fear God and keep his commandments (Eccl 12:13-14). But make no mistake, this frustration and this fear have a symbiotic relationship. Not only does the frustration produce fear, but the fear also increases the frustration, which in turn elevates the fear yet again.

The book of Ecclesiastes shows us there are no pat answers in matters pertaining to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He does whatever he pleases, which often will look to us like “time and chance” (Eccl 9:11). But his word never fails, his promises are sure, and his commandments are not burdensome. When he sets his affection on you, he gives you the gift of irrational joy in the face of such frustration. Don’t ever give that up or take it for granted, for Jesus died and rose so the pure life of the age to come could invade our present age of frustration.

Christians ought to respond to their world in a way unlike anyone else, and Ecclesiastes explains why.

Interpretive Outline

The frustration of life – 1:1-3
The fear of the Lord amid repetition – 1:4-2:26
The sovereignty of God – 3:1-22
The fear of the Lord in practice
- The fear of the Lord in community – 4:1-5:7
- The fear of the Lord and contentment – 5:8-6:12
- The fear of the Lord and suffering – 7:1-24
- The fear of the Lord and sin – 7:25-9:12
- The fear of the Lord and wisdom – 9:13-10:20
- Walking in the fear of God – 11:1-12:8
The fear of the Lord in conclusion – 12:9-14

*I’m grateful to Joel Miles for the insights that led to this map of divisions.

For more interpretive walkthroughs of books of the Bible, click here.

Share or follow:

When Our Study Bibles Get in the Way of our Bible Study

September 16, 2020 By Peter Krol

A few years ago, Desiring God interviewed Glenn Paauw on his book Saving the Bible from Ourselves: Learning to Read and Live the Bible Well. We shared that interview on this blog, but it is important enough that it warrants sharing once again.

And this time, I’ll share it along with Kevin Halloran’s notes. So if you prefer not to listen to the entire interview, you can catch the key points in Kevin’s excellent summary.

The major takeaway is that your study Bibles are laid out and designed to prevent you from studying the Bible yourself. They presume little to no knowledge of the Bible, and they draw far more attention to the “helps” than to the text, leaving the text nearly untouched by most people. Please be aware of this trap, promote awareness of it, and form good habits of studying the text in context.

Check it out!

Amazon link is an affiliate link. Clicking it and buying stuff will provide a small commission to this blog at no additional cost to yourself.

Share or follow:

Bible Study is Painful

September 14, 2020 By Ryan Higginbottom

When we say that an activity is “uncomfortable,” sometimes we’re just being nice. We often sugar coat reality when we throw out the terms “messy,” “unpleasant,” “awkward,” or “disagreeable.”

Some jobs, projects, and habits are painful. They might be good for us, even necessary for our lives, but they hurt. And it is healthy for us to confront that truth.

The Hard Work of Application

Studying the Bible is painful work. Here I’m not referring to the discipline needed to study the Scriptures. I’m not even talking about the intellectual labor and focus that such study demands. No, the hardest work of Bible study comes in application.

All of the steps of Bible study are important, and none are a cinch. Application may be the hardest step, however, since it is the most personal. In application, we are forced to change. And rare is the person who likes to cha n ge.

If the idea of application is new or confusing, check out our page of Bible study instruction. Application is the third step of the OIA (Observation, Interpretation, Application) process we promote on this blog, and we’ve written a lot about application.

Genuine Pain

The biblical word for the change that application demands is repentance. When God confronts us, he intends for us to turn around—away from sin and toward him.

This is why applying the Bible is painful. We’re usually quite comfortable traveling the road we’re on. We don’t want to turn around. We’ve gotten used to the scenery, the weather, and the traffic. Cruise control is easy.

Through his word, God often brings us to a full stop. He puts his holy finger on the idols of our hearts—anything to which we are too devoted. Idols are often good gifts we have twisted or to which we have given inflated affection and attention. Idols like comfort, family, and power abound in the western church. Biblical application may feel like losing a piece of ourselves. But if God is removing something cancerous from our hearts, we should expect pain along the way.

In our application we may also be compelled to love our neighbors in difficult ways. Like us, our neighbors may be unloving and unlovely at times, so extending ourselves and taking risks may be painful. Like the beginning of any exercise routine, we will resist because of the pain involved, even though we see the good on the other side.

A Pleasant Pain

Pain often accompanies our repentance, because God is challenging and changing what we love. This leads many to resist repentance and reject studying the Bible altogether.

But if we spurn repentance, we turn away from something good. For repentance is coming out of the darkness into the light! It is hearing and receiving the correction of a father who loves us! Repentance is growing and living and walking more in obedience to God, becoming more and more like the people we were created to be! For these reasons, though there is pain in repentance, there is also profound joy.

And here’s the best part. God is with us through the whole process: conviction, despair, confusion, and our halting, crooked steps of repentance. He is more committed to our growth in godliness than we are, because he always has our best in mind.

The pain of Bible study is not like the pain of touching a hot stove, a caution to stay away. Rather, the pain of Bible study is like the sore muscles of a preseason athlete. We ache because we’re not yet in shape for competition, but we have a good coach who is getting us ready for the opening bell.

Share or follow:

Context Matters: The Cattle on a Thousand Hills

September 11, 2020 By Peter Krol

Perhaps you’ve heard that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. And perhaps this truth has encouraged you through a season of anxiety or loss. Perhaps it reminds you of his all-sufficient care for you. Such sentiments may be generally true (Luke 12:32, John 10:14-15, etc.), but are they the sort of applications the poet responsible for Psalm 50 had in mind?

Context matters. We ignore it to our peril, increasing the risk of many dangerous consequences for both ourselves and others. When we learn to read the Bible properly—and not merely as a collection of one-liners and sound bites—we’ll find some of our habitual turns of phrase may have far more sinister import than we realized.

A Time for Judgment

Psalm 50 begins with the Mighty God summoning all the earth (Ps 50:1) to Zion (Ps 50:2) to judge his own people (Ps 50:3-4). The very heavens declare his righteousness (Ps 50:6), and he cannot exempt his covenant people from his fiery holiness and searing justice (Ps 50:5).

What does he judge his covenant people for?

In Psalm 50:7-15, he appears to judge them for their legalism. They offer him sacrifices and burnt offerings (Ps 50:8), but what he wants is hearts of thanksgiving and integrity (Ps 50:14). He wants them to need him (Ps 50:15).

In Psalm 50:16-21, he appears to judge them for their licentiousness. Though he speaks to “the wicked” (Ps 50:16), we must remember he came to “judge his people” (Ps 50:4), to gather his faithful ones who made a covenant with him by sacrifice (Ps 50:5). So the “wicked” are those within the covenant community—who take his covenant on their lips (Ps 50:16)—yet refuse discipline (Ps 50:17), subsidize theft and adultery (Ps 50:18), speak words of deceit (Ps 50:19), slander one another (Ps 50:20), and presume God to be as corrupt as they are (Ps 50:21).

A Solution Offered

Notice what he offers to his people. Away from legalism, he calls them to thanksgiving (Ps 50:23a). And away from licentiousness, he calls them to order their way rightly (Ps 50:23b). May they not forget there is always a way of escape from his terrible judgment (Ps 50:22).

A Thousand Hills of Cattle

So within the context of this poem’s argument, why does it say he owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Ps 50:10)?

That verse sits within the stanza condemning them for their legalistic practice of sacrificing animals without hearts of thankfulness and integrity. They think he needs them to pay him off with such animal sacrifice (Ps 50:9-13), when the truth is they need him in the day of trouble (Ps 50:15).

His condemnation resounds. “I do not need your stupid cattle, slaughtered at my altar in an attempt to buy me off. I own all the cattle; why would I have any need of yours? Just call me, and I’ll be there for you.”

Conclusion

The truth that “he owns the cattle on a thousand hills” was not penned to grant us assurance that our kind Father can take care of us. No, this assertion’s plain purpose is to shake up complacent religious people by reminding them they’ll never be able to bribe their God. He cannot be bought with their religious ritual.

Mark this, then, you who are prone to forget God, lest he tear you apart, and there be none to deliver. May we offer not bulls—nor songs, nor daily devotions, nor acts of service, nor financial contributions—for the sake of heaven-bound bribery, but hearts overcome with thanksgiving for his amazing and utterly undeserved salvation.

Context matters.

For more examples of why context matters, click here.

Share or follow:

Why Christians Replace Bible Reading with Other Resources

September 9, 2020 By Peter Krol

Micah Colbert offers some helpful reflections on what he sees as a dangerous trend:

With the rise of the internet, there’s been a trend that, if continued, will sap the church’s spiritual vibrancy. Sadly, more and more Christians are replacing personal time in the Bible with time spent reading books, blogs, devotionals, and/or articles written by gifted teachers about the Bible.

He suggests three reasons why honest Christians might do this:

They’re overwhelmed by the Bible
They’re bored with the Bible
They don’t have a God-exalting approach to / mindset about Bible reading

Of course, there is nothing new in these reasons, or this trend. The internet simply makes it easier than ever to bail on fatty nutrition in favor of sugary substitutes. Colbert’s exhortations are well worth taking to heart.

Check it out!

Share or follow:

Psalm 119 and the Search for Clarity

September 4, 2020 By Peter Krol

I have a love/hate relationship with the longest chapter of the Bible. I love it, in part, because I know I’m supposed to and, in part, because it speaks extensively of the the word of God, which I love. But funny thing: Loving the Bible and loving Psalm 119 are not always mutually indwelling sentiments.

The fact of the matter is that Psalm 119 has a lot of lines. And even more words. I can handle many lines and many words if there is a linear argument or a compelling plot. But Psalm 119 has neither, so it typically feels like floating amongst the stars—please suspend your disbelief while I pretend to know what that would feel like—or breaststroking my way through a lake of peanut butter.

The nice thing is that the mastermind responsible for this interminable poem had the courtesy to start every verse within a stanza with the same letter, and to move through the alphabet from stanza to stanza, perhaps to make it easier to memorize. So if you’re a native speaker of ancient Hebrew, you’ll have an easier go at it. The rest of us covenantal immigrants, however, receive no such assistance, beyond those funny Hebrew shapes and transliterated words at the heading for each stanza. Bring on the peanut butter; I have more laps to swim today.

I’ve tried counting the number of distinct terms used for the Scripture. I’ve tried counting how many times each term is used. I’ve tried labelling verses as either praise/encouragement or lament/suffering. I’ve tried many times to read it in one sitting, and I’ve tried reading it a stanza or three at a time.

None of those techniques have helped me to grasp the message of the poem, in such a way that I have any confidence to have understood it. The practice that has helped me the most has been to try identifying a single main idea for each stanza, so as to see how each stanza then contributes to the overall effect. In the last 15 years, I’ve made four attempts at writing down main points for each stanza. Each time, I adjust it further and gain more confidence that I’m closer to the true main idea than I was the last time.

I will now share with you the fruit of my labor in this poem from the last few weeks. (You can also find this on the second tab of my Psalms spreadsheet, which you can access any time through the blog’s Resources page.) I would not consider myself to have mastered this psalm yet, but I trust I’m getting closer. I can at least say the poem makes more sense to me now than it did a few months ago, so progress has been made.

This poem sheds much light on the person and work of Jesus Christ, when we recognize that he is the “I” of the psalm. And as we are conformed to his image, we ought to strive to similar trust in both the Bible and the God who delivered it to us.

I invite your feedback on anything I’ve written here. I am eager to improve my understanding of this glorious poem, to inflame greater love for it. “I will also speak of your testimonies before kings and shall not be put to shame, for I find my delight in your commandments, which I love” (Ps 119:47-48).

	SECTION	THEME/SITUATION
א	Aleph	Blessed are those who walk in Yahweh’s commands (Ps 119:1-8)
ב	Bet	Young people remain pure by storing up God’s word while they can (Ps 119:9-16)
ג	Gimel	God must deal bountifully for the word to take effect (Ps 119:17-24)
ד	Daleth	The struggle for strengthening in sorrow, from the scripture (Ps 119:25-32)
ה	He	I need divine help to persevere in God’s commandments (Ps 119:33-40)
ו	Vav	God’s love for me arouses my love for his commandments (Ps 119:41-48)
ז	Zayin	I can trust God’s words in a way I can’t trust anyone else’s words (Ps 119:49-56)
ח	Cheth	I turn to the word because through it, I inherit Yahweh (Ps 119:57-64)
ט	Teth	Your word is good, and I do it, because you are good (Ps 119:65-72)
י	Yod	He who made me will complete his work in me (Ps 119:73-80)
כ	Kaph	I persevere through persecution because I long for you to do what you have said (Ps 119:81-88)
ל	Lamed	God’s eternal word is fully consistent with how God made the world to work (Ps 119:89-96)
מ	Mem	The student who loves the law surpasses his teachers (Ps 119:97-104)
נ	Nun	Your word guides all of life (Ps 119:105-112)
ס	Samek	God’s word shapes my thinking toward evildoers to be like God’s (Ps 119:113-120)
ע	Ayin	God’s love and God’s word give me every expectation of vindication (Ps 119:121-128)
פ	Pe	I’m desperate for light from your word (Ps 119:129-136)
צ	Tsadhe	Your rules are righteous, and I do them, because you are righteous (Ps 119:137-144)
ק	Qoph	Your word occupies all of me all the time (Ps 119:145-152)
ר	Resh	Your law gives me hope for deliverance from adversaries (Ps 119:153-160)
ש	Sin/Shin	I rejoice in your words, even under fire, for you see all my ways (Ps 119:161-168)
ת	Tav	I pour forth praise for the God of this Bible (Ps 119:169-176)

Share or follow:

Our Famine By Choice

September 2, 2020 By Peter Krol

I’m grateful to Tom Ascol for reminding us that one of God’s threatened judgments in the prophets is that he might stop speaking to the people (Amos 8:11-12). And yet today, so many of us choose this state of affairs for ourselves by neglecting the nutritious word of God, which is so abundantly available to us.

In that vein, Ascol shared this quote from J.C. Ryle:

There are many today, who believe the Bible, yet read it very little. Does your conscience tell you that you are one of these persons?
If so, you are the man that is likely to get little help from the Bible in time of need. Trial is a sifting experience….Your store of Bible consolations may one day run very low.
If so, you are the man that is unlikely to become established in the truth. I shall not be surprised to hear that you are troubled with doubts and questions about assurance, grace, faith, perseverance, etc. The devil is an old and cunning enemy. He can quote Scripture readily enough when he pleases. Now you are not sufficiently ready with your weapons to fight a good fight with him….Your sword is held loosely in your hand.
If so, you are the man that is likely to make mistakes in life. I shall not wonder if I am told that you have problems in your marriage, problems with your children, problems about the conduct of your family and about the company you keep. The world you steer through is full of rocks, shoals and sandbanks. You are not sufficiently familiar either with lighthouses or charts.
If so, you are the man who is likely to be carried away by some false teacher for a time. It will not surprise me if I hear that one of these clever eloquent men who can make a convincing presentation is leading you into error. You are in need of ballast (truth); no wonder if you are tossed to and fro like a cork on the waves.
All these are uncomfortable situations. I want you to escape them all. Take the advice I offer you today. Do not merely read your Bible a little—but read it a great deal….Remember your many enemies. Be armed!

Check it out!

Share or follow:

Enroll in Your Own Bible Class this Fall

August 31, 2020 By Ryan Higginbottom

The journey back to school this year has been a difficult one in the U.S.. Parents have made difficult choices about how and where their children will learn, and school teachers and administrators have faced some of the thorniest challenges of their careers. A global pandemic will do that, I guess.

I am a teacher myself, and the COVID chaos has tamped down my usual affection for the back-to-school season. Normally I love to gather supplies, feel a temporary sense of organization and schedule, and look ahead with excitement about what the fall has to offer. This year, however, I felt tired before classes began.

Despite my fatigue, I can’t shake the sense of early-fall possibility. Like the new year, this part of the calendar offers a new start.

A New Start for Bible Study

Christians often start read-through-the-Bible plans in early January. We pour over schedules for books and chapters; some plans even build “make-up days” into each month.

We give a lot less attention to planning out our Bible study. This may be because our Bible study rhythms are tied to our church or small group. It may be because we have laid this important discipline to the side.

Today, I’m offering you a chance to plan out your Bible study. If you aren’t regularly studying the Bible, there’s no better time to start.

So join the children this fall. Head back to class. I invite you to design your own plan for studying the Bible this year.

In case you need a model, I’ve provided one below. There’s nothing special about my plan other than it’s already made. Feel free to modify mine or start from scratch.

How to Study the Bible

If studying the Bible sounds overwhelming or like a task reserved for professional clergy, I understand. Some people write and talk about Bible study so that it seems academic, dry, and intimidating. It doesn’t have to be this way!

This web site (Knowable Word) exists to help ordinary people learn how to study the Bible. If you need a quick way to prepare for your class, you’ve come to the right place!

I’d suggest you start with our summary page and then dig into more details. There are three ingredients to the age-old method we promote: observe, interpret, and apply.

When we study the Bible, we must first observe what is written. We must take note of the details and how they fit together. Then we interpret the text. We try to understand the meaning of the passage, and we search for the author’s main point. Finally, we apply the truth of the Bible. If we remain unchanged, our Bible study is incomplete.

An Example Class

Since the academic year usually lasts for about eight months, I’ve designed the class below to last from early September though the end of April, with some time off around the holidays. This long view will allow me to suggest a long book—Isaiah—for our study. (If you are designing your own class, you could choose a different long book or opt for several shorter books.)

The plan below begins with three weeks to do nothing but read through Isaiah as many times as possible. The Isaiah portion of many audio Bibles is just less than four hours. This means that an average reader should be able to read all of Isaiah three times during those three weeks in just 35 minutes per day. Rereading a book is the best way to understand its structure.

In your whole-book survey, put together a book overview. Try to outline the book as you go. These initial readings should not be passive!

At the end of the plan, I’ve scheduled some time for putting your thoughts together. In a high school or college class, your instructor might assign you a paper at the end of the term. This isn’t just busywork; writing or presenting your findings is a great way to help you process and organize all that you’ve learned. If you have a blog yourself, consider writing about your “class.” (Send us a link here at Knowable Word so we can read it!) You might even consider writing a guest post on this blog.

The Plan

Here’s the week-by-week schedule. Adopt and adapt and modify to fit your needs.

Aug 30–Sept 5: read Isaiah
Sept 6–12: read Isaiah
Sept 13–19: read Isaiah
Sept 20–26: Isaiah 1–2
Sept 27–Oct 3: Isaiah 3–5
Oct 4–10: Isaiah 6–8
Oct 11–17: Isaiah 9–10
Oct 18–24: Isaiah 11–13
Oct 25–31: Isaiah 14–16
Nov 1–7: Isaiah 17–19
Nov 8–14: Isaiah 20–22
Nov 15–21: Isaiah 23–24

Nov 22–28: Isaiah 25–26
Nov 29–Dec 5: Isaiah 27–28
Dec 6–12: Isaiah 29–30
Dec 13–19: Isaiah 31–33
Dec 20–26: break
Dec 27–Jan 2: break
Jan 3–9: Isaiah 34–35
Jan 10–16: Isaiah 36–37
Jan 17–23: Isaiah 38–39
Jan 24–30: Isaiah 40–41
Jan 31–Feb 6: Isaiah 42–43
Feb 7–13: Isaiah 44–45

Feb 14–20: Isaiah 46–47
Feb 21–27: Isaiah 48–49
Feb 28–Mar 6: Isaiah 50–52
Mar 7–13: Isaiah 53–55
Mar 14–20: Isaiah 56–57
Mar 21–27: Isaiah 58–59
Mar 28–Apr 3: Isaiah 60–62
Apr 4–10: Isaiah 63–64
Apr 11–17: 65–66
Apr 18–24: wrap up
Apr 25–May 1: wrap up

How Far You’ll Go

In a chaotic year, God is constant and sovereign. He has revealed himself in his word. Let’s take advantage of this time to draw closer to him.

If you give yourself to careful, regular Bible study over the next 35 weeks, imagine how much you’ll grow in your understanding! Imagine how much you’ll change!

Share or follow:

The End of Exile is Praise for Yahweh’s Covenant Love: Book 5 of the Psalms

August 28, 2020 By Peter Krol

As I’ve worked through the book of Psalms, I’ve shared with you the fruit of my labors on Book 1 (Psalms 1-41) and Books 2-4 (Psalms 42-106). Now that I’m near the end of my study, I’m ready to share some reflections on Book 5 (Psalms 107-150).

Themes

As far as the themes of Book 5, the following topics are constantly repeated:

Return from exile (such as Ps 107:1-3, 120:5-7, and 137:1-6)
Reinstatement of the king (such as Ps 110:1; 116; 118:10-13, 22;)
Remembrance of Yahweh’s eternal covenant love (such as Ps 107:1-3, 43; 118:1, 29; 136)
Request for others to join in worship (such as Ps 111:1, 112:1, 113:1, 117:1-2, 118:1-4, 145:21, 146-150)

Structure

The prominent calls to praise appear at key moments to signal climaxes in each section, or transitions to the next section.

Ps 111:1 opens a section of praise poems (Pss 111-118) that appear to respond to what God did in Pss 107-110.
Ps 118 describes a parade of worship moving from the battlefield into the temple.
The songs of ascent (Pss 120-134) describe pilgrimages toward the temple, culminating in Psalm 136, which celebrates Yahweh’s eternal covenant love in every verse.
Ps 145 concludes a group of poems where the king offers his own praise, and it invites the rest of creation to join that praise—which they do in Pss 146-150.

These patterns yield four primary sections within Book 5:

Pss 107-110: Yahweh’s mighty deeds to redeem his people and their king
- Pss 111-119: Outburst of praise on behalf of both king and people
Pss 120-137: Yahweh raises up the king and people from exile, specifically so they might worship him
- Pss 138-150: The king now leads the people in the worship of Yahweh

For Further Study

I commend this masterful book of poetry to you for further reflection and consideration. You may want to consider some of the following questions:

What role does Ps 119 play as both the conclusion to the praise of Pss 111-118 and the catalyst for the reflections in Pss 120-137?
Why role does Ps 110 play in the structure, and why is this role conducive to the apostles’ quoting of this poem more than any other psalm?
How do the psalms of ascent (Pss 120-134) fit together? And why might we think that Pss 135-137 are connected, as a conclusion, to them?
How does Ps 145 transition from the king’s praise to the people’s praise? How can we use this psalm to assist our own praise?

I have updated my Psalms spreadsheet with my thoughts on this last part of the book. I also added a second tab, where I try to capture the main idea of each stanza of Psalm 119. You can always find this spreadsheet on the blog’s resources page to assist your further study.

Share or follow:

« Previous Page