Psalm 75
God’s reassuring justice.
1 Thanksgiving to God
2–5 God’s reassuring Word
6–8 The people’s trusting response
9–10 Praise to God
- How does knowing God and His past acts reassure us in the present (v. 1)?
- What is the point of vv. 6–7 in the context of this psalm? What application can you make?
- “God of Jacob” emphasizes God’s continual love and protection of Israel.
Psalm 74
A prayer for God’s help amid great destruction.
1–11 Cry to God for help and mercy
12–17 Encouragement from God’s past displays of power
18–23 Appeal for God’s help on the basis of the covenant
- Verses 3–8 describe the Babylonians’ destruction of Jerusalem and the temple.
- Note how verse 12 is a “hinge,” turning from the lament of verses 1–11 to the hope of verses 13–28.
- God promised to be Israel’s God—how would that motivate the psalmist to pray then?
Psalm 73
Seeing the wicked from God’s perspective.
1–14 The apparent prosperity of the wicked
15–28 God’s appointed destiny for the wicked
- How does the psalmist evaluate the wicked in verses 2ff? From what basis?
- What can you learn from verses 16–20 about the kind of perspective on life you should have?
- What did the wicked wealthy make as their refuge?
Psalm 72
A prayer for God’s blessing on the king and his kingdom.
1–7 Prayer for a righteous reign
8–14 His rule over the peoples
15–17 God’s blessing on the nation because of a righteous king
18–20 Concluding praise
- Righteousness (v. 2) is acting and being in accord with God’s holiness. Why is that essential and important?
- Verses 12–14 detail what a ruler with God given power should do towards those in great need. And yet, how often did the opposite happen? Why? Application to your life?
Psalm 71
A psalm of hope, from trouble to trust.
1–4 Prayer for help
5–8 Confession of trust
9–13 Prayer for help when old
14–18 Trusting God and declaring His salvation
19–24 Confident praise
- Verse 9 tells you something about the psalmist’s circumstances. How would old age be a cause for the enemy’s attack?
- Verse 14 is at the middle point of this psalm—note how the psalmist shifts from trouble to trust.
- Do God’s acts of deliverance ever run out? How would that encourage this old man? What application can you make?
Psalm 70
Prayer for deliverance from enemies.
1 Cry for help
2–3 Prayer for destruction
4 Prayer for the righteous
5 A cry for help
- Verses 2–3 is called an imprecatory prayer. These enemies who attacked the king and kingdom were thus attacking God.
- How did David respond to threats and hatred? What application can you make from this?
Psalm 69
A cry for help and mercy during bitter experiences.
1–21 Prayer for help
22–28 Prayer for judgment
29–36 Praise
- David’s point in verse 21 is that his enemies have made his life bitter.
- Verse 28 does not mean they lost their salvation, it is a prayer for their death.
- How did this psalm begin and continue? How did it end? What application can you make?
Psalm 68
Praising God for the theocratic kingdom in Israel.
1–6 Prayer and praise of God’s triumph
7–18 God’s triumph in Israel from the Exodus to Jerusalem
19–23 God’s salvation of his people
24–27 Praising God in the temple
28–35 All nations called to praise God at Jerusalem
- What event in Israel’s history is referred to in verses 7–10?
- What is the “mountain” God chose for the seat of His rule (v. 16)?
- What does the psalmist call for in verses 28–35?
Psalm 67
Praying for God’s blessings.
1–2 Praying for God’s blessing
3–5 Why pray for God’s blessings
6–7 What happens when God blesses
- What means has God provided for His blessing to be known to the earth? Are you using that means?
- Has God blessed Gentiles because of Israel’s fall (Rom 11:11–12)? What will happen when Israel is glorified?
Psalm 66
Thanking God for His deliverance.
1–4 Call to praise God
5–12 Praising God for His deliverance
13–20 Thanksgiving testimony
- From verses 1–2, how can you make God’s praise “glorious”? How do Christians think they do so today? How do such measure up to this Scripture?
- In verse 7 what is the psalmist’s application? Why?
- Note that the offering of sacrifice in verse 15 was not a drudgery but part of and essential to joyful raise of God in the OT.
Psalm 65
Israel’s praise of God’s blessing.
1–4 Prayer in the temple
5–8 Praise of God’s power
9–13 Pondering God’s provisions
- How is verse 2 an encouragement to pray?
- Verses 9–13 are great verses to meditate on during harvest time. Make a note to do so!
Psalm 64
Praying for God’s protection from the schemes of the wicked.
1 A cry for help
2–6 The attacks and contempt of the wicked
7–9 God’s judgment
10 Response of the righteous
- How confident are God’s enemies? What is their perspective?
- What does David see and hear (vv. 2–6)? How does he know what God will do (vv. 7–9)? What application can you make?
