Psalm 51
Confessing sin to God and praising him for forgiveness.
1–2 Cry for mercy
3–6 Confession of sin
7–12 Prayer for forgiveness
13–17 Praise and thanksgiving
18–19 Prayer for Israel
- Why is it fitting that this psalm follows Psalm 50?
- Verse 11 does not teach the loss of salvation; rather, this refers to God’s withdrawing his special enablement from the King of Israel that enabled him to effectively rule. See also Judges 16:20; 1 Samuel 11:6; 16:13–14; 18:10, 12; 28:15.
- Why would David pray for Jerusalem (vv. 18–19)? Wasn’t the whole psalm about his sin?
Psalm 49
The righteous should not fear the seeming prosperity of the wicked.
1–4 Call for attention
5–12 Believers should not be intimidated by wealthy, influential unbelievers
13–15 Fools will perish but the righteous will live
16–20 Don’t be influenced by externals
- “Proverb” and “riddle” (v. 4) refer to how wisdom is given.
- Not the character of the unrighteous (v. 18)—who does he praise? Who do the righteous praise?
- What eternal benefit is there to the adulation of unbelievers?
Psalm 48
Praising God for Jerusalem’s strength and position among the pagan nations.
1–3 God’s glory in Jerusalem’s strength
4–7 Futile responses of pagan nations
8 Central theme—God’s eternal presence
9–11 Joyful responses to God’s acts
12–14 Meditating on God’s strength seen in Jerusalem
- Who ruled Israel from Jerusalem? Who was to be worshiped at the temple there? Does that help you see the central importance of Jerusalem?
- Note verses 2, 7, 10, 13—what directions in Jerusalem were protected and safe?
Psalm 47
Praising God for his rule over the nations through Israel.
1–5 God’s rule over Israel
6–9 God’s rule over the nations
- What word in verse 2 points to why God should be praised?
Psalm 46
A song of trust and hope in God’s certain victories.
1–3 Confession of trust in God
4–7 Description of God’s city
8–11 God’s victories over pagan nations
- This psalm was the basis for Martin Luther’s hymn, “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.”
- Verses 1–3 are great truths to meditate on. As you do so, consider the situations in your life and make application.
- Verses 8–10 aren’t talking about merely “peace on earth”—how did and will God make “wars to cease…”?
Psalm 45
A royal wedding song.
1 Introduction
2–9 Words to the king
10–15 Words to the bride
16–17 Conclusion
- As you read verse 6, recall from Psalm 2:7 how the king of Israel was viewed. See also 2 Samuel 7:14; 1 Chronicles 28:6; and Psalm 89:27.
- From verses 16–17, do you remember what God promised to David in 2 Samuel 7:16?
Psalm 44
A cry for help after defeat in battle.
1–8 Praising God for past victories
9–16 Lament for present defeat
17–22 Confession of confusion
23–26 Prayer for deliverance
- As you read verses 20–26, how should Israel respond when things don’t go as expected? What would be the wrong thing to do?
Psalms 42-43
Praying for God’s deliverance and restoration.
42:1–5 Yearning to worship God
42:6–11 A troubled heart cries to God
43:1–5 Praying to God for deliverance and restoration
- Psalms 42–43 most likely were originally one psalm; Psalm 43 has no superscription whereas every psalm in this section does. Also, the refrain is repeated in 42:5, 11; 43:5.
- What did the psalmist do when he was in despair?
- How do you respond when in despair or disturbed? Who should you respond? Why?
Psalm 41
Praying for God’s mercies.
1–3 Trusting God for renewed health
4–9 Praying for deliverance
10–12 Defending God’s honor
13 Doxology
- Have you noticed the theme in verses 5 and following repeated in the last several psalms? Have you also noticed how David does and does not respond? What application can you make from this?
- David’s request in verses 10–12 is not from personal vindictiveness or revenge but zeal for God’s honor (cf. vv. 2–3).
Psalm 40
Praising and praying for God’s abundant grace and mercy.
1–10 Testifying of God’s abundant grace
11–17 Praying for God’s gracious deliverance
- Why is verse 6 true?
- What did David praise God for in verses 1–10? How is that the basis for his request in verses 11–17?
- Note David’s tone and response throughout this Psalm when going through great difficulty.
Psalm 39
Praying for God’s help because of the brevity of life.
1–6 Prayer for wisdom
7–11 Prayer for mercy
12–13 Prayer for help
- Meditate on verses 4–6 and their application for you.
Psalm 38
A prayer for God’s mercy when sick.
1 A cry for help
2–10 The effects of illness in David’s life
11–20 The response of others to David’s illness
21–22 A cry for help
- Why is David suffering physically? Why was that “expected” in OT times (cf. Deut 28:22, 28–29, 35)? Can sickness occur because of sin today? Is it always because of sin (2 Cor 12:7–10)?
- Why does David ignore threats (vv. 13–15)? What application can you make from this?
