Psalm 117
This is the shortest of all the psalms.
Psalm 118
This psalm is the exact middle point of the entire Protestant Bible.
Psalm 119
This is the longest of all the psalms.
This is an Alphabetical Psalm - the longest, and most perfect in its kind, in the collection of Psalms. The peculiarity of the composition consists in this - that the first eight verses of the psalm begin with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet - Aleph (א '); the next eight verses with the second letter - Beth (ב b); and so on, through the twenty-two letters of the alphabet. These parts are designated in our common version by the names of the Hebrew letters respectively indicating the parts - Aleph, Beth, Gimel, Daleth, etc. Barnes commentary.
Psalm 125They who trust in Jehovah shall be like Mount Zion; it is not shaken, but remains forever.
Psalm 125:1
This is believed to be one of the psalms written after the Babylonian captivity because it says, Mount Zion; it is not shaken, but remains forever. If it had been written before the captivity this would not be a true statement. As it turns out though, technically it is not true anyway, because Rome destroyed Jerusalem only a few hundred years later.
As I have said a number of times already, the psalms are songs expressing feelings, or maybe wishes, and not necessarily stating facts. We have a similar type of non-truths in the Christian hymnals today. eg.
His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form
and dark is His path on the wings of the storm.
While we were studying 2 Chronicles we learned that King Nebuchadnezzar took captive many Israelites and carried them off to Babylon. This psalm is written in the past tense after the Jews were released by King Cyrus and allowed to go back home. However, the material fits into the time period while they were still captive in Babylon.
There we sat down by the rivers of Babylon; also, we wept when we remembered Zion. We hung our lyres on the willows in its midst. For there our captors demanded a song from us; and our plunderers demanded gladness, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How shall we sing Jehovah's song in a foreign land? Psalm 137:1-4.
Cyrus released many captives, not only Israelites, back to their own countries. We learned that this was not so much because he was kind-hearted, but rather because he wanted the returned captives to be a buffer between the Egyptian and Greek armies and Persia. That plan paid off very well for Persia, later on; when Egypt assayed to attack Persia the Israelite army intercepted.
This psalm fits into the time when the decree was given that they could return to their homeland.
When Jehovah turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream. (pinch me, I must be dreaming) Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing; (this is just too good to be true) then they said among the nations, Jehovah has done great things with them. What a testimony to Jehovah's care. Psalm 126:1-6
As I have said a number of times already, the psalms are songs expressing feelings, or maybe wishes, and not necessarily stating facts. We have a similar type of non-truths in the Christian hymnals today. eg.
His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form
and dark is His path on the wings of the storm.
Psalm 137
While we were studying 2 Chronicles we learned that King Nebuchadnezzar took captive many Israelites and carried them off to Babylon. This psalm is written in the past tense after the Jews were released by King Cyrus and allowed to go back home. However, the material fits into the time period while they were still captive in Babylon.
There we sat down by the rivers of Babylon; also, we wept when we remembered Zion. We hung our lyres on the willows in its midst. For there our captors demanded a song from us; and our plunderers demanded gladness, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How shall we sing Jehovah's song in a foreign land? Psalm 137:1-4.
Psalm 126
Cyrus released many captives, not only Israelites, back to their own countries. We learned that this was not so much because he was kind-hearted, but rather because he wanted the returned captives to be a buffer between the Egyptian and Greek armies and Persia. That plan paid off very well for Persia, later on; when Egypt assayed to attack Persia the Israelite army intercepted.
This psalm fits into the time when the decree was given that they could return to their homeland.
When Jehovah turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream. (pinch me, I must be dreaming) Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing; (this is just too good to be true) then they said among the nations, Jehovah has done great things with them. What a testimony to Jehovah's care. Psalm 126:1-6
Psalm 138
Many times it has been stated in this blog that the Bible insists on the plurality of the Gods. Here is another example of that truth. I will praise You with my whole heart; before the gods I will sing praise to You. 138:1.
It is uncanny how glibly Bible interpreters tell us that the word gods means idols. The Hebrew word used here is Elohim. About this word, Elohim, notice: The everlasting Elohim coming forth out of the depths of his inscrutable eternity, and manifesting himself to man in the new character of Yahweh. Barnes Commentary. Bible scholars agree that the word, gods (this includes Jehovah), is the real meaning of Elohim, so how can any honest Bible commentator say the word, gods, in this verse, means idols?
It is also worth noting that the word, gods, as it is used here is the same word that is used in Genesis 1:1, In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. It should be read as: In the beginning the Gods created the heavens and the earth. So those who say that gods in Psalm 138:1 means idols should have no problem reading Gen. 1:1 like this: In the beginning the idols created the heavens and the earth.
It seems that most Bible teachers just cannot let go of the idea that there is only one God. Throughout the Bible, the name of God is distinctly a plural word. Is it because, God, is a plural word that they invent a theory, such as the Trinity, which definitely is not taught in the Bible. That confusing theory sounds like this; The plurality of persons in the Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The plural name of God in Hebrew, which speaks of him as many, tho' he be but one. Wesley.
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