Lesson Six: Psalms and Proverbs
Make a joyful shout [mizmor l’todah ha-riyu (from ruah as in Yom T’ruah) ] to HaShem, all you lands! Serve [ivdu from avad – e.g offerings] HaShem with gladness; come before His presence with singing.
Know that HaShem, He is G-d; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For HaShem is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.
Psalm 100
Introduction
- We are now moving into the “Writings” (Ketuvim) or the “Kh” part of “TaNaKh.”
- In the Torah we were introduced to multiple redemptive themes:
- Interrupted fellowship
- The promised Seed
- Covenant(s) that promised HaShem dwelling with a people/nation.
- Redemption from slavery
- Destined for service and worship
- Ultimate redemption with the establishment of peace in the Land
- In all of those themes, we have seen HaShem reveal Himself. Two primary roles emerge from that revelation:
- Creator
- Redeemer
- These two roles are outlined in our response to His covenant faithfulness:
- Keep His commands (Ex 20:2; Deut 5:6) – because He redeemed us from Egypt
- Keep His Sabbaths (Ex 20:11; Ex 31:16-17) – because He created, and rested.
- Psalms and Proverbs are a continuation of G-d’s self-revelation as: Creator; Redeemer.
Primary Themes of Psalms and Proverbs
- Fallen World; (apparent) Success of the Wicked: Both the Psalms and Proverbs recognize the state of the world as unfriendly to the Righteous. Note the repeated use of redemptive words like “salvation.”
- Steadfastness of the Righteous: In spite of the fallen state of the World and man, the benefit of being in fellowship with the Almighty is to be under with His universal reign.
- Wisdom: The wisdom of remaining faithful to HaShem and His commands is seen in recognizing Him as Creator and Redeemer.
- Service/Worship: The song and prayer book of the first Temple was the Psalms. The majority of the traditional Siddur is simply the Psalms.
- The Kingship of HaShem: Understanding that because of sin we left the Presence of HaShem, and yet one day His reign will be realized in all the Universe – and we will once again be in the Presence of the King.
- All of these themes can best be summed up in the Righteous’ response to HaShem’s self-revelation: To love Him.
Fallen World
- Ps 36:1-4; Psalm 10:1-16: The Wicked only appear to prosper at the expense of the Righteous.
- Sin and Slavery are states to be redeemed from.
Steadfastness of the Righteous
- Ps 37:1-31; Ps 73. Understand the plan – the Wicked will be destroyed, the Righteous redeemed.
Wisdom
- Prov 7:1-4; 8:1-35: Life is found in Wisdom. Wisdom understands Who the Creator is, and responds obediently to Him.
Service
- Ps 27: Avodah [Service/Worship] focuses our attention upon our Creator and Redeemer. Putting our adoration in speech and deed sustains us in a fallen world. One day we will serve Him face to face.
- Ps 145: Ashrei: Prayed twice a day for thousands of years. There are blessings in living in Service to the King. There are blessings in worship.
Kingship of HaShem
- Ps 45:1-8; Ps 93: The Kingdom is the promise of His eternal Presence realized.
- Ps 96: He is coming.
Summary
- Psalms and Proverbs continue to build upon the revelation of HaShem in the Torah.
- As Creator and Redeemer, we can trust that one day we will be in His Presence eternally, where He will be universally acknowledged as King.