Psalms

OBJECTIVE

  • The objective of this module is to have a basic understanding of the Wisdom books, learn how to read and apply the Wisdom books, and learn to see and identify Christ in the Wisdom books.
  • The objective of this lesson is to have a basic understanding of the authorship, compilation, and use of the Psalms, how we may read and pray with the Psalms, and how to see Christ in the Psalms.

INTRODUCTION & HOOK - 5 Minutes

  • For a long time, doctors gave their patients medicine that tasted terrible
  • Although the medicine was lifesaving, the patients refused to take it because of the taste
  • Doctors realized that if they masked the taste of the medicine with something sweet, people would happily take it
  • God did the same with the Psalms: He took difficult theology and placed it with beautiful songs

HOLY SCRIPTURE

  • Read the Psalms throughout the Lesson to provide context (the numbering in according to LXX which is what we use in the Agpeya; see CONTENT for context)
  • Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. 4 The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish (Ps. 1)
  • Other Psalms Mentioned: 8, 21, 22, 29, 109

Memory Verse

"Sing praises to the Lord, you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness" (Ps. 29:5)

CONTENT (KEY POINTS) - 25 Minutes

The Book of Psalms

  • Introduction to Psalms
    • This book comprises 151 Psalms, divided into 5 sections, that can be described as a garden containing the fruits of the other books of Scripture with images of Christ hidden throughout.
    • The Jews recognized the Psalms as a canonical book, being organized by Nehemiah in the library according to 2 Maccabees 2:13.
    • The Church recognizes the use of Psalms in worship and incorporates them throughout the liturgical prayers and readings (such as Psalm 135 in Tasbeha or the Psalm in Vespers, Matins, and the Liturgy of the Word)
    • The Church incorporated the Psalms into the Agpeya so that we may use them in prayer and learn how to pray through them
  • Authorship
    • There are at least nine known authors of Psalms, including David, Solomon, and even Moses
    • Although there are many authors to the Psalms, Scripture and the Church refer to this book as the "Psalms of David" while recognizing it was not entirely written by him
  • Numbering
    • The Psalms originally were not numbered (they were numbered later), but were titled by their first line or phrase
      • This is why when Christ cried out "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Ps. 21) so the people would remember the Psalm and see its fulfillment
    • When the Hebrew Old Testament was translated into Greek by the Jews at Alexandria between the third and second centuries BC, the numbers of the Psalms were shifted
    • Because Psalm 9 and 10 were combined in the Greek translation, the numbering of the Greek Psalms are one behind the Hebrew Translation
    • This is why the Agpeya numbering will be one behind a NKJV Bible, because the Church uses the Greek translation/numbering while NKJV uses the Hebrew

Types of Psalms and How to Pray with Them

  • Thanksgiving
    • Many Psalms focus on giving thanks to the Lord for His beneficence, and provide examples for how we may recognize God's goodness and glorify Him
    • These Psalms often reflect on how the work of the Lord has delivered the psalmist from a difficult situation, and how the Lord is faithful and concerned with our needs
    • An example is Ps. 29
  • Petition
    • Many Psalms are prayers by individuals or groups of people asking God for relief or some kind of blessing
    • These Psalms teach us how we may make "petitions" or requests to God
    • These Psalms often describe the affliction of the psalmist, reaffirm the psalmist's trust in God, describe the petition or request, and make a vow to God for when the petition is fulfilled
    • An example is Ps. 21
    • Psalms asking for repentance, such as Ps. 50, may be considered petitions since the psalmist is asking for forgiveness and deliverance from sin
  • Hymns
    • Many Psalms are hymns that magnify and glorify God
    • These Psalms often contain a call to worship, a description of God's attributes or actions, and an offering of worship
    • An example of this is Ps. 8
  • Wisdom
    • Many Psalms are referred to as "Wisdom Psalms" because the psalmist shares a lesson
    • These Psalms often compares the "righteous" to the "foolish" or "sinners"
    • Scripture is clear that the righteous man abides with God while the foolish man denies and rebels against God
    • An example of this is Ps. 1

Christ in the Psalms

  • Searching for Christ
    • Jesus told His Apostles to look in the Psalms to find Him (cf. Lk. 24:44)
    • Christ Himself even pointed to Psalms that prophecy Him, such as Ps. 109:1 in Mt. 22:44 ("The Lord said to my Lord"), Ps. 109: 117:22-23 in Mt. 21:42 ("The stone which the builder rejected"), and Ps. 21:1 in Mt. 27:46 when the Lord said on the cross, "My God, My God why have you forsaken Me?"
    • The Church refers to these Psalms that reveal Christ as "Messianic Psalms" and recognize that many Psalms describe Christ's relationship to Mankind
  • Psalm 1: Blessed Man
    • In Ps. 1, Christ is described as the blessed man
    • Jesus has deep love for His Father and therefore meditates on His will day and night
    • This Psalm is first because it presents Christ to us so we may imitate and learn from Him
  • Psalm 22: Good Shepherd
    • Ps. 22 describes Christ as our shepherd, as He described Himself in Jn. 10
    • As we wandered like sheep from the garden through sin, Christ laid down His life as the Good Shepherd so that we may return to His flock
    • The Lord sets up a table for us through the cross by which He offers Himself as food
    • The Lord is anointed through the Holy Spirit, Who we receive through the Myron oil at Chrismation
  • Psalm 109: High Priest
    • Ps. 109 describes Christ as our High Priest
    • Paul recognized that "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek" (Ps. 109:4) described Christ (Heb. 7)
    • Through this Psalm, Paul compared Melchizedek to Jesus, recognizing that Christ is the King of Peace who offers His body and blood as Melchizedek, king of Salem, offered bread and wine

DISCUSSION (Challenge) - 10 Minutes

  • You are talking to your friend who tells you that they don't pray the Psalms because they would like to offer their own personal prayer; how would you respond?
  • How may the Psalms help me in spontaneous prayers (prayers that happen in the moment)?
  • St. Athanasius called the Psalms a "mirror into ourselves." What do you think he meant?

LIFE APPLICATION - 5 Minutes

  • We learn how to make personal prayers through the Psalms, and by praying them consistently, the Psalms become our own personal prayers
  • We may take small phrases or verses from the Psalms, memorize them, and pray them in the spur of the moment or when we are involved in an activity
  • The Psalms are like a mirror that reflect our own soul and reveal our deepest emotions and the contents of our hearts; when we hear these words, we are inspired to give thanks, repent, or be encouraged, depending on the Psalm

ACTIVITY - 15 Minutes

  • Option 1: Read, Contemplate, and Discuss Psalms
    • Select three Psalms to read together with your class and discuss (1) what category of Psalm this may be and (2) whether there are images of Christ in the Psalm and, if so, what those are
  • Option 2: Play Bingo

SERVANT RESOURCES

PARENTS CORNER/HOMEWORK

  • Pray Psalms on the way to Church, including 121, 26:4-5, and 64:4 on the way to Church (traditionally the Psalms of the Ascent, 119-133, were also prayed)
  • Pray the Agpeya with your child and read the Psalms together
  • Challenge your child to memorize a Psalm per week, for example

LESSON ATTACHMENTS

JH YSC 2019.pdf