1. Old Testament
Job and Psalms
© John Stevenson, 2012

2. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
English Old Testament
Pentateuch
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
Historical Books
Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1-2 Samuel, 1-2 Kings, 1-2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther
Poetic Books
Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon
Prophetic Books
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

3. Before the throne of God
Book
Problem
God as…
Man as…
Job
Pain & suffering
Sovereign
On his face before God
Psalms
Prayer & Worship
Holy
Before the throne of God

4. Poetic Literature Wisdom Literature Psalms Song of Solomon Job
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes

5. Narrator is viewed as a normal man
Poetic Literature
Wisdom Literature
Narrator is viewed as a normal man
Narrator is viewed as the wise voice of experience
Touch the heart
Touch the mind
Focus on human emotion
Focus on wisdom
Love for God and for others
Living before God and with others

6. What is poetry?

7. Job
The Book of Suffering

8. If God is good and if God is all-powerful, then why does evil exist?
Theodicy
If God is good and if God is all-powerful, then why does evil exist?

9. Historical prologue: Job Tested
Overview of the Book of Job
Chapters 1-2
Chapters 3-31
Chapters 33-37
Chapters 38-41
Chapter 42
Historical prologue: Job Tested
Job’s three friends
Elihu’s speeches
God speaks
Historical epilogue: Job Restored
Dialogue & Discourse
Prose Section
Poetry Section
Plain language
Highly ornate
Written in pure Hebrew
Contains many expressions characteristic of Chaldaean

10. Job 1:1
There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.

11. Setting for the Story Uz

12. The Story The Heavenly Challenge Job’s Calamities
Satan’s Second Accusation
Job’s Continuing Endurance
Job’s Three Friends

13. The Cast of Characters Job Mrs. Job God Satan Three Friends Elihu
Eliphaz
Bildad
Zophar
Elihu

14. Job maintains his innocence
I made a covenant with my eyes that I would not look on a woman to lust (31:1).
I gave food and clothing to the poor and the widow and the orphan (31:16-20).
I did not let my own prosperity get in the way of my relationship with God (31:24-28).

15. Elihu
Then these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2 But the anger of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram burned; against Job his anger burned, because he justified himself before God. 3 And his anger burned against his three friends because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.
4 Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were years older than he. (Job 32:1-4).

17. When God Finally Speaks...
He does not give Job any answers to his questions
He does not give Job any comfort in his situation

18. Job 38:1-3 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,
"Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
Now gird up your loins like a man, and I will ask you, and you instruct Me!

19. Job 38:4-7 "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell Me, if you have understanding, who set its measurements, since you know?
Or who stretched the line on it?
On what were its bases sunk?
Or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"

20. Job 40:1
Then the LORD said to Job, "Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who reproves God answer it."

21. Job 40:6-9
Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm, and said, "Now gird up your loins like a man; I will ask you, and you instruct Me. Will you really annul My judgment? Will you condemn Me that you may be justified? Or do you have an arm like God, And can you thunder with a voice like His?

22. Job 42:1-2
Then Job answered the LORD, and said, “I know that Thou canst do all things, And that no purpose of Thine can be thwarted.”

23. Job 42:5-6
"I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees Thee; therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes."

24. Job 42:7
And it came about after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, that the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has.

25. Job 42:8-9
“Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves, and My servant Job will pray for you. For I will accept him so that I may not do with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.”

26. Lessons from Job God is both all-loving and all-powerful
There are no simple answers
Expression of grief & trouble is appropriate, but not to pass judgment on God
God is in control, even when it is not obvious to our eyes
God has a purpose in what he allows, even if we do not know what it is

27. Lessons from Job Tragedy can serve as a wake-up call
God has not remained distant from us in our pain
Job is about God’s condemnation
Will you really annul My judgment?
Will you condemn Me that you may be justified? (Job 40:8).
God was condemned in Christ.

29. Psalms
The Hymnbook of God

30. Title for the Book Hebrew Titles: Tehillim (“praises”).
Tephilloth (“prayers”).
The prayers [tephilloth] of David son of Jesse are ended (Psalm 71:20).

31. Title for the Book Hebrew Titles: Greek Title: Tehillim (“praises”).
Tephilloth (“prayers”).
Greek Title:
Psalmoi (“songs”).

32. Characteristics of the Psalms
A thousand years of history
Musical instruments
Quoted in New Testament
Relates our response to God
A “sensory” book

33. Differences in Chapters
Hebrew Masoretic Text
Septuagint

34. Septuagint & English Translation
Differences in Verses
Hebrew Masoretic Text
Septuagint & English Translation
Superscriptions numbered
Superscriptions not numbered

35. What are the different types of Psalms?
Praise Psalms
Songs of Thanksgiving
Royal Psalms
Wisdom Psalms
Psalms of Remembrance
Psalms of Lament
Imprecatory Psalms

36. Characteristics of the Psalms
A thousand years of history
Musical instruments
Quoted in New Testament
Relates our response to God
A “sensory” book

37. Structure of the Psalms
Book 1
Book 2
Book 3
Book 4
Book 5
Chapt. 1-41
Chapt
Chapt
Chapt
Chapt
Written mostly by David
Mostly by Asaph
Mostly unknown
Many by David

38. The Superscriptions
Ascription of authorship
Musical directions
Historical circumstances of composition
Purpose or use of Psalm
Liturgical notices

39. Structure of the Psalms

40. Psalm 1:1-2
How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.

41. Psalm 1:3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers.

42. But they are like chaff which the wind drives away (Psalm 1:4).
The wicked are not so,
But they are like chaff which the wind drives away (Psalm 1:4).

43. Psalm 1:5-6 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the wicked will perish.

44. Messianic Psalms

45. Psalm 2:1-3 Why are the nations in an uproar
And the peoples devising a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers take counsel together
Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us tear their fetters apart
And cast away their cords from us!”

46. Psalm 2:4-6 He who sits in the heavens laughs,
The Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then He will speak to them in His anger
And terrify them in His fury, saying,
6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

47. Psalm 2:7-6 I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD:
He said to Me, “You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
8 Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance,
And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron,
You shall shatter them like earthenware.”

48. Psalm 2:10-11 Take warning, O judges of the earth.
10 Now therefore, O kings, show discernment;
Take warning, O judges of the earth.
11 Worship the LORD with reverence
And rejoice with trembling.

49. rb;-WqV.n: Psalm 2:12  Nashqu-bar “Kiss the son”
Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,
For His wrath may soon be kindled.
How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!
rb;-WqV.n:
 Nashqu-bar
“Kiss the son”

50. Psalm 2:12
Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,
For His wrath may soon be kindled.
How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!

51. Psalm 8:1 For the choir director; on the Gittith. A Psalm of David.
O LORD, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth,
Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!

52. Psalm 8:2 From the mouth of infants and nursing babes
You have established strength
Because of Your adversaries,
To make the enemy and the revengeful cease

53. But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done, and the children who were shouting in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant 16 and said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself?’” (Matthew 21:15-16)

54. Psalm 16
David
The better David

55. Psalm 16:1-2 A Mikhtam of David.
Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You.
2 I said to the LORD,
“You are my Lord; I have no good besides You.”

56. Psalm 16:7-8 I will bless the LORD who has counseled me;
Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.
8 I have set the LORD continually before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

57. Psalm 16:9-10 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will dwell securely.
10 For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol;
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.

58. Psalm 16:11 You will make known to me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

59. Psalm 22:1 For the choir director; upon Aijeleth Hashshahar.
A Psalm of David.
My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?
Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning.

60. Psalm 22:2-3 O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer;
And by night, but I have no rest.
3 Yet You are holy,
O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.

61. Psalm 22:4-5 In You our fathers trusted;
They trusted and You delivered them.
5 To You they cried out and were delivered;
In You they trusted and were not disappointed.

62. Psalm 22:6-8 But I am a worm and not a man,
A reproach of men and despised by the people.
7 All who see me sneer at me;
They separate with the lip, they wag the head, saying,
8 “Commit yourself to the LORD; let Him deliver him;
Let Him rescue him, because He delights in him.”

63. Psalm 22:9-11 Yet You are He who brought me forth from the womb;
You made me trust when upon my mother's breasts.
10 Upon You I was cast from birth;
You have been my God from my mother’s womb.
11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near;
For there is none to help.

64. Psalm 22:14-15 I am poured out like water,
And all my bones are out of joint;
My heart is like wax;
It is melted within me.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
And my tongue cleaves to my jaws;
And You lay me in the dust of death.

65. Psalm 22:16 For dogs have surrounded me;
A band of evildoers has encompassed me;
They pierced my hands and my feet.

66. Psalm 22:17-18 I can count all my bones. They look, they stare at me;
18 They divide my garments among them,
And for my clothing
they cast lots.

67. Psalm 22:19-22 But You, O LORD, be not far off;
O You my help, hasten to my assistance.
20 Deliver my soul from the sword,
My only life from the power of the dog.
21 Save me from the lion’s mouth;
From the horns of the wild oxen You answer me.
22 I will tell of Your name to my brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.

68. For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying, “I will proclaim Your name to my brethren, in the midst of the congregation I will sing Your praise.” (Hebrews 2:11-12).

69. Psalm 22-24 Psalm 22. The Suffering Servant
Psalm 23. The Good Shepherd
Psalm 24. The Sovereign King

70. Psalm 33:1-3 Sing for joy in the LORD, O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming to the upright.
2 Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre;
Sing praises to Him with a harp of ten strings.
3 Sing to Him a new song;
Play skillfully with a shout of joy.

71. The title Elohim is used much more
than is the name Yahweh

72. Psalm 42:1-3 So my soul pants for Thee, O God.
1 As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So my soul pants for Thee, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God;
When shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my food day and night,
While they say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”

73. Psalm 42:4 These things I remember, and I pour out my soul within me.
For I used to go along with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival.
You cannot rest on yesterday’s experiences
Mutual support & encouragement

74. Psalm 42:5 Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become disturbed within me?
Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him
For the help of His presence.

75. Psalm 42-43 Psalm 43 has no superscription.
Psalm 42 is a Psalm of Lament, but has no supplication at the end unless it is found in Psalm 43
A continuing refrain to “hope in God.”

76. The Refrain Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him
For the help of His presence (Psalm 42:5).
Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God. (Psalm 42:11).
Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God. (Psalm 43:5).

77. Psalm 45:1 For the choir director; according to the Shoshannim.
A Maskil of the sons of Korah.
A Song of Love.
My heart overflows with a good theme;
I address my verses to the King;
My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

78. Psalm 45:7-8
7 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated wickedness;
Therefore God, Thy God, has anointed Thee With the oil of joy above Thy fellows.
8 All Thy garments are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia;
Out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made Thee glad.

79. Psalm 51:1 For the choir director.
A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
Be gracious to me,
O God, according to Your loving-kindness;
According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.

80. Psalm 51:2-4 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity
And cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions,
And my sin is ever before me.
4 Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is evil in Your sight,
So that You are justified when You speak
And blameless when You judge.

81. Psalm 51:5-6 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
6 Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,
And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.

82. Psalm 51 Prayer for individual restoration (1-2) Confession (3-6)
Prayer for Restoration
Cleansing from sin (7-9)
Inward renewal (10-12)

83. Psalm 51:7-9 Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me to hear joy and gladness,
Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.
9 Hide Your face from my sins
And blot out all my iniquities.

84. Psalm 51:10-11 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
And sustain me with a willing spirit.

85. Psalm 51 Prayer for individual restoration (1-2) Confession (3-6)
Thanksgiving
(13-17)
Prayer for Restoration
Cleansing from sin (7-9)
Inward renewal (10-12)

86. Psalm 51:13-14 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners will be converted to You.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness,
O God, the God of my salvation;
Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.

87. Psalm 51:15-17 O Lord, open my lips,
That my mouth may declare Your praise.
16 For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;
You are not pleased with burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

88. Psalm 51 Prayer for individual restoration (1-2) Prayer for national
Confession
(3-6)
Thanksgiving
(13-17)
Prayer for Restoration
Cleansing from sin (7-9)
Inward renewal (10-12)

89. David’s flight from Saul
Psalm 52-59
David’s flight from Saul 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59
Maskils of David
Mikhtams of David
“Meditation”
“Golden Prayer”
Lkf - To be Prudent
~tK - Gold

90. Psalm 57:1 For the choir director; set to Al-tashheth.
A Mikhtam of David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave.
Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me,
For my soul takes refuge in Thee;
And in the shadow of Thy wings I will take refuge,
Until destruction passes by

91. Focus upon Israel, Jerusalem and
the Temple

92. Psalm 73:1-2 A Psalm of Asaph. Surely God is good to Israel,
To those who are pure in heart!
2 But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling,
My steps had almost slipped.
3 For I was envious of the arrogant
As I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

93. Psalm 73:16-17 It was troublesome in my sight
16 When I pondered to understand this,
It was troublesome in my sight
17 Until I came into the sanctuary of God;
Then I perceived their end.

94. Psalm 89:1-2 Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.
I will sing of the lovingkindness of the LORD forever;
To all generations I will make known Your faithfulness with my mouth.
2 For I have said, “Lovingkindness will be built up forever;
In the heavens You will establish Your faithfulness.”

95. Psalm 89:3-4 I have made a covenant with My chosen;
I have sworn to David My servant,
4 I will establish your seed forever
And build up your throne to all generations.
Selah.

96. Yahweh used predominantly over Elohim

97. Psalm 90:1 A Prayer of Moses the man of God.
1 Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were born,
Or Thou didst give birth to the earth and the world,
Even from everlasting to everlasting,
Thou art God.

98. Psalm 92:1-2 It is good to give thanks to the LORD,
1 A Psalm, a Song for the Sabbath day.
It is good to give thanks to the LORD,
And to sing praises to Thy name,
O Most High;
2 To declare Thy lovingkindness in the morning,
And Thy faithfulness by night,

99. Psalm 92:3-4 With resounding music upon the lyre.
3 With the ten-stringed lute, and with the harp;
With resounding music upon the lyre.
4 For Thou, O LORD, hast made me glad by what Thou hast done,
I will sing for joy at the works of Thy hands.

100. Psalm 100:1-3 Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.
1 Psalm for Thanksgiving.
Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Serve the LORD with gladness;
Come before Him with joyful singing.
3 Know that the LORD Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

101. Psalm 100:4-5 And His courts with praise.
4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving,
And His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him; bless His name.
5 For the LORD is good;
His lovingkindness is everlasting,
And His faithfulness to all generations.

102. Psalm
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him (103:11)
As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes When the wind has passed over it, it is no more; And its place acknowledges it no longer (103:15-16).
He established the earth upon its foundations (104:5).

103. Psalm 103-108 The word which He commanded to a thousand generations,
8 He has remembered His covenant forever,
The word which He commanded to a
thousand generations,
9 The covenant which He made with Abraham,
And His oath to Isaac.
10 Then He confirmed it to Jacob for a statute,
To Israel as an everlasting covenant (Psalm 105:8-10).

104. Psalm
He rebuked the Red Sea and it dried up; And He led them through the deeps, as through the wilderness (106:9)
7 God has spoken in His holiness: "I will exult, I will portion out Shechem, And measure out the valley of Succoth.
8 Gilead is Mine, Manasseh is Mine; Ephraim also is the helmet of My head; Judah is My scepter. (Psalm 108:7-8).

106. Psalm 110:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD says to my Lord:
“Sit at My right hand,
Until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet.”

107. The Psalms of Praise Psalms 113-118 (Sung at Passover)
The Hallel
The Psalms of Praise
Psalms
(Sung at Passover)

108. Psalm 118:21-23 And Thou hast become my salvation.
21 I shall give thanks to Thee, for Thou hast answered me;
And Thou hast become my salvation.
22 The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief corner stone.
23 This is the LORD's doing;
It is marvelous in our eyes.

109. Psalm 120:1-2 I Was glad when they said to me,
1 A Song of Ascents, of David.
I Was glad when they said to me,
"Let us go to the house of the LORD."
2 Our feet are standing
Within your gates, O Jerusalem,

110. Psalm 120:3-4 As a city that is compact together;
3 Jerusalem, that is built
As a city that is compact together;
4 To which the tribes go up, even the tribes of the LORD--
An ordinance for Israel--
To give thanks to the name of the LORD.

111. Psalm 134:1-3 Behold, bless the LORD, all servants of the LORD,
1 A Song of Ascents.
Behold, bless the LORD, all servants of the LORD,
Who serve by night in the house of the LORD!
2 Lift up your hands to the sanctuary,
And bless the LORD.
3 May the LORD bless you from Zion,
He who made heaven and earth.

112. Psalm 137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down and wept,
When we remembered Zion.

113. Psalm 137:2-4
2 Upon the willows in the midst of it We hung our harps.
3 For there our captors demanded of us songs,
And our tormentors mirth, saying, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion."
4 How can we sing the LORD's song
In a foreign land?

114. Psalm 137:5-6 May my right hand forget her skill.
5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
May my right hand forget her skill.
6 May my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth,
If I do not remember you,
If I do not exalt Jerusalem
Above my chief joy.

115. The Value of the Psalms A Commentary of the Old Testament
Liturgy for Worship
A Pattern for Prayer
Wisdom for Living