Favorite Psalm

[Deacon]

I’m working on a 10 week Sunday school lesson on the Psalms for the spring.

1. What is your favorite Psalm? Why?

2. What are some of the psalms you think should be included in the study and for what reason?

I'll get back to you with my list after a bit.

Rob

 

[Hopeful]

I'm sure you'll prefer to have more authoritative answers than mine :laugh: --but here's my 2-cents:
My favorite Psalm is #40.

Why? Because Psalm 40:2 (He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, [and] established my goings.) is one of the most comforting and heartfelt-thankful verses in the Bible (obviously, in MY opinion), and Psalm 40:3 (And he hath put a new song in my mouth, [even] praise unto our God: many shall see [it], and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.) is one of the most joyous.

I think it's a good one to include in your study because it encompasses a full range of "experience of God"--His power and majesty, His faithfulness, His mercy and comfort, and His desire for us to truly serve Him.

 

[TCGreek]

I’m working on a 10 week Sunday school lesson on the Psalms for the spring.

1. What is your favorite Psalm? Why?

1. Psalm 23 is still my favorite, because it encompasses every stage of life and presents God as the constant Shepherd of the soul. :thumbs:

2. What are some of the psalms you think should be included in the study and for what reason?

2. Ps 1 sets the stage and the imagery of what it means to meditate on the law of the Lord will blow you away. I've found word studies to be enriching in the Psalms.

3. And Psalm 139 and 119--they are so wonderful, for they speak for themselves. I still remember when my prof told me that each section of Ps 119 is a letter of the Hebrew alphabet and each line begins with that letter and goes through the all the letters in the fashion consecutively.

 

[Psalm 95]

My favorite is Psalm 95

There are several reasons I like it and think it is important, but here are two.

1. It teaches us to worship the Lord our creator, and it also gives reasons for that we should worship Him.
“O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.”
(Psalms 95:6 KJV)

2. It gives a background to Hebrews 3:12 warning for unbelief.
“Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.”
(Hebrews 3:12 KJV)

 

[2 Timothy2:1-4]

Psa 1:1​

​

​

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. ​

Psa 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Psa 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Psa 1:4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
Psa 1:5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
Psa 1:6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.


This passage speaks to the importance of the word of God. When you make a comparison of the tree in verse three to a tree not by the river but down the road what we find is that the tree down the road must wait and depend on rain to gain water. The tree on the river bank always has its roots spread out in the water and always has sustaining water available.

We have many who call themsleves Christians who are much like the tree planted down the road. They wait until sunday morning to get fed from the word of God. They do not posses that sustaining water all week. Verses 4,5,& 6 say that those who do not spend this time in the word of God are ungodly and have nothing to sustain them day to day.

 

[Scarlett O.]

Well, for right now, it's Psalm 37. This past summer, I read it alot and everytime I read it, it convicted me more.

It's about God's loving protection of us and how we should respond. It's not that we have to give the proper response and He will love us more, but that our giving the proper response helps us to be comforted by His loving protection.

It's hard sometimes for us to "let" someone else love us.

If we will do the things that are commanded in Psalm 37, our relationship with God will increase abundantly.

Verse 1......"fret not"
Verse 3......"trust in the LORD and do good"
Verse 4......"delight in the LORD"
Verse 5......"commit your ways to the LORD"
Verse 7......"rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him"
Verse 8......"cease from anger and forsake wrath"
Verse 27...."depart from evil"
Verse 34...."wait on the LORD and keep His way"
Verse 36...."model yourself after righteous people"

 

[Deacon]

Well, for right now...

:laugh:
Someone asked me recently, "What's your favorite book?"
I gave him a list of 5 or so and said something similar, "It depends on what I'm reading right now!"

It's the same way with the Psalms.
I like the one I'm studying now the best...whatever one it may be!
It's so hard to choose.
Thanks for your suggestions so far.

But... if I had to choose one, I think it would be Psalm 19

The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Psalm 19:1 ESV

My tentative list for the 10 weeks includes:

Ps 1 preface//intro to Hebrew poetry//choices, paths, devotional
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; (ESV)

Ps 14=53 lament//compositional history of Psalms//titles//NT use
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

Ps 19 Davidic//Yhwh//Creation hymn//Law praised//doctrinal study
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Ps 40 Davidic//poetry//NT use//devotional, “my help and deliverer”
Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust,

Ps 51 Davidic Psalm//Nathan-Bathsheba//Elohistic//NT use//song//devotional
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Ps 88 Sons of Korah//lament//Selah//death study//discussion - make them think
Ps 89 Ethan//end of book doxology//faithfulness
You have taken my companions and loved ones from me; the darkness is my closest friend. (88:18 NIV)

Ps 103 Davidic//Yhwh//acrostic pattern//NT use//grace word study
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, (ESV)

Ps 131 Song of Accents//simple, profound//doctrinal study
Ps 120-134
But I have calmed and quieted my soul, (131:2 ESV)

Ps 136 (Ps 118) responsive reading, “His steadfast love endures forever”//history//grace study; the great praise//devotional
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. (NRSV)

Ps 137 Unique lament//discussion
Ps 139
Happy shall they be who take your little ones and dash them against the rock!

Rob

 

[tjfkbrawny]

My favorite is probably Psalm 37, and the reason is that it tells us how to be supremely happy. Delight ourselves in the Lord. The whole Psalm is lifechanging.