Psalms 101-105: A “Little Psalter” Framed By Two Royal Psalms

Psalm 101 – A Royal Pledge To Reign Righteously
Psalm 102 – Individual Lament
Psalm 103 – Praise Of Yahweh For His “Great…Love”
Psalm 104 – Praise Of Yahweh The Creator
Psalm 105 – Recital Of Israel’s Saving History

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One Reply to “Psalms 101-105: A “Little Psalter” Framed By Two Royal Psalms”

  1. Psalm 101 – A Royal Pledge To Reign Righteously. This is a great psalm to use as a morning prayer, a way to start the day with a renewal of our pledge to be blameless (as a goal), to walk in the ways of the Lord. Verse 5 refers to Psalm 131 and implores us to be humble. “My eyes will be on the faithful in the land” (101:6) and “no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence” (101:7) are worth repeating each day! We don’t always get to choose who stand in front of us, many with jobs in the public know this, but was can choose to keep our eyes on the faithful.

    Psalm 102 – Individual Lament. This psalm really starts out in E-minor, or perhaps Bb-minor for piano players, dark, sad, great despair. The first 11 verses set a tone of lament, then it turns toward the Lord in verse 12: “But you, Lord, sit enthroned forever; your renown endures through all generations.” The psalm continues to build to a crescendo:

    Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the Lord: “The Lord looked down from his sanctuary on high, from heaven he viewed the earth, to hear the groans of the prisoners and release those condemned to death.” Psalm 102:18-20

    Let this be written for us Lord, let us know that you have come to set us free, all condemned to death. Lord, may I be a faithful witness to your love. If I had only read the first 11 verses of this psalm, I would have missed the excitement of the rest of the story. Use this as an analogy for introducing Christ to those who are older, whose lives have been filled with worldly thoughts and possessions. Christ has come to set the captives free! All praise be to God for his great desire to release all of us!

    Psalm 103 – Praise the Lord, O My Soul. What a great old hymn that has been revived as a modern worship song. That is indeed my prayer this morning, the my soul would praise you Lord, that everything I say, every thought and all I do would praise your Holy name. May I join in the chorus of angels “the mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word” (103:20) and sing with full voice the praises you deserve.

    Psalm 104 – Praise Of Yahweh The Creator. This psalm reminds us that God created all things. “He makes springs pour water into the ravines” (v10) to “the moon to make the seasons” (v19). “How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures” (v24). With all this in mind, the psalmist ends with a reminder: “I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live” (v35).

    Psalm 105 – Recital Of Israel’s Saving History. From Abraham through Moses and the Exodus and the first Passover, this psalm captures the highlights of Israel’s past as a reminder of our mighty Lord. Thank you Lord for your mighty acts, for disciplining us when we need it (present tense). You’re not done yet, but it’s important to remember the highlights of the past. History is yet to be written and many more will come to know you if we commit ourselves to you Lord. May it be so. Praise the Lord!

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