| PSALMS 136-142 |
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The Way of Life Spiritual Development Center |
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Psalm 136
READ PSALM 136. This psalm is anonymous. The psalmist thanks God for His works in creation and redemption.
He gives reasons to give God thanks in Verses 1-26. Notice that every one of the 26 verses ends with the same words: "His love endures forever."
Psalm 137
READ PSALM 137. This is an anonymous psalm. Psalm 137 is a communal lament about being in exile after the Babylonian captivity. In its nine verses, the psalm reflects the yearning for Jerusalem as well as hatred for the holy city's enemies with sometimes violent imagery.
The psalmist recalls the sad saga of Israel's Babylonia captivity and prays that God would severely punish their captors.
In Verses 1-6, the psalmist tells about Judah and Judah's captors. In Verses 7-9, the psalmist prays that God will punish Judah's captors: the Babylonians and the Edomites.
Verses 1–4
The early lines of the psalm describe the sadness of the Israelites in exile, weeping and hanging their harps on trees. When they were asked to "sing the Lord's song in a strange land," they refused.
1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
2 We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.
3 For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.
4 How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?
Verses 5–6
In vv. 5–6 the speaker turns into self-exhortation to remember Jerusalem.
5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget [her cunning].
6 If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.
Verses 7–9
The psalm ends with prophetic predictions of violent revenge.
7 Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.
8 O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.
9 Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.
Psalm 138
READ PSALM 138. This psalm was written by David. Psalm 138 is traditionally recited as a psalm of thanks and gratitude to God. David comments on the promises God made to him in a covenant.
David worships God in a personal manner. He also joins in the universal worship of God.
Psalm 139
READ PSALM 139. This is one of David's 73 psalms. David comments about the greatness of God.
Verses 1-6: Omniscience (God knows all)
Verses 7-12: Omnipresence (God is everywhere and is always with us)
Verses 13-24: Omnipotence (God is powerful enough to do all things)
Psalm 140
READ PSALM 140. This is one of David's psalms. He reflects on the perils that befall him because of his enemies' persecution and trusts in the protection of God's word until the promise can be realized. It is David's plea to God not only for protection from his enemies but also from the temptation to sin.
Verses 1-11: David reflects on what the godless are doing and what they deserve.
Verses 12-13: David reverses his reflection and first says what they deserve before stating what the godly are doing.
Psalm 141
READ PSALM 141. As a young man, David fellowships with God and expresses the concerns closest to his heart in this short psalm of only five verses. David asks God to hear his prayer and to honor his prayer.
Psalm 142
READ PSALM 142. David is the author of this psalm. It is his personal prayer at the time he was alone and hiding in the cave from Saul. David explains his desperation in the first four verses. He explains his realization in the last three verses.
Psalm 142 can be used as a prayer in times of distress.
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| Last updated 2025/09/04 18:07:40 EDT | Hits 194 |
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