‏ Psalms 20

Summary for Ps 20:1-24:10: Pss 20–24  ^a This sequence of psalms expresses the experience of moving from confidence and commitment (Pss 20–21  ^b), through anguish and abandonment (Ps 22  ^c), and finally to comfort, insight, and hope (Pss 23–24  ^d).
Summary for Ps 20:1-9: Ps 20  ^e This royal prayer for God’s victory (20:1-5  ^f) leads to confidence in God’s rescue (20:6-8  ^g) and a communal request for God’s response (20:9  ^h).
Summary for Ps 20:1-5: 20:1-5  ⁱ The community prays for the king’s protection and victory. 20:1  ^j The title God of Jacob affectionately expresses God’s ancient relationship with his people (see 46:7  ^k, 11  ^l; 75:9  ^m; 76:6  ⁿ; 81:1  ^o, 4  ^p; 84:8  ^q; 94:7  ^r; 114:7  ^s; 146:5  ^t).

• keep you safe from all harm: See 59:1-2  ^u.
20:3  ^v Gifts and burnt offerings express submission to the Lord (cp. 40:6  ^w).
Summary for Ps 20:4-5: 20:4-5  ^x make all your plans succeed ... answer all your prayers: These requests could be those stated in 21:3-6  ^y (cp. 27:4  ^z).
20:5  ^aa Troops carried a victory banner to battle, under which they gathered and roused one another to action (see Isa 11:10  ^ab, 12  ^ac).
Summary for Ps 20:6-8: 20:6-8  ^ad An individual member of the community (20:1-5  ^ae) responds with a word of assurance and confidence in God’s help. 20:6  ^af God chose his anointed king to be ruler (see 2:7  ^ag).
20:7  ^ah chariots and horses: These were instruments of war (see 33:16-17  ^ai; 76:6  ^aj; 147:10  ^ak; Isa 30:16  ^al; 31:1-3  ^am).

‏ Psalms 21

Summary for Ps 21:1-13: Ps 21  ^an God’s people thank him for giving victory to the king.
21:2  ^ao The king has experienced his heart’s desire—God’s protection and blessing (see 20:5  ^ap; see also 2:8  ^aq).
Summary for Ps 21:3-6: 21:3-6  ^ar The king returned victorious from battle and received honor from the people. His greatest honor came from God, who gave him blessings, life, and his presence. 21:3  ^as success and prosperity: See Prov 10:6  ^at.
21:4  ^au God offers a rich quality of life (61:6-7  ^av; 91:14-16  ^aw; 128:4-6  ^ax) characterized by his presence (16:11  ^ay; 23:6  ^az; 27:4  ^ba; 36:9  ^bb), joy (16:11  ^bc), goodness (23:6  ^bd; 34:14-15  ^be), and protection (41:2  ^bf; 61:7  ^bg).
21:6  ^bh God’s eternal blessings also bring fullness of life in the present (see Ps 133  ^bi).
21:7  ^bj The king enjoyed victory not because of his strength or intrinsic goodness but because God honored his faith.
Summary for Ps 21:8-12: 21:8-12  ^bk As long as even a single enemy opposed the king’s authority, God’s kingdom was not fully present. This prayer requests victory over all evil in the world.
21:9  ^bl The flaming furnace and fire portray the severity of God’s judgment on the wicked. In the Old Testament, this image often refers to hell (11:6  ^bm; 18:8  ^bn; 50:3  ^bo; 68:2  ^bp; 78:21  ^bq; 79:5  ^br; 80:16  ^bs; 89:46  ^bt; 97:3  ^bu; 104:4  ^bv; 140:10  ^bw; see Isa 66:24  ^bx).
21:10  ^by children ... descendants: Evil will end when God destroys all opposition to himself (109:13  ^bz; cp. 18:50  ^ca; 22:30-31  ^cb; 25:13  ^cc; 102:28  ^cd).
21:13  ^ce Rise up (or be exalted, as in 57:5  ^cf, 11  ^cg; 108:5  ^ch) expresses communal praise and joy in God’s greatness and power.

‏ Psalms 22

Summary for Ps 22:1-31: Ps 22  ^ci All previous laments pale in comparison with this outcry against the enemy and God’s abandonment. The psalm contains two main sections: the lament (22:1-21  ^cj) and praise for redemption (22:22-31  ^ck), which leads naturally to Ps 23  ^cl. The apostles saw in this psalm an expression of the sufferings of Jesus Christ, who ultimately fulfilled the purpose of David’s humiliation, rejection by people, and divine abandonment (Matt 27:35  ^cm, 39  ^cn, 43  ^co, 46  ^cp; Mark 15:34  ^cq; John 19:23-24  ^cr, 28  ^cs; Heb 2:12  ^ct).
Summary for Ps 22:1-21: 22:1-21  ^cu The psalmist alternates between reflections on his present dire circumstances and memories of the Lord’s past faithfulness; he ends with a prayer for rescue.
Summary for Ps 22:1-2: 22:1-2  ^cv A deep sense of alienation from God overwhelms the psalmist (see 10:1  ^cw).
22:3  ^cx God, the holy King, is set apart from all his creation, but he chooses to reveal himself to Israel.

• God greatly desires that his people offer praises to him.
Summary for Ps 22:6-8: 22:6-8  ^cy Both the Lord and people reject the psalmist. He vividly describes his anguish (22:1-2  ^cz); he lives like a lowly animal.
22:7  ^da Everyone mocks the psalmist’s confidence in the Lord (see 3:2  ^db; Matt 27:43  ^dc), which shames him (Pss 44:13-14  ^dd; 74:10  ^de; 89:50  ^df; 109:25  ^dg).
Summary for Ps 22:9-11: 22:9-11  ^dh The psalmist reflects on his past relationship with God (see 22:3-5  ^di). The Lord has been his very life. 22:9  ^dj The Lord took care of the psalmist before he could do anything for himself (see 71:6  ^dk; 139:13  ^dl).
Summary for Ps 22:12-18: 22:12-18  ^dm The psalmist returns to expressing his anguish and suffering (see 22:1-2  ^dn, 6-8  ^do). His trouble comes from human beings who act like beasts. 22:12  ^dp Bashan, a region known for its herds and vegetation, produced strong bulls (68:30  ^dq).
22:14  ^dr The psalmist’s sense of being poured out like water expresses a meaningless, transitory existence that leaves him depleted.
22:15  ^ds Facing adversity is as horrible as dying of thirst (see 137:6  ^dt).

• Jesus may have had this verse in mind when he said, “I am thirsty” (John 19:28  ^du).
22:16  ^dv The wild pack of dogs represents fierce and unscrupulous people.
Summary for Ps 22:17-18: 22:17-18  ^dw I can count all my bones: The psalmist’s enemies have utterly shamed him by taking his garments. Jesus also suffered this disgrace (see Matt 27:35  ^dx).

• stare at me and gloat: Enemies make the psalmist the object of their scorn (see Pss 35:24  ^dy, 26  ^dz; 38:16  ^ea; 55:3  ^eb; cp. 59:10  ^ec).

• throw dice: Literally cast lots. The casting of lots was sometimes a way for godly people to find God’s direction (Lev 16:8  ^ed; Num 27:21  ^ee; Acts 1:24-26  ^ef). Here, the lots are thrown simply as a game of chance. The soldiers threw dice for Jesus’ clothing after the crucifixion (Matt 27:35  ^eg; Mark 15:24  ^eh; Luke 23:34  ^ei; John 19:24  ^ej).
Summary for Ps 22:19-21: 22:19-21  ^ek The psalmist faces his troubles by praying for God’s rescue. Only the Lord has the strength to ward off dogs, lions, and oxen.
22:20  ^el The sword makes evident the lethal intent of the enemy.
Summary for Ps 22:22-24: 22:22-24  ^em The psalmist praises the Lord and calls for the godly to join him. He tells of God’s goodness to the needy, including himself. 22:22  ^en I will proclaim your name: The writer to the Hebrews ascribes these words to Jesus (Heb 2:12  ^eo).

• my brothers and sisters: Literally my brothers. In the New Testament quotation, the Greek translation picks up the broader meaning as “my brothers and sisters.”
22:23  ^ep The godly respond with awe (see 22:25  ^eq).
22:24  ^er Unlike his response to the wicked (see 21:8-12  ^es), God cares about the needy and hears their prayers (51:17  ^et; 69:33  ^eu; 102:17  ^ev).
Summary for Ps 22:25-31: 22:25-31  ^ew The psalmist vows to praise the Lord, the great King of the earth (22:27-28  ^ex) who cares for the needy. God alone deserves praise. 22:25  ^ey The great assembly might include all nations (22:27  ^ez; 26:12  ^fa; 35:18  ^fb).
22:26  ^fc God knows his people’s needs and addresses them (63:5  ^fd; 81:16  ^fe; 103:5  ^ff; 107:9  ^fg; 132:15  ^fh; 145:16  ^fi; 147:14  ^fj).
22:27  ^fk families of the nations: All clans and tribes of humanity (see Gen 12:3  ^fl; Rev 5:9-10  ^fm) will live in submission to the Lord (Ps 96:1-3  ^fn; see Pss 2  ^fo, 72  ^fp; Isa 2:2-4  ^fq; 1 Cor 15:25-27  ^fr).
22:28  ^fs The universal kingdom belongs to God alone (Obad 1:21  ^ft).
22:29  ^fu The Lord invites all people, rich and poor (22:26  ^fv), to the banquet as long as they worship him.
22:30  ^fw Future generations will join those from the past who praised the Lord (22:3-5  ^fx). The descendants of the godly will receive blessings (22:30-31  ^fy), unlike the offspring of the wicked (21:10  ^fz).
22:31  ^ga The Lord’s acts of redemption (40:9  ^gb; 50:6  ^gc; 71:15  ^gd, 16  ^ge, 24  ^gf; 97:6  ^gg) demonstrate that he is righteous (see 4:1  ^gh). His righteousness provides the character required for rule, judicial decisions, and relationships. This virtue leads to harmony and order (see 50:6  ^gi).

‏ Psalms 23

Summary for Ps 23:1-28:9: Pss 23–28  ^gj These psalms develop the importance of integrity (25:4-7  ^gk, 12-14  ^gl, 21  ^gm; 26:6  ^gn, 11  ^go; 27:7-12  ^gp), God’s shepherding care (23:1  ^gq; 28:9  ^gr), God’s guidance (23:2-3  ^gs; 25:5  ^gt; 27:11  ^gu), God’s goodness (23:6  ^gv; 25:7-8  ^gw; 27:13  ^gx), and living in his house (23:6  ^gy; 26:8  ^gz; 27:4  ^ha, 8  ^hb).
Summary for Ps 23:1-6: Ps 23  ^hc This psalm of trust and confidence in the Lord has been a favorite of God’s people for generations. It expresses assurance of God’s presence in the midst of adversity. It evokes images of the Good Shepherd (23:1-3  ^hd; see Ezek 34:12  ^he; John 10:11  ^hf) and of the messianic banquet (Ps 23:5-6  ^hg; see Isa 25:6  ^hh; Rev 19:9  ^hi).
Summary for Ps 23:1-3: 23:1-3  ^hj People in the ancient Near East commonly viewed their rulers as shepherds. 23:1  ^hk The Lord promises to take care of his children (34:9-10  ^hl; Isa 51:14  ^hm). He demonstrated this ability to Israel in the wilderness (Deut 2:7  ^hn) and in the Promised Land (Deut 8:9  ^ho).
23:2  ^hp Sheep rest after they have eaten their fill (Zeph 3:13  ^hq; see Isa 11:7  ^hr; cp. Isa 13:20  ^hs; 27:10  ^ht).

• The Lord leads the sheep for their own benefit (see Ps 5:8  ^hu).

• Sheep only drink from still water, so the shepherd seeks out peaceful streams for his flock.
23:3  ^hv Cp. 19:7  ^hw; the Lord’s word renews my strength.

• The Lord guides by rescuing his people from evil (23:4-5  ^hx; see 31:3  ^hy), bringing them back to himself (5:8  ^hz; 61:2  ^ia), caring (48:14  ^ib; 139:10  ^ic), ruling (67:4  ^id), counseling (73:24  ^ie), protecting (78:53  ^if; 107:30  ^ig; 143:11  ^ih), and instructing them in wisdom (27:11  ⁱⁱ; see Prov 4:11  ^ij).

• The Lord’s name guarantees the relationship; he guards his reputation against any accusation of his abandoning his people or allowing them to sin (see Pss 25:11  ^ik; 31:3  ^il; 106:8  ^im; 143:11  ⁱⁿ).
23:4  ^io The shepherd used his rod and staff to fend off danger.
23:5  ^ip A feast demonstrates the Lord’s care and mercy toward his people (see 22:26  ^iq, 29  ^ir). Although enemies can watch, they cannot trouble the guests.

• The ritual of anointing the head with oil showed guests honor (92:9-11  ^is), hospitality, and refreshment (104:15  ^it; 133:2  ^iu).
23:6  ^iv The Lord expresses his unfailing love through the goodness of his presence and other benefits that he alone provides (69:16  ^iw; 86:17  ^ix; 109:21  ^iy; see 18:6  ^iz; 61:4  ^ja). He actively bestows care that is greater than the temporary trials imposed by enemies (7:1  ^jb).

‏ Psalms 24

Summary for Ps 24:1-10: Ps 24  ^jc The shepherd of Ps 23  ^jd, who is also the King of the whole world, takes possession of Zion.
Summary for Ps 24:1-2: 24:1-2  ^je The kingdom belongs to the Creator, the Great King (cp. 22:27  ^jf). 24:1  ^jg The Lord created and now rules the earth and everything in it (see 1 Cor 10:25-26  ^jh). He sees all its people (Ps 33:14  ^ji), regardless of their status (49:1-2  ^jj).
24:2  ^jk God created everything in an orderly and stable manner (see 89:11  ^jl; 102:25  ^jm; 104:5  ^jn).
Summary for Ps 24:3-6: 24:3-6  ^jo The citizens of the King’s realm include all who seek him. The Lord invites them to enter his presence. 24:3  ^jp These questions invite readers to look away from their problems with the wicked and to examine themselves (see 15:1  ^jq).

• God’s holy place is the holy mountain, a reference both to Jerusalem and to heaven.
24:4  ^jr Those with pure hands have not shed blood or injured relationships between people (see 9:12  ^js; 15:2-5  ^jt).

• Those with pure hearts commit themselves fully to the Lord, as evidenced in strength of character, transparency, and selflessness (51:10  ^ju; 73:1  ^jv; see Matt 5:8  ^jw).
24:10  ^jx The Lord of Heaven’s Armies reigns from his home, the Temple in Jerusalem (84:3-5  ^jy). He excludes sin and sinners (24:3-6  ^jz) but protects all who dwell in Zion.