‏ Psalms 8

Summary for Ps 8:1-9: Ps 8  ^a Psalm 8  ^b opens the second segment of Book One (Pss 8–14  ^c). The psalmist celebrates God’s creation and the dignity of the ideal human being (see Ps 1  ^d). Instead of the world of enemies, wicked people, and distorted justice that is presented in Pss 3–7  ^e, this psalm promotes an image of the world as God originally created it. A weary person can envision a place of dignity in God’s world. 8:1  ^f The Lord (Hebrew Yahweh), the covenant God of Israel (Exod 3:15  ^g), also holds the title of Lord (Hebrew ’adonay), the king of the earth.

• The word translated majestic (sometimes translated “mighty”) can describe kings (Ps 136:18  ^h), heroes (16:3  ⁱ), mountains (76:4  ^j), or waves breaking on the seashore (93:4  ^k). While all are awe-inspiring and mighty, the created order pales in comparison with the Lord.

• A person’s name embodies their reputation.

• The earth and the heavens reveal the Lord’s splendor. All creation worships and praises the Lord (66:4  ^l; 113:3  ^m; 145:21  ⁿ).
8:2  ^o silencing: The loud noise of the oppressors contrasts with the praise of God. In the end, the praise of God will overwhelm the sound of evil (31:18  ^p; 63:11  ^q; 101:5  ^r; 143:12  ^s).

• Those who oppose God seethe with vindictive anger (2:1-3  ^t; 44:16  ^u; cp. 149:6-7  ^v).
Summary for Ps 8:3-5: 8:3-5  ^w In light of God’s awesome glory, it might seem that people would be insignificant to him. However, he has crowned them with glory and honor and placed them over all creation. 8:3  ^x The nations around Israel worshiped heavenly objects as deities. The sun, moon, and stars are indeed immense and glorious, but they are merely the work of your fingers, a reason to praise the Almighty.
8:4  ^y human beings (literally son of Adam): The Hebrew idiom son of man (or son of Adam) means a human being. Through the influence of Dan 7:13-14  ^z, it became a title with divine overtones in the New Testament. See Heb 2:6-8  ^aa, where this passage is quoted.
8:5  ^ab Yet you made them only a little lower than God: Humans bear God’s image; the Lord has endowed humans with dignity and charged them to rule (Gen 1:26-27  ^ac). Hebrews 2:6-8  ^ad applies these words to Jesus Christ, the ideal human who fully realized God’s purposes.
8:6  ^ae gave them charge of everything: The psalmist is still referring to humans in general. Paul applies these words to Jesus as the perfect man who has made the created order—even death (1 Cor 15:25-27  ^af)—subject to God and his glory. The New Testament connects these themes of creation and salvation with Jesus Christ (John 1:1-2  ^ag, 14  ^ah; Col 1:16  ^ai).
Summary for Ps 8:7-8: 8:7-8  ^aj Wild animals, including birds and fish, remind readers of God’s creation of the animal world in Gen 1  ^ak. Contrary to beliefs among Israel’s neighbors in the ancient Near East, animals are not sacred.

‏ Psalms 9

Summary for Ps 9:1-10:18: Pss 9–10  ^al This hymn celebrates the Lord’s kingship and victory over evil. It might also serve as a response to the laments of Pss 3–7  ^am. Some believe that Pss 9  ^an and 10  ^ao should be read together as one psalm in two parts because Ps 9  ^ap includes a title and Ps 10  ^aq does not, and although several letters are missing or inverted, the two psalms connect as an acrostic of the Hebrew alphabet (other such alphabetic acrostics are Pss 25  ^ar, 34  ^as, 37  ^at, 111–112  ^au, 119  ^av, 145  ^aw). The ancient Greek and Latin translations treat 9 and 10 as one.
9:title  ^ax This psalm was originally sung to the tune “Death of the Son,” but that tune is no longer known. So also with the tunes mentioned in Pss 22  ^ay, 45  ^az, 56–60  ^ba, 69  ^bb, 75  ^bc, and 80  ^bd.
9:1  ^be The verb translated praise is translated “thank” in 7:17  ^bf, suggesting a close connection between Pss 7  ^bg and 9  ^bh (see 7:17  ^bi; 8:1-2  ^bj). With all my heart expresses the psalmist’s deep devotion and commitment (86:12  ^bk; 111:1  ^bl; 119:10  ^bm; 138:1  ^bn).

• I will tell: These stories educate the next generation (78:4  ^bo; 145:4  ^bp); when they are not remembered, a generation might easily depart from the Lord (78:11  ^bq, 32  ^br).

• The marvelous things include the Lord’s judgments on the enemies of his people (9:4  ^bs) and his care for the oppressed (9:9  ^bt). The wonders in creation, in redemption, and in revelation reveal his character and show his power (89:5  ^bu; 111:4  ^bv; 119:18  ^bw, 27  ^bx). His powerful manifestations evoke public praise (9:1  ^by; 26:7  ^bz; 75:1  ^ca).

‏ Psalms 10

Summary for Ps 10:1-18: Ps 10  ^cb The lament of 9:13-20  ^cc continues in Ps 10  ^cd (see study note on Pss 9–10), but the mood changes from confident assertion to anguished questioning. The psalmist prays for rescue, believing that the Lord, as a just king, takes care of the needy. 10:1  ^ce The opening questions set the mood. The Lord does not seem to hear the prayers of his people (22:1  ^cf, 19  ^cg; see 2 Kgs 4:27  ^ch; Isa 1:15  ^ci).
Summary for Ps 10:2-11: 10:2-11  ^cj Wicked and oppressive people might prosper, leaving ugly consequences. Evil can be as dramatic as the psalmist portrays it here, or it could be more subtle. 10:2  ^ck The wicked brazenly defy God with their acts and speech (17:10  ^cl; 31:18  ^cm; 59:12  ^cn; 73:8  ^co; 123:4  ^cp). Although the Lord will deal with them (31:23  ^cq), they disturb the righteous (see 5:4-6  ^cr) prior to their condemnation and judgment.
10:3  ^cs Unlike those who have evil desires, the godly wait for justice (10:17  ^ct).
10:4  ^cu God is dead: See 10:11  ^cv; 14:1  ^cw.
Summary for Ps 10:6-7: 10:6-7  ^cx Despite their evil ways (5:9  ^cy; 28:3  ^cz; Rom 3:14  ^da), the wicked expect a future free of trouble such as the righteous will enjoy.
10:8  ^db The wicked rely on outright violence (11:5  ^dc; 37:32  ^dd) and deception (Prov 12:6  ^de; 23:27-28  ^df).
Summary for Ps 10:12-15: 10:12-15  ^dg With confidence that the wicked will be held responsible for their deeds and that the Lord will care for the helpless, the psalmist prays intensely for rescue from evil.
10:14  ^dh Because the Lord cares for the afflicted, he will take note and punish evildoers (see 72:14  ^di; 116:15  ^dj).
10:15  ^dk The psalmist strongly invokes a curse as he prays (see thematic note for Prayers for Vengeance at end of chapter).

• Arms represent an ability to wage war (18:34  ^dl; 44:3  ^dm).
10:16  ^dn As the true and just king, God will bring the wicked to an end, as he promises (1:6  ^do).
Summary for Ps 10:17-18: 10:17-18  ^dp The psalmist expresses his confidence in the Lord.
10:18  ^dq Mere people misuse their power and enslave the very people God wants them to serve (see 9:19-20  ^dr; Luke 22:25-26  ^ds).

Thematic note: Prayers for Vengeance
The psalmists sometimes asked the Lord to execute vengeance against their adversaries. It was not unusual for a psalmist to pray for the violent destruction of their enemies as a manifestation of God’s justice. How can this kind of prayer be okay?
These prayers for the destruction of the wicked arose out of concern for justice and righteousness and out of confidence in God. Divine justice is defined in Psalm 1:6  ^dt: The Lord loves the righteous and destroys the wicked. The wicked are subversive, corrupt, and thoroughly committed to evil; they live in opposition to God and to everything that God does. The wicked shake the foundations of ethics, of society, and of God’s kingdom. The psalmists argued that evil is inconsistent with God’s nature and that the removal of evil is the only way for his kingdom to thrive. However, the poets of Israel did not simply invoke God’s judgment on anyone with whom they could not get along. Instead, the psalmists were guided by God’s standards of justice and righteousness, to which God holds all humans accountable.
The psalmists were intimately acquainted with grief. They had suffered and been oppressed and marginalized by bullies, leaders, and kings from inside and outside of Israel. Their prayers were full of faith and hope, asking how long the Lord would tolerate their suffering and confessing that the Lord alone could rescue them from evil. They expressed deep longing for his redemption. By the principle of retribution, they asked the Lord to inflict upon the wicked the suffering that they had endured (Ps 5:10  ^du; 6:10  ^dv; 7:9  ^dw; 9:19-20  ^dx; 28:4  ^dy; 56:7  ^dz; 104:35  ^ea; 137:7-9  ^eb; 139:19  ^ec). Through these prayers for justice and vindication, the godly may rest in peace as they await God’s rescue.
Do we truly see evil as evil, or do we perceive it merely as an inconvenience? Prayers for the end of evil are appropriate as long as we recognize God as arbiter, judge, and executor. The prayer for the coming of God’s Kingdom implies the removal of evil. But now the cruelty inflicted on the wicked has been transformed through the cruel crucifixion of Jesus Christ. This act of God informs how we pray for those who oppose us. Jesus will indeed judge and bring an ultimate end to evil (see Rev 19:11-21  ^ed), but while Christians await that final judgment, they are to love as Christ loved (John 13:34  ^ee), pray for their enemies, and forgive them (Matt 5:38-48  ^ef; Col 3:13  ^eg).


Passages for Further Study
2 Chr 24:22  ^eh; Neh 4:5  ^ei; Pss 3:7  ^ej; 9:19-20  ^ek; 10:15  ^el; 12:3  ^em; 41:10  ^en; 55:15  ^eo; 69:22-28  ^ep; 79:6  ^eq; 109:6-20  ^er; 110:5-6  ^es; 137:1-9  ^et; Isa 61:2  ^eu; Jer 11:20-23  ^ev; 18:19-23  ^ew; 51:35  ^ex; Lam 1:22  ^ey; 3:64-66  ^ez; Acts 1:20  ^fa; Rom 11:9-10  ^fb; Rev 6:10  ^fc

‏ Psalms 11

Summary for Ps 11:1-7: Ps 11  ^fd The psalmist affirms his faith in the righteous God. Even though the world appears hopelessly chaotic, both the godly and the wicked can count on God’s justice. The godly can depend on him as a refuge and shelter. 11:1  ^fe God provides protection (or refuge; see 5:11  ^ff; 9:9  ^fg; 25:20  ^fh) when the foundations of justice collapse.

• The mountains provide another place of refuge (see 121:1  ^fi).
Summary for Ps 11:2-3: 11:2-3  ^fj In the inevitable battle between the evil and the godly, the wicked cannot tolerate the righteous, so they victimize them. This seems to leave the godly with nothing but questions. 11:2  ^fk The wicked live in the shadows and create gloom for the godly (82:5  ^fl; 139:11  ^fm; 143:3  ^fn; Prov 4:19  ^fo).
11:3  ^fp The wicked create a world of darkness (see 82:5  ^fq).
11:4  ^fr The righteous King rules from heaven, where his throne is untouched by human corruption (see 2:4  ^fs). He examines everyone and sees everything that happens on earth (see 14:2-3  ^ft).
11:5  ^fu hates: See 5:4-6  ^fv; Prov 6:16-18  ^fw.

• Wicked deeds result in destruction and violence (Pss 58:2  ^fx; 73:6  ^fy; 74:20  ^fz).
11:6  ^ga God rained blazing coals and burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19  ^gb) as symbols of judgment (Pss 18:8  ^gc; 120:4  ^gd; 140:10  ^ge).
11:7  ^gf The godly are assured of the Lord’s favorable presence when they see his face (see 23:6  ^gg).

‏ Psalms 12

Summary for Ps 12:1-8: Ps 12  ^gh This community lament seeks the Lord’s help against the prevalence of evil. Because of the Lord’s answer, the godly can face the future knowing that God protects them.
Summary for Ps 12:1-4: 12:1-4  ^gi Evil becomes so pervasive that the godly pray for rescue (Isa 57:1  ^gj; Mic 7:2  ^gk; cp. Pss 1:6  ^gl; 37:20  ^gm; 58:7  ^gn; 104:35  ^go).
12:4  ^gp The words they say reveal the character of the wicked. They deceive and overpower the godly and arrogantly question the Lord’s purposes.
12:6  ^gq The godly can rely on the Lord’s promises, but not on the lies of the wicked (12:2-4  ^gr).

• Seven times means totally or completely.
Summary for Ps 12:7-8: 12:7-8  ^gs The godly know that the Lord cares, even though the wicked continue to oppress them. The Lord sees the corrupt and foolish people who praise evildoers (see 9:19-20  ^gt; 14:2-6  ^gu).

‏ Psalms 13

Summary for Ps 13:1-6: Ps 13  ^gv The psalmist’s piercing cry for help becomes a confident song of hope.
Summary for Ps 13:1-2: 13:1-2  ^gw How long? The fourfold repetition expresses agitation and deep anguish (79:5  ^gx).
13:2  ^gy A sense of anguish and sorrow closes off any perspective of hope (6:3  ^gz). Unless the Lord answers the psalmist’s prayers (22:1  ^ha), death seems inescapable, torturous, and slow (6:6  ^hb; 32:3  ^hc; 55:4  ^hd; 61:2  ^he; 102:5  ^hf; 116:3  ^hg). The psalmist hardly knows how to pray; he longs for God’s redemption (25:17-18  ^hh; 31:10  ^hi; 38:8  ^hj; 39:2  ^hk).
Summary for Ps 13:3-4: 13:3-4  ^hl Only the Lord can bring enlightenment and relief. The psalmist longs for the Lord’s vindication so that his foes will not rejoice. 13:3  ^hm The psalmist’s affliction feels like death (22:15  ^hn; 55:4  ^ho; 88:15  ^hp; 94:17  ^hq; 116:3  ^hr).
Summary for Ps 13:5-6: 13:5-6  ^hs The psalmist no longer hears the ridicule of his foes. Instead, because of his trust in the Lord, he is full of joy.

‏ Psalms 14

Summary for Ps 14:1-7: Ps 14  ^ht This wisdom psalm contains some characteristics of lament and prophetic speech. The ideals of Ps 8  ^hu have run aground on the reality of foolish human attitudes and sinful actions. With the exception of vv 5-6  ^hv, this psalm parallels Ps 53  ^hw.
Summary for Ps 14:1-3: 14:1-3  ^hx Paul uses phrases from the Greek translation of this passage in his description of the depravity of all people (Rom 3:10-12  ^hy). 14:1  ^hz Also known as fools, the wicked speak to themselves, think, scheme (10:4  ^ia, 6  ^ib, 11  ^ic), and make claims; however, because they do not heed God’s revelation, they possess no understanding (14:1  ^id; 39:8  ^ie; 53:1  ^if; 74:18  ^ig, 22  ^ih).
Summary for Ps 14:2-3: 14:2-3  ⁱⁱ From heaven (33:13  ^ij; 80:14  ^ik; 102:19  ^il), the Lord sees the wicked, who stand out as vile sinners (11:3-5  ^im). The entire human race lacks wisdom and fails to live up to the glory originally given to them (10:4-11  ⁱⁿ; see Rom 1–3  ^io).
14:4  ^ip The evil live at the expense of others (27:2  ^iq; 44:11  ^ir; 53:4  ^is; see Isa 5:8  ^it) and have no reverence or knowledge of God (Ps 79:6  ^iu).
14:5  ^iv Though the wicked perish (1:5-6  ^iw), God is with the godly.
14:7  ^ix The psalmist prays for the renewal of God’s relationship with his people.

• Jacob is a synonym for Israel (see Gen 35:9-10  ^iy).