Grace Institute: The Writings : Psalms Part 7

Psalms Survey of the Old Testament: The Writings Fall 2006

Declarative Praise Psalms

Structure

The declarative praise psalms give praise to God for what he has accomplished, as opposed to who He is. Compared to the structure of a Lament, the structure of the declarative praise psalm is quite simple.

Call to Praise

Usually a declarative praise Psalm will begin with a verse or two calling on people to declare their praise to God. It is normally short and to the point.

The Reason to Praise

This is followed by a sometimes extensive section in which examples of God’s lovingkindness are described. Sometimes this is personal examples of God’s lovingkindness, and sometimes it recounts examples from the history of the nation of Israel.

Renewed Call to Praise

Often the Psalm ends with a renewed call to praise in light of the actions which God has taken on behalf of the Psalmist. Often it is a word for word repeat of the first call to praise. However, sometimes the renewed call to praise is made in the midst of the psalm, as the psalmist then moves to a different reason to praise.

Style

• The Individual Declarative Praise – The Psalmist tells of how God rescued him personally.
• The Corporate Declarative Praise – The Psalmist tells of God’s deliverance of the entire nation.

Significance

Books II and III of the Psalms are dominated by lament Psalms. By the time we get to the last psalm of Book III, the psalmists have given up on God. The enemy has defeated him and his life is nothing but misery and failure. Psalm 89:46-52 finishes these books in despair:

 How long, O LORD? Will You hide Yourself forever?
Will Your wrath burn like fire?
 Remember what my span of life is;
For what vanity You have created all the sons of men!
What man can live and not see death?
Can he deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah.

Where are Your former lovingkindnesses, O Lord,
Which You swore to David in Your faithfulness?
Remember, O Lord, the reproach of Your servants;
How I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the many peoples,
With which Your enemies have reproached, O LORD,
With which they have reproached the footsteps of Your anointed.
Blessed be the LORD forever!
Amen and Amen.

The last verse seems completely out of place in this psalm. It doesn’t match the sentiment of the author. It was probably placed here, not as a last minute change of heart on the part of the psalmist, but by the compiler of the book of Psalms to denote that we have finished Book III.

But now we come to Book IV. We move from despair to descriptive praise. We discover in this book that much of our affliction is caused by our own sin. It is not the wicked who are causing our problems, but ourselves (Psalm 90). The compiler then moves us to recount the numerous time in which God has been faithful to us even in the midst of our iniquity.

Look at the statements of descriptive praise in Book IV:

• Psalm 91:2-3
• Psalm 92:1-2
• Psalm 96:1-3
• Psalm 98:1-3
• Psalm 99:6-9
• Psalm 103:1-5
• Psalm 105:1-2

When in the midst of despair, the answer to our depression is reminding ourselves of the deliverance and salvation which God has brought to us in the past. His faithful lovingkindness to us even when we don’t deserve it is the antidote to the lament.

Sample Declarative Praise: Psalm 90

Psalm 90 is not a typical declarative praise psalm. However, as the opening act of Book IV, it sets the tone for the numerous declarative praises coming ahead. It is the transition from despair to deliverance.

This is one of the oldest psalms in the Psalter. It was a prayer of Moses, and predates the final compilation of the psalms by nearly 1,000 years. Moses looks at the troubles of his people and declares that it is a result of their own sinfulness (90:7-8), and reminds us that our time on earth is short (90:9-10). In light of this, Moses pleads with God to return to his sinful people and demonstrate his lovingkindness (90:14) and grace (90:17).

This sets the context for the declarative praises to follow, as we understand all that God has done for us is not a result of something we deserve. Because of our sins, we often deserve the despair. But Moses reminds us that all the good things which God does for us are a result of his lovingkindness and grace.

Sample Declarative Praise: Psalm 106

Psalm 106 concludes Book IV with a detailed recount of God’s lovingkindness towards Israel. It is a fitting conclusion to a book which began with a psalm of Moses, for it calls on us to remember how God delivered Israel from bondage during the time of Moses.

Call to Praise

The psalm begins in typical declarative praise fashion, with a call to praise (106:1-2):

Praise the LORD!
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Who can speak of the mighty deeds of the LORD,
Or can show forth all His praise?

Reason for Praise

The psalmist declares the reason why we should praise Yahweh. He reminds us again, like Moses in Psalm 90, that we don’t deserve God’s salvation because of our sin (106:6-7). Nevertheless, God saved the Israelites even thought they rebelled, by bringing them through the Red Sea (106:8-9).

Yet Israel failed again, rebelling against Moses and Aaron (106:16ff), worshipping the golden calf at Mount Sinai (106:19ff).  Israel failed to conquer and destroy the people of Canaan when entering the Promised Land (106:34), resulting in idolatry (106:36). The psalmist recounts all the national sins of Israel in poetic detail.

But God never gave up on his people. He delivered them over and over (106:43).

Nevertheless He looked upon their distress
When He heard their cry;
And He remembered His covenant for their sake
And relented according to the greatness of His lovingkindness.
He also made them objects of compassion
In the presence of all their captors.

In light of this unmerited salvation, the psalmist calls on God to deliver the people from the midst of their current crisis. “Gather us from among the nations,” indicating that this psalm may have been written during the time of the exile. But the purpose is so they can give thanks and give glory to Him

Renewed Call to Praise

The Psalmist ends with a call to bless and praise the Lord. This serves as a fitting call at the end of Book IV. God has delivered us in spite of our own sins. Praise the Lord!

[Next: Descriptive Praise]