WEEK 31

psalms this week
"Resentment casts a cloud over your prayers... If you collect injuries and resentments and think you can still pray, you would probably put water in a bucket full of holes."
     - Evagrius Ponticus
​Psalms 91, 92, and 93

introduction to the Series

Most of what we learn how to do, we learn from other people. Sometimes it is the learning that comes from specific and deliberate instruction. At other times it is the learning that comes by way of example and imitation. During 2023, our endeavor is to learn how to pray from the Psalmist.*

The Book of Psalms is the longest book in the Bible, and it is mostly a book of prayers. We will spend the year going through the book, beginning to end, and letting the Psalmist teach us by example how to pray.
In this endeavor, we cannot benefit from his deliberate instruction, of course. What we can do, however, is take full advantage of his example.  We will observe how he prays, and we will learn to imitate him.

Our approach will be week by week. The recommended practices and exercises are not daily, but rather suggestions for an individual to implement throughout the whole week. ​

Exercises for this week

Psalm 91
Read Psalm 91.  Strictly speaking, this Psalm is not a prayer inasmuch as it is not addressed to God.  Indeed, the end of the Psalm actually features God speaking.  As you read, therefore, try to develop a profile of the addressee.  To whom does the Psalm seem to be addressed What do you perceive to be the characteristics of the addressee?

Reflect now on your assessment of the addressee. To what extent would you say that Psalm 91 is addressed to you?

To the extent that the Psalm seems to be to you and for you, talk to the Lord about what is said to you and about you in this Psalm.

Much is revealed about God in this Psalm. Let us explore how He is revealed at several levels.  We will focus first on His words:
  • What does the Lord say, either explicitly or implicitly, in this Psalm?
  • What do His words reveal about His will?
  • What do His words reveal about His character?
  • What do His words reveal about His heart?

Next, we turn from the Lord's words to His deeds.
  • According to the Psalmist, what has the Lord done or what does He do?
  • What do the deeds of the Lord indicate about His will?
  • What do the deeds of the Lord reveal about His character?
  • What do His deeds tell you about His heart?
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​Psalm 91 is very much a testament to the Lord's provident care and protection on behalf of His people.
  • What characters in Scripture can you imagine expressing this sort of testimony?
  • To what extent does this Psalm express a part of your own testimony and personal experience?  Talk to the Lord about that.

Read verses 1-2 in a variety of translations. Once you have gained the insight that comes from multiple renderings:
  • Rewrite the verses in your own words.
  • Talk to the Lord about your own personal takeaways and application.

Read verses 9-10 in a variety of translations. Once you have gained the insight of several different renderings:
  • Rewrite the verses in your own words.
  • Identify the connections you see between verses 1-2 and verses 9-10.
  • What spiritual principles emerge from these four verses?
  • What role do those principles play within the Psalm as a whole?
  • To what extent are those principles at work in your own life and experience?

Read verse 1 and verses 14-16.  Juxtapose those verses and reflect on the connections between what the individual says to the Lord and what the Lord says to that individual.  Talk to the Lord about your observations and discoveries.

Verse 2 captures what the Old Testament saint said to the Lord.  What do you say to Him? 
Psalm 92
Read Psalm 92.  As you read, make a list of the different types of people to which the Psalmist refers. And then, next to each:
  • Jot down the  attitudes that are characteristic of that type of person.
  • Jot down the behaviors that are characteristic of that type of person.
  • Summarize how each type of person responds to God.
  • Summarize how God deals with each type of person.
  • Jot down what becomes of each type of person. 

As you review your conclusions about the different types of people portrayed in Psalm 92, identify several characters from the Bible who match the different types that the Psalmist describes.

Reflect on what the Psalmist says or reveals about himself:
  • What does he do?
  • What does he believe?
  • What has he experienced?
  • What does he feel?
  • What does he affirm?

As you consider what the Psalmist has revealed about himself, talk to the Lord about what you do and do not have in common with the Psalmist.

​​In verse 4, the Psalmist identifies in a general way what things make him glad and prompt him to sing. To what extent do you resonate with the Psalmist? What things make you glad and sing? 
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Turn your attention now to what Psalm 92 reveals about the Lord:
  • What are His attributes?
  • What are His deeds?

The Psalmist begins by affirming that it is good to thank and praise the Lord. For what things -- or reasons -- does the Psalmist thank and praise Him?

Which of the things for which the Psalmist thanked and praised God are also applicable to you?  That is to say, for which things would it also be good for you to thank and praise Him?

For what additional things, beyond the scope of Psalm 92, would it be good for you to thank and praise Him? 

Borrowing from what you learn from the Psalmist, spend some time thanking and praising the Lord just now.

Verses 4, 9, 11, 12, 13, and 14 are all good examples of synonymous parallelism: that is, the two lines of a verse say the same thing in slightly different ways. Review those verses to see that sort of parallelism at work. 

Such parallelism can be insightful as it often provides interpretation. In verse 9 of the ESV, for example, God's "enemies" and "evildoers" are paralleled, which suggests interesting definitions of both words. Reflect on each of those verses, jotting down one insight or takeaway from each.
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In verse 2, the Psalmist suggests a very specific pattern for daily praise. Make a deliberate practice of that pattern in your own schedule and prayer life for the next several days.
Psalm 93
Read Psalm 93.  This brief Psalm is all about the Lord. Unlike many other Psalms, Psalm 93 does not dwell at all on the Psalmist's circumstances. Rather, it directs our focus entirely to God.  Talk to the Lord about the role and merits of prayers that have nothing to do with us and our circumstances -- prayers that focus wholly on Him. 

As you read, reflect on the Psalm one verse at a time:
  • In relation to what is the Lord revealed in this verse?
  • What is the implicit or explicit connection between Him and it?
  • What does this verse reveal about the Lord? 
  • What are the implications of what is revealed about Him for your relationship with Him?

While verse 1 is spoken about God, verse 2 is addressed to Him. What do you see as the connection in the mind of the Psalmist between verses 1 and 2? Or, put another way, what is it about the affirmation in verse 1 that prompts the Psalmist to say to the Lord what he does in verse 2?

The first two verses employ language and imagery that suggest God as King. While kings are generally far from our own experience, they were very much a part of the biblical world. Therefore, spend a few minutes reflecting on kings for the sake of understanding what this imagery conveys about God.
  • What sort of power or authority was associated with a king?
  • What sort of attributes would an ideal king have had?
  • What would an ordinary subject fear about the king?
  • What might an ordinary subject hope for from the king? 

The imagery of verses 3 and 4 offers an extended metaphor to illustrate a truth about God. If you were endeavoring to illustrate the same truth about Him, what imagery might you use? Rewrite verses 3 and 4 in your own words with your own picturesque language.

​Like verse 2, the final verse of the Psalm is also addressed directly to the Lord.
  • What connections do you sense between verse 2 and verse 5?
  • In what ways do you see verse 5 as the fitting conclusion to the Psalm as a whole?

Read verse 5 in a several translations in order to gain a fuller sense of what the Psalmist is saying.  Then rewrite the verse in your own words, making it your own prayer to the Lord.

Having reflected  a good deal on Psalm 93, what would you say is exemplary about the Psalm?  In what ways does it teach you how to pray?

​In the end, if you knew nothing about the Lord other than what was indicated by this brief Psalm, what would you know about Him? 

Based solely on what Psalm 93 reveals to you about Him, what are your right and appropriate responses to Him?
* We will refer to the author as “the Psalmist,” though of course not all of the Psalms were written by the same person. A significant number are attributed to David. Others are associated with Asaph, the sons of Korah, and an assortment of other individuals. Also, several dozen Psalms have no name attached to them.  For the sake of ease and uniformity, we will simply refer to “the Psalmist.”