Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: The Psalms reveal God as Sovereign Judge who brings deliverance to his people and destroys their enemies. He hears the prayers of those who love him and answers their pleas.
Sin
1. According to the psalmists when did we become sinners? We are all born legally condemned to eternal death because of Adam’s choice to sin & we become sinners the moment we are conceived because of our moral inheritance (Psa. 51:5; 58:3; Rom. 5:12-15; Eph. 2:3).
2. Since we are naturally bent toward sin, what do we need in order to resist sin? In order to resist sin, we need help from outside of ourselves (Psa. 36:1-3; 94:17-21; 127:1; John 15:5).
3. To whom can we turn for help to resist sin? Only from God by his Spirit & through his Word can we find help to resist sin (Psa. 119:11; 143:1-12).
4. How can we receive forgiveness of our sins? If we confess our sins to God, he will forgive them (Psa. 32:5; 38:18; 51:2-3; 86:5; 1 John 1:9).
5. When we hide our sins rather than confessing them, what do we experience? We become physically weak, restless, weighed down, & lose the joy of our salvation (Psa. 32:3-4; 38:3-4; 40:11-12; 51:12; 107:17).
6. When we don’t confess our sins do we lose our justification or salvation? No, but if we persist in evil & continue to hide our sins rather than confessing them, we run the risk of our heart being hardened to such a degree that we lose our justification (Psa. 95:7-11; Heb. 3:12-19).
Forgiveness
7. What is forgiveness? Forgiveness is a declaration by God that removes guilt. God covers the record of our sin with the blood of Jesus & does not impute it to us (Psa. 32:1-2; 85:2).
8. How are forgiveness and mercy related? Mercy is “to be treated better than we deserve” & that is what forgiveness is(Ex. 34:7; Psa. 86:5; 103:10-11).
9. What do we deserve when we sin? When we sin, we deserve punishment, even death (Psa. 6:1-5; 9:13; 68:21; Rom. 6:23).
10. When God treats us better than we deserve how should we respond? We should thank him for his merciful kindness & tell others of his goodness (Psa. 32:11; 51:13-15; Luke 7:47).
11. How long will God’s merciful forgiveness last? While the psalmists speak of God’s everlasting mercy, they also speak of the sorrows & destruction of those who refuse it. So, we must conclude that it is everlasting for those who repent & love God but after a time it ends for the wicked (Gen. 6:3; Psa. 1:4-6; 9:5-10, 17; 16:4-5; 25:10; 32:10; 37:10-11, 20, 28; 136:1-4; 145:20; Jam. 2:12-13).
12. On what basis does David ask for forgiveness? David asks for forgiveness based on God’s mercy (Psa. 51:1; 86:5).
13. Where can we go to find divine mercy? We can go to Jesus on the throne of grace to find mercy (Psa. 89:14; Heb. 4:16).
When God Acts
14. Does God forgive us because we repent? No, God forgives us because Jesus bore all our sins on the cross. We can never earn forgiveness no matter how much we sorrow & repent (Psa. 25:1-20; Rom. 3:25; Heb. 9:22).
15. Who did Jesus say that God would not forgive? Jesus said that God would not forgive those who did not forgive others (Matt. 6:15).
16. In Psalm 136 who had past the extent of God’s mercy? In Psalm 136 the psalmist lists the firstborn of Egypt, Pharoah’s army, & great kings like Sihon & Og who had past the extent of God’s mercy (Psa. 136:10. 15, 17-20).
17. Without forgiving mercy who can stand before a righteous God? Without forgiving mercy only Jesus can stand before a righteous God (Psa. 130:3; 143:2; Mic. 3:2; Rom. 3:10; 1 Pet. 2:21-22).
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: As part of Holy Scripture, the Psalms are inspired by God’s Holy Spirit and reveal God as Sovereign as well as not far from any one of us. His government is merciful and just. He hears the prayers of those who love him and although in wisdom he may delay his answers, his promises never fail.
Judgment
1. What is God’s attitude towards “judgment”? God loves judgment & his throne is established on judgment (Psa. 33:5; 37:28; 89:14; 97:2).
2. For whom does God execute judgment? God executes judgment for both the righteous and the wicked (Psa. 103:6; 119:84).
3. In the Psalms to what does the word “judgment” refer? In the Psalms “judgment” means not only destruction of the condemned but also deliverance of the justified (Psa. 9:7-8; 72:4; 75:7; 76:9; 94:1-21).
4. What does God do before he delivers or destroys? Before God delivers or destroys anyone, he first examines their life (1 Chron. 28:9; Psa. 11:4-5; 26:2; 44:20-21; Rev. 2:23).
5. What two kinds of righteousness will God examine in judgment? Both the imparted righteousness of our character & the imputed righteousness of Jesus that dwells in heaven will be considered in God’s final judgment (Psa. 26:1-3, 11; Eccl. 12:14; Matt. 12:36-37; 1 John 2:1-2).
6. What does an examination of our characters in judgment reveal? Our characters & our life record reveal whether we believe in Jesus or not (they also determine what rewards we will have in eternity) (Psa. 19:9-11; 139:23; Isa. 3:11; 1 Cor. 3:8; Jam. 2:17-26).
7. What place does the imputed righteousness of Jesus have in God’s final judgment? For all those whose characters reveal that they believe in Jesus, their Savior will plead his righteous life & atoning blood in their behalf & they will be counted worthy of life eternal (Psa. 4:1; 31:1; 32:2; 35:24; 36:10; 71:1-2; Rom. 4:23-24).
8. Why would God want to go over our life record if he had already forgiven our sins? The forgiveness of sins is temporal & conditional. A person’s life record reveals whether they have continued in faith in Jesus or turned from him to trust in their own good deeds. Only in God’s final judgment are sins blotted out (Psa. 32:1; Eze. 18:24; 33:13; Acts 3:19; 2 Cor. 5:10).
9. When will God examine the cases of all who have claimed to be his followers? At the appointed time just before Jesus returns in glory, God will examine the cases of all who have ever professed to be his followers to see who have remained faithful to the end (Psa. 75:2; 76:8-9; 94:21-23; Dan. 7:9-10; Acts 3:19; 17:31; Rev. 14:7).
10. When will God examine the cases of those who refused his offer of salvation? During the millennium God, together with the saved, will examine the cases & determine the just punishment of those who refused salvation (Jam. 2:12-13; Rev. 11:18; 20:4-6).
11. Where does the work of examining people’s life record take place? Life records are examined in the heavenly sanctuary where God’s throne is & where the records are kept (Psa. 102:19; 103:19; Dan. 7:9-10).
12. When will God execute the sentences determined in his final examination of our lives? At the end of the millennium God will destroy the wicked and give the righteous the earth made new (Psa. 37:6-11, 34; Rev. 20:15; 21:1-9).
Rise up, Oh God
13. When the psalmists refer to “God rising up,” to what does that usually refer? When God rises up it usually refers to coming in judgment to deliver his people (Psa. 7:6-9; 35:23-24; 76:9).
14. What other term does the Bible use for “God rising up” in judgment? The other term used for “God rising up” is “I will visit” (or “come quickly”) or “the day of visitation” (Psa. 59:5; 106:4; Jer. 14:10; Hos. 9:9; Luke 19:44; Rev. 2:5, 16).
15. How do God’s people react to God’s coming in judgment? God’s people rejoice & sing a new song when they hear that God is coming to judge the earth (Psa. 96:1-13; 98:1-9).
16. When God rises up in judgment what standard does he use to determine his course of action? God uses the Ten Commandments as his standard of judgment (Psa. 111:7; 119:66; Rom. 2:12).
17. Was C. S. Lewis right when he referred to the imprecatory Psalms as “devilish curses… written by self-pitying, barbaric men”? No, for David himself said that the Spirit of God spoke by him, Jesus refers to the Psalms as part of Holy Scripture, & Peter says that the Holy Spirit spoke through David in the Psalms (2 Sam. 23:1-2; John 10:34-35; Acts 1:16).
19. How did David treat his enemies? David spared Saul’s life, didn’t resist Absolom’s insurrection, kept his men from killing Shemei, & promoted Mephibosheth to great honor (1 Sam. 26:11; 2 Sam. 9:6-7; 15:14; 16:9-10).
20. Who are the psalmists asking to take vengeance? The psalmists are not planning to take personal vengeance; rather they leave all vengeance to God just as he told them to do (Deut. 32:35-36; Psa. 94:1-4).
21. Were Old Testament believers told to love their enemies? Yes, both before David and after him, Scripture calls God’s people to love their enemies (Lev. 19:17; Prov. 24:17-18).
22. How should we understand the imprecatory Psalms (35, 55, 59, 69, 79, 109, & 137) where the psalmists pray for curses on their enemies? We should see in them a zeal for God’s glory, a hatred for sin, a desire for the deliverance of God’s people, and/or a call to repentance(Psa. 35:22-27; 37:35-40; 10:7, 12-15; 2:9-10; 64:7-10; 83:13-18).
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: The Psalms reveal God as Sovereign as well as not far from any one of us. He is strong enough to deliver us from any foe and tender enough to comfort us in any sorrow. The Psalmists demonstrate that God is approachable in any situation. His government is merciful and just and he makes promises to those who love him.
In a Strange Land
1. When did God’s people hang their harps on the willow trees and refuse to sing God’s Psalms? While carried away captive to Babylon God’s people felt they could no longer sing the songs of Zion (Psa. 137:1-4).
2. Why did the Jews held captive in Babylon feel that they couldn’t sing the songs of Zion? Because they were separated from God’s temple, God’s people felt like they could no longer sing God’s songs (Psa. 137:4).
3. What was the reason God’s people were separated from God’s sanctuary? God’s people were captives in Babylon because they had polluted God’s sanctuary, despised his prophets, & had selfishly not followed God’s instructions regarding the land (2 Chron. 36:11-21).
4. How important was God’s house to God’s people? God’s people considered God’s sanctuary more important than their right hand or than their ability to speak. That was Jesus’ attitude & should be a lesson to us also (Psa. 69:9; 122:1-9; 137:5-6; John 2:13-17).
5. When the heathen defiled God’s temple and laid Jerusalem in heaps with dead bodies everywhere, what did Asaph ask God to do and why? Asaph asked God to take vengeance against the heathen for God’s name was being ridiculed by God’s enemies (Psa. 79:1-13).
In Trouble
6. When sinking in extreme trouble in what characteristics of God does David hope? When sinking deep in trouble & abandoned by even his family, David’s hope is in God’s mercy (Psa. 69:1-18).
7. When Asaph was overwhelmed with deep trouble, of what did he remind himself? When in deep trouble Asaph reminded himself of God’s wonderous works & doings in former ages (Psa. 77:1-20).
When Facing Death
8. When faced with death what argument does the psalmist use in Psalm 88 to seek help from God? When faced with death the psalmist reminds God that in the grave, he cannot praise God nor declare his lovingkindness so God would do well to deliver him (Psa. 88:1-12).
9. In Psalm 102 what contrast does the psalmist make? The Psalmist contrasts Gods everlasting nature with the short lifespan of us humans & ends by concluding that our children will have to carry on when we go to the grave (Psa. 102:1-28).
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: The Psalms show us that we may tell God our sorrows and our joys. They reveal God as the Creator of all things, who is above all and should be worshipped by all. His government is merciful and just and he makes promises to those who love him.
What God knows about us
1. When does God first take notice of a person? Before a person is born God notices them in their mother’s womb, when yet they are only an unformed embryo (Psa. 139:13-16).
2. According to Psalm 139, what record does God keep of a person? God keeps a record of a person’s every body part, their DNA, even the hairs of their head are numbered (Psa. 139:16; Luke 12:7).
3. By keeping a record of every person’s DNA, what is easily possible for God? With a record of our DNA God can easily recreate a person just like they were before they died & were decomposed (Job 19:25-27; Psa. 17:15; 1 Cor. 13:12; 15:20-23).
4. According to Psalm 139, what else besides our form does God know about us? God knows every move we make, every word we speak, every thought we think (Psa. 139:1-4).
5. How does David react to God’s knowledge of all his actions, words, & thoughts? David understands that God is very near to him (before & behind). This thought is exceedingly wonderful to him (and should be to us also) (Psa. 139:5-6).
6. Besides knowing our form, our actions, our words, and our thoughts, of what else is David very impressed in Psalm 139? David is impressed with God’s omnipresence, with the fact that wherever he goes, God is there to lead & protect him (Psa. 139:7-12).
7. What became very precious to David that should be precious to us also? God’s thoughts became precious to David & should be precious to us also (Psa. 139:17-18).
What we know about God
8. In Psalm 139 after David remembers all that God knows about us, what impresses him about God? David is impressed with what God thinks of us & that he never leaves those who trust in him (Psa. 139:17-18; Heb. 13:5).
9. What does David say that God does for those who put their trust in him? God comes near to those who trust in him. He hears their cry for deliverance, rescues them, establishes them on a solid foundation, & gives them a song in their heart (Psa. 40:1-4; 50:15).
10. How extensive does the psalmist say that God’s watch-care over his children is? God watches over his own day & night for he does not sleep. He preserves them throughout their whole life (Psa. 121:1-8).
What God does to deliver us
11. According to Psalm 114 what extreme measures did God use to take his people from Egypt to the promised land? The Psalm says that th e sea fled & Jordan was driven back & God shook the mountains & turned the flinty rock into fountains of water (Psa. 114:1-8).
12. On what does David depend to keep himself out of the paths of the destroyer? David depends on God & his Word to keep him from the paths of the destroyer (Psa. 17:4-7).
13. When Asaph felt like serving God was worthless because the wicked seemed to endlessly prosper, how did he console himself? Asaph entered God’s sanctuary where he began to understand that present prosperity is no assurance of final deliverance from life’s trials & that God was continually guiding him & in the end would receive him into glory (Psa. 73:1-28).
14. What hope gives David, and us, strength to endure mistreatment from others? The hope of seeing God & awakening in his likeness strengthens us to endure the daily troubles we face (Psa. 17:13-15).
15. What should be our response when God delivers us from trouble and sorrows? We should thank the Lord, vow to walk in his ways, tell others, & rejoice in his salvation (Psa. 116:1-19).
16. From where does our help and deliverance come? Our help & deliverance comes from God whose throne was on the sides of the north, & now in heaven’s Most Holy Place which the psalmist calls Mount Zion (Psa. 3:4; 20:1-2; 75:6; 103:19; 128:5; Isa. 14:13).
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: The Psalms give us numerous examples of how to approach God in song, in poem, in prayer, or in praise. As part of Holy Scripture, they instruct us in paths of righteousness and teach us to bring all our joys and complaints to God.
God’s Covenant
1. When God created humankind what covenant did he make with Adam, their federal representative? The covenant God made with Adam, our federal head, offered eternal life on condition of obedience or eternal death for disobedience (Gen. 2:15-17; Rom. 5:14).
2. What right did God have for making a unilateral covenant with Adam, our representative? As our Creator, God had every right to make a covenant with Adam that was unilateral in origin, for he alone made us & not we ourselves (Psa. 8:3-6; 100:3; 119:73).
3. When Adam chose to break God’s covenant, what did God do? God, in the person of Jesus Christ, stepped in between the death penalty & mankind, pledging to make atonement for the broken covenant. This opened a covenant of grace in which the believer takes hold of Jesus as his Substitute (Gen. 3:15; Psa. 78:37-38; 1 Cor. 15:22; Eph. 2:7-8).
4. What does God include in his covenant of grace? In addition to righteousness, God includes mercy in his covenant of grace for even the righteous fall short of God’s glory (Psa. 25:1-11; 85:10; 89:14; Prov. 20:28; Jer. 31:31-34; Rom. 3:23).
5. What other term is used to refer to God’s covenant? God’s covenant is also referred to as God’s Law because the Ten Commandments are the words of God’s covenant (Deut. 4:13; 1 Chron. 16:15-17; Psa. 78:1-10; 103:18; 105:7-10; Jer. 31:33; Hos. 8:1).
6. What is the attitude of the psalmist towards God’s Law? The psalmist, like all the righteous, loves & meditates on God’s Law continually (Psa. 1:2; 119:47, 97).
7. What right does God have to give a law to his people that they are to observe? God’s right to give a law to his people is that he is their sovereign King, the One who created & delivered them (Psa. 47:1-9; 95:1-6; Acts 17:24-28).
8. Why is it that the righteous love and continually meditate on God’s Law? The righteous continually love & meditate on God’s Law because through faith in their Substitute they are counted as perfect doers of God’s Law & God’s Law shows that he is their sovereign King who does everything right & shows them how to live (Gen. 15:6; Psa. 27:1, 13; 106:1-12; 119:97-100; 2 Tim. 3:15).
God’s Throne
9. How does the psalmist view God’s throne and kingly rule? The psalmist sees God’s throne as eternal & his rule as supreme (Psa. 10:16; 29:10; 45:6; 47:1-9; 93:1-2; 95:3-5).
10. What two parts make up the word “sovereign”? The word “sovereign” ends with the word “reign” & begins with the Latin root for the word “over”. So sovereign means to rule over (Jud. 8:23).
11. According to the psalmist, where is God’s throne? God’s throne is in heaven for he rules over the entire universe (Psa. 11:4; 103:19).
12. If God is a sovereign Ruler what should we desire to know? If God is our Sovereign, we should desire to know his will (Psa. 40:8; 143:10).
13. Where does God succinctly make known his will? God succinctly makes known his will in the law of Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:1-172 Kings 21:8; Psa. 40:8; Isa. 30:9; Rom. 2:17-18).
God as Judge
14. Since humanity fell from obedience and not all desire to do God’s will, what must God do before sin is eliminated from the universe? God must divide the righteous from the unrighteous in judgment (Psa. 1:5-6; 9:7-8; 50:4-6; 75:7-10; 96:13).
15. On what basis does God judge people? Righteousness & truth are the standard of God’s judgment. These are spelled out in his Law & in his Word (Psa. 96:13; John 17:17; Rom. 2:12).
16. To which member of the Godhead is judgment especially committed? To Jesus God has committed the work of judging (Dan. 7:13; John 5:22; 2 Cor. 5:10).
17. What qualifies Jesus to be our Judge? Because Jesus is our Creator & took our nature, he is qualified to be our Judge (Psa. 45:6-7; John 1:1-3; 5:27).
18. What hope do we have of passing God’s judgment? Our only hope is in the mercy of God & our only defense is to pray that God would accept the righteous life of Jesus in place of our sin-stained life (Psa. 89:14-16; Isa. 16:5; 2 Cor. 5:21; Jam. 2:10-13).
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
We highly recommend that you watch this video about Martin Luther and the Psalms:
REVIEW: The Psalms include songs, poems, prayers, prophecies, instructions, and laments in the form of requests, complaints, praise, and thanksgiving. Jesus, James, Peter, and Paul all consider the Psalms as part of Holy Scripture which instruct us in paths of righteousness and teach us to bring all our joys and complaints to God. David, himself, confessed that he was anointed of God to speak as God’s Spirit inspired him.
Prayer in the Psalms
1. With what basic concept do the Psalms begin? The Psalms begin with the contrast between righteousness & sin, showing their sure results (Psa. 1:1-6; 5:4-5; 7:9).
2. What becomes obvious throughout all the Psalms? Throughout the Psalms, it is obvious that God can be approached in any situation (Psa. 6:1; 9:1; 12:1; 18:1; 30:1).
3. Is there ever a time when you should not pray? Yes, David said: “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me & Jesus said that we should first be reconciled with our brother before presenting our gift to God & God told Joshua to stop praying and first deal with sin in the camp (Josh. 7:11-12; Psa. 17:1; 66:18; Matt. 5:23-24).
4. In the Psalms of prayer how do the petitioners approach God? In the prayer Psalms the petitioners approach God as a friend who hears & understands them in their human weakness (Psa. 4:1; 6:2, 9; 55:1-2; 141:1-2; 143:1).
5. What should we learn from David’s repeated requests saying “How long?” to God? We should learn that God does not always answer our requests as soon as we make them (Psa. 6:3; 13:1-2; 35:17; 40:1; 74:10; 80:4; 94:3-4).
6. How do the Psalms portray the words that Jesus used when he taught his disciples to pray? In Psalm 89:26 God taught David to call him “My Father.” In Psalm 148:13 all humans are told to praise the name of the Lord. All saints are told to speak of God’s kingdom, glory, & power in Psalm 145:11. In Psalm 40:8 David says that he delights to do God’s will. In Psalm 121:7 the psalmist portrays Jesus’ words: “Deliver us from evil.” In Psalm 37:25 David says that he has never seen the children of the righteous begging bread. In Psalm 32, 51 & 38:18 David confesses his sins asking for forgiveness.(Matt. 6:9-13).
Prayers when in Trouble
7. In Psalm 44 on what excellent basis does the psalmist begin? The psalmist begins by remembering & reminding God of his great deliverances for God’s people in the past(Psa. 44:1-3).
8. Where does the psalmist next turn in Psalm 44? Next the psalmist declares God to be his king in whom he will trust (Psa. 44:4-8).
9. After reminding God and himself of God’s past deliverances and declaring his trust in God how does the psalmist express his complaint? The psalmist accuses God of abandoning his people & making them a reproach among their heathen neighbors (Psa. 44:9-16).
10. After accusing God of abandoning his people, what plea does the psalmist make to God? The psalmist tells God that his people have not abandoned him nor worshipped other gods, & so asks God to come to their aide (Psa. 44:17-23).
11. On what basis does the psalmist ask God to help his people in their affliction? The psalmists only hope, like ours, is in the mercy of God & his only defense is prayer (Psa. 44:26; 13:5; 33:18; 130:7).
12. When David’s world seemed to be falling apart to whom did he turn in Psalm 60? Even though it seemed like God had abandoned his people & nothing around them was stable, David reminded God that they carried his banner & asked him to give them victory in battle for human help was worthless (Psa. 60:1-12).
13. In the battles of live where do people usually turn for help? People usually turn to other people when facing problems in life (Psa. 60:11; 118:8-9; 146:3).
A Psalm for the Cross
14. What type of psalm is Psalm 22? Psalm 22 is a prophetic psalm depicting the despair of God’s own Son on the cross & the results of his passion (Psa. 22:1-21; Matt. 27:46).
15. Why had God forsaken his Son? The sins of every human being were imputed to Jesus in Gethsemane. He was numbered with transgressors & God must withdraw from him as he will from all the wicked. Jesus experienced hell (the second death) for all humanity (Psa. 22:1-3; Prov. 15:29; Isa. 53:12; 59:2; Hab. 1:13; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 2:9).
16. What other events at the cross did David foresee and foretell in Psalm 22? David wrote that those that saw Jesus on the cross would mock & despise him & he even quoted their words. He wrote that there would be none to help him, that his heart would melt, & that he would thirst. David clearly said that men would pierce Jesus’ hands & feet & that he would be naked on the cross, even leaving his garments to be divided among the crucifiers who would cast lots for his tunic (Psa. 22:6-18; Isa. 63:3; Matt. 27:39-44; John 19:23-24, 28, 34-35).
17. Did God hear and answer Jesus’ prayer for deliverance while on the cross? Yes, God heard & answered Jesus’ prayer for deliverance, but the answer did not come until the resurrection (Psa. 22:19-21; Matt. 28:1-4; Rom. 4:25; Heb. 5:5-7).
18. After his resurrection how did Jesus glorify God? Jesus declared God’s name (character) unto his brethren & praised God in the congregation (church) telling everyone to praise God for God hears the prayers of the afflicted & has an everlasting kingdom. Jesus demonstrated this by bearing the penalty of God’s law in humanity’s place (Psa. 22:22-29; Heb. 2:11-12).
19. How does David conclude Psalm 22? David concludes Psalm 22 by saying that Jesus will have offspring that serve him & tell future generations of his righteousness for he bore all their sins on the cross, making atonement for them (Psa. 22:30-31).
20. Will God ever forsake a human being like he forsook his Son on the cross? Yes, Romans 1 says that little by little God withdraws himself from those determined to go their own way & eventually all who reject the sacrifice of his Son will be cast into the Lake of fire & be eternally separated from the God of life (Psa. 22:1; Rom. 1:21-32; Rev. 14:9-11; 20:15).
