Understanding The Bible |
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Dr. Clarence E. Mason, Jr.
Philadelphia College of Bible
1970
ADDENDUM TO PSALMS
Titles for the Psalms
First, we should be reminded that on all but 47 of the 150 psalms there is already a title as part of the inspired text, indicating at least authorship and sometimes the occasion of writing, use to which psalm will be put, musical directions, etc. Thus, we must be careful to severely distinguish any human addition, such as given below.
At the same time, except for a few of the better known psalms, the average reader finds it difficult to remember the theme of psalms as he comes to them in his Bible. This is particularly true because David was often in trouble and/or danger and cried out to God for deliverance. Longings for holiness, praise and thanksgiving, the vindication of God's ways with men, and similar themes are oft repeated. Thus, general titles are of little value, for they would have to be repeated so often that they would offer no distinctive thought for the particular psalm. The matter is further complicated by the fact that some psalms run the whole gamut of themes.
Hence, at best, some titles must of necessity be an expediency. Except for some of the psalms with rather obvious themes, the method adopted here is to choose some outstanding verse in the psalm, especially if it is well know or, lacking this, to choose some verse(s) in the psalm as a peg on which to hang our identification of the psalm or its distinction from those around it. It is recognized that many might choose another title for a given psalm and indeed I have often come at the same psalm from different angles, leading to different titles. Also, sometimes, as in the case of Psalm 8, I try to get at the most apt wording of the title of an important psalm by considering refinements of alternate wordings.
Thus, these are offered simply as undogmatic helps to fellow students. "I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful." (1 Cor. 7:25)
If any of these titles approve themselves to you, you may wish to record them neatly right in your Bible over the particular psalm(s) involved, since they will be of little value stuffed away in a notebook. Because the psalms are in constant use for personal devotions and public exposition, it will be handy to have a suggestion right there in your Bible. The student is referred to the New Scofield Bible, which no adds suggested titles. If any similarity is noticed, it is valid, for the sub-committee adopted some of these which I turned in.
BOOK I, Psalms 1-41 (Messianic Psalms marked in RED) | |
Psalm 1 |
(1) The Lord Jesus as man (first
coming) |
Psalm 2 |
(1) The Lord Jesus as God (second
coming) |
Psalm 3 | A morning psalm (v. 5) |
Psalm 4 | An evening psalm (v.8) |
Psalm 5 | Morning prayer for protection (vv. 3, 11) |
Psalm 6 | David prays in soul distress (vv. 3, 6) |
Psalm 7 | A prayer to a righteous God (v. 9) |
Psalm 8 |
(1) God's dominion shared
with man (2) God's glory and man's privilege (3) God's plan for man's dominion (4) God gives man dominion over the earth |
Psalm 9 | Praise for victory over enemies (v. 9) |
Psalm 10 | Plea for God's judgment (v. 12) |
Psalm 11 | Taking refuge in God (v. 1) |
Psalm 12 | The scourge of lying lips (v. 2; cp. Isa. 54:17) |
Psalm 13 | The testing of delay |
Psalm 14 | A picture of the natural man (cp. Ps. 53; Rom. 3:10-12) |
Psalm 15 | The man who abides with God |
Psalm 16 | The path of life and joy |
Psalm 17 | Kept as the apple of God's eye! (v. 8) |
Psalm 18 |
(1) Who is a God like
Thee? (2) The delivering God praised |
Psalm 19 |
(1) The works and Word of
God (2) God's message in nature and Scripture |
Psalm 20 | Help from the sanctuary (v. 2) |
Psalm 21 | Blessings from God |
Psalm 22 | The suffering Saviour |
Psalm 23 | The tender Shepherd |
Psalm 24 | The triumphant, Ascended Lord (vv. 3, 7; cp. Ps. 68:18) |
Psalm 25 | Plea for defense, guidance, pardon |
Psalm 26 | David's integrity (v. 11) |
Psalm 27 | Triumphant faith (v. 1) |
Psalm 28 | Testimony to answered prayer (v. 6) |
Psalm 29 | God's mighty power |
Psalm 30 | God's deliverance celebrated |
Psalm 31 | "My times are in Thy hand!" (v. 15) |
Psalm 32 | Joy following confession of sin |
Psalm 33 | God our Creator and Preserver |
Psalm 34 | The children's psalm (v. 11) |
Psalm 35 | David's prayer against the wicked |
Psalm 36 | God's excellent mercy (v. 7) |
Psalm 37 |
(1) A song of security (2) An alphabet of trust (an incomplete acrostic) |
Psalm 38 | Godly sorrow for sin |
Psalm 39 |
(1) The frailty of man
(vv. 4-5) (2) The brevity of life (vv. 4-5) |
Psalm 40 | God's song for our mouths (v. 3) |
Psalm 41 | God's help in illness (v. 3) |
BOOK II, Psalms 42-72 | |
Psalm 42 | Longing for God and His house (vv. 1, 4) |
Psalm 43 | Our hope is in God (v. 5) |
Psalm 44 | God's apparent forgetfulness (v. 24) |
Psalm 45 | Christ, our glorious King |
Psalm 46 | God, our refuge and strength |
Psalm 47 | "God is King of all the earth" (v. 7) |
Psalm 48 | "Zion, city of the great King" (v. 2) |
Psalm 49 | Riches cannot redeem men (v. 7) |
Psalm 50 | God is judge of all (v. 6) |
Psalm 51 | A great penitential psalm |
Psalm 52 | Victory over lying tongues |
Psalm 53 | A description of the wicked (cp. Ps. 14) |
Psalm 54 | Deliverance from ruthless men |
Psalm 55 | complaint concerning false friends (vv. 12-14) |
Psalm 56 | Our tears remembered by God (v. 8) |
Psalm 57 | God trusted in trouble |
Psalm 58 | Prayer for God's vengeance (v. 6) |
Psalm 59 | The help of the helpless |
Psalm 60 | Man's help is vain (v. 11) |
Psalm 61 | The Rock higher than I (v. 2) |
Psalm 62 | Waiting upon God |
Psalm 63 | Thirst for God |
Psalm 64 | God's protection |
Psalm 65 | God's abundant provision |
Psalm 66 | Praise for God's benefits (v. 16) |
Psalm 67 | A missionary psalm (v. 2) |
Psalm 68 | Song of triumph and glory (cp. v. 18 and Ps. 24:3, 7-10) |
Psalm 69 | Plaint of the reproached one (v. 9) |
Psalm 70 | The poor and needy one (v. 5) |
Psalm 71 | a prayer for old age (vv. 9, 18) |
Psalm 72 | Christ's glorious millennial kingdom |
BOOK III, Psalms 73-89 | |
Psalm 73 |
(1) Perennial problem of
the wicked (vv. 12, 17) (2) Almost backslidden (v. 2) |
Psalm 74 |
"Arise, O GOd, plead thy
cause!" (v. 22) God's people at low ebb (v. 9) |
Psalm 75 | Ultimate triumph of righteous |
Psalm 76 | "The wrath of man shall praise Thee" (v. 10) |
Psalm 77 | God's mighty deeds remembered (v. 11) |
Psalm 78 | God's longsuffering at Israel's sin (v. 38) |
Psalm 79 | God's judgment on enemies implored (v. 6) |
Psalm 80 |
"Turn us again, O God!"
(v. 3) (note the "Vine, " v. 8ff.; cp. Isa. 5; Jn 15) |
Psalm 81 | The stupidity of disobedience (vv. 11, 16)] |
Psalm 82 |
Instruction to earthly
rulers (Note this comment on v. 6; cp. Jn 10:34: "If mortal men were, dignified with 'the image and likeness of God.' called ' mighty or strong ones' (i.e., 'gods'), as partaking of the attributes of moral personality like God (i.e., ability to will, to determine, to choose, to know good and evil), how much more title did the Lord Jesus Christ have to be called the Son of GOd as, on the one hand being from all eternity God the Son, and as to His humanity, sinlessly conceived of the Holy Spirit in the virgin's womb.") |
Psalm 83 | Prayer against plotting enemies |
Psalm 84 | Delight in the courts of God |
Psalm 85 | The exiles returned by God |
Psalm 86 | "There is none like Thee!" (v. 8) |
Psalm 87 | Zion, the city of God (v. 3) |
Psalm 88 | Lament over affliction |
Psalm 89 | The Davidic covenant rehearsed |
BOOK IV, Psalms 90-106 | |
Psalm 90 | Children of dust (v. 10) |
Psalm 91 | In the secret place |
Psalm 92 | The propriety of praise |
Psalm 93 | The majesty of God |
Psalm 94 | Vengeance belongs to God |
Psalm 95 | Exhortation to worship |
Psalm 96 | God's greatness and glory |
Psalm 97 | The righteous LORD reigns |
Psalm 98 | Praise to Jehovah |
Psalm 99 | "The LORD our God is holy!" (v. 5) |
Psalm 100 | Gladness and Thanksgiving |
Psalm 101 | A vow for a holy life (v. 2) |
Psalm 102 | Plea to the unchanging God (v. 27) |
Psalm 103 | "Bless the LORD!" |
Psalm 104 | The God of creation and providence |
Psalm 105 | God's faithfulness to Israel (v. 8) |
Psalm 106 | Israel's unfaithfulness to God (e.g., v. 24) |
BOOK V, Psalms 107-150 | |
Psalm 107 | The diversity of God's provision |
Psalm 108 |
(1) The fixed heart (2) The steady heart |
Psalm 109 | God's help implored |
Psalm 110 | The psalm of the king-priest |
Psalm 111 | God's wonderful works (v. 4) |
Psalm 112 | Blessings of righteousness |
Psalm 113 | God's universal praise (v. 3) |
Psalm 114 | God's almighty deliverance |
Psalm 115 | Contrast between idols and God |
Psalm 116 | Delivered from death! (v. 8) |
Psalm 117 | The shortest psalm; praise urged |
Psalm 118 |
The loving kindness of
God Christ the Headstone of the corner |
Psalm 119 |
The longest psalm:
God's Word praised (a perfect acrostic; 8 verses to each of 22 letters of Hebrew alphabet) |
Psalm 120 | Inner conflict |
Psalm 121 | The traveler's psalm (v. 8) |
Psalm 122 | Joyful anticipation of Jerusalem |
Psalm 123 | Awaiting God's intervention (v. 2) |
Psalm 124 | God was on our side |
Psalm 125 | The LORD round about His own (v. 2) |
Psalm 126 | Like those that dreamed |
Psalm 127 | Children are God's heritage (v. 3) |
Psalm 128 | God's blessings on the home |
Psalm 129 | Israel sustained despite enemies |
Psalm 130 | Waiting for the morning |
Psalm 131 | Growing in grace |
Psalm 132 | David's concern for the ark |
Psalm 133 | blessed unity! |
Psalm 134 | Constant praise |
Psalm 135 | The true God contrasted with idols |
Psalm 136 | "His mercy endureth forever" |
Psalm 137 | Israel's sorrow in exile |
Psalm 138 | Answered prayer |
Psalm 139 | God's omniscience and omnipresence |
Psalm 140 | A cover over my head (v. 7) |
Psalm 141 | A guard before my mouth (v. 3) |
Psalm 142 | "No man cared for my soul" (v. 1) |
Psalm 143 | "In thy faithfulness answer me" (v.1) |
Psalm 144 | The happy people (v. 15) |
Psalm 145 | Let all praise Him (v. 21) |
Psalm 146 | God praised for His help (v. 5) |
Psalm 147 | God praised for gathering Israel |
Psalm 148 | God praised by all creation |
Psalm 149 | God praised by the children of Zion |
Psalm 150 | The crescendo of praise climaxed |
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