A2 A1 107. Deliverance by the healing Word.
B1 C E 108,109,110. The true David's humiliation, deliverance, and exhalation.
F 111,112,113. Praise. 3 Halleluyah Psalms. The 1st two beginning, and the 3rd, both beginning
and ending, with "Halleluyah". [Ps. 111 being Praise for Yahaveh's WORKS.
112, for His WAYS, and 113, for HIMSELF.]
D G1 114,115. Deliverance from Egypt, and Egypt's idols.
H1 116,117,118. Praise. 3 Psalms. The 1st two ending with "Halleluyah", and
the 3rd beginning and ending with "O give thanks".
A2 119. Quickening and sustaining‡ by the revealing Word.
B2 D G2 120-134§. Deliverance from Sennacherib typical of Israel's future deliverance.
15 Psalm arranged in 5 triads.
H2 135,136. Praise. 2 Psalms linked together by one combined structure.
G3 137. Deliverance of captives. Sennacherib's captives.
H3 Praise.
G4 139. Deliverance from the evil heart. [Compare Ezek. 36:26. Jer. 32:33].
H4 140-144. Praise and prayer.
C E 145. The true David leading the praises of His People [144:9].
F 146-150. Praise. 5¶ Halleluyah Psalms, each beginning and ending with "Halleluyah".
*Deuteronomy is man's name for this book. It comes from the Greek Septuagint, and means "the second Law". It was given because Deuteronomy was a repetition of the Law, with variations, to suit the needs of the new generation in the Land. The title in the Hebrew Canon is 'elleh haddebarim, testimonies, statutes, judgments, &c., of Yehovah. It was from this book that the Savior made His 3 quotations, when He met the tempter with the threefold "It is written". It follows the Book of the Wilderness; and gives the reason for all the trials of the pilgrimage: "The Lord your God led these forty years...that He might make you know that man does not live by bread only, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord does man live" [Deut. 8:2,3]. The natural life, the giving of which is recorded in Genesis, is nothing worth if man be not begotten by the Word. For only thus can man be truly said to 'live".
Hence, in this Deuteronomy-Book of the Psalms we have the same leading-subject. Its teaching, like that of the other books, is Dispensational, and it is grouped around the Word. All the blessing for Man [Book 1], all blessing for Israel [Book 2], all blessing for Zion [Book3 ], all blessing for the Earth and its Nations [Book 4], is bound up in the Word and Law of God. The breaking of that Law had been the source of Man's sorrow, Israel's dispersion, the Temple's ruin, and the Earth's misery. It will yet be seen that all blessing for Man, the gathering of Israel, the building of Zion, and the restoration for the Earth, is bound up with the Word of God, and with His Law written by His Spirit on the fleshy tables of the heart [Jer. 31:31-24. Ezek. 36:24-38].
What a wonderful thing for one to be brought to say, "O how I love Your Law!" [Psalm 119:97], when the breaking of that Law had brought in all suffering! But it will be noted that this is said only after [in Psalm 118] the Resurrection of the Righteous Magnifier of that Law has been celebrated.
This is the theme of the Deuteronomy-Book of the Psalms. It consists of 44 Psalms, in which the title Yehovah occurs 239 times; and Yah, 13; while Elohim occurs only 41 times [4 of which are with Yahaveh]; El, 10 times; Eloah twice.
While the Structure of the other books consist of 2 or 3 sections, this book is, like the Law of God itself, a perfect whole. It is the only book which has an even number of Psalms. Its 1st Psalm [107], as is the case with the other 1st Psalms of the other books, is at once its key-note and epitome.
†Heb. Shehith = graves, or pits [from Shahath = to destroy]. occurs only here and Lam. 4;20. The 2 passages, taken together, tell us that it is not merely the written Word which delivers from deep afflictions, but the Living and Divine Word, Who was 'taken in their pits', is the alone Deliverer of His People from their graves.
‡It will be noted that Ps. 119 is characteristic of the Deuteronomy Book of the Psalms; while Ps. 84 is the characteristic of the Leviticus Book, and Ps. 90 of the Numbers Book. We cannot imagine these as being appropriate to any other Books.
The Quickening and Sustaining Word. This is characteristic of Ps. 119. Cp. vv.25,37,40,50,88,93,107,149,154,156,159 [11 occurrences]. Moreover, the verb hayah [= to breath, to live, to continue to live] is used 16 times in this Psalm, always in the sense of keeping alive, or continuing in life. See Kal [Future], vv.17,77,116,144,175. Piel [Pret.], vv.50,93. Piel [Imperative], vv.25,37,40,88,107,149,154,156,159.
In this connection, how suitable to Hezekiah. Note the Distress, which is the subject of the 1st Psalm of each of the 5 groups of "the songs of the Degrees"; and Hezekiah's earnest prayer.
§The Songs of the Degrees are 15 in number [120-134]. They correspond in number with the 15 years added to Hezekiah's life. 10 are by Hezekiah [corresponding with the number of "the Degrees" by which the shadow of the sun went backward on the sun-dial of Ahaz, 2 Kings 20:8-11]. 5 are by others [4 by David and 1 by Slomon]. Solomon's Psalm occupies the center [127]; and, of the 7 on the other side, 2 in each 7 are by David; an 10 [5 in each 7] by Hezekiah.
In each 7 the name of Yahaveh occurs 24 times, and Yah once in the 3rd Psalm of each 7. In the central Psalm Yahaveh occurs 3 times.
The 15 Psalms are arranged in 5 groups of 3 each. In each group, the subject of the 1st is Distress; the 2nd is trust in Yehovah; while the 3rd speaks of Belssing and Peace in Zion.
They are here in fulfilment of Hezekiah's promise recorded in Isa. 38:20.
¶The last 5 Halleluyah Psalm [146-150] are an echo and reminiscence of the whole of the 5 books of the Psalter:
(This book contains 15 by David, 1 by Solomon [127], and the rest anonymous [probably by Hezekiah], certainly not later than his day.)
A1 A 1-3. Praise for Yahaveh's lovingkindness.
B 4-32. Distress and Diliverance.
B 33-41. Judgment and Blessing.
A 42,43. Praise for Yahaveh's lovingkindness.
Psalm 107)
1 O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good:
For His loving-kindness (or grace) endures for ever.
2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,
Whom He has redeemed from the hand (put for the power exercised by it) of the adversary;
3 And gathered them out of the lands, (This is the subject of this last book. Gathered by His Word; and according to His Word. The Psalm looks forward to the final ingathering of Israel.)
From the east, and from the west,
From the north, and from the sea (i.e. the Red Sea.
B C1 a1 4,5. Trouble. Wanderers. [Wilderness.]
b1 6-. Cry.
c1 -6,7. Deliverance.
d1 8,9. Praise, and Reason.
C2 a2 10-12. Trouble. Rebels.
b2 13-. Cry.
c2 -13,14. Deliverance.
d2 15,16. Praise and Reason.
C3 a3 17,18. Trouble. Fools.
b3 19-. Cry.
c3 -19,20. Deliverance.
d3 21,22. Praise, and Injunction.
C4 a4 23-27. Trouble. Wanderers on Deep.
b4 28-. Cry.
c4 -28-30. Deliverance.
d4 31,32. Praise, and Injunction.
4 They wandered in the wilderness in a trackless waste;
They found no city of habitation.
5 Hungry and thirsty,
Their soul fainted in them.
6 Then they cried to the LORD in their straight,
8 Oh that men would praise the LORD for His loving-kindness (or grace),
10 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
13 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
And He saved them out of their distresses.
15 Oh that men would praise the LORD for His goodness,
17 The perverse (depending on their own wisdom, which is foolishness with God [1 Cor. 20-25]. Cp. Prov. 1:7; 12:15; 14:3,9; 15:5; 27:22) because of their transgression,
19 Then they cry to the LORD in their trouble,
And He saves them out of their distresses.
21 Oh that men would praise the LORD for His goodness,
23 They that go down to the sea in ships,
28 Then they cry to the LORD in their trouble,
And He brings them out of their distresses.
31 Oh that men would praise the LORD for His goodness,
33 He turns rivers into a wilderness,
35 He turns the wilderness into a standing water,
39 Again, they are minished and brought low
41 Yet sets He a needy one on high after affliction,
42 The righteous shall see it, and rejoice:
That they might go to a city of habitation.
And for His wonderful works to the sons of men!
9 For He satisfies the longing soul,
And fills the hungry soul with goodness. (Quoted in Luke 1:53.)
Being bound in oppression and iron;
11 Because they rebelled against the utterances of GOD (El),
And despised the counsel of the Most High Elyon:
12 Therefore He brought down their heart with labor;
They fell down, and there was no sign of a helper.
14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
And broke their bands in sunder.
And for His wonderful works to the sons of men!
16 For He has broken the gates of brass,
And cut the bars of iron in sunder.
And because of their iniquities, bring affliction upon themselves.
18 Their soul abhors all manner of meat;
And they draw near to the gates of death.
20 He sends His word (this is the key-note to the whole book. All blessing is bound up in this. Note the prophetic reference to Christ, the Living Word [John 1:1,2,14], and contrast with the Written Word [Ps. 119]), and heals them,
And delivers them from their graves. (The Divine Deliverer was "taken in their pits", and He alone can deliver from the grave.)
And for His wonderful works to the sons of men!
22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
And declare His works with rejoicing.
That do business in great waters;
24 These see the works of the LORD,
And His wonders in the deep.
25 For He commands, and raises the stormy wind,
Which lifts up the waves thereof.
26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths:
Their soul is melted because of trouble.
27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man,
And are at their wit's end. (Heb. - all their wisdom swallows itself.)
29 He makes the storm a calm,
So that the waves thereof are still.
30 Then are they glad because they be quiet;
So He guides (or gently guides) them to their desired haven.
And for His wonderful works to the sons of men!
32 Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people,
And praise Him in the seated company of the elders.
B e 33,34. Judgment.
f 35-38. Loving-kindness.
e 39,40. Judgment.
f 41. Loving-kindness.
And the watersprings into dry ground;
34 A fruitful land into barrenness,
For the wickedness of them that dwell therein.
And (emphasizing each item in vv.35-38 which goes to make up the fulness of blessing) dry ground into watersprings.
36 And there He makes the hungry to dwell,
That they may prepare a city for habitation;
37 And sow the fields, and plant vineyards,
Which may yield fruits of increase.
38 He blesses them also, so that they are multiplied greatly;
And will abundantly multiply their cattle.
Through oppression, affliction, and sorrow.
40 He pours contempt upon princes,
And causes them to wander in a pathless waste. (Heb. tohu, as in Gen. 1:2, describing what "the world then was" had become by the disruption.)
And makes Him families like a flock.
And all iniquity shall stop her mouth.
43 Whoso is wise, and will observe these things,
Even they shall understand the loving-kindnesses of the LORD.