Thesis (first draft: The pastoral effect in the O.T. Psalm

               

          Thesis Title  

Some Pastoral Effect Found in the Psalm

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

              

    

           In Partial Fulfillment of 

        Master Degree of Biblical Study

Introduction:

 

 

During the first and second centuries of Christianity, 

while the Apostles' teaching was still fresh, the church had 

borrowed a lot from the Judia traditions.  At that time, the 

Psalms were repeatedly sung in the form of "Gradual"(1) in the 

church service.  It was used in Sunday worship.  The pastors

seemed to have no problem with using Psalms as the teaching

material, for correction, and for reproof.  The Psalms were so

rich in its equipping effect that the early churches constantly 

used them.  They directed the early churches in knowing their 

Master, pouring out their souls to Jesus who had just ascended

to the heaven.

 

 The goal of this paper is to try to reach some pastoral 

effect from the book of Psalm.  Most Bible students know that 

reading the Psalms was an enjoyment, since it contains a lot 

of human experience with God.  It breathes out the soul of a 

human toward God.  Although most Bible students read Psalms 

with great appreciation, most of them do not dig enough so as

to know more about the God the Psalmists knew or what kind of

God that Psalmists prayed to, worshiped, and praised.  They 

were getting the beneficial effect of the Psalm without know-

ing the cause (God's attributes) of it. However, if we can 

read out who, what, how, why, etc. of the God the Psalmists 

knew, we might get more knowledge about God, experiencing Him 

as we live out our own life experience.  

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(1). Massey H. Shepherd Jr.  "The Psalms in Christians Worship, 

     A Practical Guide".  Ausburg Publishing House. Mineapolis, 

     Minnesota. 1976. p.34.

   

 

      The authors of the Psalms whether it was David, Solomon, 

or Moses, were the intermediate leaders of the kingdom of Is-

rael:  David was the shepherd of Israel (Exe37:24)¡  Solomon 

asked wisdom to rule the people of Israel, Moses was a faithful 

steward of God's household.  We might naturally expect that the 

Psalms have direct pastoral effect on us as well.  The Psal-

mists' reflection on the Big Shepherd could be our experience 

also.  Thus, it could have pastoral effect on us, because we 

serve the same God that David and the other Psalmists served.  

The goal of this paper is to propose some logic and thinking

for getting these pastoral effects from the Psalms (Part I and 

Part II), and to try to discovers some pastoral effects in some 

of the Psalms (Part III).

 

 The Psalms cover a wide range of biblical teaching, thus, 

having a correct theology on the book of the Psalm is crucial 

for the correct understanding and teaching of the Psalms.  On

the other hand, the Psalm were human's response toward God in 

an honest way.  The "understanding of the humanity" in light of 

God's revelation (the book of Psalm), particularly through the 

authors' (mostly David's) own experience, will be important as 

well.  Thus, this paper will be divided mainly into three parts.  

First, the general theology of Psalms.  Second, David's experi-

ence and his character.  Third, the pastoral effect of Psalm 

based on the first two parts.  For the first part, I used Mr. 

Kraus Hans-Joachim's "Theology of the Psalms" as the main Source

(2).  It contains many word studies on the Hebrew in the Psalm.  

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(2). Hans-Joachim Kraus.  "Theology of the Psalms". Augsburg 

     Publishing House. Minneapolis. 1986

The logic of this book was intellectual and effective.  For the 

second part, I used many sources.  For the third part, I used 

Pastor Leonard Griffith's work --"God in Man's Experience" as 

the main source(3), although he only covered a part of Psalms 

in his study.  I believed more pastoral effect could be learned 

from other chapters of the Psalms that he had not worked with. 

I will use Arthur Emerson Harris's work(4) as main reference 

for the exegetical works.  I will use Pastor Griffith's work as 

the main reference for applications.  (I think Pastor Griffith 

was very up front toward the thinking of the world of this time, 

and most of his work is like a 'teaching sermon' than a 'preach-

ing sermon'.)  

 

 First of all, we need to remember the Psalms were written 

by great men, actually, some of the best of believers.  David, 

for example, was a man of God's heart.  Like other men of faith, 

they usually went through much difficulty as they followed God's 

will.  We probably will never go through most of the experiences 

the Psalmists went through, but we can learn from their experi-

ences, and draw principles from them.  In the same way, we did 

not go through, what Job (or Paul) went through, but we still 

can learn from their experiences.  In some occasions, to apply 

word for word what the Psalmists did in the Psalms directly was 

unpractical, or even foolish.  On the other hand, to view the 

Psalmists' experience too high to reach, and detach oneself 

from it and not relate it to our Christian walk is also a big 

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(3). Leonard Griffith.  "God in Man's Experience". Word Books. 

     Waco, Texas. 1968  

(4). Authur Emerson Harris.  "The Psalms Outlined". The Judson 

     Press.  Philadelphia. 1925

loss.  To get teaching from the Psalm and thus get perseverance

and encouragement is, however, what the Bible teaches us to do:  

(Romans 16:13--"For what ever was written in earlier times was 

written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the 

encouragement of the Scripture we might have hope.").  

PART I:

Proposition One: The authors of the book of Psalm believed 

      that God reigned:

 

 

 To ask a three year old believer if he or she believed 

that God reigned, the answer would most likely be a big "yes". 

As we get more sophisticated, we would still say that God 

reigned, but we may ask, "in what way?"  Failing to get an  

answer from the world that we lived in, we may escaped to the 

skeptic, indifference, or at least weakening faith, but it was 

not so for the Psalmists.  The roles of "warrior, judge, bene-

factor, and shepherd, which belong to the human kingship de-

picted in the Psalms, are those of Yhwh" (5).  All the Psalms 

speak explicitly or implicitly that God reigned (            ). 

The Psalmist says that God reigned in term of sphere of His 

domination, institution of His reigned, and also activities of

sovereignty.(6).  Not only did the Psalmists have faith in God, 

at their lowest season and highest season, they are sure of 

God's providence.  God is ever present, God cares, God rules, 

And God provides.  To the Psalmist, the ruling of God over Is-

rael history can be found in several angles:

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(5). James L. Mays.  "The Lord Reigns".  Westminister John Knox

     Press.  Louisville, Kentucky. 1994. p.13.

(6). ibid. p.14.

(a). God reigns from eternity to eternity as universal King. 

(Ps. 90:1):  Although the Psalmist did not know the Prayer the 

Lord taught His disciples.-- "For Thine is the kingdom, power, 

and glory for ever."  The Psalmists did show the eternal reign-

ing of our God.  They all agree that the Lordship of God is 

without question at all time.

(b). They all believed God reigned from the beginning. By al-

lowing the first parent the choice of choosing to eat the fruit 

from the tree of knowledge, God reigned through the consequence 

of it.  

(c). God reigned over Israel through intermediate leaders: Over

Abraham, Issac, and Jacob.  Moses, Joshua, Judges, Saul, David, 

Soloman, and so on, over all of them, God ruled. "God is God in 

Israel's history" is a very important theme in the Psalm.

(d). Future Messianic Kingdom is spiritual as well as physical.

(7):  The Psalmist did not know the Prayer the Lord taught the 

disciples, praying for the coming of Heaven's reign, on earth 

as it is in heaven.  The coming of the Kingdom on earth means 

the ruling of Christ (Messiah) Jesus "on earth".  It will be 

both spiritual as well as physical. 

Proposition Two: The Psalm has recorded wide span of personal       

                 experience (mostly David's) and Israelite's

            experience as a nation.  They called upon God 

      by calling His name.  Thus, in Psalm, we can 

      know God better through His Name and His cha-

            racter.

(A). God's name:  What it meant to the Psalmists?  

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(7). Alva J. McClain. "The Greatness of the Kingdom". Zondevan

     van Publishing House.  Grand Rapids, Michigan.1959. p.519.

 

      Calvin used to say:  "There is a reason why the name of

God is used to stand for God Himself.  Because we cannot Com-

prehend the essence of God.  Insofar as His grace and power are 

made manifest to us, it is appropriate for us to place hope in 

Him.  Thus by calling His name, faith is born."(8).  The theo-

logical and historical knowledge depend alone on the name and 

the fullness of its presentation--the name, not something numi-

nous that has been experienced and explored phenomenological. A 

theology of the name, based on the O.T. and also on the Psalm, 

cannot ignore for a moment what is said of the name of Israel's 

God in the N.T. and directed toward the future.  It is Jesus 

Christ who has revealed the name of God in the exchaton(       

                         

                       ): "I have manifested the name" (John 17

:6). Christ Jesus Himself has been given the name that is above 

every name.  The name(             )(Kurios--Yahweh).  Whatever 

biblical theology says about the name of God must be related to 

this eschatological happening(9).

(a). (      ) Yahweh 

      To the Israelite and to us too, "any and all acquaintance 

with this name is based on the fact that the God of Israel has 

made Himself known.  Moreover, every concept of God is based on 

the fact that He has manifested Himself".  In the sanctuary it 

is not "Yahweh, who dwells, but the(    )("name") as His repre-

sentative(Ps.74:7).  And yet in the Psalm the presence and gift 

of the (    )("name") are constantly the presupposition of all 

prayers and songs, all confidence and hope, all cries and peti-

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(8). Kraus. p.21.

(9). Kraus. p.22.

tions , and this name is the name (    )(Yahweh).  Those who 

pray and sing in the Psalm, however, base what they do on the 

fact that the name is not empty, but that in this everything is

contained -- justice and salvation, deliverance and life, know-

ledge and wisdom.

 

 The "name of Yahweh": is a gift, entrusted to Israel, and 

in it Yahweh is present: "In Judah God is known, His name is

great in Israel (Ps. 76:1)."  At the same time, this name as 

the reflection of the holiness of (     )(Yahweh) is itself a 

force that proclaims God's freedom and that can withdraw and 

bar access to itself.  

      In Psalm 9:10 -- We see Israel "knows" this name;  In 

Psalm 86:11 & 102:15 --"fear" it;  In Psalm 5:11, 69:6 and

19:132 -- "love" it;  In Psalm 33:21 -- "trust" in it;  In 

Psalm 75:1, 79:6, 80:18, 99:6, 105:1, and 116:4,13,17 etc -- 

"called on".  People "sing" (     ) this name, and it is 

"praised" (               ), People "exalt" over it, "rejoice" 

in it, "break in to shouts of joy" over it.  No one can tho- 

roughly understand this name or control it;  It is "holy and 

terrible"  It is "majesty" (Ps. 8:1,9), characterized by(     )

(glory, Ps. 66:2).  A frequent O.T. expression says that when a 

person dies or a nation is destroyed, his or her name or its 

name is "remembered no more" (Ps 83:4; 109:13).  Thus the name 

means at least: Life, Identity, and Presence.(10) 

(b). (        )(Elohim), or (        )(Eloah), or (    )(El) 

      As "       " (Elohim) is used in the O.T. (and thus also  

in the 一Psalm) of God other than Yahweh.  The use of "       " 

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(10). Kraus. p. 21.

(Elohim) in the Elohlistic Psalm make it clear that "        " 

(Elohim) is used of God other than Yahweh, in the fullness of 

His divine power, in his uniqueness (11).  It encodes the Elohim 

is none other than "        " (Yahweh).  Both were used of God 

from the beginning in Genesis. "        " (Elohim) is Yaheweh.  

(c). Most High (        ), Elyon.      

In the Psalter, "        " (Elyon) is one designation of 

Yahweh among many others, an appellation.  If we examine the 

synonymous terms for God, it is striking that in the paralle-

lism of members "       " (Elyon) corresponds to "      " (God) 

(Ps. 57.2; Ps. 107:11; Num. 24:16).  Also synonymous use of 

"           " (Most High) and "      " (Shaddai, "Almighty") 

should be noted (Ps. 91:1; Num. 24:16)。 According to Ps. 47:2, 

the "        " (Most High) is "                               " 

("great king over all the earth"), (Ps. 97:9; Ps. 83:18).  This 

identifies the realm over which the "Highest God" exercises 

lordship.  The seat of His authority is the sanctuary on Mount 

Zion (Ps. 87:5; Ps. 46:4), but He rules in "Heaven"(Ps. 18:13).  

All the "       " (gods) are "            " ("sons of the Most 

High") and thus stand in the service of God "       " Most High

Ps. 82:6.  Yahweh is "          " (name "Most High") worthy of 

the praise of Israel (Ps. 7:17; Ps。9:2);  He is the refuge of 

the poor (Ps. 91:9), and vows are paid of Israel (Ps. 50:14)

(12).

 (B). God's character: To the Psalmists, God is both immanent        
and transcendent at the same time.

   

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(11). ibid., p.2.  

(12). Kraus. p.25.

      

 The Psalmist believed the God whose providence is "the 

guidance or steering of nature, man and history".  On a person- 

al level, the Psalmist experienced God in His providence and in 

miracles.  Modern theologians like to elaborate further on this 

as: both General Providence -- the government of the universe 

through universal laws that control or influence the world 

without the need of faith for specific or ad hoc acts of divine 

will, and in Special Providence -- Specific evidence which is

understood by the man of faith to be particular evidence of 

God's activity, and in Miracle --- a non-repeatable counter-

instance of an otherwise demonstrable law of nature.  For the 

Christians, the world and history are not ultimately meaningful 

in themselves, but in relation to God and His purpose.  It is 

also true, for the Psalmist, whether referring to the choosing 

of Abraham (He is father of nations. etc.), and Moses (the es-

tablishment of His covenant on Sinai. Etc.); and David (the co-

venant of God and even David's talent of poetry. etc).  Even 

the prophecy of the coming, dying and resurrection of our Lord 

Jesus, although not clearly understood to the Psalmists --- all 

God's interaction with the world at the global and the personal 

levels were in line with His overall purpose for His creation 

--- "to share His life and love and glory with another reality 

over which he would be Lord." (13). (We can get some glimpse of 

this from Psalm 8).  In the book of Psalms, to the Psalmists' 

personal experience, and -- to Israelite as a nation, God re

-vealed much of His character and purpose, which often were not

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(13). David Atkinson.  "The Message of Ruth, The Wings of 

      Refuge".  Inter-Varsity Press。 Leicester, England.  

      Downer Crove, Illinois. 1991. p.20.

only immanent to the Psalmists but also point to future events 

and even transcendent to eternity.

 

      Thus, to the Psalmists, God is both immanent and trans-

cendent at the same time.  The Psalmists thus call upon God 

sometimes by His name, and sometimes by using His character as 

adjectives.

Proposition Three:  The Psalm is an artistic literary work.   

                    A lot of symbolic language was used.

(a). The Psalms are artistic poems whose form cannot be ignored 

in order to abstract a few of the teaching of the Psalms.  Even 

where the poetry of the Psalter finds expression only in the 

use of forms according to traditional rules, where, for example

, the acrostic principle is employed, the parallelism of mem-

bers and the use of meter are able to give expression to the 

pleasing quality of the variety of repetition and the appropri-

ateness of the content being presented.  It would be inappro-

priate to evaluate the content of the Psalms by modern formalist 

standards. (14)

(b). The Psalmists lived in an agriculture culture, so a lot of 

agricultural language was used.  Although a lot of symbolic 

language was used, it did not make it more mysterious, but in 

instead, it made it more meaningful and sensible.  Agricul-

tural language, like sheep, stream, fish, flower, vine, wine, 

mountain, tree, etc. were used to illustrate truth.  


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