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Psalms and Song of Songs
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Lesson OneOverview of Poetry31 Activities|1 Assessment
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Getting Started
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Lesson Text: Psalms 14, 23, 29, 53, 91, 119
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In | Workbook: Psalm 2 in Acts 4
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In | Psalm 2 in Acts 4
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In | Names and Titles of Authors in the Psalms
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In | The Poetic Books
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In | Hebrew Poetry
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In | Workbook: Psalm 23 and the Old Testament, Part 1
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In | Workbook: Psalm 23 and the Old Testament, Part 2
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In | Psalms and the Prophets, Part 1
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In | Psalms and the Prophets, Part 2
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In | Figures of Speech
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In | Duplicate Psalms, Part 1
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In | Workbook: Duplicate Psalms
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In | Duplicate Psalms, Part 2
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In | Bible Project: The Art of Biblical Poetry
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Behind | Images of Nature
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Behind | Psalms and Forces of Nature
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Behind | Workbook: Psalms and an Egyptian Funerary Stele, Part 1
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Behind | Workbook: Psalms and an Egyptian Funerary Stele, Part 2
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Behind | Rescuing the Worship of Nature
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Behind | Imagery from Culture
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Behind | YHWH the King
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Behind | Onsite: Lift up Your Heads, O Gates - Steve Wunderink
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In Front | Analogical Thinking
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In Front | Workbook: Analogical Thinking
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In Front | A Medieval Psalter
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In Front | Athanasius on the Psalms
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In Front | Workbook: Athanasius on the Psalms
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In Front | Describing and Worshiping our God
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Wrap-Up
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Getting Started
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Lesson TwoPoetic Structures22 Activities|1 Assessment
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Getting Started
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Lesson Text: Psalms 2–16, 20–22, 24–27, 31–33, 35–43
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In | Workbook: Psalm 1
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In | Parallelism, Part 1
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In | Chiasm
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In | Workbook: Chiasm in Psalm 11, Part 1
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In | Workbook: Chiasm in Psalm 11, Part 2
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In | Workbook: Chiasm in Psalm 11, Part 3
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In | Acrostic
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In | Psalm 119 Acrostic
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In | A Lost Verse in Psalm 145
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In | Workbook: Psalms of Korah, Ethan, Heman and Asaph
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In | Psalms of Korah, Ethan, Heman and Asaph
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Behind | Instruments from the Ancient Near East
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Behind | Workbook: Musical Instruments in the Psalms
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Behind | Musical Instruments in the Psalms
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Behind | The Irony and Appeal of Idols: Dr. Catherine McDowell
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In Front | Form and Function
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In Front | Workbook: Psalm 151
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In Front | Psalm 151
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In Front | Psalter in History
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Wrap-Up
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Getting Started
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Lesson ThreePraise and Lament24 Activities|2 Assessments
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Getting Started
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Lesson Text: Psalms of Lament: 44, 60, 74, 79, 80, 85, 86, 90. Psalms of Thanksgiving: 28, 30, 34, 57, 89, 92, 95, 111, 138
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In | Workbook: Psalm 22
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In | Psalms of Lament
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In | Psalms of Lament: The Persecuted
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In | Imprecatory Psalms
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In | Workbook: Psalms of Thanksgiving
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In | Workbook: “Flesh” in the Psalms
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In | “Flesh” in the Psalms
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In | Life in YHWH
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In | Individuality in the Psalms, Part 1
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Behind | David and Laments
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Behind | David Runs from Saul
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Behind | Onsite: Hiding in the Caves of En Gedi - David's Laments While Running from Saul
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Behind | Ancient Near Eastern Psalms
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Behind | Workbook: Mesopotamian Parallels to the Psalms
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Behind | Mesopotamian Parallels to the Psalms
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Behind | Psalm 104 and the Great Hymn to Aton
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In Front | Praise and Lament
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In Front | Workbook: Complaint and Intercession in Psalm 60, Part 1
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In Front | Workbook: Complaint and Intercession in Psalm 60, Part 2
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In Front | Workbook: Write a Psalm of Thanksgiving
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In Front | Workbook: Reflecting on Your View of God
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Wrap-Up
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Getting Started
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Lesson FourThe Diversity of Psalms28 Activities
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Getting Started
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Lesson Text: Psalms of Creation: 8, 65; History: 78, 105–106; Royal: 2, 18, 72, 89, 110; Enthronement: 93–99; Zion: 48, 102, 126; Torah: 1, 19; Worship: 150
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In | Historical Notes in the Psalms
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In | Workbook: Historical Notes in the Psalms, Part 1
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In | Workbook: Historical Notes in the Psalms, Part 2
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In | Workbook: Historical Notes in the Psalms, Part 3
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In | History and Creation in the Psalms
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In | David and Moses
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In | The Kingship of God
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In | Sovereignty in Psalm 90s
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In | Psalms of Zion and Torah
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In | Words of Wisdom, Part 1
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In | Workbook: Words of Wisdom
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In | Words of Wisdom, Part 2
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In | Creation
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In | Covenant
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In | Sacrifice, Praise and Worship
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Behind | Worship and Magic in the Ancient Near East
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Behind | Workbook: Psalms and a Hymn from the Temple of Amun, El-Charga, Part 1
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Behind | Psalms and a Hymn from the Temple of Amun, El-Charga, Part 2
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Behind | We Become What We Worship: Dr. Catherine McDowell
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Behind | Onsite: Sowing with Tears - Plowing, Planting and Praying: Ronit Maoz
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In Front | The Psalms for Today
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In Front | Preparing for Christ
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In Front | Jesus and the Psalms
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In Front | Workbook: Jesus and the Psalms
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In Front | Workbook: Guiding Questions - Psalms
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Wrap-Up
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Getting Started
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Lesson FiveSong of Songs20 Activities
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Getting Started
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Lesson Text: Song of Songs
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In | Workbook: A Return to Eden
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In | A Return to Eden
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In | Natural Love
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In | The Shamelessness of Song of Songs
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Behind | Life and Sex as Forces of Nature
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Behind | The Metaphorical Nature of Poetry
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Behind | An Egyptian Parallel
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Behind | Egyptian Parallels
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Behind | Onsite: The Gardens Are Calling - Ronit Maoz
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Behind | Onsite: Enclosed Garden - A Lover's Image in Song of Songs
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In Front | Interpreting the Song of Songs
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In Front | Traditional Christian Interpretation
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In Front | Christianity Today: Play Me That Hot Puritan Love Song
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In Front | Workbook: Play Me That Hot Puritan Love Song
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In Front | Literal vs. Figurative Reading
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In Front | Workbook: Reflection
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In Front | Workbook: Guiding Questions - Song of Songs
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Wrap-Up
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Getting Started
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Course Wrap-UpCourse Completion1 Activity|1 Assessment
Participants 8
Lesson 2, Activity 8
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In | Workbook: Chiasm in Psalm 11, Part 3
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Lesson Progress
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You may have noticed that the Psalmist begins and ends this chiasm by referencing his relationship with God. The center of the chiasm (verse 4) locates God in a position of supreme authority, in both heaven and over the “children of man.”
Before God’s authority is addressed in verse 4, the wicked persecute the righteous. With God’s authority in place, the situations of the wicked and righteous are promptly reversed. The righteous are vindicated and those who persecuted them are punished.
Chiasm quoted with adaptation from: Robert L. Alden, “Chiastic Psalms: A Study in the Mechanics of Semitic Poetry in Psalms 1–50,” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, JETS 17:1 (Winter 1974), p. 16.
| Verses | Chiasm level | Brief summary |
| 11:1 | a | (YHWH my refuge) |
| 11:2-3a | b | (Wicked persecute) |
| 11:3b | c | (Righteous suffer) |
| 11:4a | d | (YHWH rules in heaven) |
| 11:4b | d’ | (YHWH judges on earth) |
| 11:5a | c’ | (Righteous vindicated) |
| 11:5b-6 | b’ | (Wicked punished) |
| 11:7 | a’ | (YHWH the righteous) |
By mapping the hymn in this way, we’re able to neatly organize it and get to the heart of the theology of the Psalm. Relationship with God is the beginning and ending of the conversation and the context for the rest of the Psalm. The pivot of this relationship is the sovereignty of God in ways both visible and invisible. Around that pivot, the values of the world are turned on their head. The wicked are punished and the righteous are restored.