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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 3, Activity 17
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Behind | Mesopotamian Parallels to the Psalms
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Lesson Progress
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These messages are addressed to different deities, but the theme is the same. They ask rhetorical questions about divine protection and remind their divine audiences of the value of keeping them alive. The core of their message is more or less, “I’m no good to you dead.” Here’s another example below.
Source: Anna Elise Zernecke, “Mesopotamian Parallels to the Psalms,” The Oxford Handbook of the Psalms, edited by William P. Brown,2014, pp. 35-36.
| Psalms (ESV) | Prayer to Ištar |
| How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? (Psalm 13:1-2 ESV) | How long, my Lady, will my enemies look malevolently at me, (and) with lies and untruths plan evil against me? How long, my Lady, will the idiot (and cripple) overtake me? (Ištar 2:6, 59, complaint) How long, my Lady, will you be angry and your face be averted? How long, my Lady, will you rage and your feelings be infuriated? (Ištar, 2:93-94, second petition) |
Like the Psalms, other ancient Near East prayers and hymns ask rhetorical questions and seek relief from persecution. They all express deep suffering and feelings of helplessness.
As we read the Bible in its ancient context, it’s important to be able to locate the unique aspects of the Psalms and identify which parts are generic to the ancient world and human experience universally. The emotions of the Psalms are not necessarily specific to the Bible. The God of the Psalms—YHWH—is the single most important difference.