TWO GREAT BLOCKS IN THE BOOK OF PSALMS

n  2 GREAT BLOCKS in the Book of Psalms

n  Supplication and Praise

n  There are  2 GREAT BLOCKS in the Book of Psalms, 1) SUPPLICATION and 2) PRAISE.

n  The two are absolutely inseparable. SUPPLICATION and PRAISE always go together.

n  The Book of Psalm is entitled Tehilim from the verb Halel, which is in Piel form, meaning TO PRAISE.

n  Based on its title, one can see that Israel understands it as a book of praise.

n  The LXX translates it as Psalmos, meaning HYMNS, not LAUDS, accompanied with musical instruments.

n  But in the Israelite tradition, Psalm is a prayer to give thanks and praise to God, recognizing God as God.

n  Before the reality of God, Israel praises and celebrates the goodness of God.

n  The goodness of God is experienced as salvation.

n  Before the reality of salvation wrought by God, Israel celebrates in gratitude.

n  Before the gifts, before the goodness of God, His salvation and His wonders, Israel celebrates in gratitude and praise.

n  PRAISE and GRATITUDE.

n  This is what man experiences before God.

n  Before God he experiences His salvation, His wonders, His goodness.

n  He is the recipient of God’s salvation.

n  God is revealed as great and His universe is awesome. 

n  The revelation and acknowledgement of God’s greatness leads man to recognize he is small.

n  He feels the need for salvation.

n  Thus he is moved to SUPPLICATION.

n  In this way, one can see that PRAISE does not stand alone in itself nor SUPPLICATION. They always go together.

n  SUPPLICATION: “I’m small,” a cry for help, a recognition of God’s greatness and His dependability. One anticipates in faith the experience of God’s goodness

n  PRAISE: because God has answered my prayer, my supplication. Thus, when one praises because he experiences salvation, his supplication/lamentation is in his heart.

n  HE WHO PRAISES, PRAYS.

n  HE WHO PRAYS, PRAISES.

n  I praise because I’ve been saved.

n  I pray because I need salvation.

n  He who does not need to be saved does not pray.

n  Life is TRANSITORY and FRAGILE.

n  It is always touched with decay and death.

n  One always needs to pray.

n  Our flesh structurally necessarily dies.

n  Thus we need to pray.

n  No flesh, no birth, no birth, no death, no death, no need for salvation.

n  A life that allows praise is a life saved.

n  A person who is indwelling with praise and salvation is in the PRESENCE OF GOD.

n  One who experiences death experiences the need of God.

n  LIFE IS MARKED WITH FRAGILITY, WITH DEATH!

n  Thus, one cries out for salvation.

n  This TRANSITORINESS and FRAGILITY of life REVEALS our NEED for God.

n  One could not eliminate this need for salvation (so fundamental an element in Sacred Scriptures) and thus his need for God.

n  Indeed he who recognizes (humility) this basic FRAGILITY of life, acknowledges his NEED for salvation leading him to BELIEVE and HAVE FAITH in God or to despair (pride)

n  A person who sees his fragility with humility and faith PRAYS.

n  He who prays believes that his prayer/supplication will be granted.

n  A humble awareness of one’s fragility evokes the desire for God.

n  Prayer kindles the desire for the good that can only come from God.

n  When I pray for salvation, I hold deep within my heart that indeed God is a God of salvation.

n  And His salvation comes as a gift.

n  It is not merited nor borne out of human effort.

n  So I come to Him in humility and faith, I desire for this gift of God.

n  I trust that God HIMSELF wills to give the gift of salvation to me.

n  When I  pray, I have it in my heart that He already answers my prayer.

n  The awakening of my desire for God to save is to be now.

n  Thus, when I pray, I praise.

n  In this way,  PRAISE and SUPPLICATION are inseparable.

n  Praise implies supplication.

n  Supplication presupposes praise.

n  Psalm 148:7 - 14  Praise the LORD from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps,  8 fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind fulfilling his command!  9 Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars!  10 Beasts and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds!  11 Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth!  12 Young men and maidens together, old men and children!  13 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his glory is above earth and heaven.  14 He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his saints, for the people of Israel who are near to him. Praise the LORD!

n  All of creation and all peoples are enjoined to proclaim the greatness of God.

n  Alone by himself, one feels inadequate to give due praise to God.

n  Because His is awesomely great and His marvels immensely magnificent.

n  Man raises his eyes to God.

n  God in turn beholds man. Man beholds the greatness of God.

n  God beholds the smallness of man.

n  Psalm 8:1 - 9  O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is thy name in all the earth! Thou whose glory above the heavens is chanted  2 by the mouth of babes and infants, thou hast founded a bulwark because of thy foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.  3 When I look at thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast established;  4 what is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou dost care for him?  5 Yet thou hast made him little less than God, and dost crown him with glory and honor.  6 Thou hast given him dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet,  7 all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field,  8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the sea.  9 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is thy name in all the earth!

n  Praise and supplication.

n  God’s majesty and grandeur and man’s smallness and fragility.

n  God’s salvation and man’s exaltation.

n  “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord My spirit rejoices in God my Savior for He has looked with favor on His lowly servant From this day all generations shall call me blessed the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is His Name…”

n  Repetitio

n  “LIFE IS MARKED WITH FRAGILITY, WITH DEATH.” Thus, human beings are drawn to lift up their hands in praise and to bend their knees in supplication to God.