The Books of Poetry

1. Old Testament The Books of Poetry © John Stevenson, 2009

2. English Old Testament Pentateuch Historical Books Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1-2 Samuel, 1-2 Kings, 1-2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther Poetic Books Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy Prophetic Books Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

3. Problem God as… Man as… Job Sovereign On his face before God Book Psalms Prayer & Worship Holy Before the throne of God Proverbs Conduct All-wise Receiving instruction Pain & suffering Ecclesiastes Meaning & significance Creator Under the sun Song of Solomon Love Lover of His people In a love relationship

4. Poetic Literature Wisdom Literature Job Proverbs Ecclesiastes Psalms Song of Solomon

5. Wisdom Literature Poetic Literature Narrator is viewed as the wise voice of experience Touch the heart Touch the mind Narrator is viewed as a normal man Focus on human emotion Focus on wisdom Love for God and for others Living before God and with others

6. Job The Book of Suffering

7. Overview of the Book of Job Chapters 3-31 Chapters 33-37 Chapters 38-41 Chapter 42 Chapters 1-2 Job’s three friends Elihu’s speeches God speaks Historical epilogue: Job Restored Dialogue & Discourse Historical prologue: Job Tested Prose Section Poetry Section Plain language Highly ornate Written in pure Hebrew Contains many expressions characteristic of Chaldaean

8. Setting for the Story Uz

9. The Story • The Heavenly Challenge • Job’s Calamities • Satan’s Second Accusation • Job’s Continuing Endurance • Job’s Three Friends

10. The Cast of Characters • Job • Mrs. Job • God • Satan • Three Friends • Eliphaz • Bildad • Zophar • Elihu

11. Job maintains his innocence • I made a covenant with my eyes that I would not look on a woman to lust (31:1). • I gave food and clothing to the poor and the widow and the orphan (31:16-20). • I did not let my own prosperity get in the way of my relationship with God (31:24-28).

12. Elihu 1 Then these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2 But the anger of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram burned; against Job his anger burned, because he justified himself before God. 3 And his anger burned against his three friends because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. 4 Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were years older than he. (Job 32:1-4).

13. When God Finally Speaks... • He does not give Job any answers to his questions • He does not give Job any comfort in his situation

14. Job 38:1-3 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said, "Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now gird up your loins like a man, and I will ask you, and you instruct Me!

15. Job 38:4-7 "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding, who set its measurements, since you know? Or who stretched the line on it? On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"

16. Job 40:1 Then the LORD said to Job, "Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who reproves God answer it."

17. Job 40:6-9 Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm, and said, "Now gird up your loins like a man; I will ask you, and you instruct Me. Will you really annul My judgment? Will you condemn Me that you may be justified? Or do you have an arm like God, And can you thunder with a voice like His?

18. Job 42:1-2 Then Job answered the LORD, and said, “I know that Thou canst do all things, And that no purpose of Thine can be thwarted.”

19. Job 42:5-6 "I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees Thee; therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes."

20. Job 42:7 And it came about after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, that the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has.

21. Job 42:8-9 “Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves, and My servant Job will pray for you. For I will accept him so that I may not do with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.”

22. Lessons from Job • God is both all-loving and all-powerful • There are no simple answers • Expression of grief & trouble is appropriate, but not to pass judgment on God • God is in control, even when it is not obvious to our eyes • God has a purpose in what he allows, even if we do not know what it is

23. Lessons from Job • Tragedy can serve as a wake-up call • God has not remained distant from us in our pain • Job is about God’s condemnation Will you really annul My judgment? Will you condemn Me that you may be justified? (Job 40:8). God was condemned in Christ.

25. Psalms The Hymnbook of God

26. Characteristics of the Psalms • A thousand years of history • Musical instruments • Quoted in New Testament • Relates our response to God • A “sensory” book

27. What are the different types of Psalms? • Praise Psalms • Songs of Thanksgiving • Royal Psalms • Wisdom Psalms • Psalms of Remembrance • Psalms of Lament • Imprecatory Psalms

28. What are some of your favorite Psalms?

29. Structure of the Psalms

30. Psalm 1 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.

31. Psalm 1:3 • And in whatever he does, he prospers. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither;

32. Psalm 2:1-2 Why are the nations in an uproar, And the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand, And the rulers take counsel together Against the LORD and against His Anointed.

33. Psalm 2:6-7 6 But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain. 7 I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, “Thou art My Son, Today I have begotten Thee.”

34. Psalm 2:8-9 8 Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Thine inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Thy possession. 9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, Thou shalt shatter them like earthenware.

35. Psalm 22-24 • Psalm 22. The Suffering Servant • Psalm 23. The Good Shepherd • Psalm 24. The Sovereign King

36. Psalm 33:1-3 Sing for joy in the LORD, O you righteous ones; Praise is becoming to the upright. 2 Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; Sing praises to Him with a harp of ten strings. 3 Sing to Him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout of joy.

37. The title Elohim is used much more than is the name Yahweh

38. Psalm 42:1-3 1 As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for Thee, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”

39. Psalm 42:4 These things I remember, and I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go along with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God, With the voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival. • You cannot rest on yesterday’s experiences • Mutual support & encouragement

40. Psalm 42:5 Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him For the help of His presence.

41. Psalm 42-43 • Psalm 43 has no superscription. • Psalm 42 is a Psalm of Lament, but has no supplication at the end unless it is found in Psalm 43 • A continuing refrain to “hope in God.”

42. The Refrain Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God. (Psalm 42:11). Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him For the help of His presence (Psalm 42:5). Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God. (Psalm 43:5).

43. Psalm 45:1 For the choir director; according to the Shoshannim. A Maskil of the sons of Korah. A Song of Love. My heart overflows with a good theme; I address my verses to the King; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

44. Psalm 45:7-8 7 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated wickedness; Therefore God, Thy God, has anointed Thee With the oil of joy above Thy fellows. 8 All Thy garments are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; Out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made Thee glad.

45. Psalm 51 Prayer for individual restoration (1-2) Prayer for national restoration (18-19) Confession (3-6) Thanksgiving (13-17) • Prayer for Restoration • Cleansing from sin (7-9) • Inward renewal (10-12)

46. Psalm 52-59 David’s flight from Saul 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 Mikhtams of David Maskils of David “Meditation” “Golden Prayer” Lkf - To be Prudent ~tK - Gold

47. Psalm 57:1 For the choir director; set to Al-tashheth. A Mikhtam of David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave. Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me, For my soul takes refuge in Thee; And in the shadow of Thy wings I will take refuge, Until destruction passes by

48. Focus upon Israel, Jerusalem and the Temple

49. Psalm 73:1-2 A Psalm of Asaph. Surely God is good to Israel, To those who are pure in heart! 2 But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling, My steps had almost slipped. 3 For I was envious of the arrogant As I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

50. Psalm 73:16-17 16 When I pondered to understand this, It was troublesome in my sight 17 Until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end.