7. Magnifying the King
Magnifying the King
(PSALMS 93; 95—100)
Before you begin …
• Pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal truth and wisdom as you go through this lesson.
• Read Psalms 93; 95—100. This lesson references content in Be Exultant. It will be helpful for you to have your Bible and a copy of the commentary available as you work through this lesson.
Getting Started
From the Commentary
Psalms 93 and 95—100 emphasize the sovereign rule of Jehovah, the King of Israel, in the affairs of the nations.… Psalm 93 was perhaps written by one of the Levites who returned to Judah with the Jewish remnant after the Babylonian captivity.… It was an especially difficult time for the Jewish remnant (see Ezra and Haggai), and their work was interrupted, attacked, and neglected. The leaders and the people needed encouragement to continue the work, and this encouragement could come only from the Lord.
—Be Exultant, page 30
1. How might Psalm 93 have encouraged the Israelites? What does this psalm tell us about God’s character? Why was this important for the Israelites during their season of challenges and trials? How can this psalm uplift Christians today?
More to Consider: The raging seas and pounding waves (Ps. 93:3–4) are often used as symbols for the rise and fall of a nation. (See also Ps. 46:1–3, 6; 65:6–7; 74:13–14; Isa. 17:12–13; Dan. 7:1–3; Luke 21:25; Rev. 13:1; 17:15.) Why do you think this imagery is appropriate?
2. Choose one verse or phrase from Psalms 93; 95—100 that stands out to you. This could be something you’re intrigued by, something that makes you uncomfortable, something that puzzles you, something that resonates with you, or just something you want to examine further. Write that here.
Going Deeper
From the Commentary
When the tempest is around us, we look by faith to the throne of grace above us and the Word of God before us. The truth about what is going on in this world is not in the newspapers but in the Scriptures. The false prophets among the Jews in Babylon gave a message different from that of Jeremiah, the true prophet of the Lord (Jer. 29), but it was the messages of God’s servants that finally proved true.… False prophets, false teachers, and scoffers abound (2 Peter 2—3), but God’s promises will all be fulfilled in their time, and God’s children live by promises, not explanations.
—Be Exultant, pages 31–32
3. Respond to the statement “The truth about what is going on in this world is not in the newspapers but in the Scriptures.” How is this borne out in Psalm 93? In what ways does this psalm underscore the truth that God always keeps His word?
From the Commentary
Praise means looking up, but worship means bowing down. Alas, some people who enjoy lifting their hands and shouting do not enjoy bowing their knees and submitting. True worship is much deeper than communal praise, for worship involves realizing the awesomeness of God and experiencing the fear of the Lord and a deeper love for Him.
—Be Exultant, page 36
4. Read Psalm 95. How does this psalm express praise? In what ways does it invoke worship? What does it mean to bow down before God? What does this look like in daily living? How can our daily living be a form of worship?
From Today’s World
In many of today’s churches, hymn singing has been supplanted by a more diverse time of praise and worship music. While not a universal truth, it is probably fair to say that praise music is more often about looking up, whereas hymns, rooted in deep theology, are more often about bowing down. For some, the time of praise and worship is a very personal time, though often experienced in a corporate setting. For some believers, the worship music is so important that they make their decision on which church to attend based solely on their experience of it.
5. Why have hymns lost their appeal to many churchgoers? What is it about the praise and worship time in a church that makes it so important to congregants? In what ways do the psalms give us good guidelines for praise? For worship? What are the dangers of basing your church attendance on the praise and worship time? What are the benefits?
From the Commentary
In Psalm 96:1–3, we are commanded three times to sing to the Lord, and this parallels the three times in verses 7–8 that the psalmist commands us to “give” (“ascribe,” NASB, NIV) glory to Him. (For “a new song,” see Ps. 33:3.) A new experience of God’s blessing, a new truth discovered in the Word, a new beginning after a crisis, a new open door for service—all of these can make an old song new or give us a new song from the Lord.
—Be Exultant, pages 38–39
6. What does it look like to “ascribe” glory to God? What are some of the things that likely inspired the “new song” for the psalmist? What are some of the things that inspire “new songs” today?
From the Commentary
No matter what the circumstances around us or the feelings within us, “the Lord reigns” (Ps. 93:1; 96:10; 99:1; 117:1), and He reigns over all the earth (Ps. 97:1, 4, 5, 9; 96:1, 9, 11, 13; 98:3, 4, 9). His sovereign authority reaches beyond the land of Israel to the farthest islands and coastlands, places that the Jews had never visited.
—Be Exultant, page 40
7. Why was it important for the psalmist in Psalm 97 to invite the whole earth to be glad? What would the “distant shores” have represented to the Israelites? What are the “distant shores” for us today? Is it always easy to accept that “the Lord reigns” when circumstances are difficult? Why or why not? How does this psalm address that challenge?
From the Commentary
From Psalm 98 Isaac Watts found the inspiration for his popular hymn “Joy to the World,” often classified as a Christmas carol but more accurately identified as a “kingdom hymn.” Watts described Christ’s second advent and not His first, the messianic kingdom and not the manger. The parallels to Psalm 96 are obvious, but the psalms are not identical. Psalm 98 was written to praise the Lord for a great victory over Israel’s enemies.
—Be Exultant, page 43
8. What is your emotional response to Psalm 98? What does the tone of this psalm tell you about the psalmist? About the Israelites’ relationship to God during this period of their history? What are the clues that this is a messianic psalm?
More to Consider: Read Romans 8:18–25 and Revelation 22:20. How might these passages relate to the theme in Psalm 98:7–9?
From the Commentary
You could not approach the throne of the king of Persia unless he held out his scepter and gave you permission (Est. 4:10–11), but access to God’s throne is available to His children through Jesus Christ (Heb. 10:19–25). Under the old covenant, God provided priests who ministered at the altar and were mediators between His needy people and their Lord, but today Jesus Christ is the Mediator (1 Tim. 2:5) who constantly intercedes for us (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25). To the lost sinner, God’s throne is a throne of judgment, but to the believer, it is a throne of grace (Heb. 4:14–16), and we can come to Him with our worship and praise as well as our burdens and needs.
—Be Exultant, pages 45–46
9. Read Psalm 99. How does this psalm portray the royalty of the Lord? Why was it important for the Israelites to see the Lord as their king? In what ways does the church today honor the Lord’s kingship?
From the Commentary
For centuries, Christian congregations have sung William Kethe’s paraphrase of Psalm 100, wedded to the beloved tune “Old Hundredth.” First published in 1561, the words summarize the message of the psalm and help the worshippers give thanks to the Lord. Sometimes the traditional “Doxology” (“Praise God, from whom all blessings flow”) by Thomas Ken is sung as the last verse.
—Be Exultant, page 46
10. In what ways is Psalm 100 a fitting climax to the collection of “royal psalms” (93; 95—100)? What is the underlying message of this (and of all the royal psalms)? What does this psalm say to individuals about entering worship? In what ways can it help direct the corporate worship in today’s churches?
Looking Inward
Take a moment to reflect on all that you’ve explored thus far in this study of Psalms 93; 95—100. Review your notes and answers and think about how each of these things matters in your life today.
Tips for Small Groups: To get the most out of this section, form pairs or trios and have group members take turns answering these questions. Be honest and as open as you can in this discussion, but most of all, be encouraging and supportive of others. Be sensitive to those who are going through particularly difficult times and don’t press for people to speak if they’re uncomfortable doing so.
11. When have you been encouraged by a psalm or song while going through a difficult time? How can encouraging words offer help and healing? What do you learn about God through the words offered in praise and worship?
12. The psalms teach us that God always keeps His word. How has this been true in your experience? Are there circumstances where you wrestle with doubt about this truth? Explain. How can the psalms help to allay those doubts and fears?
13. What does treating God as King involve for you? What are the challenges of having a King over you? What are the benefits? What are the things in your heart that draw you toward God as King? What are the things that move you to resist God’s kingship?
Going Forward
14. Think of one or two things that you have learned that you’d like to work on in the coming week. Remember that this is all about quality, not quantity. It’s better to work on one specific area of life and do it well than to work on many and do poorly (or to be so overwhelmed that you simply don’t try).
Do you want to learn how to worship better? Do you need to treat God as King in some way? Be specific. Go back through Psalms 93; 95—100 and put a star next to the phrase or verse that is most encouraging to you. Consider memorizing this verse.
Real-Life Application Ideas: Plan or simply attend a praise and worship service specifically dedicated to a diversity of music—some that is “looking up” in praise, and some that is about “bowing down” in worship. As you experience both of these, listen for God’s truth to speak through the music and the words.
Seeking Help
15. Write a prayer below (or simply pray one in silence), inviting God to work on your mind and heart in those areas you’ve previously noted. Be honest about your desires and fears.
Notes for Small Groups:
• Look for ways to put into practice the things you wrote in the Going Forward section. Talk with other group members about your ideas and commit to being accountable to one another.
• During the coming week, ask the Holy Spirit to continue to reveal truth to you from what you’ve read and studied.
• Before you start the next lesson, read Psalms 102—105. For more in-depth lesson preparation, read the related commentary in Be Exultant.