A Maskil of Asaph. A historical psalm. Asaph surveys the repeated rebellion of Israel, despite God’s goodness, and encourages us not to repeat the same sins.

v.1-8 Tell the coming generation the deeds of the Lord. Teach the children to not be like their fathers who were not faithful to God (Dt 6:6-9).

1 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth!
2 I will open my mouth in a parable;
I will utter dark sayings from of old,
3 things that we have heard and known,
that our fathers have told us.

v.9-16 The Ephraimites forgot God’s covenant and turned back in battle (1 Sam 4-6, 1 Sam 31, or 2 Kgs 17). (Ephraim’s sins represent the entire nation.) Even though: (1) God divided the sea and let the Israelites pass through it (Ex 14); (2) God split the rock in the wilderness to give them drink (Ex 17); (3) God led them through the wilderness with the cloud and fire (Ex 13:21-22).
v.17-31 They sinned still more against their God (can he give us meat?). Yet God rained manna down for them to eat. He rained meat on them (See Ex 16 and Nm 11). God’s anger rose against them. Note: Jesus is the bread of life—see Jn 6:30-40.
v.32-55 Yet in spite of all this they still sinned. When he killed them they repented (but it was a shallow repentance). God was compassionate and did not destroy them. They often rebelled in the wilderness. They did not remember his signs in Egypt (Ex 7-12). He lead his people out like sheep and guided them in the wilderness. He settled the tribes in the promised land.
v.56-66 Yet they tested God and turned away from God to idols. God gave his people over to the sword (See 1 Sm 4). Then he awoke and put his adversaries to rout (1 Sm 5).
v.67-72 God choose the tribe of Judah and Mount Zion. He choose David his servant to shepherd his people.

72 With upright heart he shepherded them
and guided them with his skillful hand.

Each generation must teach God’s word to the next generation and urge them to be faithful to him. (See also 1 Cor 10:5-12.)

Read Psalm 78

A Psalm of Asaph. A lament followed by praise to God for past deliverance and hope for help in present distress.

v.1-2 Cry to God for help.
v.3-10 The psalmists complaint (doubt). Has his (God’s) steadfast love forever ceased?
v.11-12 The deeds of the Lord.

12 I will ponder all your work,
and meditate on your mighty deeds.

v.13-20 Praise to God for past deliverance. (Ex 14:21-22)

13 Your way, O God, is holy.
What god is great like our God?
14 You are the God who works wonders;
you have made known your might among the peoples.
15 You with your arm redeemed your people,
the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah

We can find encouragement in times of depression by meditating on the past miraculous actions of God on behalf of his people.

Read Psalm 77

A Psalm of Asaph. A song. A praise psalm. Who can stand before God’s wrath? For occasion see 2 Kgs 18:13-19:37.

v.1-3 God’s greatness and the defeat of his enemies.
v.4-6 God as a victorious warrior.

4 Glorious are you, more majestic
than the mountains of prey.

v.7-10 Praise God because He is to be feared and His justice is right.
v.11-12 Make vows to God and perform them.

May we give our God the fear and reverence due his name.

Read Psalm 76

A Psalm of Asaph. A song. A praise psalm.
A thanksgiving hymn thanking God for his justice in the world.

v.1 Introduction: (Congregation’s voice) We give thanks to God.
v.2-5 (God’s voice) I will judge the earth in my appointed time.

2 “At the set time that I appoint
I will judge with equity.

God’s judgments are just—and he knows the secrets of the heart.
v.6-9 (Worshiper’s voice) Praise to God for his acts of judgment. He brings some down and exalts others. See 1 Sm 2:1-10 and Lk 1:46-55.

9 But I will declare it forever;
I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.

v.10 (God’s voice) The wicked will be brought down, but the godly will be uplifted.

Judgment is coming to all men. God will not fail, in his own time, to bring the arrogant to account.

Read Psalm 75

A Maskil of Asaph. A lament psalm.

Israel mourns the destruction of the temple and calls on God to rise up and remember his people.

v.1-3 Call for God to remember his people, who have been defeated.
v.4-8 The enemy destroyed the temple. (See 2 Kgs 25:1-21)
v.9 The people are left without a prophet.
v.10-11 Call for God to answer by destroying the enemy.
v.12 God is king.

12 Yet God my King is from of old,
working salvation in the midst of the earth.

v.13-17 Picture of the God of creation. Remembering God’s past actions.
v.18-19 Call for God to remember his people.
v.20-21 Call for God to remember his covenant and help the poor and needy.
v.22-23 Call for God to defend his cause amidst the clamor of his enemies.

Read Psalm 74

This begins Book III (Psalms 73-89).
A Psalm of Asaph. The eternal and temporal view of the godly and wicked, a personal testimony.

Profession of Faith
v.1 Asaph begins with his conclusion. God is good to those with a pure heart.
Trial of Faith
v.2-3 The crisis (speaker was envious of the prosperity of the wicked).
v.4-12 Description of the prosperous wicked.

These fat cats have everything their hearts could ever wish for. (v.7, NLT)

v.13-14 Speaker’s discontent at having lived a godly life.
Renewal of Faith
v.15-17 Now the speaker sees rightly, having worshiped in the temple.
v.18-20 A second look at the wicked.
v.21-22 Speaker puts down his earlier attitude.
v.23-26 A second look at the godly life.

You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. (v.24, NLT)

v.27-28 Summary. The wicked perish and God rewards the godly.

This psalm reminds us to focus on the eternal rather than the temporal. We never need to doubt the goodness of God. Do you desire God more than your earthly possessions?

Read Psalm 73

Of Solomon. A royal psalm. A petitionary prayer on behalf of the king.

v.1-17 Petitions for the king (Solomon/Christ)
- give the king justice and righteousness (1-2)
- request for prosperity for the people (3)
- prayer for the poor and needy (4)
- may the people fear God (5)
- may the people be blessed and the righteous flourish. (6-7)
- may the king have dominion to the ends of the earth (8-11) (See Phil 2:10-11)
- prayer for the poor and needy (12-14)
- may the king have long life (15)
- may the land and people be fruitful (16)
- may all nations call the king blessed (17)

v.18-19 Blessings toward God.

18 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
who alone does wondrous things.
19 Blessed be his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory!
Amen and Amen!

v.20 Concluding statement. This concludes Book II of the Psalms.

This psalm looks forward to the time when Christ will return and reign forever. We are reminded to remember the poor and needy in our society.

Read Psalm 72

A lament psalm. A psalm for old age. The psalmist as an old man cries out for deliverance from his enemies. Note: Ps 70 and Ps 71 are sometimes considered a single composition with Ps 70 serving as the introduction. In this, case Ps 71 is also “Of David”.

v.1-4 Petition for deliverance. (See Ps 31:1-4)
v.5-8 Praise to God.
v.9-13 Petition and definition of the crisis.

9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
forsake me not when my strength is spent.

v.14-24 A prayer in which the psalmist expresses commitment to God and vows to praise Him for deliverance.

22 I will also praise you with the harp
for your faithfulness, O my God;
I will sing praises to you with the lyre,
O Holy One of Israel.

As we grow older, we need to faithfully teach the next generation the truths about God (v.18).

Read Psalm 71

Of David. A lament psalm. David cries out for deliverance, saying: “O Lord, do not delay!” Ps 70 is almost identical to Ps 40:13-17.

v.1-3 A petition for deliverance from enemies who seek the psalmists life.
v.4 A prayer that God be praised.
v.5 A statement of confidence in God’s deliverance.

5 But I am poor and needy;
hasten to me, O God!
You are my help and my deliverer;
O Lord, do not delay!

God is our helper—if we are the poor and needy. Note: The poor and needy throughout the psalms are those who are vulnerable to the manipulation and control of others [NIVAC]. That is, it speaks to spiritual needs rather than economic needs.

Read Psalm 70

Of David. A lament psalm. A messianic psalm.
A prayer for God’s mercy and deliverance from enemies. (The sufferings of the rejected Messiah.) Pss 69-71 are all pleas for deliverance and with Ps 72, a royal psalm, they end Book II of the Psalms.

v.1-3 Save me, O God! David describes his despair.
v.4-12 David describes his distress.
(v.4 quoted in Jn 15:25; v.9 quoted in Jn 2:16-17 and Rom 15:3)
v.13-18 Petition for God to deliver him.
(v.13 quoted in 2 Cor 6:2)
v.19-21 David returns to describing his despair.
(v.21 see Mt 27:48)
v.22-28 Petition for the destruction of his enemies.
(v.22-23 quoted in Rom 11:9-10; v.25 quoted in Acts 1:20)
v.29 But I am afflicted and in pain; let your salvation, O God, set me on high!
v.30-33 Vow to praise God with song and thanksgiving.
v.34-36 Call to praise. Confidence that God will save Zion.

34 Let heaven and earth praise him,
the seas and everything that moves in them.

Christ, who was perfect, was persecuted by evil men for doing God’s will and God’s work. Likewise, Christians who live godly lives will suffer persecution (2 Tim 3:12).

Read Psalm 69