Study questions

Life-Study of Psalms

1. An Introductory Word

  1. Explain what it means to say that the Psalms are not a book of doctrines or any kind of teachings but a book of the expressions of the sentiments, feelings, impressions, and experiences of godly men.
  2. What are the two kinds of concepts according to which the Psalms were written? What are the contents of the book of Psalms according to each kind of concept?

2. Christ in God's Economy Versus the Law in Man's Appreciation (1)

  1. Prepare a prophecy presenting the proper view of the law in God's economy based upon the contents of this message.
  2. Compare and contrast the concept in Psalm 1 concerning the saints being trees absorbing water with concept in the New Testament.

3. Christ in God's Economy Versus the Law in Man's Appreciation (2)

  1. What is the sovereign reason for the arrangement of Psalms 1 and 2?
  2. How does Psalm 2 reveal Christ in God's economy? What is the meaning of taking refuge in and kissing the Son at the end of this Psalm?

4. David's Concepts Concerning a Godly Life in Comparison with His Inspired Praise of the Excellency of Christ (1)

  1. How does the history behind Psalms 3—7 show us that these Psalms are not the examples of how we should pray?
  2. How do Psalms 3—7 reveal David's concepts concenring a godly life? How do the contents of these Psalms fall short of the New Testament revelation concerning God's economy?

5. David's Concepts Concerning a Godly Life in Comparison with His Inspired Praise of the Excellency of Christ (2)

  1. What is the significance of Psalm 8 coming after Psalms 3—7?
  2. Prepare a brief prophecy concerning the contents of David's inspired praise of the excellency of Christ.

6. David's Concept Concerning God's Judgment on David's Enemies Among the Nations and Concerning Man's Condition Before God

  1. What is the subject of Psalm 9 and Psalms 10—14, respectively? What portion in the New Testament quotes from these Psalms? In addition, how do these Psalms relate to the central line of God's economy, and what are they based on?
  2. What does it mean to say that David's concept in these Psalms is neither according to the Old Testament or the New Testament but according to "David's testament"? How is David's speaking concerning God's throne and mankind different from the speaking in the New Testament?

7. What Kind of Man May Dwell with God for His Heart's Desire and Good Pleasure?

  1. How are Psalms 15 and 16 sovereignly arranged as a pair? What is the relationship between these two Psalms?
  2. Describe the divine revelation in Psalm 16 concerning the living of the Lord Jesus as the God-man. Describe also the history of Psalms 1—16.

8. The Lines, the Principles, and the Spirit of the Bible Concerning Christ and the Law

  1. What are the two lines concerning God's eternal economy in the Psalms as in the entire Scriptures?
  2. What are the principles in the Old Testament and the New Testament, and what is the spirit of the Bible?

9. David's Concept Concerning a Man and Concerning David's Kingship Before God Based Upon the Keeping of the Law and the Principle of Good and Evil

  1. How do we see both David's human concept and also the improvement of his concept in Psalms 17—19?
  2. Describe the further improvement in David's concept in Psalm 20. How is the matter of blessing related to our stature in life?

10. The Christ Who has Passed Through the Redeeming Death and Entered Into the Church-Producing Resurrection

  1. What is the significance of the title of Psalm 22? What are the details revealed in this Psalm concerning Christ passing through His redeeming death?
  2. What are the details revealed in this Psalm concerning Christ entering into the church-producing resurrection?

11. Christ as the Shepherd in His Resurrection and Christ as the King in God's Kingdom

  1. What aspects of Christ are revealed in Psalms 22—24? What is the relationship between these three Psalms, and how does Psalm 23 lead to Psalm 24?
  2. What are the crucial points concerning Christ as the Shepherd in His resurrection revealed in Psalm 23? What are the five stages of Christ's shepherding revealed in this Psalm? How do we see the Divine Trinity in this Psalm?

12. The Enjoyment of God in the House of God

  1. What is the major, crucial point of Psalms 25—41? What does it mean to say that God is located in His house?
  2. How does the book of Psalms show the saints turning from the law to the enjoyment of Christ, and the enjoyment of Christ leading them to the house of God? What are the crucial points concerning the enjoyment of God in the house of God in the Psalms?

13. The Mixed Expressions of the Psalmist's Sentiment in His Enjoyment of God in God's House (1)

  1. What is the meaning of the word "sentiment"? How do we see the mixed expressions of the Psalmist's sentiment in his enjoyment of God in His house in Psalms 25—41?
  2. How do we see the subjective enjoyment of the Triune God in Psalm 36?

14. The Mixed Expressions of the Psalmist's Sentiment in His Enjoyment of God in God's House (2)

  1. Explain how the standard of God's New Testament economy is far above the mixed expressions of the Psalmist's sentiment in Psalms 25—41.
  2. What does it mean to say that although the entire BIble is God-breathed, not all the words in the Bible are God's words? How can we prove, based on the Bible, that some of the words spoken by David in these Psalms do not express the divine concept?

15. The Mixed Expressions of the Psalmist's Sentiment in His Enjoyment of God in God's House (3)

  1. What are the two burdens, the two responsibilities, borne by the book of Psalms?
  2. What are the positive points concerning Christ and our experience of Christ in these Psalms? Which points are merely according to the human concept?

16. The Mixed Expressions of the Psalmist's Sentiment in His Enjoyment of God in God's House (4)

  1. What does it mean to say that our understanding of the Bible depends upon the measure of our growth in the spiritual life? What is the one principle that we must exercise in order to understand the Bible?
  2. Which verse in Psalm 34 refers to Christ? What are the main points concerning the mixed expressions of David's sentiment in Psalms 34—36? Why is it so crucial for us to be released from our human concept and to be brought into the central line of God's economy?

17. The Mixed Expressions of the Psalmist's Sentiment in His Enjoyment of God in God's House (5)

  1. How does Psalm 38 reveal David's suffering of God's dealing? How does the content of this Psalm relate to our Christian life today?
  2. How does Psalm 39 reveal David's realizing the vanity of his life? How does this relate to our Christian life today?

18. The Mixed Expressions of the Psalmist's Sentiment in His Enjoyment of God in God's House (6)

  1. How was David's attitude toward his enemies as expressed in these Psalms different from the teaching of the Lord Jesus in the Gospels? How do these Psalms expose that David was too much in the self?
  2. What is the crucial revelation of Christ in Psalm 40?

19. The Psalmist's Intensified Enjoyment of God in His House and City Through the Suffering, Exalted, and Reigning Christ (1) The Psalmist's Panting After God

  1. What is the subject of book two of the Psalms? What is the significance of the fact that many of the Psalms in this book were written by the sons of Korah? Moreover, how does a comparison of books one and two of the Psalms show us that the revelation in this book is progressive?
  2. What is the crucial point of Psalms 42—44? What are the mixed expressions of the Psalmists' sentiment in their enjoyment of God in His house and city?

20. The Psalmist's Intensified Enjoyment of God in His House and City Through the Suffering, Exalted, and Reigning Christ (2) Praising Christ as the King (1)

  1. What is the significance of Psalm 45 being a Psalm of love? What is the significance of the melody being called "lilies"?
  2. What is the significance of the first verse of this Psalm? In the first eight verses of Psalm 45, what are the four directions of praise? How are these directions related?

21. The Psalmist's Intensified Enjoyment of God in His House and City Through the Suffering, Exalted, and Reigning Christ (3) Praising Christ as the King (2)

  1. What is the proper way to understand Solomon and his many wives as depicted in Psalm 45? What principle of Biblical interpretation is important in this regard?
  2. What are the crucial points concerning the praise of the king in praising the queen with the daughters of kings among the king's most honorable women and the virgins, the queen's companions? What is the significance of the king's sons?

22. The Psalmist's Intensified Enjoyment of God in His House and City Through the Suffering, Exalted, and Reigning Christ (4) Praising God in His Greatness and Exaltation Particularly in His City

  1. What is the significance of Psalm 46 following Psalm 45? What does Psalm 46 reveal concerning the city of God?
  2. How does Psalm 48 reveal the church and the local churches as God's kingdom? According to Psalms 46—48, what aspects of God can we enjoy in His city?

23. Three Categories of Persons Regarding the Enjoyment of God in Christ

  1. What are the three categories of persons regarding the enjoyment of God in Christ portrayed in Psalms 49—51?
  2. What kind of person is portrayed in Psalm 51? Why does this kind of person have the highest enjoyment of Christ? How is this Psalm related to the building up of the church as God's house and God's city?

24. The Pious Expressions of the Psalmists Uttered Out of Their Complex Sentiments While Enjoying God in His House - Psalms 52—67 (1)

  1. What are the contents of Psalms 52—67?
  2. How can we see from these Psalms that David did not learn the lessons from his sufferings? How David's attitude toward his sufferings different from the attitude taught in the New Testament. In addition, what positive points or points concerning Christ can we discern in these Psalms?

25. The Pious Expressions of the Psalmists Uttered Out of Their Complex Sentiments While Enjoying God in His House - Psalms 52—67 (2)

  1. What are the two ways we must view David, and why is it important to distinguish between them?
  2. How do we see David's commercial concept in Psalm 61? In addition, how can we see that the Psalms in this section concern humanity in the ethical realm? How is this standard of spirituality far short of the genuine spirituality in the New Testament?

26. The Pious Expressions of the Psalmists Uttered Out of Their Complex Sentiments While Enjoying God in His House - Psalms 52—67 (3)

  1. How does the Psalmist's expression of gratitude to God for the past in Psalm 66 indicate that the Psalmist was engaged in a business transaction with God?
  2. How can we have the discernment of spiritual things necessary to have the proper appreciation of Psalms 63—67?

27. Christ as the Center of God's Move on the Earth (1)

  1. Why can we regard Psalm 68 as the highest psalm among the one hundred fifty psalms? Why is this psalm so difficult to understand?
  2. How does Psalm 68 reveal God's move within the tabernacle (typifying Christ) as His dwelling place with the ark (typifying Christ) as the center? How does this Psalm reveal God's victory in Christ as the center, typified by the ark, Christ's ascension, His giving of the gifts, and the building up of the dwelling place for God?

28. Christ as the Center of God's Move on the Earth (2)

  1. What are the two sections of Psalm 68? What is the center of the first section? In addition, what is the relationship between God's move and God's economy?
  2. How does Psalm 68 reveal the enjoyment of God in His house, praising God, the spreading into the city of God, and the gaining of the earth for God?

29. The Suffering Christ and the Reigning Christ

  1. How does Psalm 69 reveal the suffering Christ?
  2. How does Psalm 72 reveal the reigning Christ in His kingdom?

30. The Desolation of God's House and Christ as the Solution - Psalms 73—76

  1. When coming to the Psalms, why is it important to keep in mind the basic principle that the revelation of the Bible is progressive? How is this matter related to the completion of the divine revelation spoken of by Paul in Colossians?
  2. What is the reason for and solution to the desolation of God's people? In addition, what are the crucial points concerning the suffering of the seeking saints seen in Psalm 73?

31. The Way of Restoration—Exalting Christ - Psalms 77—83

  1. What does it mean to say that God's way is revealed in His sanctuary? According to the revelation of the Bible, what is God's sanctuary?
  2. How do Psalms 79—80 reveal the way of restoration?

32. The Psalmist's Love for the House of God with Christ

  1. What is the significance of the Psalmist's word concerning the two altars in Psalm 84:3?
  2. What is the significance of the Psalmist's word concerning the man in whose heart are the highways to Zion? What are the highways to Zion?

33. A Supplement to Message Thirty-Two on Psalm 84

  1. What is the intrinsic content of Psalm 84? How is this intrinsic content related to the layout of the tabernacle?
  2. What are the main consummations of the incarnated Triune God, and what are the blessed highways?

34. Christ Versus Restoration of God's People, Personal Salvation, and Release from Sufferings

  1. What is the intrinsic significance of Psalms 85—89?
  2. What is the subject and crucial points of Psalm 87?

35. The Saints' Deeper Experience of God in the Identification with Christ

  1. What is the highest and fullest experience of God?
  2. What does it mean to dwell in God, how is this related to Christ, and what are the issues of this experience?

36. God's Recovery of His Title and Right Over the Whole Earth Through the Reign of Christ

  1. What is the subject of Psalms 93—101?
  2. In what way does Psalm 101 reveal Christ?

37. The Earth Turning to the Lord Through Zion

  1. How does Psalm 102 reveal Christ's suffering, death, continued existence in His resurrection, and producing of the church, consummating in the restoration? What is the significance of Zion's stones and her dust?
  2. What is the overall subject of Psalms 102—106? How do Psalms 103—106 narrate God's history?

38. The Highest Revelation of Christ

  1. What is the subjects of Psalms 107—109? How do these Psalms lead to the highest revelation of Christ in Psalm 110?
  2. What is the highest revelation of Christ? How is this revelation related to the two sections of Christ's ministry, our consecration, and the overcomers?

39. The Praise of God's Elect Consummating in the Particular Position of Christ

  1. What is the relationship between Psalms 110—119? How do Psalms 111—117, the "Hallelujah Psalms," lead to Christ as the cornerstone in Psalm 118?
  2. What is the subject of Psalm 118 and how does it lead to Christ as the cornerstone for God's building? What are the crucial points concerning Christ as the cornerstone?

40. Christ—the Reality of the Law as the Testimony and the Word of God

  1. How is Christ revealed in Psalm 119? Please explain in detail.
  2. What are the two aspects of the law, the two aspects of the function of the law, and the two kinds of people in relation to the law? Describe the God-seekers' attitude toward God's law as God's testimony and God's Word.

41. The Preciousness of Zion and Jerusalem in the Experiences and Praises of the Saints (1)

  1. What are the subjects of Psalms 120—123?
  2. What are the subjects of Psalms 124—127?

42. The Preciousness of Zion and Jerusalem in the Experiences and Praises of the Saints (2)

  1. What are the subjects of Psalms 128—131? How do Psalms 130 and 131 lead to Psalm 132?
  2. What do Psalms 133 and 134 reveal concerning Zion? Why is Psalm 134 the last of the Psalms of Ascent?

43. The Expressions of the Saints Before Jehovah in Different Directions

  1. What is the striking point or significance of each of the psalms from 135—139?
  2. What is particular about this group of psalms?

44. Final Prayers of David to Jehovah

  1. What do Psalms 140—145 show us concerning David, the writer? What do we all need to learn from these six psalms?
  2. What are some of the precious points in these psalms?

45. The Consummate Praise

  1. What is the subject of Psalms 146—150? How is this subject related to God recovering His right and title over the earth?
  2. What is the spirit, the reality, the characteristic, and the divine revelation in the book of Psalms?