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Psalm Facts
In Hebrew Psalms are called Tehillim, meaning Praises. Most Bibles have 150 Psalms, although older bibles had Psalm 151, which comes from the Septuagint (greek version of the original Hebrew Scriptures), and describes David’s victory over Goliath. There are also another 4 Psalms, Psalm 152-155, which were included in the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Psalms were not just written by David, but also Asaph (Levite musician, songwriter, and worship leader during the reigns of King David and King Solomon), the sons of Korah, Moses and Solomon.
The word “Selah” appears 74 times in the Hebrew Bible, primarily in the Psalms (71 times) and three times in Habakkuk. Selah indicates a pause in the text, but is also a synonym of Hebrew words that mean “forever.” Selah is a derivative of the Hebrew root salal, which means to “raise voices in praise” or “make the instruments louder.”
The Psalms are written in Hebrew poetry, which uses parallelism and imagery to convey meaning, which are mostly missed/lost in other languages like English. When reading it in Hebrew, it flows like a song and stands out like a sore thumb. Psalm 1:1 starts like this “Blessed is the man” – that walks/stands/sits – in the counsel/way/seat – of the wicked/sinners/scoffers.
The Psalms can be generally categorized as follow:
- 13 Psalms are known as Songs (Hebrew word shir), meaning “flow of speech”
- 58 Psalms are described as Psalms (Hebrew word mizmor), more sacred songs accompanied with musical instruments
- Psalm 145 is also known as Tehillah (Hebrew meaning “hymn), a song of praise of YHWH
- 13 Psalms are described as wisdoms/wise (Hebrew word maskil)
- 6 Psalms have the title gold (Hebrew word mishtam), suggesting something that a person carries with them at all times
- Psalm 7 and Habakkuk 3 have the title in Hebrew shigayon, which means a “mistake” (David’s sin), prayer of redemption, or longing.
- 25 Psalms (that is 1 out of every 6 Psalms) include messianic prophecies. Messianic Psalms are quoted in 11 New Testament books. These Psalms prophecy about the coming Messiah, particularly his suffering, death, resurrection, and reign.
The Company you keep
Psalm 1 verse 1 starts with the company you keep. “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of YHWH, and who meditates on his law day and night.” Another translation says, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”
Age old advise of friendships says something like this, “You are known by the company you keep, surround yourself with good quality if you esteem your reputation, for it is better to be alone than in bad company”. Have you ever noticed how husbands and wives start to look alike and talk alike after years of being together? Even pets and their owners start to look and act similar! Scripture proves it that you are literally physically and spiritually changed – that is why the advise is : delight and meditate on the Laws of YHWH – for they are GOOD! Then you will BECOME GOOD!
See in Psalm 1:1 three actions are mentioned : WALK, STAND, SIT. Three times the same warning is repeated, for every type of action you might be taking. Not all the translations have the word : Council there, but it is suppose to be there – the council you receive from others. The Hebrew word for council is Esa H6098 – ʿēṣâ, meaning advice or purpose. Be careful what road some people lead you to take, giving you advice or even changing your life’s purpose. The first time this word Esa/Counsel is used, is in the song of Moses, where YHWH warns that His people will go among the world and follow their ways, Deuteronomy 32:28 For they are a nation void of counsel, H6098 neither is there any understanding in them.”
The other word that is there in Hebrew, the counsel of the wicked or sinners, Hebrew word Rasa H7563 – rāšāʿ, meaning guilty, wicked, morally wrong, guilty of not keeping YHWH’s laws. So if you are listening to someone, ask yourself if they have guilt, sin or shame – most people hide this. We need to find our counsel from YHWH, meditating on His Laws, to find our morals, or standards, or purpose.
Here are some other verses that try to warn us:
- Job 15:34 “For the company of the godless is barren, and fire consumes the tents of bribery.”
- Proverbs 13:20 “Whoever walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm”
- Proverbs 22:24-25 “Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared.”
- Malachi 3:16 “Then those who feared YHWH spoke with one another. YHWH paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared YHWH and esteemed his name”
- Matthew 5:30 “And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.”
- 1 John 2:15 “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.”
- 1 John 4:1 “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from YHWH, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
Trees
Psalm 1:3 “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”
The Hebrew word for Tree is Es H6086 – ʿēṣ, which could mean anything with regard to the tree, the wood, planks, timber, carpenter, sticks, branches, etc. Trees have been a very important part of Scripture from the beginning in Genesis, where YHWH created the plants, shrubs, grass and trees on the 3rd Day (Genesis 1:11), even before the sun, moon and stars were created on the 4th day. Then the very first command given to Adam and Eve, in Genesis 2:17 “But of the tree H6086 of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it”. Then with Noah we see the tree’s important role, as that is what the ark is made of, to carry the survivors in Genesis 6:14, “Make thee an ark of H6086 gopher wood; H6086 rooms shalt thou make in the ark”. Wood is used for the offerings and altars, the tabernacle has wood in it, the ark of the covenant is made of wood, and even the Messiah were to be put on a tree (cross). Isaiah prophesied the Messiah using a tree, “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse” (Isaiah 11:1). We see this curse of the tree part of YHWH’s Laws in Deuteronomy 21:22, “And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree“. From Genesis to Revelation, we even see the Tree being mentioned in Revelation 22:2, “In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”
But the rest of mankind, would prefer to worship the creation – sun, moon, stars.. and yes even wood. We are told many time about the poles of Asherath (1 Kings 14:23, “They built worship sites for themselves and large stones and Asherah poles to worship on every high hill and under every large tree”), and in Jeremiah 10:3, how people cut down trees to put in their homes with decorations, “For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree H6086 out of the forest“.
Israel and YHWH’s people are symbolized as trees, which YHWH expects good yielding fruit.
- Yeshua – Hosea 14:6 “His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree”
- The vine – Psalm 80:14 “Return, we beseech thee, O Elohim of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine“
- Vines – Jeremiah 2:21 “Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?”
- Olive trees – Jeremiah 11:16 “YHWH called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit”
- Trees cut/burn – Matthew 3:10 “And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”
- The fig tree – Luke 13:6-9, “And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.”
- Yeshua and YHWH – John 15:1-2 “I am the true Vine, and my Father is the Gardener. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.”
Zion
Psalm 2:6 says, “I have installed my own king on Zion, my holy mountain”. The first time Zion is mentioned is in 2 Samuel 5 (click here to read more about Zion).
The Hebrew word is Siyon H6726 – ṣîyôn, meaning a desolated, dry place. But it is in this place, which seems un-noteworthy to the world, where YHWH placed His King. First King David, and then King Yeshua. Here is Psalms you will see the mention of Zion the most in one book. However Zion is set forever, from all the prophets, Isaiah to Zechariah 9:9, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; H6726 shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.”
One of the most famous verses is found in Psalm 137:1 (known by most today as a song), “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. H6726” – singing of the capture of Judah to Babylon, and how they remember Zion.
