Ethics in the Psalms

Ethics in the Psalms

Ethical Teaching in Prayer and Song 1
The Lords PrayerOur Father who art in heavenHallowed be thy nameThy kingdom come, thy will be doneOn earth as it is in heavenGive us this day our daily breadAnd forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against usAnd lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.Matthew 6: 14 15For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Ethical Teaching in Prayer and Song 2
This is our God, the servant kinghe calls us now to follow himto bring our lives as a daily offeringof worship to the servant King Graham KendrickStand up stand up for Jesusye soldiers of the cross!Lift high his royal banner,it must not suffer loss.From victory unto victoryhis army he shall leadtill every foe is vanquishedand Christ is Lord indeed. George Duffield

Recent Studies of OT Ethics
Eckhart Otto, Theologische Ethik des Alten Testaments (1994) Cyril S. Rodd, Glimpses of a Strange Land: Studies in OT Ethics (2001).R. Norman Whybray, The Good Life in the OT (2002) Christopher Wright, OT Ethics for the People of God (2004) 1] Stanley Hauerwas and Samuel Wells, The Blackwell Companion to Christian Ethics, (Oxford: Blackwell, 2004).

10 Commandments and Psalms
Psalms on the law 1, 19,11978:5-8; 104:44-45First CommandmentPs 81: 9-10 //Exodus 20: 3-5Second CommandmentPs 24: 3-4; 115: 2- 8Third Commandment Exodus 20: 7Ps 24: 4; Ps 8

10 Commandment and Psalms (2)
4th commandment SabbathPs 92 heading; Ps 81: 35th commandment parentsPs 89:26; 103:13; 127: 3-56th commandment murderPs 7: 2; 17: 12; 22: 13, 16; 35: 177th commandment adulteryPs 50: 16- 19; Ps 51

10 Commandments and Psalms 3
8th and 10th commandmentsTheft and covetingPs 50: 18; 10; 3, 9; 12:5; 14: 49th commandmentFalse witnessPs 4:2; 5:6, 9-10; 10: 7; 12: 2 etc.

The Righteous and the Wicked
Psalm 1Righteous enjoy Gods Favour Ps 5:12; 7: 9; 14: 5; 34: 15; 37: 17, 29; 112: 6; 34: 15, 17; 37: 39 Psalm 92:12-15; 112: 1-10The WickedPs 1: 6: 3: 7; 9: 5, 16, 17; 34: 21; 68: 2; 101: 8; 146: 9; 147: 6;Psalm 73:1-28

The Imitation of God
Ps 11: 7; 116:5; 113: 7-9Kings Ps 72; 101Psalms 111 and 112

Laments and Curses
Psalms 13, 88Christian UseMost quoted in NT e.g. 69Jesus prayed them e.g. 22Saints pray them in heaven 94: 3; 79: 10; 119:84 see Revelation 6: 9 10Early Church prayed them - Athanasius

Athanasius on Psalms
If you are persecuted by your own family and opposed by many, say Psalm 3.When you see the wicked wanting to ensnare you and you wish your prayer to reach Gods ears, then wake up early and sing psalm 5.When again, you need to pray against your enemies and those who straiten you, Psalms 17, 86, 88 and 140 will all meet your need.Pay no attention either to the weakness of your humanity or to the brazenness of their attack, but cry unceasingly to God using Psalm 28. Letter to Marcellinus

Pastoral Value of Laments
Not all church goers happyTeach the happy to sympathise with sufferingThy kingdom come - MaranathaErich Zenger A God of Vengeance?WJKP,1996Better to pray than take revengeShow faith in Gods justiceUncover the mechanisms of violenceSearch me O God and know my heart Ps 139: 23-24