Q: What is the key value of the book of Psalms in the Bible?
A: That is a difficult question because there are so many important things in Psalms. You can benefit from studying Psalms on many levels.
Doctrine: Psalms has a lot on what we are to believe.
Practice: Both by direct teaching and example, Psalms shows us what we are and are not to do, whether regarding moral purity, the disciple of praying to God, or how to pray to God.
Prophecies relating to the Messiah.
But as important as these things are, I do not think they are the most important point. These things could have been covered in a more straightforward, simpler style, such as in Deuteronomy or Romans. The Book of Psalms, more than any other Old Testament book, dwells on the precious truth of our relationship with God. We learn doctrine, practice, prophecies, and other things in the context of David and others praising, confessing, crying out, and in general praying to God. We see how David feels as well as thinks, and we see how God answers. The books of Psalms and 1 and 2 Samuel are perfect balances; each contributing to the understanding of the other.
Yes God’s Word is true, wise, and ought to be obeyed, but we miss out on a significant dimension of our spiritual life if we forget that God’s way is so beautiful, as He cares for His people.

Q: What is an outline of this book?
A: Psalms is expressly divided into five "books". Within each book the individual psalms do not necessarily have a topical relationship with preceding or succeeding psalms. Here is an overall outline.
Book 1: Psalms 1-41. The headings say David wrote all these psalms except for 1, 2, 10, 30, and 33, which are anonymous, but probably are by David.
Book 2: Psalms 42-72. Primarily psalms by the sons of Korah, followed by those of Asaph, followed by those of David. Psalm 72 is by Solomon.
Book 3: Psalms 73-89. Psalms 73-83 are by Asaph. Psalms 84-88 are by the sons of Korah, and Psalm 89 is by Ethan the Ezrahite.
Book 4: Psalms 90-106. 102 and 103 are by David, and the rest are anonymous.
Book 5: Psalms 107-150. 108-110, 122, 131, 133, 138, 140-145 are by David. Psalms 120-134 are called "Psalms of Ascents", and were recited when traveling up to Jerusalem or else by priests walking while performing their duties.

Q: In Ps, who wrote the Psalms?
A: The skeptical Asimov’s Guide to the Bible p.488 correctly says that we do not know. Of the 150 psalms in our Bible, 101 of them have captions added giving the author. 73 of them are said to be by David, 2 by Solomon, 12 by the sons of Korah, and 12 by Asaph. However, the captions were added later, and could be incorrect. While Asimov says that although we cannot prove the authorship of any psalm, Jesus said some of the psalms were by David.

Q: In Ps 1, what is unusual about this psalm?
A: Many psalms are prayers, either for forgiveness, petitions for help, crying to God, or praise to Him. In contrast, Psalm 1 is more instructional, explaining to the readers the blessings of delighting in God’s law.
One could try so set up the "do’s and don’ts" of the Torah against the teaching and relationship-oriented focus of the Psalms, but Psalm 1 shows that setting up the Psalms as a contrast to the law is not what the Psalms are about. First and foremost, this psalm begins with meditating on God’s law.

Q: In Ps 1, what is an outline of this psalm?
A: This simple yet beautiful psalm has an asymmetric structure.
1-3 The godly
…1. What he does not do
…2. His delight
…3. His consequences of thriving
4-5 The wicked
…4. Consequences of the wicked
…5. Judgment of the wicked
6. The way of the righteous and the end of the wicked
The meaning of Psalm 1 has similarities to Jeremiah 17:5-8.

Q: In Ps 1, what are ten ways people are blessed who meditate on the law of the Lord?
A: While Psalm 23 is an analogy of sheep, Psalm 1 is an analogy of plants. This precious Psalm can be entitled "The two plantings". From meditating on Psalm 1, we can see at least ten ways the godly are blessed.
1. Not being in bondage to sin is in part, its own worthwhile reward.
2. The godly do not fall prey to ungodly, foolish advice.
3. They are sustained, like a tree by streams of water. No matter how long a drought is, as long as the stream does not dry up, the tree will do fine.
4. They yield their fruit in season. In other words, the things they are trying to accomplish, spiritual and otherwise, generally will get done.
5. The leaf does not wither. Their life, hope, and dreams do not shrivel up, even when hard times come.
6. They prosper in what they do.
7. They are not driven away by the winds of change and circumstances.
8. They will stand in the judgment at the end.
9. The will sit in God’s Kingdom with the other saints. (Saints are all believers.)
10. The Lord knows their way, in the sense that He recognizes, approves, and watches over their way.

Q: In Ps 1:1, how does one walk in the counsel of the ungodly?
A: It can involve doing what ungodly people advice, fearing what they say we should fear, believing what the ungodly say to believe, or speaking or be silent as they say to do. See also the next question.

Q: In Ps 1:1, what is the difference between non-godly advice and ungodly advice?
A: Non-godly advice is non-Biblical advice that can be good or bad. For example, someone can say that driving on a freeway is generally faster than taking the local roads. This may be good advice, but "non-Biblical". Ungodly advice can be advice that expressly denies God, God’s working today, or God’s future judgment. More commonly though, ungodly advice is more subtle in implicitly assuming that God will never do anything. The first way is obviously atheistic, but more common way is what some call "practical atheism". The Bible speaks of practical atheism as people who have the form of godliness but deny its power, in 2 Timothy 3:5.

Q: In Ps 1:1 (NRSV), should it say, "take the path that sinners tread" or "stand in the way of sinners"?
A: The NRSV is a little different here. Here are the other translations.
"stand/standeth in the way of sinners" NIV, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary volume 5 p.53, KJV, The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.790.
"stand in the path of sinners" NASB
"stands in the path of sinners" NKJV
"stood in the way of sinners" Green’s Literal translation of the Hebrew and Lancelot Brenton’s English translation of the Septuagint
There are four Hebrew words here ("in the way of" "sinners" "not", and "has stood").

Q: In Ps 1:1, what exactly is wrong with standing in the way of sinners?
A: This does not mean blocking their path, but rather being in the road where sinners go. If you are not going to sin, why would you be in a place where you have no reason to be? Proverbs 5:8 says we are not to even go near the door of a loose woman. We are not to be friends with a hot-tempered man as Proverbs 22:24 says, and we are to stop listening to instruction that causes us to turn from God’s knowledge in Proverbs 19:27.

Q: In Ps 1:2, how are believers to delight in the law of the Lord?
A: Psalm 119 is a rather thorough answer to this question. In brief, while some do not want to even know God’s law, believers are to both understand and obey God’s law. However, there is a third step, in that Psalm 37:4 says to delight yourself in the Lord. We should realize the joy of bringing joy to God!
On a lighter note, my son delights in obeying me. When we go to the playground, he comes to me for me to give the order for what he is to do. As he wishes, I order him to kill the monsters and fight the space aliens.

Q: In Ps 1:2, how should Christians meditate?
A: We should meditate on the One True God and His word. We should not look inward to ourselves, but upward to God. We should not try merely to empty our soul, but to fill it with the Holy Spirit.
This differs from eastern meditation, which is a subjective drawing inward, while Christians concentrate outside ourselves on God. See When Cultists Ask p.61 and When Critics Ask p.233 for more info.

Q: In Ps 1:6, does the Lord know the way of the wicked, too?
A: On one hand, God knows the way of the wicked, because God knows everything. On the other hand, God does not know the way of the wicked, in the sense of recognizing it as a legitimate way, or approving it.

Q: In Ps 1:6, how does the way of the wicked perish, and not only that the wicked perish?
A: The wicked themselves indeed perish, but that is not the meaning of this particular verse. Rather, the things they worked for, all their hopes, and ambitions are like chaff the wind drives away. All their greed, desires, and pride are like smoke that rises up and out of sight. All that they thought was meaningful and of value in their life is just like dust in the wind.

Q: In Ps 2:1, isn’t it an overstatement to say that nations rage and kings of the earth take their stand?
A: The believers who have been tortured or killed for their faith through the ages would not think so. Some political rulers have a [naturally] unexplainable hatred of their peaceful, law-abiding citizens who are called Christians. Someone once estimated that more Christians were killed for their faith in the twentieth century, than in any other previous century. Here is a partial list of persecutions of Christians.

Date	Persecution	Thousands killed
50-323 A.D.	10 Early Christian Persecutions	50
525 A.D.	Christians flee Ethiopian Jewish persecution
527-568	Justinian persecutes Monophysites in Egypt
700-	Muslims persecute Christians
978-1000	Jewish Queen Judith of Axum persecutes Christians
1000-	Persecution of Waldenses
10th -12th century	Burning and killing heretics in Europe
1100-1300	Mongols kill most Nestorian Christians
1211	At Strasbourg, Waldenses burned	0.08
1252	Innocent IV’s bull for torture to detect heresy
1261-1331	Dominicans bring in the Inquisition
1232	Dominican Inquisition under Albert
1233	Inquisition instituted by Gregory IX
1309	Venice under heresy for opposing Clement V
1415-16	In Czechoslovakia the Hussites revolt
1419-34	Crusade against Hussites in Hungary
1431	Hussites scare off large Holy Roman Empire army
1480	Spanish Inquisition by Ferdinand and Isabella
1487-88	Crusade against the Waldenses
1527	Mantz and other Anabaptists killed in Zurich
1527-1753	Anabaptists killed in Switzerland
1545	Waldenses persecuted in Italy
1555-60	Waldenses persecuted in Italy
1562	At Toulouse, French kill Huguenots	4
1576-93	In France, Catholics and Huguenots fight
1618-48	Thirty years war kills 1/3 of Germans	7000
1600’s	Spanish Inquisition	50
1629-69	"Trample the crucifix" persecution in Japan
1637	Japanese + Dutch artillery crush Christians
1655	Many Waldenses killed in Italy and France
1753-1810	Mennonites sold as galley slaves by the Swiss to the French and Venetian fleets	0
1808	Napoleon ends the Spanish Inquisition
1820-41	Christians persecuted in Vietnam
1870-90	Guatemala persecutes priests; only 100 left
1915-	Persecution of Christians under Communism
1940-1946	Nazis kill Jews and Protestants and Catholics who helped them
c.1950	Chinese Communists persecute Christians
1956	Protestants persecuted in Colombia
1976	Catholics murdered in Guatemala	1,000’s
1990-	Severe persecution in Sudan by Muslims
1998-	Muslims violently persecute Christians in Indonesia
1998-	Muslims mildly persecute Christian churches in Uzbekistan	probably 0

Q: In Ps 2:1, why do peoples plot in vain?
A: Intelligent people do this all the time. When you plan with false assumptions, false confidence in your ability to control events, and with wrong goals, your meticulously thought-out plans will not work well. We all have wrong assumptions at times, but some intelligent people can have a knack for rationalizing the evidence to blind themselves to situations not being what they want.

Q: In Ps 2,4, when should we warn God’s enemies not to oppose Him?
A: We should warn in three contexts.
If we care about people, we should warn them so they will not get hurt in this life. We also want them to place their trust in God and live with us forever in Heaven.
For God’s glory, we want the world to see God’s working.
For the sake of onlookers, believers should "hold out the word of life" in Philippians 2:16 and use world circumstances (good and bad) to share the Gospel with people.

Q: In Ps 2:1-2, why does it mention nations, peoples, kings, and rulers?
A: There are different "pairs of glasses" through which one can look at history. Some of these are "peoples", "political nations", "real and nominal kings", and "de facto rulers". Another one "tongues", does not really refer to political history.

Q: In Ps 2:3, what are the chains and fetters discussed here?
A: These are either perceived chains of morality and decency, or chains of their accountability before God on judgment day. If you think about it, the first is a subset of the second. A third alternative is that they could be the limits of the evil that God allows them to do.

Q: In Ps 2:4, when does God scoff at kings or scorn other unbelievers?
A: The ultimate way God scoffs at kingdoms and kings is to destroy the kingdom, kill the rulers, and for them to be separated from Him in Hell forever. When God scoffs, that is not something to take lightly.
Also, Christ will return and make war against the nations that oppose Him in Revelation 19:11-16, Joel 3:11-16, and Jude 14. After the Millennium, there will be a great battle outside of Jerusalem in Ezekiel 38-39, Zechariah 12:7-11; 14:2-8,12; and Isaiah 29:6.

Q: In Ps 2:7, does "today you are my son" refer to Jesus, since Jesus God’s son before He came to earth?
A: Jesus was always God’s son, before time began. However, when Jesus was born on earth, He was declared to the world to be God’s son. Also, at the incarnation, God the Father was the Father of Jesus, in a non-sexual way.

Q: Does Ps 2:7 show that Jesus was born as a spirit child of a heavenly father and a heavenly mother, as some Mormons teach?
A: No. It does teach that the Messiah existed before He came to earth, but that Jesus had heavenly parents is absent from this verse. See When Cultists Ask p.62 for a more extensive answer.

Q: In Ps 2:7, did ancient kings customarily consider themselves the adopted sons of the national god, as the skeptical Asimov’s Guide to the Bible p.489-490 says?
A: Among the Egyptian Pharaohs, Babylonian kings, and some other rulers yes.

Q: In Ps 2:9, how does the Messiah dash the nations to pieces?
A: While on a limited scale God allowed the Assyrians, Babylonians, Seleucids, Nazis, etc. to be destroyed, that is not what this verse means. Rather, in the end times, Christ will return and make war against the kings of the earth gathered against Him. See the discussion on Psalm 2:4 for the verses that mention this.

Q: In Ps 2:12, since Jesus is patient, how can His wrath flare up in a moment?
A: Psalm 50:3 compares the action of God’s wrath to a fire. A forest can be calm for many years, with the brush building up. When a forest fire starts, it is slow at first, and then races across the tops of trees faster than even a horse can run. Jesus is patient and gentle. However, that does not negate the fact that He also treads the winepress of the wrath of God (Isaiah 63:1-6; Revelation 14:19-20; 19:15b).
The difference between God’s wrath and a fire is that God’s wrath is due to sin, and God patiently gives warnings and tells people how to avoid His wrath.

Q: In Ps 2:12, how can people be blessed who take refuge in someone whose wrath flares up in a moment?
A: The actions of a police force to arrest a murderer are a blessing to potential victims. Likewise God’s wrath is a blessing to those who are oppressed by Satan and others. As standing upwind of a wildfire is better than downwind, God warns us that His fire is coming in Psalm 50:2. Do you want to be upwind or downwind of it?

Q: In Ps 3, was David being a little paranoid here?
A: No. If you think people are out to get you, it is not being paranoid if they really are. Saul was out to get David for years. After that the situation "improved" to be just a civil war. Imagine being on the run for years, and then having no enemies remaining. After Joab defeated Hanun the Ammonite, David probably thought that way when he took a walk on the roof of his palace. Actually David had at least one more enemy: himself.
In our lives we might have times of hardship and times of calm, but we are always to be vigilant, because Satan prowls around like a lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). We always have an enemy in our sin nature. Praise God who gives us victory in our lives! (Romans 7:24-25)

Q: In Ps 3:4-5, what can you say to someone who is too scared to go to sleep?
A: Psalms often emphasizes that God is our shield and defender. Philippians 4:6-7 says that we should not be anxious about anything, but pray to God and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. With God watching over you, there is nobody else that is powerful enough to fear.

Q: In Ps 3:7; Ps 5:10; Ps 7:6; Ps 28:4; Ps 35:1-8; Ps 54:5; Ps 55:15; Ps 58:6-8,10; Ps 59:5,12-13; Ps 68:21-23; Ps 69:15,22-25,27-28; Ps 79:12; Ps 83:9-17; Ps 109:1,7-15, 137:8-9; 141:10, should we pray for God to harm our enemies?
A: These are called "imprecatory psalms". Here are three points to understanding their proper place in the Bible, followed by a different view.
God gives us examples as well as good instruction. The Book of Psalms gives examples of prayers. They show David praying when he was joyful, depressed, loving, and feeling vengeful.
Some feelings in Psalms 35:5-8; 42:11a; 7:8; 69:22-28; 109; 137:9 do not reflect loving our enemies as God taught in the New Testament. These psalms show that we should pray what is on our hearts. God does not have to say "yes" to every prayer, but when we open our hearts before God, let’s do so with an attitude that God can change our hearts.
A higher standard is required of us than of them, according to Chrysostom (c.397 A.D.) in Miscellaneous Works 151,288. Christians are to love their enemies as Jesus taught in Matthew 5:43-8 and Luke 6:27-35.
See Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties p.245-246 and Hard Sayings of the Bible p.280-282 for more info on this type of answer.
Appeal for Justice: 735 Baffling Bible Questions Answered p.150 has a rather different view. It says, "While this has bothered some Christians, it should not. ... These are not curses expressing ill wishes against some harmless fellow who insulted the psalmist. There are appeals for justice, addressed to the supreme court of the universe. [These] are expressions of faith and restraint. Rather than take personal revenge, the psalmists leave vengeance in the hands of God and ask only that he do justice."
This answer makes sense for some of the psalms such as 7:6, but not for others such as Psalm 137:9. When Critics Ask p.242 says similar, also adding that in the Old Testament there often was not much distinction between the unrepentant sinner and his sin.

Q: In Ps 4:1, 5:1, 6:1, 8:1, 9:1, 12:1, etc. before the psalm, what are these things: Neginoth, Gittith, etc.?
A: These are musical instruments. The New Testament church was expressly commanded to sing to each other in psalms in Colossians 3:16. Unfortunately, we do not know what the musical instruments looked like or how they sounded. Perhaps we will know we join in the worship with musical instruments in Heaven in Revelation 5:8; 14:1-2; and 15:2.
As a side note, most Church of Christ members, Mennonites, and Amish do not believe in using musical instruments in church, only singing.

Q: In Ps 4:1, 5:1, 6:1, 8:1, 9:1, 12:1, etc. apart from the Bible, when do we know that musical instruments were first used?
A: It used to be that unbelieving critics of the Bible found these references "instrumental" in proving these passages were anachronistic as musical instruments were not invented until much later. However, Can Archaeology Prove the Old Testament? p.33 points out that lyres, flutes, harps, and even a double oboe [=double-pipe] were used in ancient times. The Wycliffe Dictionary of Biblical Archaeology p.397-399 gives many examples. A golden lyre and a silver flute were found at Ur (c.2500 B.C.), and a picture of a lyre is on a painting in the Beni Hasan tomb in Egypt 1900 B.C.. A picture of a harp is in the temple of Hatshepsut at Karnak. Ur, Kish, and other Sumerian cities had sistrums (castanets). The Wycliffe Bible Dictionary p.1161-1163 has photographs of ancient Egyptian harps, flutes, a cave painting of a harp, a double flute [pipe], and a lutelike instrument (c.1450 B.C.), and a sistrum from ancient Egypt. A photograph of a harpist, lute players, and two flute players c.1350 B.C. is in The New International Dictionary of the Bible p.678. On p.679 it has photographs of a wall painting of a harp, lute, double-pipe, and lyre. It also shows the lyre found at Ur, c.2500 B.C. with a gold head of a bearded bull, and a wooden soundbox. On p.681,683 it has photographs of cylindrical rattles (c.1200-1000 B.C.) and a zither player in Tell Asmar (2000-1000 B.C.)

Q: In Ps 4:1, why does it sometimes seem like God is not listening?
A: God always listens to the prayers of godly people, but sometimes God answers no. Other times, God does not respond as quickly as we might desire.
For ungodly people, it is not that God cannot hear, but sometimes people’s sins are such that God chooses not to pay any attention to their prayer, as Psalm 66:18 shows.

Q: In Ps 4:1 and Ps 5:1, why do we have to ask God to hear our prayer, since He already hears everything? Come to think of it, if God were not hearing our prayer, there would be no point in speaking to someone who did not hear you.
A: The Almighty does not need any power in our prayers, the All-knowing does not need to be informed of the situation. A good, very-loving God does not need to be persuaded to be good and loving either. Rather God, who is free to do as He pleases, has chosen to hear our prayers, to be glorified by our praise, and to use His promise of answering our requests in His will to accomplish His desire.
Now God gave dominion over the earth to Adam and Eve. When they sinned, they forfeited at least part of that dominion to Satan. Satan is now the prince of this world (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11), the god of this age (2 Corinthians 4:4), the ruler of the air (Ephesians 2:2), and the whole world is under the sway of the evil one (1 John 5:19). However, God’s promise to us to answer our prayers overrides all dominion Satan has snatched away.

Q: In Ps 4:2, how do men turn David’s glory into shame?
A: David’s glory here is glorifying God. Nobody can take away from God’s true character or glory. However, believers on earth can glorify God, (or not glorify God) by their lives and actions. Finally, unbelievers could scoff and ridicule David’s faith and trust in God.

Q: In Ps 4:2, why would anyone actually seek delusions?
A: Many people would not seek what they knew to be a delusion. People have given their lives for some foolish causes, but no one willingly would die for what they knew was a lie. On the other hand, many people do seek what they themselves realize are delusions, whether the delusion is found at the bottom of a bottle, in a drug, or in a superficial relationship.

Q: In Ps 4:2 (KJV), what does it mean, to "seek after leasing"?
A: This King James Version expression made sense to readers 400 years ago. Today, the NKJV translates this as "seek falsehood" and the NRSV says "seek after lies". The NASB says, "aim at deception" and the NIV translates this as "seek after false gods".

Q: In Ps 4:7, Hos 2:9, Jo 1:10,17; 2:19; 6:17; 14:7, and Zech 9:17 (KJV), how could there be "corn", since corn was not known in the Old World until Columbus came to America?
A: The King James Version translated this word correctly, for 400 years ago, the English word "corn" meant grain. "corn" did not acquire the modern meaning of "corn on the cob" until later.

Q: In Ps 5:5-6, since God abhors bloodthirsty and evil men, why did God take mercy on Saul of Tarsus, who changed his name to Paul?
A: God’s wrath is severe toward those who do not repent. But God is also full of mercy and grace. Ezekiel 18:23,32 says that God does not desire the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their wickedness and live. See also Ezekiel 33:12-20.

Q: In Ps 5:5, how does God hate all who do wrong?
A: Here are seven things to consider about God’s love and hate.
God has mercy on all He has made (Psalm 145:8,13b), for God is love (1 John 4:8b).
God also has wrath, that He "expresses every day" (Psalm 7:11)
God can both love and hate. Paul and the rest of us were "objects of wrath" (Ephesians 2:3) before we were saved. God can hate the sin a non-believer (or believer) is committing, and yet at the same time know that the person will repent and is going to Heaven.
God’s hate can be temporary for some. God used Jonah to warn of impending doom to the Ninevites. When they repented, then God relented.
God’s hate can be permanent for some. For those who rejected God’s kindness and refuse to follow Christ, God judges them, and either hates them forever, or else perhaps after their judgment God simply chooses to be indifferent to them.
God’s love, wrath, and other emotions are sincere. Hard Sayings of the Bible p.263-264 points out that an error of Thomas Aquinas, Calvin, and other Reformers taught that God is "impassable" in not having any emotions. Many in the Reformed churches today think the same. Tertullian (200-220 A.D.) taught that the Father did not have emotions or wrath, but the Son did. This view of impassability might be a carry-over from Platonic philosophy. However, Scripture is clear that God’s love for us is not just an act, as neither is God’s wrath. God delights in His children and hates sin. If God the Father did not have emotions, then how could God love us.
God expresses His emotions in time when events occur. God can delay His wrath too, but regardless, God expresses His emotions in time. This is an important point to show that God is within time as well as outside of time.
735 Baffling Bible Questions Answered p.150 says, "Those who believe in God and turn to that which is right stand safe within the circle of God’s love. Those who reject God and do evil stand outside that circle in the realm of judgment. God loves (accepts, forgives) the believing sinner; God hates (decisively rejects, is committed to punish) the sinner who will not believe or turn to the Lord." (italics in the original) God being "committed to punish" is a sobering phrase to ponder. See also When Critics Ask p.235 for more info.

Q: In Ps 5:6 (KJV), what does "speak leasing" mean?
A: Modern translations say "speak lies".

Q: In Ps 5:7 (KJV, NKJV), are we supposed to worship in fear?
A: We are to come before God in fear, rightly understood. We come before the Almighty God, who expresses His wrath, in reverence, and gratitude because of His justice, mercy, and love for us. The NASB and NIV say "reverence".

Q: In Ps 5:9 (KJV), what is a sepulchre?
A: This King James Version expression was translated correctly. A sepulchre is a grave, usually of a wealthy person.

Q: In Ps 6:1, what does the Hebrew word "sheminith" mean?
A: This Hebrew word means "eighth", and as the skeptical Asimov’s Guide to the Bible p.491 says, it could refer to an eight-stringed instrument or an octave.

Q: In Ps 6:5 and Ps 115:17, do the dead not remember God?
A: The "dead" do not praise God, as Psalm 115:17 reminds us. That is why we need eternal life, and in Psalm 115:18 David said that believers would praise God forevermore. See 1001 Bible Questions Answered p.159-161 and the discussion on Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 for a more extensive answers.

Q: In Ps 7:3-5, since David prayed that enemies kill him if he rewarded evil to him who was at peace with him, why did this not happen after he had Uriah the Hittite murdered?
A: God could have had this happen, but God chose to be merciful to David and not give David the punishment and death he rightfully deserved.

Q: In Ps 7:8, did David wanting to be judged according to his own righteousness an example of works righteousness?
A: David’s prayer was not wise. Psalm 7:8 shows us that we can pray anything to God, but we have to read all of Psalms and about David’s life to understand what is wise and what is not. See the discussion on Psalm 35:24 for the answer.

Q: In Ps 7:11, is God a happy being, since He expresses His wrath every day?
A: Yes, God is happy, and God also expresses wrath. Consider four things as you ponder God’s emotions.
1. God has emotions somewhat like humans do. God can be happy, angry, sorrowful, etc. Jesus had normal human emotions on earth, and nothing indicates that Jesus lost anything, human or otherwise, when He ascended to Heaven.
2. Contrary to what a few (but probably not most) Calvinists say, when the Bible teaches that God expresses love, or other emotions, that is not just anthropomorphic. In other words, when God says He loves us, that is not just a pretense so that humans could better relate to a stone-cold, emotionless God. Rather, the Bible is sincere, and any argument that said God did not really have love, tenderness, or compassion is a two-edged sword that would show with equal effect that God does not have anger, wrath, or even care. In contrast, Romans 8:26-27 says that the Spirit intercedes with us with groans too deep for words. God not only has emotions, He has emotions even deeper than we have.
3. God is happy and blessed, especially when we express our love to Him in worship and service, God delights in His people (Zephaniah 3:27) and enjoys our praying to Him.
4. However, do not think that with God either the kinds of emotion, depth of emotion, or simultaneous feelings are restricted to human standards. God can relate to every being in the universe at once. To put it simply, God can be happy for billions of different reasons, be angry for billions more different reasons, per second, for all the second of time, simultaneously to Him.

Q: In Ps 8:1, how is God’s name excellent "in all the earth", since all the earth do not know and recognize Him, then or now?
A: God’s creation, earth, plants, animals, and so forth praise God by showing His ways. Creation is not perfect; it too was subjected to frustration at the Fall (Romans 8:19-22). Even so, it still shows God’s power and character in Creation, regardless of whether a person recognizes it or not.

Q: In Ps 8:2, how has God ordained praise out of the mouth of babes?
A: God ordained praise out of the mouths of babes in at least two ways.
1. Have you ever seen three to five year olds singing songs of praise? You have to actually see their darling, undivided enthusiasm to understand.
2. Even the cooing and crying of infants is a testimony of just how wonderfully made we are (Psalms 139:14). As that infant learns to smile and chooses to first say words, such as "da-da" and "ma-ma", we can see that adorable child is not just an incredibly complex logic program, but an incredibly wonderful person with a will, emotions, and curiosity. How many computer programs do you know of that can look up at the night sky, point to the moon, and with the enunciation of a two year old, ask "what’s that?"

Q: In Ps 8:3, since everything [allegedly] started by random chance from the Big Bang", how do the heavens praise God?
A: Nothing could have started by random chance, as things do not happened for no cause whatsoever. However God created the universe, there had to be a first cause.
If a person says the universe started by chance, ask them to list all the things they know of that occurred to no cause whatsoever. Secular scientists says that with the possible exception of the decay of the nucleus of an atom, which we know very little about, they have not observed a single thing that occurred for without any cause whatsoever.

Q: In Ps 8:4, given the advances in the field of artificial intelligence in computers, are we close to making computers that can think like humans?
A: The most complex artificial intelligence systems humans have constructed fall far short of even medium complexity vertebrate brains, let alone human brains. Whether you are talking about neural networks or expert systems, the answer is no. See the next two questions for more info.

Q: In Ps 8:4 have advances in regular and hybrid neural network technology produced computer programs that think similarly to humans?
A: No, there is no comparison. The human brain cell has approximately 10¹¹ brain cells (neurons), and 10¹⁵ connections (axons). Information is transmitted by two distinct mechanisms: one is an analog preprocessing step using a sigmoid function, and the other is an apparently digitally encoded process. We do not yet understand the details of the second mechanism. Variations of the first mechanism alone are what we commonly use in neural networks.
As to whether neural networks can learn, the answer simply depends on the definition you choose for learning. Having worked with neural networks for three years, neural networks have amazing abilities as multi-variable nonlinear function approximators and empirical models. Some might think a human brain can be thought of as a massively large neural network with two mechanism of information transfer. However, the difference between a brain and a neural network is one of kind as well as degree. Even the most adaptive of neural networks, and combinations of neural networks, genetic methods fall far short of the intuitive reasoning, feeling, desires, and consciousness of even a typical mammal.

Q: In Ps 8:4, have advances in expert systems software program made computers that reason similarly to humans?
A: No. There are a variety of expert system methods: forward chaining, backward chaining, depth first, breadth first, and so forth. However, we are far greater than an expert system with learning capabilities, as we have the will to choose which expert system method to use. In fact, we can choose when to choose which type of reasoning to use. In fact, we can choose with a nearly infinite regression of choices. The difference between our brains and a hypothetically massive, adaptive, object-based expert system is one of kind as well as degree. Expert systems can function as "intuition", but expert systems cannot create new things, compose music that others agree appreciate for a good beat and a catchy tune, and meaningful interplay with the lyrics.

Q: In Ps 8:4, have advances in software programs such as the "Eliza" software program made computers that reason similarly to humans?
A: Eliza was a clever computer program written a number of years ago that was intended to mimic an active listener. I have heard that at least one secretary playing with it mistakenly believed Eliza thought like a real person. Eliza worked by picking up on the main nouns and verbs in the sentence, and asking questions that echoed back those words.

Q: In Ps 9:4 (KJV), what does "satest" mean?
A: This King James Version expression means sat.

Q: In Ps 9:5, since God has rebuked the heathen, how severe is the rebuke, since a lot of the heathen never knew it?
A: "Rebuked the heathen" can also be translated "rebuked the nations". Regardless of the translation, this verse never says God has already rebuked every non-believer, but that God has destroyed many nations.

Q: In Ps 9:12 (KJV), does God making an "inquisition for blood" have any to do justifying the Medieval inquisitions?
A: No, it actually can mean the opposite. This can be translated "For he [God] who avenges blood remembers". It is God who brings His judgment on the wicked, not us. Torture was never used by a Christian government or church until 385 A.D., when the heretic Priscillian and a few followers were burned alive at Treves by the Roman Emperor Maximus. A number of Christians wrote condemning the use of torture, but Augustine of Hippo wrote defending torture of heretics by both the government and the church. Most unfortunately, the Roman Catholic Church, which evolved from the early church at that same time, embraced this false doctrine.

Q: In Ps 9:16; Ps 32:4,5,7; 45:11, 47:4; 48:8; 49:13,15; 50:6; 52:3,5; 54:3; 55:7; 55:19; 57:6; 60:4; 61:4; 62:4; 66:4,7,25; 68:7; 75:3; 76:3,9; 77:3,9, 84:4; 85:2; 76:3,6; 88:7,10; 89:4; 89:37,45,48, 143:6; 140:3,8, what does "selah" mean?
A: Outside of these verses, the word is not encountered so we are not certain. However, based on the context, the word appears to mean "amen" or "so be it". The NASB footnote for Psalm 3:2 says, "Selah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical Interlude"
The skeptical Asimov’s Guide to the Bible p.490-491 observes that "selah" occurs 71 times in Psalms, and usually at the end of a natural pause in the thought.

Q: In Ps 9:19, should we pray for God’s justice? If nobody does, then will it still come?
A: God’s justice is ultimately inevitable. David was praying here for some of God’s justice to come now, in order to show the pagans that there was only One True God, the God of Israel.

Q: In Ps 10:1 and other passages, why does God sometimes appear to be far off and not to do anything?
A: Imagine for a second that God provided at least partial punishment for every sin, the moment after it occurred. Furthermore that the punishments were always sufficiently unpleasant, unavoidable, and were always known for certain to come from a just God. Here would be some results
1) Negligible freedom to sin. It would be difficult to be tempted to sin under these circumstances.
2) Little freedom to love and obey God, apart from the immediate consequences. God created people who, though fallen, have freely chosen to obey God.
3) Little need for faith. Angels do not have faith that God is there; they have certain knowledge that God is there.
See When Critics Ask p.235 for more info.

Q: In Ps 10:3, should this word be "bless" or curse"?
A: The word here can be "bless" as in a farewell blessing. In English we say "good-bye", which is a contraction of "God be with you". Both here and in Job 1:11, the word is used in an ironic sense. Thus Psalm 10:3 can be translated "…say goodbye and renounce the Lord." See Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties p.237 for more info.

Q: In Ps 11:3, what foundation is this verse mentioning?
A: The best-built house will fall into rubble if its foundation is destroyed. Foundations here can be two things.
Whatever is relied upon, good or bad. When the things in which people trust their security, are destroyed, they can become very frightened of the future. When the things people hope in are destroyed, they can be very despairing or cynical about the future. When the things people placed their enjoyment in are destroyed, they can become very depressed about the future.
Godly things: When godly institutions, customs, and people are destroyed or turned to wickedness, believers have a challenge to be steady as a rock. We cannot be this way if those godly things are the basis for our faith. We can only do so if our foundation is God Himself.

Q: In Ps 12, why is this psalm of disappointment in the Bible?
A: It seems that most feeling that people experience are in the Bible. Hatred, jealousy, murderous rage, lust, even insanity, are shown in the Bible and handled. Among other things, the Bible is a book about life, good and bad, and the Bible is profitable reading even if it is just for learning from the success and failures of others.

Q: In Ps 13:1-2, why does God sometimes seem far from us, or does not hear us.
A: While sometimes it we who have drawn farther away from God because of our sin, it is not always because of that, and it is not that way in this psalm. Sometimes it can be a test to strengthen us, and sometimes God is not telling us "yes" or "no", but "wait". Psalm 13:3-4 remind us that sometimes God does things in our lives, not for us, but for His glory, and as a witness to bring others to Him.

Q: In Ps 14:1, why are fools criticized so much in the Bible?
A: This is not intellectual slowness but moral foolishness. There is pretended ignorance, and ignorance that is not innocent. There are four Hebrew words for fool plus one for sluggard. See 735 Baffling Bible Questions Answered p.150-151 for more info.

Q: In Ps 14:1, since nobody does good, what about Noah, Abraham, and Moses, not to mention David?
A: How low a standard of good do you mean? No person who ever walked this earth was completely good, according to God’s standard, except for Jesus Christ. Apart from Jesus Christ, if Heaven was only for those who were good enough to merit eternal life, heaven would be empty of people!
When all was lost for all of us though, and there was no way, Jesus Christ came down to earth and became the way. We can be good, sinlessly perfect in Heaven, and on the road to being perfectly good on earth. If someone were to look at your life today, versus a few years ago, what road would they think you are traveling?

Q: Does Ps 15 refer to only sinless people, or godly people who are still sinful?
A: It refers to people who are still sinful, but have been pronounced righteous by God, and are in the process of being made sinless. However, we will not reach sinless perfection until we come to Heaven.

Q: In Ps 15:4, today are we supposed to despise vile people?
A: No, today we have a higher standard than they had in Old Testament times. We are still to despise sin though, combining it with a love and urgency to save the person, as Jude 22-23 shows.

Q: In Ps 16:8-10, who is the Holy One here?
A: While the psalm begins with David reflecting on God’s protection for Him, this psalm gradually moves on to speak, not of David, but of the Holy One of God, which is the Messiah. This refers to Jesus according to Peter in Acts 2:25-28 and Paul in Acts 13:35. See Hard Sayings of the Bible p.264-266 for more info.

Q: In Ps 17:1, what are feigned/deceitful lips?
A: These are hypocritical lips that pray to God as though the person was godly, but the person is not interested in obeying God.

Q: In Ps 18:9, how is the darkness / dark clouds under God’s feet?
A: This colorfully poetic expression is true in both a visual way and as a moral metaphor.
Visually, appeared brilliant "Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day,…" in Ezekiel 1:28 (NIV).
As a moral metaphor, God is pure and has the darkness of evil subjugated under His feet.

Q: In Ps 19, what can nature show us about God?
A: For those who observe and ponder, it shows there is a Creator, and it shows great beauty, power, and wisdom. It makes us see this vast cosmos and wonder how small we really are, and how few are days on this earth. It can influence people to ponder is there something that matters, eternally, can there be a real purpose for our existence? Properly considered, the natural universe can be used to lead us to consider Him. Improperly considered, many people have looked at the wonder of the natural universe and started worshipping it.
See 735 Baffling Bible Questions Answered p.151-152 for a complementary answer.

Q: In Ps 19:1, can the Gospel be seen in the stars?
A: This verse does not specifically say that. It only says that the heavens declare the glory of God. Nature in general shows some characteristics of the Creator, as Romans 1:19-20 says. Some Christians see in the constellations the gospel story in pictures (Libra the scale of God’s justice, Scorpio the serpent, etc.). However, finding the gospel in specific constellations is extra-Biblical. See the Complete Book of Bible Answers p.180-181 for more info.

Q: In Ps 20:4, when will God give you the desires of your heart?
A: When I was growing up, I used to think this verse meant that God would grant the desires of those who followed Him. Later, I came to believe instead that it meant God would give you the feelings, ambitions, and other desires He wanted you to have. Now I see that both are true. God gives His children the proper desires, and He also longs to satisfy those desires. Of course, our desire to see God face to face will only be satisfied when we get to Heaven.

Q: In Ps 21:10, why will God destroy from the earth descendents of evil people?
A: Salvation is offered to everyone, regardless of who their parents are (Acts 17:30; Titus 2:11; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 4:10; 1 John 2:2). Ultimately everyone, male and female, is either a Son of God (Romans 8:14; Galatians 3:26) i.e. born again as a child of God (John 3:3-8; 1 John 3:1,10 Romans 8:16-17) or else a child of the devil (John 8:44; 1 John 3:10).

Q: In Ps 22, what indicates that it speaks of the Messiah’s crucifixion?
A: This does not refer to David, for nobody pierced David’s hands and feet. (It is also possible it could mean "lionlike", but even so, David’s hands and feet were not bent over like lion’s claws either.) David did not have his garments divided among them. David was not despised because it appeared God was not delivering him (22:6-8).
Since this psalm is not about things David personally experienced, to whom could it refer? It refers to someone who followed God from the womb (verse 9), yet who was despised as abandoned by God (verses 6-8), and asks "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" (verse 1). It is someone who had their hands and feet pierced (verse 16), who was brought to the dust of death (verse 15). This sounds like the same suffering servant in Isaiah 53, and this refers to the Messiah.
See Hard Sayings of the Bible p.266-267 for more info.

Q: In Ps 22:16, should the Hebrew be translated as his hands and feet were "pierced" or "lion-like"?
A: Scholars used to disagree. The literal Hebrew word means "lion-like", and the word was not commonly used this way. Perhaps it means that Christ’s hands were twisted, as they would contract after the nails were driven in and He hung on those nails for hours.
It could simply be a poetic way of saying "pierced". The skeptical Asimov’s Guide to the Bible p.895 wonders if "pierced" was inserted by Christians as a reference to Jesus. However, Asimov’s conjecture is wrong here because the Septuagint, translated centuries before Christ, says "pierced".
This issue was settled by an early scroll found as Nahal Hever (5/6HEvPs), written before 50 A.D.. It says, "They have pierced my hands and my feet." See Abegg, Martin, Jr., Peter Flint and Eugene Ulrich, The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible p.519 for more info.

Q: In Ps 23:4, how would the Lord’s rod and staff comfort someone?
A: A shepherd’s staff or shepherd’s crook can lift a sheep from danger or a tight spot. The staff or rod is also a weapon to keep away wolves. Likewise we can be comforted by God’s strength in being able to rescue us and defend us.

Q: In Ps 24:1, how does everything belong to the Lord, since the county courthouse says my house belongs to me?
A: Who owns the earth beneath the county courthouse and the people who go inside it? We say we own things, but God owns everything by the right of creation.

Q: In Ps 24:2 is the earth founded upon the seas, or does the earth "hang on nothing" as Job 26:7 says?
A: Both are true, understanding that the word "earth" eres in Hebrew (as in English) can mean dirt, land, or this planet. The seas came before dry ground, according to both Genesis 19 and modern scientific evidence. The land is above the seas, so that the seas do not flow over it. The sphere of the earth hangs on nothing in space though. See When Critics Ask p.236 for a complementary answer.

Q: In Ps 25, Ps 34, Ps 119, why are alphabet acrostics used?
A: Acrostically, beauty and care display easy-to-remember form, greatly helpful in just learning many new observations pretty quickly. Say the previous sentence five times, say the same number of words (17) randomly from a book five times, and see which one you remember better half an hour later.
Psalm 119 is also an acrostic, as are chapter 1, 2 and 4 in Lamentations.
A different non-alphabetized acrostic, where consecutive words spell "YHWH" is in four crucial parts is in Esther (1:20, 5:4; 5:13; 7:7). Twice are forward, and twice are backward. This acrostic at crucial points of the narrative could not be by coincidence.

Q: In Ps 26:2-3, should we want God to try us and examine our hearts and minds?
A: If a person is choosing not to follow God’s will, that is probably not what they want. If they are sincerely trying to follow God, they want God to examine them for the following reasons:
a) To glorify God
b) To show them ways they unknowingly are not following God’s will so that they can change
c) To show them wrong doctrines, wrong attitudes, or wrong actions they are unwittingly doing so that they can change
d) To be more effective in their Christian service by being more godly.

Q: In Ps 27:8, why was David seeking God’s face, since no one could see God’s face and live?
A: David was seeking a closer relationship with God now, and eagerly looked forward to seeing God face to face in Heaven.

Q: In Ps 27:10, did David’s parents ever forsake David?
A: Some see that David was not a favored son of his father in 1 Samuel 16:5-11. David’s father had David tending the sheep, and Jesse initially did not mention David to Samuel. Regardless of that, we have no evidence that David’s parents forsook him. David is saying that "even if" his parents forsook him, God will always receive him.

Q: In Ps 28:1, what is the significance of God being our rock?
A: God is our rock in many ways.
God has been here for a long time (eternity).
God is stronger than a rock.
Other things do not hurt the rock.
A rock is all-weather.
One can safely build upon the rock.
Like a rock, God does not change. He is the same every time we come to Him.
Like a rock, God endures for a long time (eternity).

Q: In Ps 29:5,9 why did God want to destroy the cedars of Lebanon and strip the forests bare?
A: God has nothing against unthinking trees. Rather, this metaphor from nature shows how thorough the destruction will be.

Q: In Ps 30:1, how could this be a song for the dedication of the temple, since it was written by David? David died before the dedication of the temple?
A: There are two different answers this question, and we are not certain which one is correct.
1. The Hebrew word for Temple here could mean "palace". It might be the dedication of David’s palace, when David had time to reflect on his prosperity.
2. It might have been a well-beloved song that was used in the dedication of Solomon’s temple after David died.

Q: In Ps 30:1, how could this be a dedication for the house of God, since it is a personal experience of David’s?
A: First two unlikely possibilities, and then the most likely answer
Not by David: The headings to each psalm are in the Massoretic text, and not a part of the original manuscripts as the Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties p.243 and When Critics Ask p.234-235,236 say. The heading might be incorrect to say it was written by David.
Heading for the previous psalm: This heading, added later, might have been referring to the previous psalm. However, there are few examples of headings like this actually being postscripts.
Not for the Temple: The heading might be incorrect when it says it was for the dedication of the Temple.
However, there is no support for the heading being incorrect, as the following answer is sufficient.
The answer: Psalm 30 most likely was by David (as were Psalms 1-41), and David wrote it for the future dedication of the temple. Just as David collected much of the material of the temple for his son Solomon, David certainly would have stopped to meditate on the beauty the future temple would have.

Q: In Ps 30:2-3, what kind of healing did David receive?
A: Scripture does not say, but it sounds like it was a literal, physical healing from disease.

Q: In Ps 30:4; 97:12, how does one praise God for a remembrance or memorial of his holiness?
A: While the NIV simply says "praise his holy name", under Psalm 30:4 it has a footnote saying that it literally says "memorial". The KJV and NKJV translate this as "remembrance of his holiness/holy name" The NRSV simply says "give thanks to his holy name."

Q: In Ps 30:5, how does God’s anger last only a moment, since it might seem like a long moment to people in Hell?
A: David, the writer of Psalm 30, is speaking of God’s relationship to him, and by implication God’s relationship with other believers. The times that God were angry with David were extremely, brief, compared to eternity. The entire verse says, "For His anger is but for a moment, his favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning." (NASB) David is not speaking of all the wicked, for David Himself recognized that their punishment would be forever. Those who reject God not only do not see God’s anger lasting only a moment, they do not see God’s favor lasting a lifetime either. For God’s elect people, God’s anger and disciple are extremely brief compared to eternity.

Q: In Ps 30:6-7, after David was prospering, why did God stop prospering David?
A: Perhaps the answer is found in Psalms 30:7. David said that God made "my" mountain stand firm. When we have uninterrupted prospering with no problems, not only do we often not grow as much, but we tend to stop relying on God.

Q: In Ps 30:8-9, is David trying to bargain with God here, saying don’t let me die or you will have one less worshipper?
A: Not necessarily. David may be realizing that God already has more proud kings than He wants, but God primarily values David not as a king but as a worshipper.

Q: In Ps 31:6, should we today hate some people, as David hated those who clung to worthless idols?
A: No, the New Testament has a higher standard (love your enemies) than the Old Testament. We will classify six kinds of hate, and compare what both the Old Testament and New Testament teach.
Hating those who want to harm you: In some psalms, David expresses his hatred for those who were out to kill him. Jesus acknowledged that previously people were taught to love their friends and hate their enemies, and Jesus explicitly taught otherwise, that we are to love our enemies too. When Stephen was martyred in Acts 7:60, he prayed for those killing him.
Hating people without cause: Both the Old Testament (Psalm 35:19; 69:4; Isaiah 49:7) and New Testament (John 15:25) point out that some sinners do this. We should never do this though.
Hating those who hate God: David said he hated those who hate God. However, in the New Testament we are to love our neighbor, irrespective of if they hate the True God or not. However, we still are to divide from non-believers.
Hating those who are wicked: In Psalm 31:6 David said he hated those who trusted in idols.
Revenge: Both the Old and New Testaments say that we are not to get revenge. Ephesians 4:26 goes even farther, and says not to let the sun go down on our anger.
Hating sin: Both the Old and New Testaments show we are to hate sin. Jude 23 says to hate even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

Q: In Ps 31:20, what is the translation of the last phrase?
A: The NASB, KJV, NKJV, and Green’s literal translation render this as the "strife of tongues". The NIV says "accusing tongues, and the NRSV translates this as "contentious tongues". This refers to men who use their words to bring about the downfall of others. It has nothing to do with speaking in tongues.

Q: In Ps 32:2, what is "guile"?
A: This means deceit. However, guile is not only outright lies, but also deceiving someone about your intentions.

Q: In Ps 32:3, why did David say his bones grew old when he kept silent?
A: David felt that his physical health suffered when he did not confess his sins to God. Interestingly, in modern times people have affirmed that guilt, as well as stress, have harmful physical effects on our bodies.

Q: In Ps 32:8, how does God guide us in the way we should go?
A: God guides people in five main ways.
Through the Bible: The Bible gives us God’s commands, shows us what God delights in, and warns us of trouble. However, an individual might not have read the entire Bible, understood all of it correctly, or need some reminds.
Through other believers: We have the duty to encourage, teach, correct, and rebuke each other. This implies that we have needs to be encouraged, taught, corrected, and rebuked at times.
Through others: Even non-believers can tell us truthful things, and we can also avoid pitfalls by learning from the bad experiences of others.
God directly revealing something: When Abram heard God telling him to leave his country, of course he had no Bible to consult and see how everything would end up. Likewise, there are many stories of Christian missionaries who have encountered natives with no Bibles, whom God told them to listen to the missionaries. One notable example is the entire tribe of the Sgaw Karen people of Burma. One can read more about this in the book Eternity in Their Hearts.
"Divine Appointments": These are times when, in hindsight, God apparently meant for you to be in a certain place at a certain time, but neither you nor anyone else on earth knew that.

Q: In Ps 33:15 (KJV) how does God fashion everyone’s hearts alike?
A: This does not mean God makes everyone identically, but rather that God has made everyone.

Q: In Ps 34, what is unusual about this Psalm?
A: This psalm is an alphabet acrostic, where successive verses start with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The skeptical Asimov’s Guide to the Bible p.495 also points this out.

Q: In Ps 34:1, should this say Abimelech as the king of Gath, or Achish?
A: This refers to the time in 1 Samuel 21:12-15 when David pretended to be insane. There are three possibilities here.
Copyist error: The writers who added the headings to the psalms might have made a copyist error of Abimelech when it should have said Achish.
Dual name: Many kings in ancient times had dual names, typically the personal name they were born with and a throne name. Persian kings and Egyptian Pharaohs all had two names, and Solomon had another name: Jedidah. Zedekiah was also called Mattaniah in 2 Kings 24:17. We do not know the names of many Philistine kings, except from Assyrian sources. They mention an A-himilki (same as Ahimelech) who was a king of Ashdod. The first use we know of the Philistines using the name Abimelech was in Genesis 20:2, and the second was Abimelech II in Genesis 26:1.
Title: The skeptical Asimov’s Guide to the Bible p.497, in addition to mentioning a possible copyist error, says it might not be a copyist error after all, but Abimelech might have been a title, as Pharaoh was a title for the ruler of Egypt.
See Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties p.243-244 and When Critics Ask p.237 for more info on the first two views.

Q: In Ps 34:1, how did David change his behavior before the king of Gath?
A: In 1 Samuel 21:12-15, David acted as though he was an insane person to throw Abimelech off and make Abimelech not suspect that David would not be loyal to the Philistines, or that David could be a ruler of anything. David was relying on his strategy of deception here, and not necessarily on God.

Q: In Ps 35:15 (KJV), what are abjects?
A: The NKJV translates this word as "attackers" and the NRSV translates this word as "ruffians". The NASB says "smiters" and Green’s Literal Translations says "defamers".

Q: In Ps 35:24; 7:8, why would David want God to judge him according to David’s righteousness?
A: At this time in his life, David had a high view of his righteousness. David’s request could be understood in either a relative or an absolute sense.
Relative: David served and obeyed served God more than Saul and certainly more than the Philistines. David wanted God to judge between David and them, so that David would prevail. If this was what David meant, David did not know that sometimes God uses a more evil people to discipline his disobedient people, as Habakkuk 1 shows. Bible Difficulties & Seeming Contradictions p.227 mentions that in Psalm 7:8 David is not saying he is sinless perfect, but that he is innocent of these wicked deeds.
Absolute: David is asking God to judge him and protect him because David is a righteous servant of God. David knew that no one is righteous (Psalm 143:2). Though David is not claiming to be sinless here, David knows that God protect righteous people, and so David has confidence that God would protect him. Later (in Psalm 51:1), David would learn more about his own sinful nature and his need for God’s mercy.
Regardless of whether David’s meaning was absolute, relative, or both, this prayer request is not a good example of what we should pray today. Yet it does teach us something important about our prayers. It is always OK for God’s obedient children to pray what is on their heart, even if is not the best thing to pray. God is big enough to take all our prayers, understand our mistakes, and like a wise father, say no to foolish request, and even good requests that are not a part of His will and God’s greater plan.

Q: In Ps 36:1, why do the wicked have no fear of God?
A: Some do not fear God because they do not believe He exists. Others believe God exists, since they have not been punished for their sins yet, they think they will never be. Demons both know God exists and that there will be future punishment (James 2:19), yet they too continue to disobey God.

Q: In Ps 36:4, how do people devise evil on their beds?
A: While they are lying there waiting to go to sleep, they are plotting to harm someone, getting dishonest gain, or having sexual fantasies. Rather than doing this, Psalm 63:6 says we can meditate on God.

Q: In Ps 37:3-5, what is the difference between trusting in the Lord, delighting in the Lord, and committing your way to the Lord?
A: We are to do all three, but sometimes believers do only one or two.
Trusting in the Lord means to have faith to believe what He says, the peace to know that you are in God’s hand, and the courage to stand for what is right and against what is wrong. It does not necessarily mean you have any joy in the Lord or that you are trying to please and obey Him. Psalm 62 is a beautiful description of trusting in the Lord.
Delighting in the Lord means that your life is one of rejoicing with praise to God. It does not necessarily mean you know Him deeply or obey Him very well.
Committing your way to the Lord means to follow what God says and not do what God forbids, to have an attitude of obedience. Obedience can be only out of duty, and not necessarily out of much love or springing from faith.
Each one is important for us to do, without neglecting the others.

Q: Does Ps 37:9,11,29 show that the righteous will live on the earth forever, as Jehovah’s Witnesses claim?
A: No. The Hebrew word here can mean "land" as well as "earth", and both are applicable here. Three points to consider in the answer.
Does not say forever: The Hebrew word for "forever/a long time", olam, is not used here.
Land: The people will inherit the land. The Jews will return to the land, and God’s people will live in the promised land during the Millennium.
Earth: God’s people will live forever on the new earth according to Revelation 21.
See the Complete Book of Bible Answers p.288-289 and When Cultists Ask p.63 for more info.

Q: In Ps 37:20, does the wicked perishing mean they are annihilated?
A: No, the Hebrew word abad means they are physically killed, as the righteous sometimes perish in Isaiah 57:1 and Micah 7:2. It also means they do not have eternal life in Heaven. So while their life on earth is annihilated, that does not mean their existence is annihilated.
See When Cultists Ask p.64 for more info.

Q: In Ps 37:25, what about believers who are killed in famines or natural disasters?
A: Today’s Handbook for Solving Bible Difficulties p.325-328 observes that David prefaced this verse with "I have never seen" vs. "thus says the Lord". Regardless though, it is still fair to ask if and how God protects believers from natural disasters.
God will not let obedient believers die before God decides it is their time. God especially notices their death, for "Precious in the sight of the Lord Is the death of his saints" (Psalm 116:15 NKJV).

Q: In Ps 37:25, how did David never see the righteous forsaken or their children begging for bread?
A: There is nothing wrong with someone begging bread if they need to do so. Rather, David was saying he never observed the children of the righteous begging; it could still occur in other places in the world. In Israel they were supposed to take care of the poor, and Christians have a command to do so today also. See Hard Sayings of the Bible p.267-268 and When Critics Ask p.237-238 for more info.

Q: In Ps 38:5, how did David’s wounds stink?
A: This refers to wounds smelling because of serious infection or gangrene. David was speaking metaphorically of his serious situation.

Q: In Ps 38:7, how are evil people cut off?
A: This means killed. The Hebrew word karath does not mean annihilated, as the Messiah would be cut off in Daniel 9:26. Rather, cut off means to be killed. See When Cultists Ask p.62-63 for more info.

Q: In Ps 39:1, why is Jeduthun mentioned here?
A: The psalm could be dedicated to Jeduthun, or as the skeptical Asimov’s Guide to the Bible p.497 says, it could be written in a style after the clan of Jeduthun.

Q: In Ps 39:12, why did David feel he was a stranger?
A: Before he was a king, David might have felt out of place among the soldiers of Saul’s army, both prior to killing Goliath and after. On the run from Saul, David certainly felt lonely and a stranger. However, even as a king, David might have had times when he felt isolated and a stranger.

Q: In Ps 40:2 (KJV), how did God establish David’s "goings"?
A: This colorful expression means God directed David’s paths.

Q: Do Ps 40:6 and Ps 50:13-15 show an abandoning of animal sacrifices?
A: No for two reasons.
Authors: If anyone were against sacrifices, if likely would not be David, Solomon, or the people employed by them. David wrote Psalm 40, and Psalm 50 was by Asaph, a musician of David. David was anointed king at a sacrifice Samuel had in Bethlehem. David sacrificed to avert the angel of destruction in 1 Chronicles 21:23-27. After David, Solomon made a huge sacrifice of 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep when the Temple was dedicated in 2 Chronicles 7:1,4-5
Logic error: Showing the primacy of obedience over sacrifice does not mean an abandonment of sacrifice. Psalm 50 also shows that sacrifice is not to fulfill any alleged physical need on God’s part.
See 735 Baffling Bible Questions Answered p.152 for a similar answer.

Q: In Ps 40:6, how did God open David’s ears?
A: This means God metaphorically pierced David’s ear. In the Pentateuch, a slave would let a beloved master pierce his ear, signifying ownership for life.

Q: In Ps 40:7, how was it written in the book about David or the Messiah?
A: David also wrote Psalm 139:16, which says that all the days written for us were in God’s book before one of them came to be. Revelation 20:12 also mentions God having a book with everyone’s deeds written down in it.
While this is true of David and us, the primary meaning is the Messiah, whose coming and death were according to God’s purpose and foreknowledge in Acts 2:23.

Q: In Ps 41, since David followed God, why was David feeling in such a mood that he wrote Psalm 41?
A: This apparently occurred when David was very sick. He was concerned not only for physical healing, but that his enemies would mock him, thinking God had turned away. David emphasizes that he had sinned. Some might suspect that this occurred after David’s sin with Bathsheba, but there is no way to verify that.
Perhaps God does not want us to focus on when this occurred to David, but rather to illustrate that we can have these feelings too. If someone says, "A believer should always smile, feel positive, and never feel down", this would be a good psalm to show him. David might have sinned before, but David was obedient now.

Q: In Ps 41:3 (KJV), what does "bed of languishing" mean?
A: The NASB, NIV, and NRSV translate "sickbed", and the NKJV translates "bed of illness".

Q: In Ps 42, why do believers sometimes feel separated from God?
A: Sometimes they separate themselves by being caught up in the world, disobedience, apathy, an unforgiving heart, or other sins. However, sometimes obedient believers can still feel down or oppress for a period of time. We are to be faithful to God regardless of our feelings.

Q: In Ps 42:1-2, since David already had a relationship with God, why was he thirsting after God?
A: this is similar to every Christian already having the Holy Spirit inside the, yet God still commands Christians to be filled with the Holy Spirit. David already had a living relationship with God, but David felt his relationship was rather dry at this time.

Q: In Ps 43:5, should obedient Christian ever be emotionally downcast?
A: David was at times, and that was OK. Jesus was down in the Garden of Gethsemane, and Paul despaired of life in 2 Corinthians 1:8-10. Paul was sorrowful when Epaphroditus was sick and almost died in Philippians 2:27.
So it is fine for Christians to feel a wide range of emotion, but as the Don Francisco songs says, "Jesus is the Lord of the way I feel!"

Q: In Ps 44:3 (KJV), what is a countenance?
A: It means "face" or "expression on a face". God was smiling on them.

Q: In Ps 44:6, what is significant about David not trusting in the bow?
A: The bow was one of David’s preferred weapons. If David would not trust in the bow instead of God, certainly they should not either.

Q: In Ps 44:19 and Ps 148:7 (KJV), what are dragons here?
A: These are "jackals", as the NASB, NIV, NKJV, NRSV, and Green’s Literal Translation all say. By the way, the English word "jackal" comes from the Persian word for them "shaghal) according to The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia vol.6 p.7.

Q: In Ps 44:20, how do people stretch out their hearts to a strange god today?
A: This refers both to worshipping false gods and seeking aid from false gods. Today Hinduism, Buddhism, and other religions worship either inanimate statues as gods, or else worship other gods represented by inanimate objects. Some Catholics in Central and South America combine Catholicism with idol worship.
However, even some Christians do not take idolatry very seriously. A Catholic priest once asked me "why are Protestants so afraid of the Virgin Mary?" I am not afraid, since I named one of my daughters after her. I should have asked him in return, "why are many Catholics not careful of the sin of idolatry?"

Q: In Ps 44:22, how are God’s people counted as sheep to be slaughtered?
A: There have been times when God has allowed many of his children to be killed. Sometimes, God punished the Jews because they were disobedient, but that is not the primary meaning of this verse. Rather, God sometimes allows even obedient believers to suffer and be martyrs for Him. We can see the following.
God apparently does not have the same view of life on earth that most people do. Since we do not see the afterlife yet, it is easy to feel that maximizing the time of our life on earth is one of the most important things. God’s perspective is different. God sees what somebody can be doing in Heaven, and on earth. Sometimes proving you are willing to die for your faith is a witness to others, of which few others things can take the place. During the time of the early church, up to 324 A.D., an estimated 40,000-50,000 Christians were killed for their faith.

Q: In Ps 44:23 and Ps 73:20 does God sleep, or does he not sleep, as Ps 121:304 shows?
A: God does not ever become tired or unconscious. However there are times when God appears more and less active in our immediate situation. Metaphorically, David is asking God to "wake up" and take action now.
The Bible acknowledges that sometimes God acts slower than some people would want (2 Peter 3:9). Some reasons for His timing are a testing for us, sometimes we are not ready for something yet, or sometimes we are ready, but some others are not. We have to wait upon the Lord. When Critics Ask p.238 says "sleep" here is a figure of speech meaning God defers judgment until later.
See Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties p.244-245, Hard Sayings of the Bible p.268-269, and 735 Baffling Bible Questions Answered p.153 for more info.

Q: In Ps 45:3-5, does this refer to Mohammed, as some Muslims claim?
A: No, even Muslims cannot really see this way, except for some of the Gulat sects of Islam, which think Mohammed actually is God. Psalm 45:6 says, "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever." (NIV) In addition to Mohammed never claiming to be God, Mohammed never had a throne or a scepter either. See When Critics Ask p.238 and When Cultists Ask p.64 for a complementary answer.

Q: In Ps 45:6, was this God’s throne, or a human throne?
A: This is both, as Jesus Christ is both God and man. This is the throne of "God who was anointed by God". This is Jesus Christ according to Hebrews 1:8-9. Also, we will reign with Christ on His throne in Ephesians 2:6-7. See Hard Sayings of the Bible p.271-272 for more info.

Q: In Ps 45:6, I have been debating a man who denies the deity of Christ. He denies my argument about Heb 1:8 and Ps 45:6-7 being correctly translated "thy throne oh God." He asserts it should be "God is your throne."
A: There are really three questions here:
1) Is this verse talking about God and His throne, David and his throne given by God, or both?
2) Does the Old Testament elsewhere unambiguously speak of God sitting on His throne?
3) What does the Book of Hebrews add, at least for Christians?
1) In Psalm 45:6, is it God’s throne or David’s?
In Hebrew Psalm 45:7 has kis'aka 'elohim which literally is "your throne" and "God". Most translators would see this as
"your/thy throne, O God", (vocative) Jay P. Green, KJV, NASB, NIV, NKJV, RSV mg, Septuagint, etc.
However, there is an ambiguity in the phrase here because Hebrew can use a noun as an adjective. For example, 1 Chronicles 29:23 says that Solomon sat on the "Yahweh" throne. Ezekiel 28:13 is says that Eden was "garden elohim" or the Garden of God. Thus some versions translate Psalm 45:7 as:
"your divine throne" (Jewish JPS, RSV)
"your throne is like God's throne" (NEB)
"your throne, O divine king" (Weiser, p.360)
"your throne is a throne of God" (RSV mg.)
Note that the JPS and RSV give a straightforward reading assuming elohim is an adjective here. The others in this list try add a few more words not in the Hebrew.
The JPS Study Bible p.1332 also gives "Your throne O God is everlasting" as one of the margin readings, so it does at least recognize that it could be either way.
Murray J. Harris, has an article defending why it is really the first way (vocative) in 'The Translation of Elohim in Psalm 45:7-8,' Tyndale Bulletin 35 (1984]: 65-89).
So is it God’s throne or David’s in Psalm 45? Verse 7 says "…therefore God, Your God, has anointed You…". Christians see the Psalm addressed to the first One called God (the vocative), while others could see this as repetition, such as in this example: "therefore the wonderful God, the great God". However, Psalm 45:11, says to worship this King because He is your Lord. while we know that David is a type of the Messiah, both in this psalm and others, it is very difficult to see how to exclude this psalm from referring to God. Admittedly, the phrase, "God, Your God", does add to the uncertainty for a Jewish reader though. Psalm 110 might help provide the clue, a Lord who is also a priest after the order of Melchizedek.
See The Expositor's Bible Commentary vol.5 p.346-347 note 6 for more info on Psalm 45.
2) Does God Sit On His Throne Elsewhere in the Old Testament?
In the Old Testament, God is said to sit on His throne, unambiguously in Ezekiel 1 especially verse 26, Ezekiel 10:1, Isaiah 6:1-3, and Psalm 97:1-2 and Psalm 93:2. So there is no theological reason a Jewish person would need to reject Psalm 45:7-8 as referring to God, or a dual reference of God, and David as His representative.
3) What Hebrews 1 says
The Book of Hebrews, definitely takes it as referring to the son in the vocative. Though there is the same ambiguity, in this phrase, in the Greek here as it is in the Hebrew, Hebrew 1:8 starts with "But to the Son" and Hebrews 1:9 says (like Psalms 45:7 "therefore God your God". There is no doubt that Hebrews 1:8-9 is calling Jesus God, and interpreting Psalm 45:7-8 as referring to God. So Hebrews 1:8-9 does not add anything except that the second Lord is God the Son.
Heb 1:8 is translated as:
"your/thy throne, O God" (Jay P. Green, KJV, NASB, NIV, NKJV, RSV, Wuest)
"God is thy throne (RSV mg)
On Heb 1:8 The Expositor's Bible Commentary vol.12 p.19 says, "Some translations render the opening words of v.8 as 'God is your throne' or the like (cf. RSV, NEB mg.). But it is better to take the Greek as a vocative as NIV: 'Your throne, O God.' The quotation from Psalm 45:6-7 is referred to the son who is then addressed as 'God.' His royal state is brought out by the references to the 'throne,', 'scepter,', and 'kingdom' and by his moral concern for the 'righteousness' that is supreme where he reigns.' ... We should perhaps take the first occurrence of the word 'God' as another vocative: 'Therefore, O God, your God has set you.'
In conclusion, Based on Psalm 45:7-8 alone, the grammar of the phrase "your throne O God" may refer to God, but verses 45:7,11,17 strongly suggest this Psalm refers to God as well as David, and other Old Testament verses also refer to God having a throne.

Q: In Ps 46, what is a synopsis of this psalm?
A: The psalm has three pictures.
1-3, despite disaster, we will not fear
4-7 Peace with God
8-11 God’s victory after the battle
To learn more about this future city of God, read Revelation 21:1-22:5.

Q: In Ps 46:4 which river is this, and what does it represent, since Jerusalem had no rivers?
A: Jerusalem had spring large enough to feed a pool, but that is not relevant here. Rather Psalm 46:4-11 speaks of a future time, when wars will cease (Psalm 46:9), when God breaks the bow and shatters the spear (Psalm 46:9), and when God is exalted among the nations (Psalm 46:10).
The new Jerusalem, with the river of the water of life flowing through the center of it, is mentioned in Revelation 21:2,10-22:5.

Q: In Ps 46:5, what is significant about dawn?
A: Military attacks often began at dawn. That way the troops could get into position while it was still dark.

Q: In Ps 46:9, since God has made wars cease to the ends of the earth, why are there still wars?
A: While the wars against Israel had ceased for a while, that was not the point here. David knew that all wars had not stopped, nor all wars against Judah. That is why he still maintained a standing army. Rather, Psalm 46:4-11 speaks of a future time, when the new Jerusalem, with a river in the middle of it comes. You can read about this in Revelation 20:7-22:5.

Q: Does Ps 46:10 show that humans can become God, as the Mahareshi Mahesh Yogi teaches?
A: Not at all. Psalm 46:10 says, "know that I am God", while according to When Cultists Ask p.64-65 the Meditations of Mahareshi Mahesh Yogi, 178 says this verse means "know that you are God". (underline not in the original)
As a side note, in some languages including Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, the pronoun (I, you, he, she, it, etc.) is included in the verb. In this particular verse, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary volume 5 p.354 in the notes says this verse also says that this verse uses the independent pronoun "I". This gives greater emphasis to the "I". The Greek Septuagint translation uses ego eimi, which also gives emphasis with the independent pronoun.

Q: In Ps 47:2; Ps 65:5; 66:3; 76:12, 99:3 (KJV), how are God and His ways "terrible"?
A: Of course 400 years ago, when the King James version was translated, "terrible" meant "full of terror". God’s ways should be full of terror for those who reject God. The NKJV translates this as "awesome".

Q: In Ps 48:7 and Ps 72;10, why is Tarshish mentioned here?
A: Tarshish probably refers to what we call Tartessus, a Phoenician colony in far-off Spain. This was the westernmost known city to them.

Q: In Ps 48:7, since a person cannot redeem their brother, how could Jesus redeem us?
A: A person cannot understand the answer unless he or she first understands why someone cannot redeem his or her brother. For someone to pay (with their life) the penalty for someone else’s sin, they cannot already be paying with their life for their own sin. Thus, in David’s time, nobody had ever lived who was sinlessly perfect. Nobody could offer themselves as a sinless sacrifice and substitute for the sin for anyone else. In our time, we know of one person who had done so, Jesus Christ, the only begotten son of God.

Q: In Ps 49:4 and Prov 1:6 (KJV), what is a "dark saying"?
A: This is a riddle or a mysterious saying.

Q: In Ps 49:12, how are people like beasts that perish?
A: On earth, people’s physical bodies die just like animals. People can be proud, like a lion or other animal can be proud, but that is very fleeting. See the discussion on Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 and Hard Sayings of the Bible p.271-272 for more info.

Q: In Ps 50:3 (KJV), what does "tempestuous" mean?
A: A tempest is a violent storm.

Q: In Ps 51, what is a synopsis of this psalm?
A: Psalm 51 is one of the penitential psalms. Psalms 6, 32, 38, 39, 78, 79, 102, 106, 130, 143 are also penitential psalms, and Psalm 65 and 73 also speak of sin. Psalm 51 is somewhat symmetric, like Psalm 25. This complex psalm has seven parts.
51:1-2 pleas for mercy and cleansing
51:3-4 David takes responsibility
51:5 Not just a slip or aberration
51:6 God’s standard has already been taught
51:7-12 Request to God
51:13-15 David’s commitment
51:16-18 Seeing what God delights in

Q: In Ps 51, what is unusual about this Psalm?
A: It is arranged as a chiasm, according to The NIV Study Bible p.838 and The Expositor’s Bible Commentary volume 5 p.379. The structure is:
1-2 Prayer for individual restoration
¾ 3-6 Confession and sorrow
¾ ¾ 7-12 Prayer for restoration
¾ 13-17 Thanksgiving (sort of matches confession and sorrow)
18-19 Prayer for National Restoration

Q: In Ps 51, what outward sins are there of unconfessed sins?
A: Some signs are lack of joy, lack of caring, guilt, and a dry prayer life. David also mentions his bones growing old in Psalm 32:3.

Q: In Ps 51:1, what is significant about David asking God for mercy according to God’s lovingkindness?
A: David wanted God to reward David according to his righteousness in Psalm 18:20 and indirectly in Psalm 7:3-5. However, David is saying something very different here, after he realized just how sinful he is.

Q: In Ps 51:4, how did David sin only against God, and not against Uriah?
A: David did sin against Uriah, by taking his wife from him and killing him. That was obvious to David. David’s point here is that as much as David sinned against Uriah, that was still a small thing compared to sinning against the judge of the universe.

Q: In Ps 51:4-5, why did David say God was judging correctly here?
A: In this verse, David is confessing and acknowledging that God was right to condemn David for his sin. One important aspect of repentance is claiming responsibility for what you did, said, failed to do, and failed to say.

Q: Does Ps 51:5, are people born in sin, or was mankind made upright as Ecc 7:29 says?
A: Both are true. God originally made man without a sinful nature. However, after the Fall, people are born with a sinful nature, estranged from God, and in need of God’s sanctifying grace. See When Critics Ask p.238 for a complementary answer.

Q: In Ps 51:5, how was David a sinner from birth, made in iniquity?
A: David is saying that he was a sinner from before birth. David did not mean he was born illegitimately, and he is not saying his mother sinned in conceiving David, but rather that his parents were sinners. David obviously did not mean he committed any sinful actions prior to being born. Rather, David is saying that he was a sinner, with a sinful nature, even prior to being born. The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.832 adds that at no time in David’s life was he sinless. 735 Baffling bible Questions Answered p.152-153 says this shows David sinned because he was a sinner, and not a sinner only because he later sinned.
Although this shows the precedence of the sinful nature prior to sinful deeds in David (and us), it does not prove we are guilty for the sins of our parents or ancestors. It does not place the blame for our sinful actions on God, or deny Psalm 139:14, that at the same time we should praise God that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. See Hard Sayings of the Bible p.272-273 for more info.

Q: In Ps 51:5 (NRSV) was David born guilty?
A: The Hebrew word here, ‘avown, means perversity, fault, or iniquity. However, being "faulty" (i.e. sinful) does not mean David was guilty of any sinful actions.
The KJV says "shapen in iniquity", and the NASB, NKJV, and Green’s Literal translation all say "brought forth in iniquity". The NIV says "sinful at birth". The Septuagint says "I was conceived in iniquities".

Q: In Ps 51:5 show that unborn fetuses are only potential humans?
A: No. They are not of the species of bull or chicken, but human. An unborn baby has not committed any personal sin, but he or she is still a sinner by having a sinful nature. See When Critics Ask p.239 for a different answer.

Q: In Ps 51:7, what is hyssop?
A: Hyssop is a mossy-looking plant that one can use as a brush. Israelites used it during the Passover to paint the lamb’s blood on the doorpost. When Christians re-enact Jewish ceremonies, if they cannot get hyssop, sometimes they substitute broccoli.

Q: In Ps 51:8, why did David not have joy?
A: David had all the money, power, and wives he could desire. Yet his relationship with God was such that he had no joy and gladness without restoring his relationship with God.

Q: Since Ps 51:10 appears to be a direct command, is it OK for us to command God?
A: No, David was not commanding anything; he was requesting God to create in Him a clean heart. He can be confident as we pray that God will keep His promises, and we can ask with confidence, but we have no basis to command God.

Q: In Ps 51:11, could the Holy Spirit leave a believer?
A: David had good reason to think so. The Holy Spirit apparently left his predecessor, King Saul and an evil spirit came upon him. The Lord left Samson in Judges 16:20 or at least left him as far as his strength was concerned. However, since believers are given the Holy Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing our eternal life in Ephesians 1:13-14, things are different in New Testament times.

Q: In Ps 51:16-17, why did David say God did not desire sacrifices, since God commanded sacrifices in Leviticus and many other places?
A: This would only be a difficulty for someone who failed to grasp the importance of obedience. As Cain learned in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 4:3-5), God does not simply accept every sacrifice given to Him. For example, David knew that God would not accept from David a sacrifice that David took from someone else and which cost him nothing (1 Chronicles 21:24). More to the point, God repeatedly shows that He does not desire any sacrifices by disobedient people (Isaiah 1:10-15; 66:2-4; Jeremiah 6:19-20). God desires obedience, and sacrifices of obedient people do please God (2 Chronicles 7:12-18; 2 Chronicles 30:1-26 especially 26; Ezra 6:17; 9:5).
See Hard Sayings of the Bible p.274-275 for more info.

Q: Was Ps 51:18-19 added after the Temple was destroyed?
A: Probably not. Because Psalm 79 was written after the Temple was destroyed, some have thought Psalm 51:18-19 was also, because it mentions building the walls of Jerusalem.
However, this is not a valid reason to think Psalm 51:18-19 was written later, as David and Solomon extensively built up the walls of Jerusalem. The Temple was built outside of the original walls of the city David captured, and expanding the city to cover the Temple Mount more than doubled the size of the original city.

Q: In Ps 52, since David’s friend Abimelech would have lived if Doeg had not been present, why did a Sovereign God allow Doeg to be there?
A: David had a strong suspicion this would happen but David was passive here. The answer as to why God allowed this is essentially the same as why does God allow evil. Treachery is a specific kind of evil. As to why god allows evil, see the various discussions on Habakkuk 1:13 for more info.

Q: In Ps 53:1, what are early references to atheism?
A: While Psalm 53:1 is one reference, another reference is that the philosopher Socrates was falsely accused of atheism before he was executed by drinking hemlock. Philo the Jew (15/20 B.C. to 50 A.D.) mentions "the selfish and atheistical mind" in Allegorical Interpretation, I 15 (48) p.30.

Q: Do Ps 53:2-3 and Ps 14:3 refer to people in general, every specific individual, or every specific individual apart from God?
A: Unless you look at other scriptures, the answer might not be clear. Romans 3:10 indicates this scripture is applicable to all people. However, David, who wrote Psalm 53 also wrote that he sought God in Psalm 27:3. Psalms 105:4; 119:2; and Proverbs 28:5 also show that some do seek God. The resolution is that we are so sinful that no one on their own will seek God. However, God has enabled us to seek Him.

Q: In Ps 53:5 why does it say they "feared when there was no fear"?
A: This poetic expression means they feared when there was nothing to fear. If someone tries to claim the writer "accidentally" contradicted himself just three words later, then I think they know they do not know what they are talking about. See When Critics Ask p.239 for a different but complementary answer.

Q: In Ps 54:4 how is God our helper, since it is we who should be serving and helping God?
A: As Katherine Marshall (I think) once said, Benjamin Franklin was wrong when he said God helps those who help themselves. Rather, God helps those who acknowledge they are helpless. Four points to consider in the answer.
1. God does not require our help to do anything, but He has given us the privilege of helping, and He has prepared good works for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).
2. We should be helping God do His work, to advance His kingdom, not our work to advance our own empire.
3. Believers even need God’s help to serve Him and follow Him, and in this God is our Helper as we rely on His strength.
4. We should realize that when we realize we are weak and dependent on God, then we are strong, as 2 Corinthians 12:10 says.

Q: In Ps 55:15; 56:7, why did David pray for God to harm his enemies?
A: See the discussion on Psalm 3:7 for the answer on "imprecatory psalms" in general.

Q: In Ps 56, what is the emphasis of this prayer?
A: David mentions "I", "me", and "my" 31 times, refers to God, Lord, or You 16 times, and refers to his enemies or evil men 14 times. Other psalms of David have different emphases, but this psalm shows that praying for yourself is OK too.
Chiasms are common in Hebrew poetry, with patterns such as A, B, C, C’, B’, A’. This psalm is close to this pattern, and it is interesting to see the deviation.
The basic pattern is
1-2 Asking mercy from his attackers
¾ 3-4 Afraid yet trusting in God
¾ 5-6 What the enemies are doing to David
¾ ¾ 7-9 What God will do to them when David prays
¾ 10-11 Trust in God and not be afraid
12-13 Thanks in advance for deliverance
Note that asking for mercy is coupled with thanking for deliverance. Note that David speaks of "when he is afraid" in verse 3, yet only says he will not be afraid in verse 4 and 11.

Q: In Ps 56:4,11, how can we choose not to be afraid?
A: David was honest to mention "when he was afraid" in Psalm 56:3. Yet David (and we) conquer our fear. David conquered his fear by looking to God, trusting in God’s faithful word, and asking what can man do to him? The answer is that man can do nothing to David, except what God allows. Furthermore, the worst man can do is kill David so that he will dwell with God in Heaven sooner.
When we are afraid we can ask ourselves four questions:
1. Why are we afraid?
2. On what are we focusing?
3. On what does it make sense for us to focus, or rather, on Who?
4. We should be concerned and diligent, but does it really make sense for us to be afraid when we trust in God?

Q: In Ps 56:5, why do some people twist other people’s words?
A: There are at least two reasons.
Deliberately "waging war" on others is what some do, and their main weapon is the false words they use.
Recklessly assuming a meaning, even when closer observation would show the assumption wrong, is a common thing people do when either they do not care what the person really meant, or they actually desired the person to have the assumed meaning. When we share the gospel, and when people read the Bible, some people will actively try to interpret things they way they desire. In fact, some people believe they can interpret a book, such as the Bible, in whatever way "means the most" to them, regardless if that were the original meaning or not.

Q: In Ps 56:2, should the word be "slanderers" (NIV), or "enemies" (KJV, NKJV, NRSV), or "watchers" (Green’s Literal Translation)
A: The Expositor’s Bible Commentary volume 5 p.398 says that "enemies" is preferable to "slanderers". The Hebrew word here (sharar) is very similar to the Hebrew word shorer for twisting. In Psalm 56:5 David mentions them twisting his words.

Q: In Ps 56:8, are our tears stored in a bottle (KJV, NKJV, NRSV, Green’s Literal Translation), in a scroll (NIV), or wineskin (NIV footnote)?
A: The Expositor’s Bible Commentary volume 5 p.400 discusses both but says "bottle" is the preferred translation. The Hebrew word for bottle (no’d) comes from an unused Hebrew root meaning skin such as a wineskin.

Q: In Ps 56:8, how are our tears in God’s record/book?
A: This beautiful expression means that the sadness and disappointments believers bear are carefully remembered by God. He will wipe every tear from our eyes according to Revelation 21:4.

Q: In Ps 57, what is a synopsis of this psalm?
A: Psalm 57 has three parts: crying out to God, 2) the danger described, and 3) David’s godly response.

Q: In Ps 57, is it easier to praise God when things are going well, or going poorly?
A: Different Christians will give different answers.
When things go poorly, some are more prone to discouragement (Jeremiah), acting out of fear (Abraham), or even bitterness (Naomi). After being exhausted, Elijah feared Jezebel’s threat.
When things go well, some are more prone to pride (Uzziah), take God’s commands lightly (Saul), think they are above God’s laws (Solomon), led astray by money and idols (Gideon), and led astray by women (Samson, David, Solomon). After the were rescued from catastrophes, Noah and Lot sinned. After standing up to the Assyrians, Hezekiah both had pride and did not want to die.
In all situations, some believers are constantly faithful, as Joshua, Deborah, Joseph, and Daniel.

Q: In Ps 57, what is a broken spirit and broken heart?
A: A contrite heart is one that is sorry for what was done, said, or not done. It could also be sorry for what they are or have become. It is also a heart that wants to change and not sin again. A broken spirit is closely related. It is one that realizes that the previous way that was followed was wrong and not to be followed, but also a realization that we cannot make things right with God. It is only God who makes things right with us. Finally a broken heart realizes that we cannot make the changes that are needed. Rather than despair, it can also be a heart full of hope, knowing that God desires to make the changes in us, and a heart of resolve, that knows the changes must be made.

Q: In Ps 57:6, why does David often mention nets?
A: Nets do not look very impressive or very strong. Yet, a little boy with enough stones can kill a powerful lion, if the lion is immobilized in a net. People too can be caught, and even eventually die, by little, unimpressive snares and sins that do not look too powerful. Are there any nets in your life that make you spiritually vulnerable?

Q: In Ps 58:3, how do the wicked go astray and speak lies even from the womb?
A: This is obviously a poetic hyperbole, as newborn infants do not speak, whether lies or truth. This can refer to four complementary things:
a) Everyone is born with a sinful nature, a natural tendency to sin.
b) From birth they are separated from God and in need of His grace.
c) God, who sees the end from the beginning, can see how reprobate people follow their own chosen direction even from birth.
d) Even little children can learn from the example of their parent’s sins.

Q: In Ps 58:4, what is a deaf adder?
A: This was a poisonous snake that lived in the Mediterranean area.

Q: In Ps 59:15, what is the correct translation here?
A: It can be one of two ways.
"Let them wander" is what the KJV and Green’s literal translation say. The New International Bible Commentary p.596 similarly says "make them wander".
"They wander/roam" is how the NASB, NIV, NKJV, and NRSV, translate it. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary volume 5 p.413 indicates the evil men presently were doing that.

Q: In Ps 60:1 in the heading, were 12,000 Edomites killed, or 18,000 as 1 Chr 18:12 says?
A: This most likely is a copyist error, as Bible Difficulties & Seeming Contradictions p.130-131 points out.

Q: In Ps 60:3 (KJV), what is the "wine of astonishment"?
A: This is an intoxicant that makes you lose your senses. The NRSV translates this as "wine to drink that made us reel." The NKJV says "wine of confusion".

Q: In Ps 60:6 and Ps 108:7, how did God divide Shechem?
A: This refers to parceling out the land to t