Key to Psalm Terminology

I have provided here an applicatory key to psalm terminology. The point is to allow you to read the terms and understand what they mean for now. I am explaining the terms here in the light of the broader biblical revelation. You might ask, why sing songs which have to be explained like this? The language of the psalms is biblical language the types are biblical types and the places all represent significant lessons in the spiritual development of the people of God. This is our history, our typology and God uses it to teach us. It is not that we are using a biblical ‘lingo’ for its own sake. The terms and language has a special richness because the concepts have developed through the epochs of sacred history with the unfolding revelation.

Fierce men, bloodthirsty men, mortal man: When the psalms speak about ‘men’ in this way in the battle psalms they speak about those who are being used by the ultimate foe, the devil, to achieve his evil purposes.

Nations, foreigners: The nations that the psalms speak about in this way are those entities which  are being used by Satan to crush God’s people. Hence ultimately we may understand ‘nations’ spiritually as “principalities & powers of this dark world” and “the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph.6:12).

The land of the living: This refers in the immediate sense simply to physical life but we can take the concept deeper and apply it to spiritual and therefore eternal life. Hence the land of the living can refer ultimately to heaven.

Statutes, decrees, law: For most of the Old Testament period the scriptures consisted of only five books known as the Torah, which means law. Hence when the psalms speak about law, decrees, statutes,  they are simply referring to the revealed will of God: the word of God. We can therefore now take these terms to indicate the scriptures as a whole, both Old and New Testaments. 

Holy Hill, Zion, Jerusalem, Temple, Sanctuary: The place where God is worshipped and where he is present in a special and favourable sense. This can apply now to any church gathering. The ultimate anti-type for these terms however is the New Jerusalem – heaven.

Death, the grave: When the psalmist speaks of death or the grave (as something from which he asks God to deliver him) we may, for broader application, think of spiritual death. Spiritual death is separation from God.

Horn: Many psalms speak about God exalting the horn of his people. A horn in the mind of the psalmists was a symbol of strength. The horns of animals are the power and chief weapon of the animal in times of conflict. 

Harvest, grain, flocks: The blessings of God given to his people in the form of material prosperity. For the New Testament saint these material blessings are symbols of the greater spiritual blessings that are given through Christ. Our harvest today is a spiritual one, our grain is spiritual food and our wealth is in the gifts given by God’s Spirit.

The king, the anointed one: Many psalms refer to or are spoken by one who refers to himself as the king or the ‘Lord’s anointed.’ This is the king who sits on the throne of Israel which is a representative of the throne of God. Hence the office of king in the ultimate sense refers to the Messianic office which is eternally filled by Christ.

Place names: Moab, Negev, Edom, Babylon, etc: The significance of place names in the psalms has to do with what these places represent for the people of God in view of the history of God’s people. Each place represents a significant event or events in covenant history or a significant relation effecting the life of God’s people in the past.

Offerings, sacrifices bulls, goats, Etc: The means given by God to his people to facilitate a vivid demonstration of central aspects of the religious life – atonement, worship and thanksgiving. The physical animals and produce that were used for the offerings were signs of spiritual realities. Guilt offerings were a sign of God’s provision for the expiation of sin and the thank offerings were a sign of the giving over of a person’s life in gratitude to God.

Dogs, Lions, Oxen: metaphors used to portray malicious and powerful enemies.