Psalm 65, Introduction to the Psalms (14) (Doctrine)

10)          The Doctrines of the Psalms (Leupold)

a)    Other gods.  Do the psalms concede the existence of other gods?  It might seem like it because often the Psalms speak like they really exist.  But the non-existence of other gods appears most clearly from a passage like 96:4b,5.  It helps to remember that whatever power the “gods” have is ascribed to them by those who worship them; and “gods” are the work of demons that stand behind them.  In that sense you could say the ‘gods’ exist.  But the Psalms give continual and consistent testimony and worship to God and God alone.

b)   Sacrificial worship

i)      Do the Psalmists accept & approve of sacrificial worship or are they against sacrificial worship?  Why would we ask that question?  The answer is that there are no references to the sacrificial system, nor do the Psalms promote faithfulness to the Levitical forms of worship.

ii)   What makes the difference is the spirit and attitude of the man that brings sacrifice.  If the proper heart attitude is evident then sacrifices may be brought.  But where there's a perfunctory spirit, to pacify God by external acts, then it is an abomination (51:17).

c)    Yahweh as the Creator of Nature.  Men today take a mechanistic view, leaving God entirely out.  The Psalms, on the other hand, consider that even the watering of the earth, the settling of the ridges and their softening with rain are attributed to direct action of God (65:9ff).

d)   Yahweh as the God of History.  In the Psalms, what happens in history is attributed to the doing of Yahweh. (e.g. 44:1-3).  You might try to argue that the reason for this is because of Israel’s place as God’s treasure.  But the Psalms are also clear that God judges the nations, that Christ will rule the nations, and that the nations are called upon to submit to Israel’s God.  All of history is moving toward the fulfillment of the “mystery of God” (Psalm 2).

e)    Universalism.  Israel's special covenant relationship with God receives due attention.  But this does not make for selfishness or indifference toward the lot and destiny of the other nations.  In many Psalms the whole earth is called to praise (e.g. 66,67,100).

f)     The Doctrine of Sin. The Psalms exhibit a deep sense of sin, especially in the penitential Psalms (6,32,51,106,130,143).  The Psalms also exhibit a deep sense of being under the wrath of God.