THE EMMAUS WALK PRESENTS:
Excerpt of "Two Thousand Hours in the Psalms,”
By Dr. Marion McH. Hull, Atlanta Bible Institute
And Professor of Bible Exposition and Prophecy,
John Dickson Publishing Company, Chicago, IL., 1934
Note: Amazing to me after being printed in 1934, this book is available on Amazon. It should be in public domain. If it is not, this excerpt is only to show what is available, so that readers will go and purchase the book. I am sure they will be very benefited even if they have only a slight initial interest in the Hebrew scriptures. Once this book opens them up, a reader will be amazed what a wonderful transcription Dr. Hull has made after many hours, more than 2,000, no doubt, in the Hebrew scriptures. My copy comes from my father who died at age 42 in a plane crash in 1947 when I was five years old. It bears his stamped name inside the cover. I have carried my precious copy with me most of the time since I first came to pick it up and read, which was many years ago.--Ed.
In the present chapter, will be found a preview of the Psalms, showing the division into five books, and the main teaching of each one of the Psalms. It will be noted that every Psalm is Messianic; but is not this in line with the record in Luke 24:44, as Jesus explained to them that the things “written in the law of Moses, the prophets and the Psalms concerning Me” had to be fulfilled?
THE PSALMS
BOOK I.
Son of man
9-15 Rebellion and the Son of man
16-41 The Man Christ Jesus
This book corresponds with Genesis,
Which deals with man-blessed,
rebellious, to be redeemed.
BOOK II. 42-47 Concerning Redemption of ISRAEL
42-49 Israel’s Ruin
50-60 Israel’s Redeemer
61-72 Israel’s Redemption
This book corresponds with
Leviticus, the “call” to worship
And the way to worship.
BOOK III. 73-89 Concerning the SANCTUARY
73-83 In its relation to man
84-89 In its relation to God
This book corresponds with
Leviticus, the “call” to worship
And the way to worship.
BOOK IV. 90-106 Concerning the EARTH
90-94 Rest desired
95-100 Rest anticipated
101-106 Rest celebrated.
This book corresponds with Numbers,
Which tells of the wilderness
Experiences in their journey toward
The place of rest.
BOOK V. 107-150 Concerning GOD’S WORD
107-118 The healing word
109-150 The quickening word
This book corresponds with Deuter-
onomy, the book from which Jesus
Quoted the words of God in resisting
Satan
*I am indebted to the Companion Bible for the outline above.
BOOK I. THE GENESIS BOOK
Every Psalm speaks of, or refers to Christ or his work.
1. The Man who always pleased God. Jno. 8:30
2. The Messiah who is the Son.
3. Rebellion against God’s Messiah.
4. Our inheritance, Christ, better than a full harvest.
5. God’s Man seeks God’s way in the morning.
6. A forecast of Calvary.
7. A hymn for the autumn festival: God’s man to be the judge, when the journey ends.
8. The Son of man has victory over the man who stands between.
9. And 10. The Lawless One broken by the Lord, the King forever.
11. The portion of the Lawless One meted out by the Lord, who reigns forever.
12. The vilest of men exalted, (a forecast of the great tribulation), but God keeps His people.
13. Apparent victory of the Anti-Christ – defeated at last buy the coming of Christ.
14. A longing for that event, to make all things right.
15. God’s houseguest hates the Lawless One, only Christ can qualify here.
16. The Resurrected One.
17. The Innocent One suffering; and satisfied.
18. Messiah’s righteousness.
19. The Creator and Goel. The worker and the word.
20. The Messiah victorious, because He trusts.
21. The Coronation of the King.
22. The Cross – the Good Shepherd.
23. The Crook -the Great Shepherd.
24. The Crown – the Chief Shepherd.
25. The One who forgives and pardons.
26. The Sinless One in the midst of sinful ones.
27. The Saviour-God.
28. The Priesthood of Christ.
29. The Coming Judge.
30. Messiah forsaken of God – for a moment only.
31. The needy one and his need locked up together – Christ all and in all;
32. The Gracious One.
33. Creator, Preserver, Guardian, Deliverer.
34. The round-about-me Lord.
35. The Suffering Servant and the Warrior-God.
36. The light of the World.
37. The dependable Lord.
38. My Salvation.
39. A Gethsemane psalm – Cf. Philippians 2.
40. The bored ear and prepared body. Matt. 9:13 and 12:7).
41. The betrayal forecast.
42. And 43. Banished; hope thou in God.
44. A psalm for the Spring festival – darkness all around, but light above and deliverance.
45. The Marriage of the King; and His Bride. A message of hope because of His grace.
46. A God, who runs out to help when we are in a tight place.
47. A God who is ascended, a great victorious King, who has chosen Israel for His inheritance.
48. A Great king who will be our guide until death, but a terror to our enemies.
49. The future made sure only by Christ.
50. Christ to be the Judge.
51. Christ’s the only building that stands.
52. Christ the only dependence in trial.
53. Christ the only solution of our problems.
54. Christ our only helper.
55. Christ the only one who never fails.
56. Christ our Deliverer.
57. Christ our Refuge.
58. Christ the true Judge of all the earth.
59. Christ our Defender
60. Christ, the Holy One, alone can deliver.
61. The Rock is the reason for their redemption, which is completed in Messiah’s kingdom.
62. In Christ alone we have perfect peace (Phil. 4:6-7).
63. The soul that clings to Christ is safe.
64. When God shoots, man is victorious.
65. Christ pardons, preserves, provides.
66. Christ does this for me.
67. Christ will do this for all.
68. Christ to lead captivity captive and give gifts to men.
69. The cross the cure for sin.
70. Redemption means separation.
71. Redemption brings renewal in old age.
72. Redemption in King Jesus lasts forever.
BOOK III THE LEVITICUS BOOK
73. Only in the sanctuary can present day problems be solved or understood. In Christ he understands and waits.
74. Questions God – why? How long? But prays and trusts (N.B. Calvary)
75. God answers that question – Christ to be the Judge in His own time.
76. Celebrating Christ’s victory by making an offering to God.
77. God’s way is in the Sanctuary – what He has done He will do; wait.
78. Maschil -instruction. Commentary on O.T. Historical, didactic, prophetical. God’s grace in Christ foreshadowed. Eminently adapted to worship.
79. A song for the spring festival, celebrating the Passover – a deliverance “out of” bondage.
80. A song for the autumn festival, celebrating the entry “into” rest. It is by the death of the “Man of God’s right hand” that both are effect ed. See Romans 5:10.
81. The missed opportunity; limiting God in His working, (as was Christ at Nazareth).
82. A psalm used by Jesus to prove His deity. God’s revelation of what He is going to do.
83. An imprecatory psalm, but for the purpose and foreshadowing Christ in Phil. 2 when “at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow”. (All of these psalms are for Asaph, the leader of the choir)
84. The blessedness of being in God’s house and trusting in Christ.
85. A song descriptive of one who has been “turned” to the sanctuary – converted by the grace of Christ.
86. All nations to come and worship God.
87. A prophecy of the worldwide spread of the gospel. (All of these four psalms except 86 are for the sons of Korah, a leader of the instruments in worship).
88. Maschil (Instruction) of Heman, another leader of music in the sanctuary. Waits upon the God of his salvation.
89. Maschil of Ethan, still another leader of music in the sanctuary. Here the psalmist stakes all on God’s oath. Only through Christ can it be fulfilled.
BOOK IV THE NUMBERS BOOK
90,91 Moses’ psalms – “the eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.”
90 sets forth the permanency of God and the transitoriness of man;
91 transitory man takes God for his lodging place. Only in Christ can this be done.
92. Strength as the journey proceeds is to be found in worship; and will be accomplished by Christ who is my Rock.
93. The first of a group of seven psalms celebrating Jehovah’s reign. Jehovah on the throne.
94. Jehovah on the throne even when Jesus was on the Cross.
95. Jehovah on the throne – success only to him who recognizes it and yields to Him.
96. Jehovah the King who is coming to judge the world in righteousness.
97. Jehovah’s reign a cause for rejoicing.
98. Praise because Jehovah reigns. Correspondence between 96 and 98; 97 and 99.
99. The thrice-holy God is on the throne and to be praised (in 97 it is the God of nature and the God of Grace who is on the throne).
100. A psalm of praise to the God who has created and who keeps and leads without failing once.
101. The desire for a perfect life – realized by One only.
102. A psalm (quote Heb. 1:10-12) in reference to the Christ in His humiliation, His wilderness period.
103. A psalm of praise for God’s keeping power and grace, through Christ our Redeemer.
104. A psalm of praise; everything made by God, to praise Him. Only one discordant note – presence of sin, which he prays to have removed. Sure of it through Christ. Therefore, ends with Hallelujah.
105,106 Begin and end with Hallelujah, and fittingly close the wilderness experiences book. One deals with God’s faithfulness; the other with Israel’s faithlessness; the one with God’s favor; the other with their failure. Both full of Egyptian and wilderness experiences.
BOOK V THE DEUTERONOMY BOOK
107. “He sent forth His word” (v.20) is the key to this psalm and to this book. That solves all their difficulties; therefore the healing word.
108. God’s word is all that is needed to save His beloved ones in their time of distress.
109. The last and most terrible of the imprecatory psalms – deals with Judas Iscariot. How different David (God’s anointed here) from Jesus (God’s Anointed) there, as He prayed “Father, forgive them”!
110. The Uncrowned King – prophet, priest and King. But will be, according to God’s prophetic word.
111,112 One psalm – a perfect acrostic. Praise to Jehovah; the blessings of the man who fears Jehovah.
113. The presence of Hallelujah in this and 111,112, group them together.
111 praises Jehovah for His works.
112 praises Jehovah for his ways.
113 praises Jehovah for Himself.
114. A perfect example of Hebrew poetry – it honors God for their deliverance, even as He had said.
115. A comparison between God and idols. HE and YE. Ending in WE.
116. Three calls – distress, decision, dedication.
117. The shortest psalm, the shortest chapter, the middle chapter of the Bible, and contains the greatest number of truths in the Bible.
118. The Gethsemane psalm – the hymn which Jesus sang just before He went out to Gethsemane and Calvary. (Psalms 111-118 were the great Hallel, sung at the Feasts.) The remaining psalms in this book deal with the quickening Word.
119. The word of God – a marvelous acrostic
120-130 The songs of Ascents – a group used as the worshipper came up to the temple. They are in three groups of five each, as follows:
120. Too long among strangers
prays
121. On the way; will he arrive?
expects
122. Has arrived
rejoices
123. Amid scorners
defends
124. Help comes
saved
125. Trusts in Jehovah
secure
126. Captivity turned – others coming
expectant
127. Built by God
established
128. Shall see grandchildren
fruitful
129. Righteous Lord
saved
130. With God Forgiveness
waits
131. Victory, but not without a struggle
hopes
132. God’s oath
rests
133. Tribes together in unity
united
134. A benediction
blesses
135. A psalm of praise to the God of nature, the God of Grace, the God of justice, the Living God.
136. A psalm of praise to God, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, provider, the God of the heavens.
137. How captives feel; longing for their land – a forecast of those whose home is above while living here below.
138. A psalm of confidence in the living and written Word of God.
139. God’s omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence.
140. A prayer for deliverance from a man who fights with words.
141. A prayer of confident trust in God, in the midst of enemies.
142. A prayer to the God who cares.
143. A series of prayers – the basis, the reason, the essence, the urgency, the sequence, the climax.
144. A song of the happy man, whose God is Jehovah.
145. An acrostic psalm, setting forth God’s qualities.
146. To the God who lives forever.
147. A nature psalm
148. Heavenly and earthly praise
149. The praise of His chosen ones.
150. Everything that hath breath – Hallelujah!
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
The name Psalm is derived from the Greek, Psalmoi, which is the translation given by the Septuagint to several Hebrew words. In the Hebrew, 57 of the Psalms are headed Mizmor, which comes from the verb zammer, to sing praises; 30 of them are headed Shir, which means a song; 5 of them are called Tephillah, which means a prayer; 1 is Tehillah, which means praise; 13 are denominated Maschil, which means instruction; 6 of them are called Michtam, which means engraven, or golden; 54 of them have as a sub-title, Lamenatseach, translated, “To the chief Musician”. You will note that this phrase is found at the beginning of the Psalm in our English version, but it should be the sub-title of the Psalm just preceding that. For example, that occurs at the beginning of the 9th Psalm and should be the sub-title of the 8th Psalm, etc.
There are a number of phrases used in connection with this phrase. For example, to the chief Musician of Muth-labben. This word means “the death of the one in between”. The peculiar names of each of these phrases, which for a time were thought to be merely musical notations, are given as we come to them. The majority of them are not musical notations at all, but are phrases having to do with the content of the Psalm.
Of the authors of the Psalms, 73 are attributed to David; 12 to Asaph; 11 for the sons of Korah; 2 to Solomon; 2 to Moses; 1 to Heman; 1 to Ethan and 48 are anonymous.
To those who are interested in the question of numbers in Scripture, the following facts may be of interest. I have counted the number of words and the number of letters in every one of the Psalms; and 139 of them are multiples of 2 or 3 – 2 being the number of the Second Person of the Trinity, and 3 being the number of the Trinity. Four of them are multiples of 7, the perfect number; 5 are multiples of 5, the number of grace. One of them, the 22nd, is a multiple of 23, which is the 9th prime number and 9 is the number of judgment, which makes t he number here significant, since it is the Psalm of the Cross, when the Lord Jesus was judged for our sins. In the 52nd Psalm, neither the number of words nor the number of letters is divisible, unless the titles are added to them, and then they are multiples of 2.
The total number of Hebrew words in the Psalms is 19,029 and the total number of letters is 76,606. Both of these figures are multiples of 2.
Individual Psalms are striking when you consider the question of numbers. For example, the 23rd Psalm has 56 words in it, which is 7x8, 8 being the number of Christ. It has 210 letter s in it, the factors of which are 2,3,5. The gematria, or the sum of the numerical values of all the 210 letters, is 18,720, the factors of which are 2,3,5, and 12.
The 19th Psalm has 123 words and 495 letters, both of which are multiples of 3, the number of the Trinity.
Attention is called in the 119th Psalm to the striking occurrences of 8, to which you are referred, and one other fact in this connection is given here; one section, the Z section is not divisible.
There are 8 names used in the Psalms for God. The word Jehovah occurs 680 times; Elohim, 351 times; the word El occurs 87 times, the word Jahh occurs 42 times; Eloha Elyon occurs 22 times; and the word Shaddai occurs twice (these last three words mean respectively, Lord, Most High, and Almighty). In other words, the Name of God occurs 1241 times, which is 17x73,or the 7th prime number multiplied by the 21st prime number, both carrying the significance of 7, the perfection number.
The word hallelujah means “Praise the Lord” and occurs 24 times, or 3x8. In an appendix, we are giving the number of words and the number of letters in each one of the Psalms.
BOOK 1 PSALMS 1-41
PSALM 1
1. Ashre/ Blessed the man
haish/ who
asher lo haiak ba’atsath/ not walketh in counsel
reshai’im,/ of the ungodly
ubderek/and in the way of sinners
chattaiim lo/ not
‘amad,/standeth
ubmoshab/and in seat
letsa’im/of the scornful
lo yashab/not sitteth.
2. Ki im betorath/But in the law
Jehovah/Jehovah
chephtso/his delight
ybtoratho/and in His law
yeheggeh/does he meditate
yomam/day
valayilah/and night.
3. Vehayah/And he shall become
k’ets/like a tree
shathul/planted
‘al/by
palge/rivers
mayim/water
asher/which
pireo/his fruit
yitten/bringeth
be’itto/in his season
ve’alehu/Also his leaf
lo/not
yibbol,/shall wither
vekol/and all
asher/which
ya’aseh/he shall do
yatsliach./shall prosper
4. Lo/not
ken/so
hareshai’im,/the ungodly
ki/but
im kammats/like chaff
asher/which
tiddephennu/driveth away
ruach/wind
#(mipanai/(from the face
haarets./(of the earth)
5. ‘Al ken/Therefore
lo/not
yaqumu/shall stand
reshai’im/the ungodly
bamishpat,/in the judgment
vechattaiim/and sinners
ba’adath/in congregation
tsaddiqim./of the righteous.
6. Ki/For
yode’a/knoweth
Jehovah/Jehovah
derek/the way
tsaddiqim,/of the righteous
vederek/But the way
resai’im/of the ungodly
tobed./shall perish.
#Ginsburg’s edition.
PSALM I. Word Studies
In v. 1 "Blessed" is ashre a plural noun, not an adjective, and means, "Oh the blessednesses." In v. 3 "rivers" is paige, which really means the dividings, referring to places where two streams met and the soil in between was always moist, therefore fruitful. "prosper" is yataliach, which means to push forward.
In v. 1, "standeth" is amad; and in v.5, "standeth" is yaquma which is entirely different, meaning to "rise". Jesus used this word in speaking to the dead daughter of Jairus. Talitha cumi.
Analysis.
Verses 1-3 The righteous man.
4-6 The wicked man.
Notice the three verbs here, walketh, standeth, sitteth. This is devolution rather than evolution, degeneration rather than regeneration, progress but downwards.
The contrast, counsel, way and seat; and another triad, the ungodly, the sinners and the scoffers. Each triad expresses greater progress in sin. This first verse states the character of the godly man negatively. Verse 2 states the character of the godly man negatively. Verse 2 states the character of the godly man negatively. Verse 2 states the character of the godly man positively. His character is shown by the things in which he finds his pleasure, in the law of Jehovah, because that expresses the will of Jehovah. it fills his thoughts in the day, and even his subconscious mind is controlled by it.
As the result of that, his life shall be fruitful. Whatever he does shall prosper. This is not limited to a worldly conception of prosperity, for that phase of it is not always true; some of the finest saints of God have never been prosperous from a worldly standpoint. It is heavenly prosperity, pushing forward even in apparent adversity.
In contrast with this, the ungodly man is any man whose delight is not in the will of God. His life is emptiness, chaff, worthlessness--no matter how prosperous he may be from a worldly standpoint. He may fool people, but he cannot fool God, for Jehovah knoweth the way of the righteous. he knows the way of the ungodly too, and it shall perish.
Of course, this psalm refers primarily to the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the only Man who has ever lived up to its requirements fully; and when you realize that, you can see that earthly prosperity is not in the picture.
BOOK V THE DEUTERONOMY BOOK
1. Halelu/ Praise
eith/the Jeho
vah/Jehovah
kal/all golim/ye nations
shebeckebu/laud him
kal/all
hammim./ye people
2. ki/for 'alenu/toward us chasedo,/is his mercy, u'emth/and the truth
Jehovah/Jehovah l'olum./forever Halelu-jahh./hallelujah.
PSALM 117
This is the shortest psalm in the collection, the shortest chapter in the Bible, the middle chapter of the Bible, and contains the greatest truths in the Bible, namely: that God's love extends to all people, and that this love is the outgrowth of God's truth which never changes
There are just 17 words in this psalm in the Hebrew, and 17 is the 7th prime number. and there are 64 letters, which is 2 raised to the third power raised by itself, or 8 X 8X, 8 being the number of Christ. In the very numerics of the psalm here we find another wonderful thing about this very short psalm. It is perfect, as indicated by the number 7, and it is an intensified expression of Christ, for 8 is His number, Christ being the manifestation of the love of God towards all men, and the very truth itself.
In the first verse, the word "laud" is shabach, which originally meant to sing aloud, the idea being to proclaim God's praises so loudly that all the peoples can hear of Him.
Paul quoted this psalm in Romans 15:11 to prove that the love of God extended to all peoples, and was not to be confined to the Jews only. What a marvelous truth that is. Hads the matter been left to the Jewish nation, all of the blessings of God would have been kept within themselves, for they were most exclusive. But here the middle chapter of the Bible lets us know that God's love is not for the Jews only, but for everybody.
This love of God is not an abstract thing, but it is an outgrowth of His lovingkindness and of His truth. God could not help loving, because God is love. And when He loved us once, it was an everlasting love which never changes. No matter what your attitude is, His attitude towards you does not change. The devil has put out a lie in having mothers say to their children "If you do so and so, God will not love you"; but that is not t rue. God's love never changes, because it is the outgrowth of His truth, and his truth never changes. No wonder the psalmist began this psalm with a Hallelu and ended with a halelu-jahh.
End Note: I would really like to share more pages of this rare book, scripture in Hebrew and English, wtih the Word Studies, but time has its constraints, does it not on what we can and cannot do? God willing and enabling, I will return to post more Hebrew to English translation of the Psalms. if there is, I find, a current copyright, of course, I cannot do that without permission, but for now this should suffice to give you a taste of this wonderful banquet in the word for those who like myself are not literate in Hebrew.--Ed.
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