Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and Lamentations

Unit 6 Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and Lamentations

Job was written by Moses and Job himself.  We find out that Job is a historical person because, he lived shortly after the  Flood. He lived an added 140 years after his 10 children were born. He also served as a priest for his family after he became a father. Job discussions the Mosaic laws or God's authority or scriptures. The time set of the book of Job is in the day of the patriarchs.

The book of Job is a wisdom book. The purpose of the book of Job is to teach us how to live our lives. It addresses the issues of suffering of people who are righteous. It is to teach the righteous how to deal with pain and suffering. Some think the book is to ask why does God allow His people to suffer?  In the prologue God is telling Satan that Job is a truly righteous man, Satan tries to convince God he can turn Job away from Him. God gives Satan a chance Satan rings down calamity upon Job taking everything away from him. He takes away his servants, cattle, camels, sheep, and children. Job did not curse God, instead he tears his clothes off shaves his head and prays to God. Satan than takes all his wealth and his health Jobs friends tell him it is because of sin, and he needs to confess. One-man Elihu criticized Job for justifying before God and told Job his friends did not know what they were saying. That sometimes suffering was to teach us something not to be as punishment. God came to Job and Job response was of submission and surrender. God criticized the 3 friends for misrepresenting Job.

Psalms: The book of Psalms was written by several authors, only two-thirds of the book have recognized authors. David is the author of  seventy-three books of Psalms making up the biggest part (he may have written some anonymously). A musician of David's, Asaph, wrote twelve of the books of Psalms,  the sons of Korah wrote ten books; Solomon wrote two; Moses, Heman, and Ethan each wrote one. Psalms was written during the time of the Kingdom of Israel  and covered the time from Moses to the post exile times, which was a thousand years. The vast part of Psalms was written between the years 1030-930 B.C.

The purpose of Psalms was to supply and the people of poetry and allow them is to praise and worship through song. Psalms is written as poetry, so it cannot be read or interpreted as everyday language. Poetry when read has rhyming and imagery, with parallelism and literary devices. Some Psalms have a historical basis, others have noted the occasion for which they are written, some the reasons why they are written.

There are nine different categories of Psalms, but often each Psalms has elements of several categories in it. Messianic Psalms(e.g., Pss. 2,8,22,69,110) these are written about the person and the work of the Messiah. The Lament Psalms (e.g., Pss. 7,26,60) the writer cries out to God for help for himself or for the nation for some trouble they are in the writer will give a confession of trust to God. Testimonial Psalm  (e.g., Pss. 30,34). The writer tells others what God has done for him a declaration to God Psalms the writer reflects on life and how God helped him. Pilgrim Psalms (e.g., Pss. 120-134) song of ascent these are Psalms written about the journeys to  Jerusalem. Israelites used the Psalms to sing at their annual feasts. Imprecatory Psalms (e.g., Pss. 58,109) The writer of these Psalms has asked God to judge the wicked enemies of him and God. Penitential Psalms (e.g., Pss. 32,51) the Psalms was written to show a remorseful individual, who was grieving over his sin. These Psalms were for most the most part written by David. The Wisdom Psalms (e.g., Pss. 37,73) are for God's people they give guidance to our daily lives in this ungodly world it is to live our lives with knowledge and understanding. The Historical Psalms (e.g., Pss. 78,105,106) The writer gives divine commentary on some of Israel's history when writing about God's dealings with the nation. The Nature Psalms (e.g., Pss. 8,19) God is the inspiration of these Psalms. The writer emphasis' on God's power and awesomeness. Psalms covers every situation and emotion possible in our daily lives it acts as a guide for us to help us through when we are lost and struggle to find a way to deal with the things we feel we cannot handle.

King Solomon wrote most of Proverbs, chapter 1-29. The date given to the writing of the book is 950 B.C. Different authors wrote the last two chapters of Proverbs they were Agur and King Lemuel, but nothing definite was known about the two authors.

Proverbs was written, so we could have wisdom and discipline in our lives (1:2-7). Solomon said man could not be close to God or have the right relationship with God  until he fears God. This means he lives the right life and views God properly and has the right relationship with God. Chapters 1-9 explains how man can live life with or without God's wisdom: as a wise man who seeks the truth and receives it and become insightful. One can become one who is naive that that does not believe and is manipulated easily in life believing anything. The scoffer is one the does not believe anything they are rude and cynical to matters of the Lord making it impossible to live a spiritual life. The fool knows God but refuses to accept God they reject God. They are morally wicked and spiritually empty.

Ecclesiastes the author of this book says he was the son of David, King of Jerusalem(1:1, 12). Solomon appears to have written the book at the end of his life and in the book,  he refers to himself several times as Koheleth or preacher. The date given for the books of Ecclesiastes is 931B. C after Solomon had died.

The book of Ecclesiastes is a recording of the struggles to find purpose and reason for life. Everything written in the book is about the need for God in one's life that without a spiritual relationship with Him nothing else matters we are left empty.  Solomon writes that a true relation a spiritual relationship with God will bring a life of joy and satisfaction (e.g., 2:24-26; 3:12-15; 5:7;18, 8:12). Solomon also wrote in Ecclesiastes that as young people they should seek out God as early as they can in life, so they will not feel the spiritual void later in life.

Song of Solomon King Solomon wrote the entire book of the Song of Solomon early during his reign, although some have questioned if he had written the book.  The scriptures show that Solomon was the writer (1:1), and the scriptures mentioned his name several times  (1:5; 3:7, 9, 11, 18:11-12).  The Song of Solomon is a poem dedicated  to marriage the intimate physical relationship between a husband and wife and the blessing given to them by God. Many Christians think the poem, because of the sexual content is about the church or the nation or Israel's relationship with God, but there is no mention of either in the scriptures of the Song of Solomon to either reference.

The Song of Solomon is a poem about Solomon and how he met and married his bride. He met ha poor girl and disguised who he was pretending to be an ordinary man. They fell in love at first sight, but he had to leave her, but promised to come back. When he came back, he revealed to her he was the King she went back to the palace and they were married, and he wrote about the wedding night and their passion for one another. With God and marriage, love is without guilt and shame.

Lamentations by evidence from other scriptures in other books 2Kings 25 and Jeremiah 40-44 gives evidence that Jeremiah is the author of Lamentations. At the time when Jerusalem was burning to the ground Jeremiah was in Mizpah.  Lamentations is the sequel to Jeremiah it is a book of mourning after the destruction of Jerusalem. Jeremiah tries to warn Judah for 40 years to no avail, then God sends His wrath and destroys the city. The book describes the horrors of famine, starvation, cannibalism (2:11-12; 4:5-10). Through it all Jeremiah realizes that God is faithful and righteous, and He confesses the sins of his people to God and asks for forgiveness. (5:1-22) .

Cite this page