thanksgiving, develops a serene faith and confidence over against the perplexities, the perils, and the conflicts of life. One characteristic element in the Psalm of Lamentation and Petition is the affirmation of faith in Yahwe. That affirmation of faith gradually develops until it becomes the entire theme of the psalm. This development can be traced to some extent in the psalms themselves. It is well to begin with Psalm 9, for while it expresses predominatingly confidence, yet it petitions at some length for Yahwe’s help against Israel’s enemies. Psalm 27 makes a much stronger affirmation of faith in Yahwe and a correspondingly briefer petition for divine protection; while Psalms 4 and 16, expressing quiet confidence in Yahwe, have only the very briefest appeals for his assistance. Psalms 11, 62, 63, and 92 still recognize the presence of enemies, but all are confident that their wicked foes must perish, while the faithful will experience Yahwe’s blessing.

The classic expressions of faith in Yahwe, however, are Psalms 23, 131, 121, and 91. Psalm 23:1-4 conceives of God under the figure of a shepherd, who gives to his own food, drink, guidance, protection. With the thought of danger in verse 4 the psalmist apparently felt the need of a stronger figure of speech to express his perfect security and good fortune, so in verse 5 he conceives of God as his host. God is providing for him most generously and he is confident that he will be the happy guest of God for the rest of his days.

Psalm 131 is of rarest beauty in its simplicity. This psalmist is aware that there are problems which he cannot solve by reason, and which might be permitted to harass his soul. Not in presumptuous pride, but in sincere humility, he simply trusts Yahwe, with a mind as free from protest as that of a weaned child in its mother’s arms.

Psalm 121 and more especially Psalm 91 seem to be liturgical in character. In Psalm 121, verse 1, the psalmist recognizes his need of help and that the help must come from Deity. Many of his fellow countrymen had through the centuries uncritically sought help from the gods of the high places. This psalmist asks with intense yearning and earnestness whence his help is to come. In verse 2 he answers his own question:

It is perhaps a question whether verses 3-8 are a soliloquy, or whether they are addressed to the psalmist by the priest. In either case the psalmist has the assurance that Israel’s God, who neither slumbers nor sleeps, will keep him everywhere and at all times, secure from evil.

In Psalm 91, verses 1 and 2 state the general truth that the man who trusts God is happy:

The verses 3-13 bring to the psalmist the assurance, presumably from God’s spokesman, the priest, that Yahwe will keep him under his constant protection, and that he need fear no peril however great. Finally in verses 14-16 the assurance is confirmed by a divine oracle, the voice of God, promising the psalmist deliverance from every trouble, long life and honor.

Among these psalms of faith ought certainly to be included Psalm 46. Although this psalm does not contemplate any present situation in life, it looks forward with confidence to the turmoil and conflict, that in the last days will precede Yahwe’s final victory and subsequent reign of righteousness and peace. The psalm is written, not from an individual but from a national point of view. Its motive is sounded forth in the refrain which occurs at verse 8 and verse 12, and which undoubtedly ought to be inserted after verse 4 to divide the psalm into three equal sections:

It may accordingly be described as a national eschatological psalm of faith.

The psalm opens with the strong profession of faith of verse 2:

Verses 3 and 4 introduce us to the dread and terrifying phenomena of the last days; yet are not the believers in Yahwe afraid:

The second division, verses 5-7, pictures the serenity of the new Jerusalem already enjoying what the old Jerusalem lacked, a river flowing through its midst, and protected by God in this great hour while the hostile nations rage without its walls. Finally the third division, verses 9-11, invites us to behold the evidence of the complete and final defeat of the enemies of God, the bows snapped, the spears broken, and the chariots burning up in fire. Also one is to hear the voice of God claiming forevermore his rightful and supreme sovereignty among the nations of the earth.

Unique among the psalms of confidence is Psalm 139. The psalmist marvels, in verses 1-6, at Yahwe’s complete knowledge of his earthly life; in verses 7-12, at the omnipresent power of Deity, from which there is no escape; in verses 14-16, at the divine wisdom manifested in the creation of the psalmist’s body and the complete determining of his life’s course, in verse 17 at the innumerable thoughts and purposes of God. Verses 19-22 descend to the commonplace in petitioning for the death of the wicked while the concluding verses 23-24 ask God that his heart be searched for the discovery of wrong and that he be divinely guided in the right way. It is perhaps possible to regard verses 1-18 as an expression of faith in Yahwe, introductory to the petitions 19-24 and so class the poem as a psalm of lamentation and petition, but the verses 1-18 seem to be relatively so much more important that it seems wiser to regard it as a psalm of faith.

Teaching or Wisdom Psalms

There is a natural line of development from the psalm of faith to what may perhaps be called teaching or wisdom psalms. The believing psalmist assumes that God is in complete control of all the circumstances of life, and is convinced that God will protect him from all evil and give him success. This assumption of faith then becomes for many the all important, fundamental law of life, and as such it must needs be taught to youth. Thus doubtless originated the wisdom psalms; of which we have in the Psalter 1, 112, 34, 78, 127, 128, 133, 125, 73,