Chapter 3: The Poetical Books

IN THIS CHAPTER, you will discover:   

The story of Job and his four "comforters."   

The messianic psalms anticipating Christ's incarnation.   

The depths of the wisdom of King Solomon.   

God's purpose for sexual love in marriage.    

AS A RESULT, you will be able to:   

Understand how God's sovereignty relates to human suffering.   

Praise the Lord in a richer and fuller way.   

Obtain wisdom necessary for decision making.

Love your spouse as God intended.

Reading: Talk Thru the Bible, pp. 139-50.

Key Word: Sovereignty.

Key Verse: "Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; defend my ways to his face" (Job 13:15).

Key Chapter: Job 42.

The Poetical Books

Almost everyone likes good poetry. But it is a little known fact that one-third of the Hebrew Bible was originally written as poetry. Leviticus, Ruth, Ezra, Haggai, and Malachi are the only books containing no poetry at all. English poetry usually has either rhyme or rhythm. Hebrew poetry, however, does not rhyme words; instead, it "rhymes? through the arrangement of parallel thoughts. Thus, most readers do not recognize the beauty of Hebrew poetry. (For examples of parallelism, see TTB, p.140.)

Hebrew poetry falls into three types:

• Lyric -Musical with strong emotional elements.
• Didactic -Principles about life.
• Dramatic- Dialogue in poetic form.

The five poetical books of Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon serve as a link between the historical past and the prophetical books of the future. These books explore the experiential present and emphasize a life-style of godliness.

Key Concepts :

1. These five books serve as a link between the past of the ________________ books and the future of the _________________ books. [139]
2. The poetical books emphasize a lifestyle of ________________ rather than advancing the story of the nation of Israel. [139]
3. The preacher in Ecclesiastes discovers that the only source of ultimate meaning and fulfillment is. [140]
4. "The Lord is my Shepherd" is a comparison in which one thing is declared to be another. This vivid figure of speech is called a _________________. [140]
5. The _________________ is a technique in Hebrew poetry in which the first Hebrew letter in a line is the first letter of the alphabet, the second is the second letter of the alphabet, etc. [141 ]

Job

Why do the righteous suffer if God is loving and all-powerful? That question permeates the whole book. Yet upon reading Job, you realize that suffering is not its central theme. Rather, the focus is on what Job learns from his suffering: God's sovereignty is over all creation. Job offers a glimpse of non-Hebrew culture in patriarchal times, giving the book a definite universal appeal. It concerns the transforming crisis in the life of a good man. ln one brief moment he loses everything - wealth, family, and health. The sudden series of catastrophes forces Job to wrestle with the question, "Why?"

Behind the scenes, Satan accuses Job of serving God for selfish reasons, and God allows Satan to test him. When the suffering begins, Job is able to declare, "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised" (1:21). Later, as his wife watches him suffer, she encourages him to curse God and die. His reply is, "Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?" (2:10). As Job's suffering becomes excruciating, he curses the day of his birth. When three friends accuse him of sinning, Job attempts to defend his own righteousness. But young Elihu appears on the scene and challenges Job to humble himself and submit to God.

Finally, God himself speaks to Job asking him seventy questions with the express purpose of revealing his sovereignty. In the process, Job realizes that he can never understand God's ways. He repents, acknowledging his error. Only then can God restore twofold everything Job has lost.

Key Concepts:

1. Job's wealth was measured in terms of __________________. [144]
2. What we __________________ from suffering is often more important than knowing why we suffer. [145]
3. Two ways that God can use our hardships, according to both Job and Deuteronomy, are ______________________ and _________________________. [146]
4. After its intensive survey of creation, the book of Job teaches two facts now accepted by modern science: _________________________ and ___________________________. [146]
5. Job's three friends all reached the same conclusion that Job's misfortune was caused by ________________. [146]
6. The three complaints of Job were that God ______________________________________________________________ and ________________________________________________________. [147]
7. ________________ shows his sovereignty by having the last word with Job out of the whirlwind. [147]

Further Study: "Introduction to the Poetical Literature," IBC, pp. 91-95; "Job," IBC, pp. 520-21.

Life Application: Do you limit the sovereignty of God by keeping habits, vices, or concerns off-limits to Him? Make a list of these, and select scriptures from Job to help you understand God's will in these areas. At this moment, give the Lord access to every area of your life, thereby giving him the freedom to use and bless you. Seal each area of your life by giving testimony to others of God's faithfulness.

Reading: Talk Thru the Bible, pp. 151-60.

Key Word: Worship.

Key Verse: "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer" (Ps. 19:14).

Key Chapter: Psalm 100.

The beauty of the praise and worship found in Psalms is unequaled. Many churches or worship groups today sing psalms that have been set to music. Psalms has been called the "Book of Praises" because almost everyone contains some note of worship or praise to God. The common theme is worship - God is worthy to be praised because of who he is, what he has done in the past, and what he will do in the future. Even those psalms that begin with lamenting or supplication usually end with praise.

Psalms is quoted more often than any other book in the Bible. Part of its popularity may be attributed to its tremendous breadth of subject matter. Psalms contains more diverse topics than any other Old Testament book. They range from lament to jubilation and from war to peace. Through divine inspiration, Psalms encourages, soothes, heals, and inspires worship. The great variety of subjects, moods, and emotions assures you of finding just the right one to meet your need. Many readers are attracted to the book because of its personal and practical applications to their own lives.

What name pops into your mind when you think of the psalms? Most people would answer "David." That is a very natural response since he wrote over half of them. The remaining psalms were written by Moses, Solomon, Asaph, and a variety of anonymous authors. David\'s psalms and others became a part of the temple liturgy that he created. Psalms were also used as individual and communal devotional guides. Jesus himself quoted psalms while teaching the Sermon on the Mount, cleansing the temple, sharing the Last Supper. and even while hanging on the cross.

Psalm 119 is the longest psalm (and longest chapter in the Bible) with 176 verses. Look it up on pages 657-62 in the NIVTSB. The letters of the Hebrew alphabet stand in sequences over each of the twenty-two stanzas. Read footnote "c" on page 657, which describes the structure of this acrostic poem. On the previous page (656: the footnote for Psalms 116:19 and 117:2. The Hebrew word HalleluYah is translated "Praise the Lord," a phrase used fifty-one times in the N IV. TTB on pages 157 -60 gives a one-sentence outline of each psalm.

Key Concepts :

1. The book of Psalms consists of ________________ songs that run from the Creation through the postexilic period. [152]
2. Several anonymous psalms are traditionally attributed to________________. [152]
3. The common theme in Psalms is the ___________________of God. [154]
4. A _________________ psalm anticipates the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. [154]
5. The five books of Psalms all end with a____________________. [156]
6. The three basic types of psalms are ________________, __________________, __________________.[156]
7. The Hebrew word ________________ means "Praise the Lord." [156]
8. The _________________ psalms are seemingly harsh and call down curses on the psalmist\'s enemies. [157]
9. The word ________________, found seventy-one times in Psalms, may mark a pause, a musical interlude, or a crescendo. [157]

Further Study: "Psalms, Book of," NIDB, pp. 832-35.

Life Application: Today many psalms have been set to music can be found on praise and worship tapes available at Christian bookstores. Learn some of these songs and use them to worship. There is power in praise as Paul and Silas discovered in Acts 16. List some major challenges you are facing, and select at least one to use as a resource for strength and hope.

 Reading: Talk Thru the Bible, pp. 161-67.  Key Word: Wisdom. 

Key Verses: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight" (Prov. 3:5-6). 

Key Chapter: Proverbs 31.  Proverbs, without a doubt, is the most practical book in the Old Testament. It provides detailed instructions for God's people to deal successfully with all the practical affairs of everyday life. The principles of Proverbs transcend time and culture. The book's theme is: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge" (1:7). Because of its subject matter, the book of James has many similarities with Proverbs. 

Solomon, the author of the majority of the proverbs, is credited with having written over 3000 proverbs and 1005 songs. However, only about 800 of his proverbs are included in this book. Certainly no one was better qualified to pen the proverbs. Solomon as a young king pleased the Lord by asking for wisdom in ruling his people. As a result, God granted him not only wisdom, but also fame and riches as well. It is also likely that Solomon collected and edited proverbs other than his own. Other authors or compilers of proverbs are Agur, King Lemuel, and the scribes of King Hezekiah. 

A proverb is a simple illustration that reveals fundamental realities about life. It is a general statement of timeless truth based on real-Iife experience. The proverbs compare such down-to-earth subjects as wisdom and folly, the righteous and the wicked, love and lust, friends and neighbors, and life and death. 

Proverbs serves as a manual to pass on the legacy of wisdom, prudence, understanding, discretion, knowledge, guidance, competence, correction, counsel, and truth from generation to generation. Since they are practical, moral and concise, the proverbs should be read slowly and in small sections. In addition to other Bible readings, many people read one proverb a day. As Dr. Wilkinson says, "To read a proverb takes only a few seconds; to apply it can take a lifetime!" 

Key Concepts: 

1. Lemuel concentrated his wisdom in the two areas of _________________ and __________________. [ 1 61 ] 
2. The author of many proverbs was _____________, Israel's wisest man. [162] 
3. Because he was interested in spiritually benefiting his subjects with the Word of God, King __________________ had his scribes assemble the second collection of Solomon's proverbs. [162] 
4. Proverbs is a form of _________________ literature, which is also found in other Near Eastern countries. [163] 
5. The theme of Proverbs is the ________________ of the Lord. [163] 
6. In Proverbs 31 a woman is described as a good woman, wife, mother, and ________________. [164] 
7. "In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Col. 2:3) refers to ________________. [164] 
8. A fool is not mentally deficient; instead, he is ________________. [165] 

Further Study: "Proverbs, Book of," NIDB, pp. 830-31. 

Life Application: What decisions are before you in which you need wisdom? Using the concordance at the end of the NIVTSB, find proverbs that address those particular areas? Ask God for wisdom, recalling his promise, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5).

Reading: Talk Thru the Bible, pp. 168-82.

Key Words: Vanity, Love.

Key Verses: "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil" (Eccl. 12:13-14).

Key Chapters: Ecclesiastes 12, Song of Solomon 2.

Ecclesiastes
The writer of Ecclesiastes summarizes the whole book in one verse: "Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man" (12:13). Ecclesiastes means "preacher," and all indications are that Solomon is the preacher. Possessing the greatest mental, material, and political resources ever combined in one man, he is qualified beyond all others to write this book. It is believed that Solomon authored Ecclesiastes in his later years when the glory of his reign was beginning to fade. Perhaps he is expressing regret over the time he has wasted in frivolity, carnality, and idolatry.

The most philosophical book in the Bible, Ecclesiastes investigates the subject of human wisdom. It records the intense search for meaning and satisfaction in life. As Solomon moves from wisdom to hedonism, works, and women, he discovers that all is vanity. From a worldly perspective, life is futile and perplexing. Only when he explores all other avenues does he come to the conclusion that ultimate meaning in life can only be found by revering God. Those who fail to do so are doomed to lives of foolishness and futility.

Key Concepts:

1. The word _________________ appears thirty-seven times to express the thing~ that cannot be understood about life. [170]
2. The philosophy of Ecclesiastes used twentv-nine  times reflects the _________________. [170]
3. The name Elohim (God) is used forty-one times rather than Yahweh to show the ________________/_________________ relationship. [171 ]
4. Matching: [172]

Life Under the Sun                                              Life Under the Son
_____ Man is mortal                                           A. 1 Cor. 1 :27
_____ Strength and speed                                 B. 1 John 5:11
_____ Fruit of labor is hated                              C. Phil. 1 :6
_____ All men die                                              D. Col. 1 :10
_____ Nothing new under sun                           E. John 3:16
_____ What advantage in work                          F. 2 Cor. 5:17

5. Solomon saw ________________ as the most powerful human resource, as contrasted with foolishness. [173]

Song of Solomon

Poor shepherdess meets rich king, falls in love, and marries him. Much to her surprise she discovers that he is an incurable romantic.  Ahh!  Every woman\'s dream!  And Solomon certainly feels that he has found the one woman who meets all his expectations.

Song of Solomon exalts the joys of love in both courtship and marriage.  It extols purity, beauty, and the satisfaction of loving and being loved.   Even though the language depicts intimacy, it is never crass. Song of Solomon is a bold, positive endorsement by God of marital love.   Many believe that this book is an allegory of Israel\'s relationship to God and the church as the bride of Christ.

Song of Solomon was written to refute two heresies. The first is as asceticism, which considers the spirit good but the body evil, so all pleasure should be avoided. And the second is hedonism, which advocates that life should be lived only for pleasure. Neither perspective is biblical.  As Solomon points out, sex in marriage is a gift of God and should be a pleasurable experience.

Key Concepts :

1. It may be that Solomon's relationship with ________________ was the only pure romance he ever experienced. [177]
2. Originally, marriage was intended to illustrate the oneness of the ________________.[178]
3. The whole book beautifully depicts the love of a __________________.[179]
4. Solomon emphasized (wisdom, emotions) in Song of Solomon. [179]
5. "A garden enclosed" is a metaphor referring to the bride's __________________.[180]

Further Study: "Ecclesiastes," IBC, pp. 691-93; "Song of Songs, Song of Solomon," NIDB, pp. 956-57.

Life Application: Like the Living Bible, the NIV has the Song of Solomon divided into speaking parts. During a quiet moment with your spouse, read the Song aloud, assuming the roles of the "Beloved" and the "Lover." How can you make your sexual experience in marriage more pleasurable, based on what you are reading? What aspects of marital love portrayed here make you uncomfortable? Why?

For those who are unmarried, how does the Song of Solomon reinforce the importance of sexual fidelity? Also, what relationship do you see between Christ as the bridegroom and the church as his bride?