The Temple of Praise

At the entrance to Solomon’s Temple stood two 28-and-a-half-foot tall bronze pillars. These pillars were elaborately decorated with capitals in the shape of lilies (1 Kings 7:15–22). Each pillar was given a name: Jachin and Boaz. They served as a grand gateway into the temple where the presence of the Lord dwelt.

In a similar way, Psalms 1 and 2 serve as the gateway to welcome readers into a special temple of praise, the Psalter. These two psalms begin and end with a blessing (1:1; 2:12) and share several keywords. They also introduce the two most prominent themes in the Psalter: God’s Law and God’s Messiah.

Psalm 1 declares blessed the person who delights in and ruminates on God’s Law. That person is beautifully described as a tree planted by streams of water (1:3). This secure position means that tree will be fruitful and endure, even in times of draught. A fruitful tree provides shelter and food for many. In a similar way, the person who delights in the Law will be a blessing to those around them. In contrast, the wicked are like chaff; unfruitful, useless, and transient.

Psalm 2 portrays the nations conspiring against the Lord and His Messiah. In a striking image, the Lord simply laughs at their pretense. They are no real threat to the living God. He declares that He has given them to His Son and Messiah as an inheritance (2:6–8). The Lord warns these hostile nations that their best course of action is to “Serve the Lord​ with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling” (v. 11). They should pay homage to the Son or will face His judgment (v. 12). The psalm closes with a word of blessing upon all those who take refuge in the Lord’s Messiah (v. 12).

Pray with Us

As we start our study of Psalms this month, let’s learn from the psalmist’s prayerful stance: “In the morning, Lord​, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly” (Ps. 5:3). May we follow his example!

BY Ryan Cook

Dr. Ryan Cook has taught at Moody Bible Institute since 2012. He earned his bachelor of arts in Bible and Theology from Moody and his master of arts in Old Testament from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. He has worked in Christian education and served as a pastor in Michigan for seven years. During his time as a professor at Moody, he earned his doctorate from Asbury Theological Seminary. He now lives with his wife, Ashley, and their three children in the Chicagoland area.