Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
This automated analysis scores the text on the likely presence of emotional, language, and social tones. There are no right or wrong scores; this is just an indication of tones readers or listeners may pick up from the text.
A score of 0.5 or higher indicates the tone is likely present.
Emotion Tone
Anger
0.5UNLIKELY
Disgust
0.05UNLIKELY
Fear
0.12UNLIKELY
Joy
0.56LIKELY
Sadness
0.21UNLIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.47UNLIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.4UNLIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.92LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.79LIKELY
Extraversion
0.25UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.69LIKELY
Emotional Range
0.75LIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
Prayer Requests and Praise Reports
Intro:
While falls generally into the category of psalms known as prayers for deliverance, it is also what we would call an imprecatory psalm.
An imprecation is a spoken curse; the author (usually David) curses his enemies.
There are at least nine of these imprecatory psalms in the Psalter, most of them written by David.
The voice of the psalm is singular, sparking speculation that the narrator is intended to be the king responding to some national crisis.
While the identification is not certain, there are moments throughout the psalm in which the perspective is broadened to include the worshiping community (35:18, 27).
A series of direct quotations characterizes the poem, placed in the mouths of various parties, including God (35:3), the psalmist (35:10), the enemy (35:21, 25), and the worshiping community (35:27).
This allows the psalmist to reveal the inner reflections of the protagonists to the reader and probes deeper than the surface description of observable action and reaction.
It begins with a plea for divine action and deliverance that employs phrases familiar to both legal (ryb [“present a lawsuit”; niv “contend”]) and military (lḥm [“engage in battle”; niv “fight”]) conflict (35:1–3).
Craigie suggests dividing the text into three major sections (35:1–10, 11–18, 19–28), which, with some refinement below, offers a helpful understanding of the movement of the psalm.
It begins with a plea for divine action and deliverance that employs phrases familiar to both legal (ryb [“present a lawsuit”; niv “contend”]) and military (lḥm [“engage in battle”; niv “fight”]) conflict (35:1–3).
The psalm then describes enemy attacks in terms of military battle (35:4–8), using the second of the two images introduced in the opening plea.
Craigie’s first section concludes with a personal response and promise of praise (35:9–10).
The psalm then describes enemy attacks in terms of military battle (35:4–8), using the second of the two images introduced in the opening plea.
The idea of legal conflict dominates the next section, describing “ruthless witnesses” who maliciously attack the psalmist (35:11–16).
The final section is punctuated with the term translated by the niv as “gloat over me” (35:19, 24, 26).
This section describes the arrogant twisting of the truth by the psalmist’s enemies, who assume they have gained the upper hand over him (35:19–27).
This unit is, in my opinion, directed more generally to cover both the military and legal opponents described in the previous sections.
Like the preceding sections, this one concludes with a personal plea for deliverance (35:22–25) and a promise to praise (35:28).
In this case, plea and promise are separated by an extended request for retribution to fall on the psalmist’s enemies (35:26–27).
PtW-
In an imprecatory psalm the author (usually David) curses his enemies.
There are at least nine of these imprecatory psalms in the Psalter, most of them written by David.
Johnston, J. A. (2015).
Preaching the Word: The Psalms: Rejoice, the Lord Is King— to 41. (R. K. Hughes, Ed.) (Vol. 1, p. 357).
Wheaton, IL: Crossway.
Christians sometimes have trouble with these psalms because they seem to go against Jesus’ teaching.
Jesus said, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also” ().
On the cross Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” ().
Wilson, G. H. (2002).
Psalms (Vol. 1, pp. 578–579).
Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
sounds like just the opposite.
“Let them be like chaff before the wind … Let their way be dark … Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it” (35:5, 6, 8).
To make it even more puzzling, David praises God as he curses his enemies!
The three main sections of each end with a word of praise (35:10, 18, 27–28).
Three Points of Discussion:
P1.
Prayer in Uncalled-for Danger (v.
1-10)
P2.
Prayer in Undeserved Danger (v.
11-18)
P3.
Prayer in Malicious Danger (v.
19-28)
P1.
Prayer in Uncalled-for Danger (v.
1-10)
Christians sometimes have trouble with these psalms because they seem to go against Jesus’ teaching.
Jesus said, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also” ().
On the cross Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” ().
sounds like just the opposite.
“Let them be like chaff before the wind … Let their way be dark … Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it” (35:5, 6, 8).
To make it even more puzzling, David praises God as he curses his enemies!
The three main sections of each end with a word of praise (35:10, 18, 27–28).
sounds like just the opposite.
“Let them be like chaff before the wind … Let their way be dark … Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it” (35:5, 6, 8).
To make it even more puzzling, David praises God as he curses his enemies!
The three main sections of each end with a word of praise (35:10, 18, 27–28).
The voice of the psalm is singular, sparking speculation that the narrator is intended to be the king responding to some national crisis.
While the identification is not certain, there are moments throughout the psalm in which the perspective is broadened to include the worshiping community (35:18, 27).
It begins with a plea for divine action and deliverance that employs phrases familiar to both legal (re-shyoo-bet) [“present a lawsuit”; niv “contend”]) and military (lḥm [“engage in battle”; niv “fight”]) conflict (35:1–3).
It begins with a plea for divine action and deliverance that employs phrases familiar to both legal (ryb [“present a lawsuit”; niv “contend”]) and military (lḥm [“engage in battle”; niv “fight”]) conflict (35:1–3).
The psalm then describes enemy attacks in terms of military battle (35:4–8), using the second of the two images introduced in the opening plea.
The psalm then describes enemy attacks in terms of military battle (35:4–8), using the second of the two images introduced in the opening plea.
The idea of legal conflict dominates the next section, describing “ruthless witnesses” who maliciously attack the psalmist (35:11–16).
‘,,,llllllllllllllllllll
The idea of legal conflict dominates the next section, describing “ruthless witnesses” who maliciously attack the psalmist (35:11–16).
PtW-
sounds like just the opposite.
“Let them be like chaff before the wind … Let their way be dark … Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it” (35:5, 6, 8).
To make it even more puzzling, David praises God as he curses his enemies!
The three main sections of each end with a word of praise (35:10, 18, 27–28).
The Battle
In the first section David calls on God to fight for him.
His prayer is in verses 4–6.
Let them be put to shame and dishonor
who seek after my life!
Let them be turned back and disappointed
who devise evil against me!
Let them be like chaff before the wind,
with the angel of the Lord driving them away!
Let their way be dark and slippery,
with the angel of the Lord pursuing them!
David’s enemies were trying to kill him even though he was God’s anointed king—“[they] seek … my life,” he says (v. 4).
David calls down four curses or imprecations on them that represent complete defeat.
“ashamed”
“dishonored”
"turned back”
"humiliated”
These represent defeat in battle.
If an army is “turned back,” it does not achieve its objective.
And as they retreat, David also asks God to chase them as an avenging angel.
David mentions “the angel of the Lord” in the previous psalm () and again twice in these verses.
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9