Sacrilegious Discourse - Bible Study for Atheists

Psalm 84: Longing for God's House. Starts, "How amiable are thy tabernacles." Psalm 84 begins a group of six psalms at the end of Book III (from this psalm thru Psalm 89) that attempt to provide hope to the exilic Israelite community. This psalm is sung for dedication ceremonies of buildings, churches, and altars. Here's the overall message of this psalm: "Better one day sitting on my couch than a thousand days in a pew," ... or something like that.

Psalm 85: A Prayer for God's Mercy on Israel / a psalm of returned exiles / a prayer for peace. Starts, "LORD, thou hast been favorable unto thy land." Psalm 85 is recited to express gratitude, as a prayer for a livelihood, and as a prayer for assistance in times of need. Kindness and Truth (two of the four virtues allegorized as the Daughters of God) give each other tongue baths, and artists from the Middle Ages brought the popcorn.

Psalm 86: A Prayer of David for God's Continued Mercy. Starts, "Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me." This psalm is the only one attributed to David in Book 3 of Psalms. It is otherwise insignificant, and thus, we have no notes.