Introduction To The Psalms Series

Introduction to the Psalms

The psalms of the Old Testament are at the heart of the spiritual experiences of Jew and Gentile believer alike. (Shelly) The book of Psalms was a manual and guide for the devotional life of Jewish believers. It came to be used as a hymnal at the temple and synagogue. The early church used it both in public and in private settings. When Benedict formed his monasteries he directed that the psalms all be sung, read, and prayed at least once a week. (Keller) The Psalms played a role in the Reformation. Martin Luther directed that “the whole Psalter, psalm by psalm, should remain in use.” John Calvin wrote, “The design of the Holy Spirit was…to deliver the church a common form of prayer.” They still serve the people of God today by providing devotional reflection, comfort, encouragement, praise to God, prayers of penitence, etc. Psalms is the longest book of the Old Testament and the one most often quoted in the New Testament.

What is your favorite Psalm?

We are not simply to read psalms; we are to be immersed in them so that they profoundly shape how we relate to God. The psalms are the divinely ordained way to learn devotion to our God. (Keller) Luther called the psalms a “mini Bible.” It gives an overview of salvation history from creation through the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai, the establishment of the tabernacle and temple, the exile due to unfaithfulness, and it points us forward to the coming messianic redemption and the renewal of all things. It treats the doctrines of revelation (Psalm 19), of God (Psalm 139), and of human nature (Psalm 8) and sin (Psalm 14).

N. T. Wright: They are full of power and passion, horrendous misery and unrestrained jubilation, tender sensitivity and powerful hope. Anyone at all whose heart is open to new dimensions of human experience, anyone who loves good writing, anyone who wants a window into the bright lights and dark corners of the human soul—anyone open to the beautiful expression of a larger vision of reality should react to these poems like someone who hasn’t had a good meal for a week or two. It’s all here.

In this introduction we are going to look at the character and nature of the Psalms as we plan to spend the next several weeks looking at some of the Psalms and how to use them in our lives. Psalms is a Book of Books Written by Many Authors. The book is divided into five groups of songs, each ending with a doxology. Psalm 1-41 Psalm 42-72 Psalm 37-89 Psalm 90-106 Psalm 107-150

(150 serves as the doxology to close the collection -Utley)

Who Wrote the Psalms? 73 are attributed to David. 2 are from Solomon (72, 127). One each from Heman (88) and Ethan (89). One by Moses (90). 23 by the levitical singing groups of Asaph (50; 73-83) and Korah (42-49; 84; 85; 87). 49 are are anonymous.

Headings. “Two-thirds of the psalms are introduced by headings; the other psalms are sometimes called orphan psalms because they don’t ‘belong to anybody’.” (Mays) The headings belong to individual psalms, were not part of the original text. (Utley)

We do not know when or by whom the book was given its present arrangement.

Psalms 1 and 2 serve as introduction to the whole collection.

When have the Psalms been important to you / your spiritual life?

There are Different Kinds of Psalms (Mays)

Lament: Prayer for help of an individual. “This type is by far the most numerous in the Psalter. The typical character is: An individual in serious troubles cries out to the Lord for salvation.” McCann suggests the characteristic elements:

-Opening address, such as “O Lord’.

-Description of the trouble or distress, complaint.

-Plea for help, often accompanied by reasons for God to hear and act.

-Profession of trust or confident in God.

-Promise or vow to praise God or to offer a sacrifice.

-However, each lament has some degree of uniqueness, not all have all elements.

A type of lament Psalm is the Imprecatory Psalm. Lamenting evil people: Fiery appeals for God to pour out his wrath on evildoers and enemies of the nation. (35; 69; 109; 137). Lamenting the lack of justice. Lewis: The writers of the Psalms…look forward to “judgement” because they think they have been wronged and hope to see their wrongs righted. Lamenting the delay of God’s intervention: The Psalmists are not pleading for personal revenge but for the vindication of God’s right ways among men. Both Testaments teach that vengeance-taking is God’s business, yet both Testaments teach that God sometimes takes vengeance through human agency.

Navigators: It’s best to view the imprecatory psalms as we do the rest of the psalms: as deep, heartfelt expressions that we offer to the throne of heaven, confident that God will not only comfort us … but also give us the confidence that He will have the final word in all matters of injustice. Then we will be free to forgive our enemies and eventually be able to ask God to be merciful to them, even if they remain hard-hearted and remorseless.