BOOK OF PSALMS 8

explaining the sufferings of a righteous person and the apparent prosperity of evil people, dealt with in the Wisdom Literature in the book of Job and in the prophets also (e.g., Jeremiah 12:1-4), is taken up in Psalms 37; 49; and 73. The historical psalms should be included in this category, since they underscore the lessons arising from the favored nation’s often bitter experience. It is apparent that Israel delighted in the recital of salvation history. The main psalms, and the periods covered are Psalm 78, from the exodus to the establishment of the Davidic monarchy (note the declared intention to teach in verses 1-4); Psalm 105, from Abraham to the conquest of Canaan; Psalm 106, from Egypt to the judges; and Psalm 136, from the Creation to the Promised Land. PSALMS OF TRUST While some of these may also be classified as laments, the dominant feature of this group is the serene trust in God revealed, which makes them particularly suitable for devotional use. Many of these psalms begin with an affirmation of gratitude to and affection for God. Psalms 23 and 27 are the outstanding examples of this type, which could also include Psalms 11; 16; 62; 116; 131; and 138. CONCLUSION The difficulties in any precise categorization of psalms are obvious; many do not neatly fall into one group—hence, the occasional overlap. What is clearly evident is a pulsating, vital devotional life that has found its clearest expression in the book of Psalms. To say that it expresses the worship and devotion of the ordinary person is a simplification; kings and priests, wise men and prophets all contributed to this remarkable collection. Yet there remains the truth that, in God’s sight, all people, regardless of human achievement or privilege, are “ordinary,” for all are sinners in need of God’s grace and goodness. So the worshiping community of ancient Israel, and the saints of every succeeding generation, in the vastness of their diversity, have found the expression of their own hearts’ condition, desires, and devotion in this unique treasury—the Psalms.


PSALM 151 A noncanonical psalm that, prior to the Qumran discoveries, was known only through ancient translations (LXX, Latin, and Syriac). At Qumran the psalm was included in the Hebrew Psalm Scroll (11Q). The Hebrew text indicates two separate poems. The first poem (designated as 151A) is a commentary on 1 Samuel 16:1-13. It relates how David was set over his father’s flocks but was made king over God’s people after God had looked upon his heart. The second poem (151B) is a commentary on 1 Samuel 17 and deals with David and Goliath. It is thought by some to show the bravery of David in contrast to his humility, as is shown in 151A.


The Book of
Psalms


Nelson study Bible

As one of the greatest collections of songs, prayers, and poetry, the Book of Psalms expresses the deepest passions of humanity. In these pages we can hear the psalmist’s desperate cry in the midst of despair, but also his ecstatic praise of his Provider and Comforter. We can hear him pouring out his soul in confession, but also bubbling over with joy. The psalms lead us through the valleys and peaks of human experience, but in the end they guide us to the praise of our loving Creator.
Authors • The superscription, the introductory words found before the first verse in most psalms, many times attributes the following psalm to King David, the “sweet psalmist of Israel” (2 Sam. 23:1). These superscriptions were probably not part of the psalms when they were originally composed but were added by editors to aid in the interpretation of the poems. Nevertheless, there is no reason to discount them. The historical books of the Bible speak of David’s considerable accomplishments as a musician, singer, and composer of poems (1 Sam. 16:19–23; 18:10; 2 Sam. 1:17–27; 23:1–7; 1 Chr. 29:10–15). Moreover, one of David’s psalms is recorded in 2 Sam. 22 and reappears with only slight variation as Ps. 18. Parts of the medley that David presented to Asaph in 1 Chr. 16:8–36 are taken from Ps. 105:1–15, Ps. 96, and Ps. 106:1, 47, 48. Thus, the connection between King David and the Psalms is well documented.
Of course, David is not the only composer of the Psalms. Others include contemporaries of David whom he placed in charge of worship in Jerusalem: Ethan, Heman, and Asaph. Solomon followed in his father David’s footsteps by writing psalms as well as proverbs. Some of the earliest psalms were written by Moses, five centuries before the time of David. One priestly family, the sons of Korah, continued to write psalms for centuries. Women, such as Deborah (see Judg. 5) and Hannah (see 1 Sam. 2), wrote psalms as well. However, the composers of many of the psalms remain anonymous. Some of these anonymous psalms may be attributed to David, but certainly not all of them. Psalms were still being written during the time of Ezra. It was in Ezra’s time that the Book of Psalms as we know it was compiled.
Structure • Like the Pentateuch, the five books of Moses, the Book of Psalms is arranged in five sections:
Book I (Ps. 1–41),
Book II (Ps. 42–72),
Book III (Ps. 73–89),
Book IV (Ps. 90–106), and
Book V (Ps. 107–150).
Each book concludes with a doxology, an affirmation of praise to God found in the last verse or two of the concluding psalm. In the case of Book V, the entire last poem, Ps. 150, is the concluding doxology. The reason for this arrangement of the Book of Psalms is not clear. Most likely it had something to do with the use of the Psalms in the praise of God in temple worship. Books I and II are composed primarily of Davidic psalms; Book III includes the psalms of Asaph (Ps. 73–83) and the psalms of the sons of Korah (Ps. 84–88). Books IV and V include anonymous psalms, along with a few by David and others.
Categories of the Psalms • Many of the psalms can be identified as certain types by their theme.
The royal psalms emphasize God as King, often using the words “the Lord reigns.” These psalms speak of His rule as Creator, as Savior of Israel, and as the Coming One. The royal psalms often point forward to the coming rule of the Savior King, the Lord Jesus.
The psalms of Zion focus on Jerusalem, using its endearing name Zion. These psalms rhapsodize on the city as God’s choice for the site of His holy temple, the place for true worship of His name.
The penitential psalms are poems in which the poet confesses sin to the Lord, asks for and receives forgiveness, and then praises God for the renewed relationship that God’s forgiveness provides.
The wisdom psalms focus on some of the same issues that are found in the Book of Proverbs. These psalms present sharp contrasts between the righteous and the wicked, address God’s blessing and cursing, and often focus on righteous living.
One subcategory of the wisdom psalms is the Torah psalms. These are poems that focus on the beauty, truth, and sufficiency of the Law of God. Two other subcategories of the wisdom psalms are the creation psalms and the history psalms. In the creation psalms, the poet calls for the believer to praise God as the Creator of the universe and the Savior