Psalms

the name “Psalms” comes from the Hebrew language. In Hebrew the word “Psalms” means "praises" and in Greek it means "songs." Historically, the book of Psalms covers the time from Moses until the end of the exile of Israel. Although some scholars consider the titles of the Psalms difficult to understand, it is known that the title of each Psalm elucidates the historical context of the biblical passage. One of the main purposes of the book of Psalms is to describe the liturgical and religious life of Israel’s people. Furthermore, the book of Psalms could lead current believers to worship God biblically as observed in the history of Israel. By analyzing specific historical characteristics of the book of Psalms, it…

The Psalms of Solomon are a series of 18 pseudonymous Jewish poems written in Greek and Syriac (It is assumed they were translated from Hebrew). These psalms explore various topics ranging from military attacks to halakik disputes. It is assumed that these psalms were written in the first century BCE. Psalm 1 introduces the theme of warfare, and transcends from a ‘women’s’ (Jerusalem) prayer for deliverance from foreign invaders, to God’s justification in attacking the inhabitants of Jerusalem…

The psalms are one of the more interactive portions of the bible. I say this because there is room for reflection and interpretation from the reader. The psalms are relatable to everyday emotions, such as grieve, joy, anger, and many others. The use of poetry in these portions of the bible allow the reader some creative analysis, which carries higher complexity and understanding of the readings. The topics of these poetic writings assigned are diverse, yet manage to remain around similar themes.…

Wisdom Psalms tend to share a common theme: 1. Blessing of righteous (may include the righteous observance of the LAW and its practical application) 2. Condemnation of the unrighteous (may include the wrong doing, hatred of God and His LAW) 3. Promoted positive reflections on the LAW and obedience Wisdom themes are not solely limited to the Psalms and the three other books. It is found throughout scripture in man practical ways, interwoven in the historical accounts and New Testament…

Introduction The book of Psalms was a compilation of poems that were sung in worship sessions. Singing Psalms was one way that helped the reader to understand the message being spoken. The scriptures are the witnesses of people of the Old Testament. Among others, David was one of the authors of the Psalms. This book is identified as the wisdom book. We will all need wisdom at some point in our life’s journey and Psalms, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes can assist us with knowledge and understanding…

Rigid Structure To The Laments of Psalms? "Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever! Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?" (Psalms 44:23-24 ESV). If many of us have been taught by our parents to put on a happy face, to let a smile be our umbrella, or to keep our complaints to ourselves, then the Old Testament offers a corrective to these teachings in the Psalms of lament. Matthew Schlimm believes that we sometimes…

Psalm 35 is also known as the Psalm of David. The whole psalm is an appeal to heaven from a bold heart and a clear conscience, irritated beyond measure by oppression and hatred. Beyond a doubt David 's Lord may be seen here by the spiritual eye. Psalm 35 was written either about David and his revenge against Saul, or about a legal court: the proceedings, defense and appeal. Both ideas were split into three main parts. The Psalm of David should be “classified as belonging to the form group:…

We can deduct from this example that God has every right to give you moments of great victory and humiliation in the same physical location. While he was living like a refugee, he penned two of the Psalms. Psalm 34 is a reminder to praise God and thank him for his deliverance. Though David's antics were questionable, he nevertheless did give God the praise for his deliverance and wrote a song concerning it. Psalm 56 was the second song written while running away from Saul. It encourages the…

Biblical Poetic Readers: Learning How To Know God Can you live in the world, partake of the ways of the world, and yet please God? Psalm 1 is written by an anonymous psalmist, however, the reader can see the psalmist knows God, as well as understands that life without him is bleak. The Wisdom of the psalmist has shined through this Psalm to create this illustration of a wonderful wisdom psalm, perhaps through personal experience or sometime in his life, God revealed to him the importance of the…

within the church for the book of Psalms. And Tremper Longman III accurately identifies in his Preface that the Psalms are both “familiar” and “foreign” to many people in the church. People in and outside of the church are constantly exposed to the Psalms. It is a common book for devotionals and laments. However, even with people’s daily exposure with the book it has not made the text much clearer in regards to the poetic idioms, expressions, and structures that people have struggled to…