Psalms Images and
NotesThe Book of Psalms
Psalm
2:7-9 - I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto
me, Thou [art] my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me,
and I shall give [thee] the heathen [for] thine inheritance, and
the uttermost parts of the earth [for] thy possession. Thou
shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in
pieces like a potter's vessel.
Psalm
8:3-4 - When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy
fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What
is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that
thou visitest him?
Psalm
53:1-3 - The fool hath
said in his heart, [There is] no God. Corrupt are they, and have
done abominable iniquity: [there is] none that doeth good. God
looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if
there were [any] that did understand, that did seek God. Every
one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy;
[there is] none that doeth good, no, not one.
The Old Testament - A Brief Overview
Bible Survey - Psalms
Hebrew Name - Tehillim "praises"
Greek Name - Psalmoi (Greek form of the Hebrew mizmor, meaning instrument
songs)
Author - David (According to Tradition)
Date - 1056 BC Approximately
Theme - Give praise to the Lord
Types and Shadows - In Psalms Jesus is the One worthy of all praise
Painted Sketch of the Tomb of King David in Second Temple
Jerusalem
Summary of The Book of Psalms
The title of the Book of Psalms in the Hebrew is sepher
tehillim, meaning "book of praises", and indeed it is a fitting
title. Every chapter is devoted to praise and thanksgiving from
the author to Yahweh. This book clearly provides hope and
confidence in the Lord as the maker of all things, the ultimate
ruler of everything including the universe. He sees everything,
knows everything, he has no limits, his presence is everywhere
even in darkness there is no hiding and he is to be praised.
The Psalms are full of religious poetry and this was not
uncommon in the ancient Near Eastern nations and peoples, and it
was not surprising for the Hebrews to have produced such a
powerful work. David was the recognized writer of the Psalms and
they are many times referred to as the Psalms of David, although
some of the chapters are not attributed to him in the notes.
The Psalms of David included Psalms 2-41 (except Psalms 33),
Psalms 51-72, Psalms 108-110, and Psalms 138-145. David was no
doubt a very skillful musician, the Bible mentions that he
played the lyre for King Saul (1 Samuel 16:23), and the prophet
Amos mentions that David invented instruments of music for
worship of the Lord (Amos 6:5). There is also mention in the
book of Samuel about David lamenting over Saul and Jonathan in a
poetic fashion revealing his natural ability.
David went to many experiences in his life that he wrote
about, especially when he was hunted down by King Saul from
place to place like a "Partridge" in the wilderness. David was a
young shepherd, he knew what it was like to tend his flock and
to guard them from predators, this gave him a beautiful imagery
for the Lord the great Shepherd. David was also a musician, a
man of war, a king, a father, a husband, a friend, and many
more. He repented over his sin in Psalm 51, acknowledging
himself to be a sinner before God and God alone. God called
David "a man after my own heart" and these experiences allowed
him to share with the reader, a man who knew the heart of God.
David was a master at finding different ways to praise God in
life experiences and the book of Psalms is a wonder book for
those who want to know how to please God. He was filled with the
Holy Spirit (1 Samuel 16:13). There is no doubt the David wrote
most of the Psalms, and the ones that he did not write are in
his style as well.
Among the Psalms are two collections of Levitical Psalms, one
is ascribed to the "sons of Korah" (Psalms 42-49), the other is
ascribed to Asaph (Psalms 73-83 and Psalms 50). These exalt the
tribes of Joseph. There are Psalms mentioning Moses, Haman,
Ethan, and Solomon, some are anonymous (Psalm 33, 84-89). Some
of the Psalms reveal a strong liturgical emphasis which might've
been used in worship services, or on special days and do not
mention the author (Psalms 91-100).
It is impossible to determine exactly how the Psalms were
compiled and collected, and dating them is also difficult for
most of the Psalms. Some of the Psalms are commemorating
victories, while others are historical, remembering the Lord and
God's people in past events. Other Psalms are prophetic and look
to the future and the coming of the Messiah, as well as the
heavenly kingdom. There are Psalms of affliction, lamentation
and remorse over sin, as well as songs of Thanksgiving and
trusting the Lord.
Some of the songs were chosen to be good for reciting on
certain Jewish holy days, like the Sabbath, or Passover, the
feast of Tabernacles, etc. There are titles on about 100 of the
Psalms, the titles are so old that they cannot be understood
even in the second century BC. Some of the titles point to the
source of the Psalm, while others point to a certain purpose, or
a certain melody, or something related to music.
Outline of the Book of Psalms
Psalms is divided into five books : Psalms 1-41, which
witness to David's life and faith; Psalms 42-72, a group of historical writings;
Psalms 73-99,
ritual psalms; Psalms 90-106, reflecting pre-captivity sentiment and history; and
Psalms 107-150, dealing with the captivity and return to Jerusalem. These five books
are often regarded as the devotional counterpart to the five books of Moses
(Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy).
ARCHAEOLOGY
House of David
Inscription - Tel Dan Stele
1 Kings 2:11 -
And the days that
David reigned over Israel [were] forty years: seven years
reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in
Jerusalem.
An
inscription containing the words "house of David" was
found on a black basalt stone slab called the Tel Dan
Stele, from Tel Dan, Israel, 9th Century B.C.
Interesting facts about the Psalms: The book of Psalms is the
longest book in the Bible. The 119th Psalm is a longest chapter in the
whole Bible. The 117th Psalm is the shortest chapter in the Bible and
located in the middle. When the Old Testament is quoted in the New
Testament by someone, over one third of all the quotes are from the
Psalms.
Quick Reference Map
Map of the Empires of David and Solomon (Click to
Enlarge)
Quick Reference Maps -
Psalms
Hebron
Mahanaim
Zion and the City of David
The Kidron Valley and David's City
The Empire of David and Solomon
The Kingdom of David
Shiloh
Kirjath Jearim
Jabesh Gilead
Michmash
Judah in the Time of David
The City of Nob and David's Flight
Psalms Resources
Samuel
the Prophet
Saul,
Israel's First King
King
David
King
Solomon
More About the Book of
Psalms
Psalms in the Picture
Study Bible
Timeline of the Ancient
World
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