The Book of Psalms - WBT

Purpose of The Book of Psalms:
A book of worship, praise, and prayer. The Psalms refer to God as the gravitational center of history and creation, but also of human life and emotion. There are 7 psalm styles - hymns, laments, thanksgiving psalms, psalms of confidence, psalms of remembrance, wisdom psalms, and kingship psalms.

Summary of The Book of Psalms:
The Psalms have been called the "Hymnbook of the Bible," placing the singing and honesty of God's people at the very center of the faith. Throughout the Bible, but in particular in the Psalms, singing is not offered as merely a pleasure, but an essential ingredient to the healthy Christian life.

It is worth noting that each book in the Psalter culminates with a word of praise, a doxology (cf. Psalm 41:13; 72:18-19; 89:52; 106:48, 150). The book of Psalms concludes with five “Hallelujah” psalms (Ps. 146-150). The final compiler of the Psalms wanted to have the last word to be one of praise to God. The book of Psalms reminds God’s people of the central importance of worshipping God and recalling his goodness, love, and wondrous deeds on their behalf.

The Psalms represent the full range of human emotions. Many Psalms are characterized by doubts and complaints, frustrations and pain. Other Psalms are expressions of praise and thanksgiving. The psalms and our emotions: the psalms arouse various emotions: reverence (5:7), shame (44:9), fear (56:3), sadness (6:6-7), anger (5:10), love (18:1), joy (16:11), doubt (73), and revenge (88).

The cure of the psalms:
The psalms provide:

• release for our emotions (especially the things we can only tell God),
• a rationality for our emotions (God allows for our emotions and makes sense of them for us),
• a relief for our emotions (we are aloud and designed to feel emotions deeply… and God loves it)

Author and Dates of The Book of Psalms:
The Psalms were written during a thousand year period, approximately 1400 B.C. to 400 B.C. These prayer-songs emerged out of every possible human experience in every possible circumstance.

Themes of The Book of Psalms:
Singing – God desires His people to sing.
Praise – Many of the Psalms praise God for His goodness, power, and royalty.
Lament – Several Psalms are expressions of pain and frustration.
Thanksgiving – The Psalms reveal the power of an appreciative heart.
Wisdom – There are some Psalms that teach and observe that which is wise and prudent.