WHAT ARE THE PSALMS

n  What are the Psalms

The Book of Psalms in the OT

In the Jewish Tradition, the Old Testament is

referred to as TANACH—which is an acronym for

the three major sections of the OT: 1) TORAH, the

first five books, 2) NEVI’IM, the prophets and 3)

K’TUVIM, writings, third section which is a miscellany of

various and varied literature, including the Song of Songs,

the Book of Esther, Lamentations, and the so called

“wisdom literature” of Koheleth (Ecclesiastes), Proverbs,

and Job. 

The Book of Psalms is found in this third

section of the Old Testament, the K’TUVIM

n  King David and the Psalms

n  Traditionally, Psalms is said to have been written by King David. Indeed, the Book of Psalms is frequently referred to as the Psalms of David. Midrah Tehillim, a medieval commentary on the Book of Psalms says: “Moses gave Israel the Five Books of the Torah and correspondingly, David gave them the Five Books of Psalms.

n  There is a lovely midrash—a rabbinic story—about King David.

n  It is said that when David went to sleep at night, he hung his harp over his bed.

n  As he slept, the four winds came and plucked the strings of his harp.

n  David would awake and sing along.

n  According to the story, these songs became the Psalms.

n  Why did King David’s association with the Psalms arise?

n  The most obvious reason is that out of the 150 Psalms, 73 begin with the superscription (introductory phrase) L’David.

n  The most obvious translation of the phrase L’David is “of David,” although it also has various other meanings.

n  The 73 Psalms then were taken to be that of David, and thus, by David.

n  By extension, the work as a whole was attributed to him.

n  The Book of Psalms can also be attributed to David because the very literary form of the work fits nicely with what we know about him.

n  The biography of David contained in the two Books of Samuel tells us a number of things that connect him to this work.

n  In his youth David was a skillful lyre player and an inventor of musical instruments.

n  He is said to have been a composer of songs and won his first public recognition as a singer.

n  He was acclaimed as the “sweet singer of Israel.”

n  Later, he is said to have been responsible for organizing the guilds of Temple singers and musicians.

n  Another reason for ascribing the Books of Psalms to King David is that many of the Psalms portray circumstances and emotional states that harmonize with what we read about David’s life in the books of First and Second Samuel and First Kings.

n  Thus one can associate some of the Psalms with specific aspects of the life of David.

n  Psalm 2 is easily linked to the establishment of the Davidic dynasty.

n  The shepherd motif of Psalm 23 and other Psalms can certainly be connected with David’s occupation in his younger days.

n  Psalm 110 can be read as depicting David’s coronation as king.

n  Most notably, Psalm 18 is duplicated in its entirety in 2 Samuel, Chapter 22.

n   Jewish tradition found this association with the life of King David so compelling that much of the commentary on the Book of Psalms is devoted to associating particular Psalms to events in David’s life.

n  Modern scholarship suggests that King David may not have written all of the Psalms, or any of them.

n  What can be stated with certainty is that many of the Psalms originated in a time much later than David’s lifetime (which was around 1000 BC).

n  Many appear to come from the time when the first Temple was standing, which was well after David’s death.

n   Some reflect specific historic events from later periods.

n  Most famously, Psalm 137 talks about the Babylonian Exile—hundreds of years after David’s death.

n  Others portray the return of the exiles to Jerusalem, the rebuilding of the Temple, and perhaps even its dedication.

n  However, there is a beautiful and rich theological significance of DAVID as the central human figure in the Book of Psalms.

n  He is a paradigm for Israel, for the whole of humanity, for each one of us.

n  For in the biblical David the FUNDAMENTAL EXPERIENCE OF HUMAN LIFE CAN BE FOUND:

n  He sought God.

n  He fell in love.

n  He sinned.

n  He repented.

n  He experienced forgiveness.

n  He is a man of ambition

n   He experienced deep joy and profound grief. 

n  He has many friends as well as enemies.

n  He knew loyalty as well as betrayal in friendship.

n  He was innocent as he was guilty.

n  He experienced birth and death of loved ones.

n  He was persecuted as well as lifted up.

n  He was generous yet greedy.

n  He was a king who suffered defeat and emerged triumphant.

n  He knew peace as well as violence.

n  In short, HE IS A MAN WHO KNEW LAUDS AND SUPPLICATIONS.

n  HE KNEW HOW IT IS TO PRAISE AND TO PRAY!

n  The Book of Psalms as the most unique

n  The 5 books of the Torah record the history of salvation.

n  They narrate and reveal the wonders God has done, beginning from the creation of the world, the establishment of His people, freedom from Egypt, to their journey to the promised land.

n  The Torah tells the story of God’s creative work and gift of salvation, God’s promises and their unfolding and fulfillment.

n  The original and fundamental revelation is thus contained in the Torah.

n  The Prophets on the other hand contain the word, another fundamental element, that interprets the history of salvation narrated in the Torah.

n  Moreover, the other books found in K’TUVIM, especially the wisdom literature are religious teachings.

n  They can be said to be another word of interpretation.

n  We take note of the MOVEMENT—from the STORY (the Torah) to the WORD OF INTERPRETATION (Prophets and The Writings, esp. the Wisdom Literature).

n   Then comes the Book of Psalms that contains the response of Israel to the STORY and ITS INTERPRETATION.

n  It is noteworthy that the Book of Psalms is divided in 5 sections.

n  This brings us back to the First Five Books of the OT, the Torah.

n  It thus signifies that the Book of Psalms is but a response as a prayer to God’s works of wonders and His salvation narrated in the Torah.

n  It is the cry of the human who needs God’s wonders and His salvation.

n  Therefore, the Book of Psalms is the STORY and ITS INTERPRETATION becoming into a PRAYER.

n  In this way, the Book of Psalms is the most unique of all the books in the Old Testament.

n  It is the book that teaches us to lift our hands in praise and thanksgiving to the wonder of God’s creation.

n  It teaches us as well to bend our knees in supplication when in need of His salvation.