Deep Dive into The Bible Knowledge Commentary by John F. Walvoord et al. - Psalms Introduction

The Book of Psalms is the largest collection of ancient religious lyric poetry in existence and forms the most powerful and complete expression of the worship of ancient Israel. Defined as the inspired responses of human hearts to God’s revelation, the Psalms reveal the full spectrum of religious feelings of the faithful, including fears, doubts, tragedies, triumphs, joys, and hopes. The Hebrew title for the collection, the “Book of Praises,” is fitting because most of the psalms contain an element of praise, often progressing beyond petition and lament to celebrating God.

The predominant feature of Hebrew poetic structure is poetic parallelism, characterized by the repetition of meaning in parallel expressions. Standard forms include Synonymous parallelism, where equivalent terms or units of thought are paralleled; Antithetical parallelism, which uses the opposition or contrast of thoughts to balance parallel elements; and Emblematic parallelism, where one unit serves as a metaphorical illumination of the other.

The Psalms are classified into various forms reflecting their liturgical and ritual use, such as Individual Laments, National Laments, Thanksgiving Psalms, and Descriptive Praise Psalms (hymns). Other specialized types include Wisdom Psalms, Royal Psalms, and Pilgrim Songs. These categories help explain the poetry's function, whether serving as a prayer for help, a guide for conduct, or a declaration of God's greatness.

The writing of the Psalms spanned a period from Moses, who is credited with Psalm 90, through the return from the Captivity. King David is credited with 73 of the psalms and is remembered as the primary organizer of the musical guilds for the sanctuary. The entire Psalter is divided into five books, concluding with Psalm 150, a grand doxology. The English title “Psalms” is derived from the Greek translation of the Hebrew term mizmôr, which signifies music accompanied by stringed instruments. The overarching theological belief expressed throughout the collection is that the Lord, who sovereignly rules the universe, will establish His just rule on earth through His people.

Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologian

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