By Dr. Barry L. Davis
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God (Colossians 3:16).
Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord (Ephesians 5:19).
Paul’s admonition to the church includes the continued use of the Psalms in the worship of the New Testament assembly as well as in the life of the individual Christian. Although these great works were written many years prior to the incarnation of the church, their timeless beauty and relevance are applicable to all of God’s people at all times and in all circumstances. God’s revelation through the psalmists was understood by the Apostle to be a significant source of inspiration for all who seek a deeper relationship with the Lord. It is through the singing, praying, meditation, and admonition of the Psalms that the Christian can grow devotionally nearer to the presence of God.
Ever since I began taking the Bible seriously, the Psalms have stood out as an incredible literary work. When I took courses in Hebrew language and Old Testament Poetry during my undergraduate studies I was duly impressed with the remarkable structure of the Psalms and the technical mastery of the biblical writers. Yet I did not really begin to understand the value of the Psalms until years later when I began to pray through them. It was when I began to meditate upon the Psalmist’s words, word-by-word, line-by-line, paragraph-by-paragraph, that I was able to fully appreciate the tremendous impact these literary wonders could have on my devotional life. As I considered the words written by David and the other Psalmists I was amazed at the relevance they had to my own life, both in times of struggle and in times of rejoicing. I took the words as they were written and adopted them to my own circumstances. Paraphrasing the Psalmist’s prayer and making it my own revolutionized my prayer life. My understanding of God has reached heights that I had previously longed for. The sometimes stale lapses in my time with God began to grow farther and farther apart. No longer was I faltering for words to say. The Psalms had come alive and became a source of communication both from God and to God.
The following information regarding the Psalms and Old Testament poetry in general will help you tremendously in your study of this genre. I am indebted to many others for background information for the following material, not least of which is Wilbur Fields, Professor of Old Testament and Archaeology at Ozark Christian College.
The Divine Name in the Psalms
While in English God is addressed in a somewhat generic fashion, in Hebrew specific names were used for addressing God, oftentimes based upon the nature of the request or reason for praise. The prayers included in this book use the Divine Names as found in the Psalm used as the basis for each prayer. Fortunately, our English translations consistently translate these words so that you can discern which name was used without the knowledge of Hebrew. The primary names for God are listed below.
ELOHIM: Translated God, god, or gods, in our English translations. Elohim describes God as Creator, Preserver, Transcendent, Might and Strong.
YAHWEH: Translated LORD in our English Bibles (all upper case). Yahweh is the covenant name of God. Yahweh means The Self-Existent One, "I AM WHO I AM" or 'I WILL BE WHO I WILL BE" as revealed to Moses at the burning bush in Exodus 3. This name for God was used whenever God made a covenant with His people. This is the name for God as the God of Israel.
ADONAI: Translated Lord in our English translations. Adonai is plural, the singular is Adon. Adonai means Master or Lord. This word is always plural when referring to God, when singular the reference is to a human lord.
SHADDAI: Translated The Almighty in our English Bibles. El Shaddai means God Almighty.
ELYON: Translated The Most High in our English translations.
The Five Books of Psalms
Although not evident in many translations, the book of Psalms is subdivided into five books. Each book ends with a doxology.
Book 1 – Psalms 1-41 (41 Psalms)
This section contains Psalms that are address God as Yahweh 271 times and Elohim 20 times. Most of the Psalms in this section are written by David, including Psalm 2 which is attributed to David in the New Testament (Acts 4:25). A number of Psalms in this section refer to David’s personal experiences (including Psalms 13,23,32,39). All geographical references in this section refer to Northern Israel. Book 1 is most likely David’s personal collection of Psalms.
Doxology: Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen (Psalm 41:13).
Book 2 – Psalms 42-72 (31 Psalms)
This section contains Psalms that address God as Elohim 155 times and Yahweh 26 times. There are various authors in this section, but the majority are attributed to David (18). Korah wrote 7 of these Psalms, Asaph 1, Solomon 1, and the rest have anonymous authors. Korah lived during the same period as Moses. Asaph was one of David’s leading musicians. Book 2 is a collection of Davidic and later songs written during Solomon’s time. Solomon was known for collecting songs (1 Kings 4:32).
Doxology: Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds. Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen. This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse. (Psalm 72:18-20).
Book 3 – Psalms 73-89 (17 Psalms)
These Psalms are almost evenly divided in their manner of address to God. Elohim is addressed 44 times and Yahweh 43 times. 11 Psalms are attributed to Asaph, 4 to Korah, 1 to David, and Ethan 1. Four liturgical Psalms (74,76,78,80) are included that might have been used for temple worship. This collection is most likely from the time of King Hezekiah or King Josiah (Prov. 25:1; 2 Chron. 29:25-27).
Doxology: Praise be to the LORD forever! Amen and Amen (Psalm 89:52).
Book 4 – Psalms 90-106 (17 Psalms)
The overwhelming majority of references to God in these Psalms are to Yahweh (101 compared to 6 to Elohim). Very few titles are given to these Psalms – 11 have no titles, 3 are ascribed to David, 1 to Moses, and 2 (Psalm 98 and 100) with vague titles. Book 4 is likely a pre-Davidic collection, possibly edited and enlarged by David. This may have been David’s liturgical collection.
Doxology: Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, "Amen!" Praise the LORD (Psalm 106:48).
Book 5 – Psalms 107-150 (44 Psalms)
Like Book 4, references to Yahweh dominate this collection (223 compared to 9 to Elohim). Most of these Psalms are untitled. 28 are ascribed to Anon, 14 to David, and 1 to Solomon. Psalms 146-150 all begin and end with “Hallelujah” (Praise ye Yah). This appears to be a doxology to end all doxologies. Most likely Book 5 is a closing collection of Psalms made in the time of Ezra or Nehemiah.
Doxology: Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD (Psalm 150).
Types of Psalms
While there are many similarities between Psalms, it is possible to categorize some of them into the following types:
Penitential psalms (Psalm 6; 32; 38; 51; 102; 130; 143). These express sorrow for sin and repentance for wrongs committed.
Hallellujah or Praise psalms (Psalm 106; 111-113; 117; 135; 146-150). Hallelujah is a Hebrew word meaning “Praise the Lord”. Each of these psalms begins with this instruction.
Imprecatory psalms (Psalm 35; 52; 58; 59; 69; 79; 83; 109; 137; 140 in addition there are many imprecatory verses within other Psalms). These are prayers that evil or punishment might come upon a person or group of people.
Songs of Ascents or Songs of Degrees or Pilgrim psalms (Psalm 120-134). Two probable theories lie behind these psalms. 1) These psalms were sung by pilgrims on their return to Jerusalem from distant lands; 2) These psalms were sung on the steps of the temple. The pilgrims would sing one psalm on one step, and then move to the next step where they would sing the next psalm.
Messianic psalms (Psalms 2; 16:8-11; 18:4-6,49-50; 22:1,6-8,13,16-18,22-31; 45; 68:18; 69:8-9; 78:2; 110:1-7; 118:22-23). These psalms contain prophecies about the coming Messiah (Jesus Christ). Some descriptions are more vivid than others.
Alphabetic or Acrostic psalms (Psalm 9, 10, 25, 34, 37, 111-112, 119, 145). Each line or stanza begins with a word beginning with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
Characteristics of Psalms
Psalms are Poetry
Ancient Hebrew poetry, as found in the Psalms, is much different than what most of us ordinarily would consider poetry. We understand poetry based on rhythm and rhyme. The Hebrews used a technique called parallelism. By using different types of parallelism, the first line of poetry is expanded on by the second in various ways. This type of poetry can be translated into any language without any concern for rhyme. The issue is keeping the parallel structures intact.
Following are the different types of parallelism used in the book of Psalms along with an example of each:
Synonymous parallelism: the first line is echoed in the second, with only a slight change of terms:
Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain? (Psalm 2:1; cf. also 3:1).
Antithetical parallelism: the words of the first line are affirmed in the second, not by repetition, but by contrast:
For the Lord watches over the way of the
righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish (Psalm 1:6; cf. 40:4).
Climactic parallelism: the second line refines, develops and completes the thought of the first:
Ascribe to the Lord, O families of nations,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength (Psalm 96:7).
Synthetic parallelism: the second line develops the thought of the first, but without quoting words from the first line (as does climactic parallelism):
Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the Lord our Maker (Psalm 95:6).
Emblematic parallelism: the first line introduces a figure of speech which is explained in the second:
As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, O God (Ps. 42:1).
Formal relationship (parallelism): the first and second lines have only a formal, structural relationship—more a relationship of proximity (neighbors, so to speak), than of logic or sequence of thought:
O God, whom I praise,
do not remain silent (Psalm 109:1).
Psalms are Songs
With all the musical terminology and instructions found in various Psalms, this fact would be hard to miss. In the early church, the Psalms were used as a hymnbook. Some Christian traditions still use this type of hymnody exclusively even today.
In the Hebrew Bible the title of the Psalms is Tehillim, which means “songs of praise.” In the LXX (Greek translation of the Old Testament – the Septuagint) the term Psalmoi is used. The verb form of this word originally referred to the plucking of strings with the fingers. Eventually, Psalmoi came to mean sacred songs sung to musical accompaniment.
This should serve as a testimony to the importance God places on music and singing in worship. God loves to be praised in this way (e.g. Psalm 150)
.
Psalms are Prayers
Early Christians used the book of Psalms, not only as a hymnal, but also as a devotional guide for prayer. Book 2 of Psalms ends with this verse: This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse (Psalm 72:20).
Using the Psalms as a guide for prayer will revolutionize your prayer life. That’s what this book is all about.
Terms to Help You Understand the Psalms
Amen – Hebrew word meaning “truly”, “certainly”, “surely”, “verily.”
Acrostic – Successive lines, or longer units, started with words whose first letters are successive letters of the alphabet.
Alliteration – Associated words starting with the same letter or sound.
Antiphonal – Singing responsively by two or more groups.
Assonance – Associated words having the same syllable sounds.
Chiasmus, chiastic – Inversion of the order of syntactically parallel phrases, clauses, or stichs.
Doxology – Literally, “a word of glory”. A brief ascription of praise to God.
Foot (metric) – An accented syllable with one or more accented syllables joined.
Hallelujah – A Hebrew word meaning “Praise ye JAH” (Yahweh).
Hemistich – Half a line.
Imprecatory, imprecation – A prayer that God will destroy or harm someone.
Kethubim – Third division of the Hebrew Bible. Contains poetic books and some others.
Liturgy, liturgical – A ritual or ceremony prescribed for public worship.
Maskil – An instructive or meditative psalm (meaning uncertain).
Masoretic Text – The common Hebrew Bible, compiled A.D. 500-900.
Miktam – Heading of Psalms 16, 56-60. (meaning uncertain, possibly a “psalm of covering, of sin, or expiation”).
Mizmor – Hebrew word for musical accompaniment, or a song sung to musical accompaniment.
Ode – A song; a lyric poem.
Onomatopeia – Words sounding like the actions they refer to.
Paliological – Same term used in two successive stichs.
Parallelism – The structural relationship between successive lines of Hebrew poetry.
Penitential – Characterized by sorrow over wrongdoing.
Qinah (or kinah) meter – A lament meter.
Selah – Musical term occurring 71 times in 39 psalms and Habakkuk (meaning uncertain, possibly a musical interlude, or direction for a cymbal clash).
Shiggaion – Rhapsody, dithyramb, wild song.
Shir – Hebrew word meaning “a song”.
Stich – A line of poetry (made up of two or more “feet” – see above).
Strophe – A group of lines (stichs) forming a stanza.
Tehillah, tehillim – Hebrew words meaning, “praise”, “Praises”. This is the Hebrew title of the book of Psalms.
Tephillah – Hebrew word meaning “prayer”. Sometimes a title for a psalm.
Interpreting the Psalms
First, we need to be prepared to accept the fact that literary and poetic beauty is a part of the nature of God and His revelation to humankind. Our primary focus is on the message God has revealed, but we also need to appreciate the literary form in which that message is given.
Second, most Old Testament poetry is not tied to any dispensation. It is applicable to the time in which it was written, the present, as well as the future ( Note how Peter used Psalm 34:12-16 in 1 Peter 3:10-12).
Third, the majority of Old Testament poetry points toward Christ, even if it is in an indirect fashion. Christ is the main theme of the entire Bible, with biblical poetry being no exception (Compare Psalm 32:1 with Romans 4:6-8; Psalm 16:8-11 with Acts 2:25-28; Psalm 69:22 with Romans 11:9).
Fourth, parallelism (see above) can help determine meaning. Once the type of parallelism is understood, the meaning becomes clearer. Parallelism was used as a writing technique to make a particular point. This should not be overlooked when interpreting the Psalms.
Fifth, promises that sound unconditional in one passage do not cancel out conditions, responsibilities and exceptions stated in other passages. Our interpretation must be a synthesis of what all verses on the subject say.
Sixth, the poetry of the Old Testament was written during the time of the Mosaic law. Some of the promises made during that period, especially those dealing with material possessions, cannot be applied unconditionally today.
Seventh, statements presented as generally true do not have to be understood as universally true.
Eighth, as with the entire Bible, scripture must interpret scripture. God appears to have permitted some personal thoughts and feelings of the writers of poetry to be expressed and recorded in the Bible; while other scripture passages show that their statements are hardly the norm.