MASTER’S COLLEGE OF THEOLOGY

VISHAKAPATNAM
Topic: Book of Psalms Class: B.D.O
Subject: Bible: Its Content and Message I: OT Date: 05-09-2022
Presenter: K. Deepthi Evangeline Subject Faculty: Mr. P. Suresh
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BOOK OF PSALMS

Introduction:
The book of Psalms is a very interesting and very large composition of songs or psalm sung
by different people. The Greek word for psalm is "psalmos", from the Hebrew word “zmr”
meaning “to pluck”, i.e., taking hold of the strings of an instrument with the fingers. It
implies that the psalms were originally composed to be accompanied by a stringed
instrument. Let us know some more interesting facts about the book of psalms in this paper.

1. Title:
The title of this book in the Hebrew Bible is Tehillim, which means “praise
songs.” The title adopted by the Septuagint translators for their Greek version was Psalmoi
meaning "songs to the accompaniment of a stringed instrument." This Greek word translates
the Hebrew word mizmor that occurs in the titles of 57 of the psalms. In time, the Greek word
psalmoicame to mean "songs of praise" without reference to stringed accompaniment. The
English translators transliterated the Greek title, resulting in the title "Psalms" in English
Bibles.

2. The Theme of the Psalms:

Te book of Psalms is not a unified composition in the sense of a modern treatise. It is
also edited anthology, in which certain themes are highlighted by the frequency with
which they occur and by their placement in the collection. Nonetheless, they provide an
ample window on Israelite and ancient Jewish spirituality. Since the psalms lend themselves
to liturgical use, they have been used constantly over the centuries. Succeeding generations of
Jews and Christians have found in the Psalms the language to help them express both their
existential anxiety and their wonder and admiration for the God of creation.

3. AUTHORS:
Most of the Psalms were written by King David with the exception of the following:
-Asaph:50;73-83
-Heman:88
-Ethan:89
-Solomon:l27
-Moses:90
-Hezekiah: l20, l2l,l23,l25,l26,l28-l30,l32, l34.
-Author Unknown: 1, 10, 33, 43, 66, 67, 71, 91-94, 96-100, 102, 104, 106, 107, 111-
119,135,136,137,146-150

4. TYPES OF PSALMS:

 Psalms Of Instruction: The word “Maschil” in the title means these and other Psalms are
to be used for instruction or teaching. (Psalms 32, 44, 52, and 78 are examples.)

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 Ethical Psalms: These psalms teach moral principles. Example: Psalm 15.

 Psalms of Praise And Adoration: In these Psalms God's greatness, mercy, love, and
power arethetheme.(SeePsalms8,29.)

 Psalms of History: These recall historical events of the nation of Israel. (See Psalms 78,
l05 and l06.)

 Psalms of Prayer and Supplication: Making requests of God. (An example is Psalm 86.)
 Psalms of Thanksgiving: An example is Psalm l8.

 Imprecatory Psalms: The word "imprecatory" means cursing. These Psalms are not for
personal revenge, nor are bad language used. As a prophet of God, the writer is simply
speaking out against sin and the enemies of God. (Examples of these are Psalms 35, 55,
58, 59, 69, 83, l09, l37 and l40.) These Psalms can be applied spiritually against satanic
attacks, fleshly sins and habits, and opposition to the Gospel. They should not be used
against individuals. Believers should not pray “curses” on people because it is the
goodness of God that draws men to repentance, not curses.

 ConfessionPsalms:ExamplesarePsalms6,32,38,5l,l02,l30andl43.3

 Suffering Psalms: These psalms are examples of those suffering affliction. Example:
Psalms
102.

 Songs of Ascent: These were possibly sung on pilgrims on the way to Jerusalem to
observe the feasts. They are grouped together in Psalms120-134.

 Alphabetic or Acrostic: These psalms have lines which start with certain letters that
follow a pattern in Hebrew. For example, in Psalm 119, the first eight lines start with
words beginning with the Hebrew letter Aleph. The second eight lines start with words
beginning with Beth, etc.

 Messianic Psalms: These Psalms, or portions of them, give prophecies relating to the
coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

5. GENERAL OUTLINE:

It is difficult to outline the book of Psalms as each chapter focuses on different subject
matter. Many of the Psalms have titles which either tells the occasion when the Psalm was
written or the purpose of the Psalm. Some of the Psalms were not given titles so we can only
speculates to when and why they were written. Here is a general outline of the book:

5.1. Part One:

Psalms: l-41
Number of Psalms: 4l
Summary of content: Concerns man, his state of blessedness, fall, and recovery.
Keyword: Man
Final doxology: 4l: l3

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5.2. Part Two:
Psalms: 42-72
Number of Psalms: 3l
Summary of content: Israel, herruin, her Redeemer.
Keyword: Deliverance
Final doxology: 42:l8-l9

5.3. Part Three:

Psalms: 73-89
Number of Psalms: 17
Summary of content: Looking forward to the establishment of the sanctuary.
Keyword: Sanctuary
Final doxology: 89:52

5.4. Part Four:

Psalms: 90-l06
Number of Psalms: l7

Summary of the content: the earth- The blessing needed, anticipated, and enjoyed.
Key words: Unrest, wandering (which describes the believer's position in the present world).
Final doxology: 106: 48.

5.5. Part Five

Psalms: 107-150
Number of Psalms: 44
Summary of content: The Word of God
Key words: Word of God
Final doxology: l50:6

6. THEOLOGICALMESSAGE:

A discussion of the theological message of the Psalm is difficult for two reasons. First, the
book is composed of 150 individual compositions and, accordingly, does not present a
systematically developed argument. Second, the psalms are prayers sung to God; thus, they
present us with the words of the congregation addressed to God, rather than the word of God
addressed to the people of Israel. How, then, is it possible to speak of the theological
concerns of the Psalter?

Reading through the book of Psalms, one comes away with the impression that joy is the
predominant mood. It is true that the Psalter does not present us with a neatly developed
systematic theology. The psalms do not progressively unfold the character of Godor the
nature of his relationship with human beings from its beginning to its end. However, the
psalms are a rich source for theological teaching and reflection. While it is correct to say that
the Psalter’s theology is not systematic, we must be quick, on the other side, to affirm that it
is extensive—so extensive, in fact, that the Psalter is a “microcosm” of the teaching of the
whole Old Testament.

In the well-known words of Martin Luther, the book of Psalms is “a little Bible, and the
summary of the Old Testament.” Therefore, the real difficulty in a discussion of the theology

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of the Psalter is not lack of subject matter, but the realization that the theology of the Psalter
is coextensive with the theology of the Old Testament. The other potential stumbling block to
a theology of the Psalter is that it is a book composed primarily of prayers. Men and women
cry out to God. In this regard, the Psalms may be contrasted with the bulk of the Old
Testament. In the prophets, for instance, we clearly hear the voice of God as he addressed the
community through his chosen mediator (cf. the familiar phrase “thus says the Lord”). Many
conclude from this contrast that the book of Psalms presents us with the human response to
the divine encounter. Thus, while instructive, the teaching is not normative theology. Many
people support such a view of the Psalter with an appeal to the curses of the psalms ( 69:22–
29; 109:6–21).

God is not teaching his people to hate his enemies, is he? After all, elsewhere God teaches
that his people should love their enemies. It is incontestably true that the psalms are prayers,
not oracles. However, their inclusion in the canon attests to their nature as the word of God.
After all, though the divine presence is much clearer in the prophets and even the historical
books, these words also were delivered through the mediation of humanbeings. Furthermore,
not every prayer of Israel is found in the Psalter. The prayers of the Psalter are the prayers
accepted by the priests into the formal worship of Israel (1 Chron. 16:4–38).Thus, it is
meaningful to discuss the theology of the Psalter. However, we must bear in mind that the
book’s theology is extensive but not systematic, that it is confessional and doxological, not
abstract.

Summary and Conclusion:

The historical background of the Psalter as a whole and the individual
psalms that constitute it is elusive. Psalms was a dynamic, growing, and changing book
during the canonical period. The individual psalms were historically
nonspecific in order to be always relevant for use in the formal worship of Israel.
The titles are not original, but early; not canonical, but reliable. In this paper i tried to bring
out the brief explanation on the book of Psalms.

Bibliography:

Hans- Joachim Kraus Theology of the Psalms First Fortress Press edition 1992.

Mark D.f utato, david m. Howard jr Interpreting the Psalms published by Kregel
publications, a division of Kregel.

Bill T. Arnold, Bryan E. Beyer Encountering the Old Testament published by Baker Books

New American Standard Bible

Gleason L. Arecher,Jr A Survey of Old Testament Introduction Moody press, Chicago.

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