1. Nothing definite is known about the author of any psalm.
2. Assumed authors of Psalms are as follows:
David- (79)
Asaph- (12)
Solomon- (2) Ps. 72, 27
Heman- (1) Ps. 88
Jeremiah- (1) Ps. 137
Korah- (10)
Moses- (1) Ps. 90
Ethan- (1) Ps. 89
Anonymous- (43)
III. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
1. In general, the Bible presents man talking to man, or God speaking to man, but Psalms presents man talking to God.
2. The philosophy and theology of the psalms cover a time period of almost one thousand years.
3. Each book of Psalms ends with a doxology. The last book has the last psalm as its doxology.
4. Psalms covers the whole gamut of human emotions, cheerful confidence and anxious foreboding, joyful faith and brooding despondency, loving kindness and bitter animosity, tenderness and ruthlessness.
5. The theology of Psalms ranges from the near-pagan to the high levels of the Second Isaiah.
6. The range is from praise, prayer, and thanksgiving to sublime worship.
7. Psalms is the prayer and hymn book of both Judaism and the Christian church.
8. In Books 2 and 3 the name of Deity has been changed from Yahweh to Elohim.
9. Psalms 104:19-23 sounds like the Egyptian Hymn to Aton-by Amenophis IV (Ikhnaton).
10. There is a lot of modern psychiatry in the book of Psalms.
11. Many of the psalms were intended to be accompanied by music-wind instruments, string instruments, and percussion.
12. Psalms ranges from private prayers to all phases of public worship.
1. Both great variety and duplications suggest compilation.
2. Use of both Yahweh and Elohim for God shows different theologic concepts.
3. Assumption of many authors indicates compilation.
4. Wide range of doctrine shows that the individual psalms had origin over a very wide time range.
5. All but 34 psalms have some sort of superscription attached-songs for private or temple worship, Sabbath, or weddings, etc.
6. Diverse poetic structure:
A. Synonymous. Second line repeats thought of the first.
“Hear this, all peoples!
“Give ear, all inhabitants of the world.”
Ps. 49:1.
B. Antithetic. Second line antithetic to the first.
“For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
“but the way of the wicked will perish.”
Ps. 3:4.
C. Synthetic. The second line completes the first.
“I cry aloud to the Lord,
“and he answers me from his holy hill.”
Ps. 3:4.
7. Some psalms are in stanzas, others acrostic in structure.
VI. RELIGION OF THE PSALMISTS
1. The Psalter does not present any systematic scheme of Jewish theology.
2. The God concept is monotheistic, although reference is made to other “gods.”
3. God is righteous, just, merciful, and gracious. And he hears the prayers of his servants.
4. The world is the handiwork of God. The psalmists are not nature lovers.
5. Man lives his life and perishes “like the beasts of the field.” There are but hints of survival beyond the grave.
6. The people of God are the Hebrews, but there are references to the fact that God rules and judges all nations.
7. But oh the whole, the psalms present a rugged Hebrew nationalism.
8. The cult us is upheld, but there is scant attention paid to “blood” and the sacrifices. The temple is venerated, but some of its ceremonies are slighted.
9. Certain psalms allude to the universal rule of Israel’s God. They also refer to times when all men worship God.
10. In general, the psalms refer to the “goodness of the Lord to the land of the living,” but they also talk about the day of Judgment and the end of the world.
11. Many of the psalms reflect the philosophy and religious beliefs of many ancient peoples-Egyptian, Babylonian, Assyrian, and Persian.
12. Many psalms can hardly be called Christian. Note the following psalms of the imprecatory category-breathing vengeance:
Ps. 58,
59,
69,
109,
137,
149.
VII. PSALMS IN WORSHIP
1. The psalms were a part of the olden temple worship.
2. The psalms were associated with the annual Jewish feasts-First Fruits, Tabernacles, Pentecost, etc.
3. There is little information as to the use of the psalms in synagogue worship.
4. The psalms are still used in modern Jewish worship.
5. The Psalter has always been a part of worship in Christian churches.
6. There are 93 quotations from the Psalms in the New Testament.
7. Of all Old Testament books, the Psalter is the one book to be wholeheartedly adopted by the Christian church.
8. In contrast to the psalms of pagan hate and revenge, attention should be called to such beautiful hymns of praise, thanksgiving, and worship as
Ps. 8,
29,
51,
62,
84,
105,
106.
VIII. SELECTED TEXTS
1. The blessed man. “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord.”
Ps. 1-2.
2. The fool. “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”
Ps. 14:1.
3. The goodly heritage. “The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.”
Ps. 16:6.
4. Telling the glory of God. “The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.”
Ps. 1:1.
5. Godforsaken. “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
Ps. 22:1.
6. Our shepherd. “The Lord is my shepherd.”
Ps. 23:1.
7. Goodness and mercy. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.”
Ps. 23:6.
8. Earth is the Lord’s. “The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein.”
Ps. 24:1.
9. Our fortress. “Yea, thou art my rock and my fortress; for thy name’s sake lead me and guide me.”
Ps. 31:3.
10. Forgiveness. “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.”
Ps. 32:1.
11. Making the heavens. “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of his mouth.”
Ps. 33:6.
12. Taste and see. “O taste and see that the Lord is good!”
Ps. 34:8.
13. Afflictions of the righteous. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”
Ps. 34:19.
14. Care for the righteous. “I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging bread.”
Ps. 37:25..
15. Law in the heart. “I delight to do thy will, O my God; thy law is within my heart.”
Ps. 40:8.
16. Thirst for God. “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.”
Ps. 42:2.
17. Our refuge. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Ps. 46:1.
18. Contemplation. “‘Be still, and know that I am God.’”
Ps. 46:10.
19. The thousand hills. “For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.”
Ps. 50:10.
20. Purge me. “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”
Ps. 51:7.
21. A clean heart. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.”
Ps. 51:10.
22. Gaining rest. “‘O that I had wings like a dove: I would fly away and be at rest.’”
Ps. 55:6.
23. Cast your burden. “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you.”
Ps. 55:22.
24. The higher rock. “Lead thou me to the rock that is higher than I; for thou art my refuge.”
Ps. 61:2-3.
25. The doorkeeper. “I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.”
Ps. 84:10.
26. A thousand years. “For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night.”
Ps. 90:4.
27. Threescore and ten. “The years of our life are threescore and ten, or even by reason of strength fourscore.”
Ps. 90:10.
28. Shadow of the Almighty. “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, who abides in the shadow of the Almighty.”
Ps. 91:1.
29. Guardian angels. “For he will give his angels charge of you to guard you in all your ways.”
Ps. 91:11.
30. We are of dust. “For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.”
Ps. 103:13.
31. The covering of light. “Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment, who hast stretched out the heavens like a tent.”
Ps. 104:2.
32. The Creative Spirit. “When thou sendest forth thy Spirit, they are created; and thou renewest the face of the ground.”
Ps. 104:30.
33. Wisdom. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”
Ps. 111:10.
34. Mission of Affliction. “Before I was afflicted I went astray; but now I keep thy word.”
Ps. 119:67.
35. Light of the word. “Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
Ps. 119:105.
36. Strength from the hills. “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From whence does my help come?”
Ps. 121:1.
37. Kept from evil. “The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.”
Ps. 121:7.
38. The divine presence. “Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence?”
Ps. 139:7.
39. The way everlasting. “Search me, O God, and know my heart I Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Ps. 139:23-24.
40. The divine kindness. “The Lord is just in all his ways, and kind in all his doings.”
Ps. 145:17.