The Unsurpassed Value of the Psalms

Before plunging deep into the longest of the Psalms, it will be of great value to first look at the Psalms as a whole. Let us consider seven emphases.

Title

While our English Bible titles this portion of Scripture, “The Book of Psalms,” the title in the Hebrew Bible is, Sēper Tehillim, “Book of Praises,” which summarizes what this book is all about. It was, of course, the sacred hymnbook of the nation of Israel. In fact, every Psalm contains at least an element of praise, while many are completely devoted to praise.

The Hebrew behind the word “psalm” is mizmor, which we find in the titles of several psalms. This is derived from the verb zamar, “to make music,” and oh, what music we find in the Psalms! While much of our Christian music today is shallow to say the least, what we find in the Psalms is very depths of theology and spiritual truth. The Hebrew mizmor occurs only in the Psalms and always in the title (3-6; 8; 9; 11-15; 18-41; etc.). It seems to designate a praise song or a song accompanied by some kind of musical instrument. The latter is all the more significant since in thirty-four psalms the words, “To the chief Musician,” also appear.

We see the same idea in the Greek. The English word “psalm” comes from the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament translated in the third and second centuries BC). The Greek psalmos refers to a sacred, inspired poem of praise, which was actually designed to be sung with the accompaniment of a stringed musical instrument, such as the harp, the lute, or the lyre (all of which are in the guitar family). In fact, Psalmoi, the Greek title of the book of Psalms, originally meant plucking the strings of a musical instrument.[1]

I am always reminded here of those dear Christians who do not believe that musical instruments in the church are proper because none are mentioned in the New Testament. While we appreciate their desire for purity, the Apostle Paul used the word psalmos in Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16, clearly demonstrating that musical instruments were not only used, but were commonly accepted as any other thing in society. Likewise, James writes, “Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms” (Jas. 5:13). Here we see the word psallō, a verb that means to twang the string of a musical instrument. Neither Paul nor James made an issue of such a practice because there was no issue to make.

So it was that under the influence of the Septuagint and Christianity, psalmos eventually came to mean “song of praise.” Indeed, the Psalms were written to be sung. Why? As we see in Ephesians 5:19, the very first manifestation of being “filled with the Spirit” (v. 18) is singing. There is nothing more indicative of the Spirit-filled life than the expression of song. Moses sang and taught the people to do so (Ex. 15; Deut. 32). They then sang along the journey to the Promised Land (Num. 21:17). Deborah and Barak sang praise to God (Judg. 5), David sang with all his heart (Ps. 104:33), and Hezekiah’s singers in-turn sang the words of David (II Chron. 29:28-30). Further, Nehemiah’s singers sang (Neh. 12:42), Jesus and His disciples sang at the Last Supper (Matt. 26:30), and Paul and Silas sang as they sat in chains in prison (Acts 16:25). So foundational is singing that at creation even “the morning stars sang together” (Job 38:7). At the other end of creation, we see an innumerable host of angels singing and then see the whole redeemed creation joining in the chorus (Rev. 5:11-13). Is there any doubt that singing should permeate the believer’s life?

Authorship and Date

Most (73) of the 150 Psalms were penned by David. As for the others, eleven were written by the sons of Korah, a family of Levitical singers (42-49; 84; 85; 87), another twelve by Asaph (50; 73-83), two by Solomon (72; 127), and one each by Heman (88, the saddest of all the Psalms), Ethan (89), and Moses (90). The remaining forty-eight are unknown, or at least uncertain. Additionally, while there is a great time span due to the numerous authors (1450 to 430 BC) most were penned during the times of David and Solomon (tenth-century BC), before the division of the kingdom.

Classifications of the Psalms

There are several different types of Psalms.

First, there are Historical Psalms, which recall passages from the nation’s history (78; 105; 106; 136). Taken together, they summarize the highlights of virtually all of Israel’s history.

Second, there are Penitential Psalms, which refer to some intense sorrow for sin and return to God (6; 32; 38; 51; 102; 130; 143).

Third, there are Psalms of lament, which express sadness, suffering, distress, fear, or even anger. It’s significant that Psalms of lament are more plenteous than any other type, some sixty-two, in fact (e.g., 10; 25; 39; 51; 74; 86; 102; 120). That fact says much about the value of the Psalms for us today, as we will see a little later in this introduction.

Fourth, there are Thanksgiving Psalms, which contain jubilant thanksgiving for God’s blessing (8; 18; 19; 29; 30; 32–34; 36; 40; 41; 66; 103–106; 111; 113; 116; 117; 124; 129; 135; 136; 138; 139; 146–148; 150).

Fifth, there are Hallelujah Psalms, which begin or end with the words, “Praise ye the Lord,” and are especially devoted to praise (146-150).

Sixth, there are Didactic (or Wisdom) Psalms, which deal with formal instruction and contrast the God’s with man’s wickedness (1; 5; 7; 15; 17; 37; 50; 73; 94; 101; 119).

Seventh, there are the Psalms of “Ascents” (or Pilgrimage and “Degrees”), a group of Psalms (120-134) that formed a hymnbook for pilgrims going to the Temple in Jerusalem for the annual feasts of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles.

Eighth, there are Messianic Psalms, which speak of the coming Messiah and His kingdom (2; 20-24; 41; 68; 118). As one writer puts it:

Some of the Old Testament’s most minute prophecies of Christ are found here. They are about His person (God and man); His character (righteous and holy); His word (death and resurrection); and His offices (priest, judge, and king).[2]

Ninth, there are the Imprecatory Psalms, which call down judgment and wrath upon God’s enemies (7; 35; 40; 52; 55; 58; 59; 69; 79; 83; 109; 137; 139; 140; 144). Some Bible students are perplexed by these psalms and question whether they are valid or even godly. They ask, “Is it really right to call down God’s judgment on people?” While offensive to the tolerant attitude of our day, the answer is, “Yes.” To those who say, “It’s not loving to pray such a prayer,” we would answer, “Wait a moment. Who exactly are we talking about we speak of love? Do we love man in his wickedness and rebellion more than we love the holy, righteous God of the universe?” Why are such prayers right? Because the ultimate end of such prayers is for God to uphold His honor and righteousness by punishing sin and rebellion against His law.[3] Now, to make it clear, such prayers are not for our revenge, but for God’s righteousness.

In addition to these categories, several of the psalms (9; 10; 25; 34; 37; 111; 112; 119; 145) are what are called an “acrostic.” This is a literary tool where the first letter of the first word in each verse of a psalm is a letter of the twenty-two letter Hebrew alphabet in alphabetical order. This tool aided in memorization. Psalm 119 is the best example of this, and we’ll look at it in more depth in our study of it.

Divisions of the Book of Psalms

A fascinating feature of the book of Psalms is how it is divided. While it’s not divided according to themes or chronology, it is divided into five books, with a doxology (a special acknowledgment of praise to God) at the end of each. Amazingly, this five-part division coincides with the books of the Pentateuch. For centuries, in fact, Jews have called it “The Pentateuch of David.” As one scholar notes, “the number of psalms (150) follows closely the number of sections in which the Pentateuch is divided for reading in the synagogue.”[4] In his typically unique way, J. Sidlow Baxter calls it “A Poetic Pentateuch.”[5] The following table illustrates this miraculous division.

Psalms and Pentateuch Parallel

Psalm “Book”	Pentateuch Parallel	Key Psalms	Doxology
Book I (1-41)	Genesis: The Book of The Beginning and Man	1; 8	41:13
Book II (42-72)	Exodus: The Book of Redemption and Passover	49; 51	72:18-19
Book III (73-89)	Leviticus: The Book of Sanctuary and Atonement	78; 84	89:52
Book IV (90-106)	Numbers: The Book of Wilderness and Sojourn	90; 106	106:48
Book V (107-150)	Deuteronomy: The Book of the Word and Obedience	119	150:6

God’s Presence and Character in the Psalms

Another fascinating feature in the Psalms is how God is pictured. The Psalms do, in fact, mention more aspects of God’s nature and character than does any other book of the Bible. The following chart puts this into perspective[6] (references in Ps. 119 appear in bold text).

God’s Nature and Character in the Psalms

Character Attribute	Psalm References
Accessible	15:1; 16:11:23:6; 24:3-4; 65:4; 145:18
Delivering	106:43-45
Eternal	90:2; 102:25-27; 106:48
Glorious	8:1; 19:1; 57:5; 63:2; 79:9; 90:16; 93:1; 96:3; 102:16; 104:1,31; 111:3; 113:4, 138:5; 145:5,11-12
Good	23:6; 25:8; 31:19; 33:5; 34:8; 52:1; 65:4; 68:10; 86:5; 104:24; 107:8; 119:68; 145:9
Gracious	116:5
Great	86:10
Holy	22:3; 30:4; 47:8; 48:1; 60:6; 89:35; 93:5; 99:3,5,9; 145:17
Immutable	102:26-27
Just	9:4; 51:4; 89:14; 98:9; 99:3-4
Kind	17:7; 24:12; 25:6; 26:3; 31:21; 36:7,10; 40:10-11; 42:7-8; 48:9; 63:3; 89:33,49; 92:2; 103:4; 107:43; 117:2; 119:76,88,149; 138:2; 143:8
Long-suffering	78:38; 86:15
Merciful	6:2,4; 25:6, 31:7, 32:5; 36:5; 51:1; 52:8; 62:12; 86:5,15; 89:28; 103:4,8,11,17; 106:1; 107:1; 115:1; 118:1-4,29; 119:64; 130:7; 136:1-26; 145:9; 147:11
The Most High	83:18
Omnipresent	139:7
Omniscient	139:1-6
Powerful	8:3; 21:13; 29:5; 37:17; 62:11; 63:1-2; 65:6; 66:7; 68:33,35; 79:11; 89:8,13; 106:8; 136:12
Promise Keeping	89:3-4,35-36; 105:42
Provident	16:8; 31:15; 33:10; 36:6; 37:28; 39:5; 73:16; 75:6-7; 77:19; 91:3-4,11; 104:5-9,27-28; 119:15; 121:4; 127:1-2; 136:25; 139:1-5,10; 140:7; 145:9,17; 147:9
Righteous	5:8; 7:9,17; 11:7; 19:9; 22:31; 31:1; 35:24,28: 36:6,10; 40:10; 48:10; 50:6; 51:14; 69:27; 71:2,15-16,19,24; 73:12-17; 85:10; 96:13; 97:2,6; 98:2,9; 103:17; 111:3; 116:5; 119:7,40,62,123,137-38,142,144,172; 143:1,11; 145:7,17
Sovereign	2:4-5; 3:3; 72:5
True	9:14; 11:7; 19:9; 25:10; 31:5; 33:4; 57:3,10; 71:22; 85:10; 86:15; 89:14,49; 96:13; 98:3; 100:5, 119:160; 139:2; 146:6
Unified	83:18; 86:10
Unsearchable	145:3
Upright	25:8; 92:15
Wise	1:6; 44:21; 73:11; 103:14; 104:24; 136:5; 139:2-4,12; 142:3; 147:5
Wrathful	2:2-5,12; 6:1; 7:11-12; 21:8-9; 30:5; 38:1; 39:10; 58:10-11; 74:1-2; 76:6-8; 78:21-22;,49-51,58-59; 79:5; 80:4; 89:30-32; 90:7-9,11; 99:8; 102:9-10

Is there any wonder that praise is central to the Psalms? If you want to meet God, read the Psalms. How appropriate that is because that is what we should sing about! (See the Appendix.) This leads to another feature of the Psalms.

Themes in the Psalms

Because of its diversity, there are actually many themes in the Psalms. We’ve mentioned several already: worship, praise, sin, righteousness, and Messianic prophecy. There is one theme, however, that is woven throughout the Psalms, namely, true spirituality.

Many people in the world today believe and teach that there are “many ways to God” and many ways to “be spiritual.” A common phrase is, “I’m not really religious, but I feel that I am a very spiritual person.” What a deadly deception! Such people have no idea what “spirituality” really means.

The Psalms, however, declare exactly what true spirituality involves. In his wonderful book, The Message of the Old Testament, pastor and author Dr. Mark Dever masterfully overviews the Psalms by presenting the seven characteristics of biblically spiritual people as revealed in the Psalms. Here is just a very small taste of that theme.[7]

First, a truly spiritual life is characterized by praise-giving. As 145 begins: “David's Psalm of praise. I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.” Biblical spirituality is at all times focused on God. In sad contrast, much of Christian ministry today is focused not on God but on people, giving them what they want. At the risk of sounding unloving, we are compelled to say that such an attitude is not spiritual. True spirituality never focuses on man. Only those whose desire is to praise God alone are truly spiritual.

Second, a truly spiritual life is characterized by honesty. By this is meant that we honestly express suffering and distress. As mentioned earlier, some sixty-two of the Psalms are of lament. In Psalm 86, for example, David prays, “O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy. . . . In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me” (vs. 1, 7). The truly spiritual person, then, can honestly cry out to God in anguish and need, knowing that that is the only place he can go.

Third, a truly spiritual life is characterized by remembering. In Psalm 136, for example, we read the recurring phrase, “for his mercy endureth for ever.” While we might be tempted here to ask, “Doesn’t the writer know any other chord than this?” there is a point to this repetition. In between that recurring statement, the psalmist recounts the history of Israel, but he wants to emphasize that it was all by God’s mercy: “To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn . . . brought out Israel from among them . . . divided the Red sea into parts” (vs. 10-12), and so forth. Now while we as Gentiles cannot share in such remembrance because it is for Israel alone, we can certainly share in what else the remembers: “To him who alone doeth great wonders . . . by wisdom made the heavens . . . stretched out the earth above the waters . . . [and] that made great lights” (vs. 4-7). The truly spiritual person, therefore, remembers all of what God has done. This brings hope and power in living.

Fourth, a truly spiritual life is characterized by morality. Psalm 1 paints a clear and dramatic contrast between the godly and ungodly person, that is, the truly spiritual person with the fleshly person. The truly spiritual person, then, is one who desires God’s Word and obeys it.

Fifth, a truly spiritual life is characterized by changing. The seven Penitential Psalms listed earlier teach us how to repent of our sin and change our behavior so it coincides with God’s will and God’s Word. The person who does not recognize the sin in his life and change that behavior is not at all spiritual. It is the spiritual person who recognizes sin, repents of that sin, and rules his life according to truth.

Sixth, a truly spiritual life is characterized by trusting. Psalm 62, for example, declares, “Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. . . . Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us” (vs. 1-2, 8). The truly spiritual person trusts God and His work alone, with nothing added. Here is truly one of the greatest (if not the greatest) tests of spirituality. Indeed, many people today, even some true Christians, claim to “be spiritual” but disregard God’s Word as the sole authority. That is not spirituality.

Seventh and finally, a truly spiritual life is characterized by thanksgiving. Thanksgiving permeates the psalms and will likewise fill the spiritual person’s life. The spiritual person’s life is characterized by thanksgiving for what God has done, what He continues to do, and what He will always do in us. Such thanksgiving will be always on our lips, on our faces, in our attitudes, and in our actions. Nowhere is it better summed up than in Psalm 30:12: “silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.”

Dear Christian, are you truly spiritual? This leads us right to one last consideration.

Value of the Psalms Today

Are the Psalms really of any value to the New Testament believer? What about the Old Testament in general? After all, the “Old Covenant” was about the old sacrificial system, the old temple, and so forth. The key word in the Book of Hebrews, in fact, is the word “better,” a better sacrifice, a better priesthood, a better everything. Additionally, since the Epistles, of course, are the most valuable to the Church and must drive it in all matters, of what value is the Old Testament?

There are actually several observations we could make here, but perhaps the most important is that the Old Testament provides the New Testament believer with many examples of how to live. Paul, for example, wrote to the Corinthians that the experiences of the Israelites in the wilderness serve as examples to us and admonish us to right behavior (I Cor. 11:6, 11). A basic principle of Bible interpretation is that while not all the Bible is written directly to the Church, all Scripture is most certainly profitable for the Church. Paul made this very clear to Timothy: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (II Tim. 3:16-17).

Coming to the Psalms, then, we discover that they are, indeed, “profitable” in that they are wonderfully and amazingly practical. As one dispensational writer submits:

We in the church can learn important lessons from teachings which are primarily Jewish. The Jewish temple can be considered a prefigurement of the body of Christ, made up of all believers and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The battles in the Psalms speak to us of our spiritual warfare against principalities and powers, against the forces of darkness in the heavenly places. The material blessings of Israel on earth point us to our spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ—and so forth. If we use these keys, the Psalms become richly meaningful to us, and many of the problems in interpretation disappear.[8]

That is well said. While the actual forms in the Old Testament are distinctly and only Jewish, they still provide applicable figures. While the procedures no long apply, the pictures most certainly do. In short, the Old Testament provides us with illustrations of New Testament truths.

Abraham Lincoln told several friends of his fondness for the Psalms. He once told Rebecca Pomeroy, a nurse who had resided at the White House after Willie’s death in 1862, of his love for the Psalms: “They are the best, for I find in them something for every day of the week.”[9] In his masterpiece, the Second Inaugural Address (1865), he quoted Scripture no less than four times, the last of which was Psalm 19:9: “the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.”

Others have praised the unequalled value of the Psalms. The great reformer Martin Luther called the Psalms “A Bible in miniature.” W. E. Gladstone, the great English statesman, said, “All the wonders of the Greek civilization heaped together are less wonderful than the simple Book of Psalms.” Southern Baptist scholar and professor H. I. Hester observes, “The Psalter has become the text book of Christian devotion.”[10] Hymn Writer and composer Thomas Hastings wrote:

[The Psalms] has molded and colored the best men’s best feelings, and given words to their most ardent prayers. Its voice has blended with the battle-cries and cradle-songs of Christendom. What passionate confessions and petitions and thanksgivings have found utterance in its verses! What multitudes of the dying have spend their last breath on its syllables—since the day when Jesus Himself died with a text our of the Psalms upon His lips.[11]

Early Church Father Ambrose said:

Although all Scripture breatheth the grace of God, yet sweet beyond all others is the Book of Psalms. History instructs, the Law teaches, Prophecy announces, rebukes, chastens, Morality persuades; but in the Book of Psalms we have the fruit of all these, and a kind of medicine for the salvation of men.[12]

With all that in mind, let us meditate on five values that the Psalms give us.

First, they contribute greatly to biblical theology in general. As one scholar writes, “If the Jews had only the Psalter (many must have memorized large numbers of psalms), they still would have had a profound understanding of their faith.”[13] That is a profound statement. When we think of the Law that God gave the Jews, as recorded in the first five books of the Bible (the Pentateuch, the “Torah” to the Jews), it is an amazing observation that it all they had were the Psalms, their faith would still have been clear. As the same author goes on to note, the Psalms provide the very “bone and marrow” of our faith. They provide, for example, sweeping summaries of history (78, 105, 106, 136), instructions in piety (1, 119), celebrations of creation (8, 19, 104), knowledge of God’s judgment (37, 49, 73), assurances of God’s constant care (103), and awareness of His sovereignty over all nations (2, 110).

I would here encourage every single Christian believer that he or she should have a love for theology. I personally love Systematic Theology and collect works dedicated to this study, because theology is the very core and foundation of study of one who enters the preaching and teaching ministry. While not every Christian needs that depth of study, he or she should have a basic love for theology, a desire to know God.

A pastor friend recently told me that a man in his church came to him and said, “I have been listening to you preach for a year, and I would now like to ask you if you would be willing to teach me Systematic Theology?” The pastor was floored by that, as he had never been asked such a question in his thirty years of ministry. For the next year, then, the pastor went to that man’s home and taught him the basic disciplines of Systematic Theology.

Again, while such depth is not necessary for everyone, a basic knowledge is critical. It is interesting that the old Scottish ministers used to go to the homes of their congregation catechizing so that God’s people would be educated. Not only should pastors be preaching doctrine, but God’s people should be reading it.[14]

Second, more specifically, the Psalms teach us to worship. As we have noted, worship, praise, and thanksgiving permeate the Psalms. In a day when true worship is rare, reading the Psalms will challenge us to worship and will teach us how to worship.

A key passage in Psalms is found in 95:6-7a: “Oh, come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our maker. For He is our God.” Again, such exhortation is a recurring theme in the Psalms:

But as for me [David], I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple. (Ps. 5:7)

Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. (29:2)

So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him. (45:11)

All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name. (86:9)

O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth. (96:9)

Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy. . . . Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy. (99:5, 9)

We will go into his tabernacles: we will worship at his footstool. (132:7)

I [David] will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. (138:2).[15]

Of special note is 66:4: “All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.” We key in here because of that little word “Selah,” which appears 71 times in the Psalms and three times in a prayer by Habakkuk (3:3, 9, 13), which was set to a tune, and directed to the chief singer. It is not surprising that is it omitted in the corrupt Latin Vulgate, but does appear in the Septuagint and is translated as diapsalma, which refers to some variation or modulation of the voice in singing.

While the precise meaning is not known for sure, several possibilities have been offered. Some think it derives from a root (sal) that means “to raise, elevate, lift up” and suppose that it directs an elevation in the voice, to sing louder, or to pitch the tune up to a higher key, because there is nobler matter to come. Others view it an affirmation of the truth of something, whether good or bad, and render it “verily” or “truly, corresponding to the idea of “Amen,” that is, “so be it,” “so shall it be.”

The most common view, however, is that this is a musical notation that means a pause and musical interlude and is derived from the word salah, “to strew or spread out,” implying that the subject to which the word is attached should be spread out, meditated upon, strewn out in front of us that we might attentively consider it. It often follows a noteworthy statement, whether good or bad, to indicate a pause for silent reflection while the instruments play an interlude or harmony. This seems to be the most probable meaning. It seems that when we read this word, we are encouraged to pause, reflect, meditate, and consider carefully what has been said. This is all the more probable by its use in Psalm 9:16: “The LORD is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah.” The transliterated word Higgaion means meditation, musing, and thinking in the heart.

So, how we should, indeed, reflect and meditate on Psalm 66:4: “All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.” And how we should reflect and meditate on other such statements:

Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah. (Ps. 24:10)

In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah. (44:8)

And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah. (50:6)

Let them know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth. Selah. (59:13)

Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah. (62:8)

All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah. (66:4)

Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah. (68:19)

Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord; Selah: (68:32)

I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah. (143:6)

And so many more! Oh, Dear Christian, let the Psalms teach you to worship. There is a lot of noise going on in our churches today, but that is not worship. Worship is contemplation, meditation, and consideration of God. And if that is what we want, we need only pick up the Book of Psalms. Would that we today had the attitude that Spurgeon did when he commented on Psalm 150:

We have now reached the last summit of the mountain chain of Psalms. It rises high into the clear azure, and its brow is bathed in the sunlight of the eternal world of worship, it is a rapture. The poet prophet is full of inspiration and enthusiasm. He slays not to argue, to teach, to explain; but cries with burning words, “Praise him, Praise him, Praise ye the LORD.”

Third, the Psalms are of great comfort in times of sorrow and distress. As also mentioned earlier, the Penitential and Lament Psalms show us that all believers, no matter what time period they live, have the same needs and suffer the same sorrows. The Psalms, like no other part of Scripture, address our distress, doubt, and discouragement.

The Psalms challenge us in our sin:

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. . . . Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. (51:1-4,10-12)

The Psalms also encourage us in our distress:

O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me. . . . Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses. (25:2,16-17)

I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh. I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart. . . . For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God. (38:6-8,15)

Jonah is one of the greatest examples in Scripture of how we can turn to the Psalms in times of trouble. Have you ever thought of the terror that Jonah must have felt? Most of us have seen the movie Jaws and have thought about that terror, but Jonah found himself alive in the belly of this beast, alone in the dark, and stench, and stifling heat. What did he do? Finding himself in “the belly of hell” (Jonah 2:2), he cried out to God in 2:1-9, and his prayer is positively saturated with quotations from and allusions to the Psalms (22:14; 27:13; 31:6, 22; 66:13-15; 69:1, 2, 14, 15; 116:3; 119:81-83). If the Psalms could comfort Jonah as he lay in the belly of a great fish, how much comfort will they give us in far less trying times? J. Sidlow Baxter, puts the matter well:

To all the godly these Psalms are an unmatched treasury of devotion, of comfort, of sympathy, and of gladdening reassurance. They are the sighing and singings of “men of like passions” with ourselves; yet the very breath of heaven is in them.[16]

Fourth, the Psalms teach us how to live; they teach us how to live godly and to follow God’s Word, a truth that well prepares us for Psalm 119. The word “teach” appears some twenty-five times in the Psalms. We read for example:

Show me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day. (25:4-5)

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. (90:12)

Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. (143:10)

Significantly, “teach” appears nine times in Psalm 119. Indeed, if you want to know how to live in this world, read the Psalms. The truths here are timeless, never out of date. To live rightly in the twenty-first century A.D., we need only read what was written mostly during the ten-century B.C. Combining these three principles, we see a final value of the Psalms.

Fifth, the Psalms are unequalled in their usefulness for devotional reading and meditation. On this point, one writer puts it well:

The Psalms are unsurpassed for devotional reading. Every reader can identify with them because their authors write as those totally dependent on God’s grace and mercy, which he gives to undeserving sinners. Only eternity will reveal how many souls in desperation have fled to a psalm for help and strength.[17]

That last statement is especially noteworthy. Book publishers are quick to announce how man copies of a book have sold, or how many lives have been touched by a certain title written by the latest self-help guru, but only eternity will reveal how many people have been transformed by just this one part of God’s Word.

Every Christian would do well to take a year to read the Psalms. There are 2,439 verses in the Psalms, which can be read in about one year by reading 6.66 verses per day. To make that practical, one could read five to eight verses a day. Several Psalms, in fact, are five to eight verses in length. The others can be divided accordingly. Reading short portions allows plenty of time for meditation. A useful supplement would be to also read a short commentary, such as the one-volume commentary on the whole Bible, Believer’s Bible Commentary by William MacDonald (Thomas Nelson), which contains a wonderful section on Psalms.

This short introduction to the Psalms has been meant not only to set the stage for Psalm 119, but also to encourage each of us to see the value of the Psalms and the power and influence they can have on our lives. Let us, therefore, desire their wisdom and visit them often. I would close with these words by the aforementioned commentator William MacDonald:

If you were to be marooned on a desert island with only one book of the Bible, which one would you choose? Frankly, I hope I never have to make this choice, but if I had to, I think I would choose the Psalms! Their range of subjects is so vast, their catalog of life’s experiences so full and their worship so exalted that I would be well supplied with rich spiritual food and powerful fuel for praises and prayer for a long time to come.[18]

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