The Biblical Psalms - Pathway To and Refuge For the Soul

One of the very interesting aspect of the Psalms is their composition and style. In both Hebrew and Greek, the meaning of the book's title indicates that they must be accompanied by instrumental music. In fact, the Psalms were hymns sung in the services of God's temple, and accompanied by string and wind instruments. In other words, Psalms was the hymnbook used for temple services at the time.
Psalms is also different from the other books in the Bible in that it is a book of Hebrew poetry. But this type of poetry is very different from the one we know, because it has no rhymes or a defined rhythm.
Hebrew poetry stands out for the use of parallels —balance created by the presence of grammatically similar phrases in the same sentence.
Let's look at some examples:
• Psalm 15:1: "Eternal, who will dwell in your tabernacle? Who will dwell on your holy mount?" Here the same idea is repeated with different words.
• Psalm 1:6: "For the Eternal knows the way of the righteous; but the path of the bad will perish." This verse presents a contrast of ideas.
• Psalm 1:1: "Blessed is the man who did not walk in the counsel of bad men, nor was he on the way of sinners, nor in a chair of schariners, he has sat down." And here the idea is completed and reiterated with similar consecutive phrases.
Remembering details of the composition of psalms like these can help us better understand what they are trying to tell us. Sometimes the meaning of a certain word or phrase is explained in the next line; the key to understanding Psalm messages is always to read them whole, either a specific Psalm or the entire section. In general, the purpose of the Psalms is to form links between doctrinal concepts and ideas.
The most profitable thing about Psalms
But the 150 Psalms in this book are much more than beautiful literary compositions. For those who seek the truth they enclose, the most beneficial thing is not their style or musical origins, but the ever-current and inspiring truths they can reveal to us, regardless of age, language or origin.
The Psalms describe eternal truths in such a way that they challenge our minds while touching our hearts; their words, verses, prayers, and recurring themes are able to teach us and move us as few things can. This is what makes the book of Psalms so special.
In it we can find almost all the fundamental problems of life:
• How to stay faithful in difficult times.
• Questions about the injustice of the world.
• How to cope with depression and distress.
• How to deal with death.
• Why God allows suffering.
• Repentance, forgiveness, mercy, and reconciliation of the whole world with God.
• The glory and magnificence of God.