Psalms
The Psalms are songs for a people waiting in exile. They spring from Israel's history, when people like King David wrote inspired songs giving thanks, repenting of sin, affirming God's promises, or asking for help. The Psalms have been a source of hope, a guide for honest prayer, and a treasury of prophetic promises for God's people throughout generations. Now, Jesus has fulfilled these Psalms and given them to his church, providing us with songs to sing while we wait in this earthly exile for his return.
... from Spoken Gospel
At a Glance
Psalms Overview
The book of Psalms is a collection of song lyrics. Like many songs, they were first written in response to events in the lives of their authors. Later, the whole community used them in worship. When Israel returned from exile in Babylon many of the songs from over the centuries were collected in the book of Psalms.
The book is structured into five parts marked off by the phrase, Praise be to the Lord… Amen and Amen!These five “books” remind the reader of the five books of Moses. Like the law, these song lyrics can be read and studied for instruction. Psalms 1 emphasizes such meditation and seems to have been placed first to make this point.
The five books also tell a three-part story of Israel’s redemption: monarchy, exile and return. The psalms of King David dominate books one and two. The beginning and ending of book three highlight Israel’s exile. The fourth book ends with a plea that God bring the exiled people home. The fifth book declares that God has done just that. Now the reason for the group of praise psalms at the end of the book is apparent: God has been faithful, judging Israel in exile but then bringing the nation home again.
The book of Psalms thus operates at two levels: individually the songs explore a wide variety of honest spiritual responses to God, while the overall collection tells, and celebrates, the work of God in history to save his people.
Devotions "by the book"
Devotions organized by scripture reference, cataloged here - in the host book:
- Psalms 23:3
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The God Who Restores
• - Psalms 25:4
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Led by the Light of God’s Word
• - Psalms 27:14
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Waiting in Trust
• - Psalms 27:14
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Faithful in the Waiting
• - Psalms 27:14
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Waiting on the Lord
• - Psalms 33:12
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The Lord as Our True Security
• - Psalms 40:1
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Waiting in the Wilderness
• - Psalms 51:17
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Humble Hearts Before God
• - Psalms 56:3
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God Our Refuge
• - Psalms 90:10
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The Limits of Our Days
• - Psalms 138:8
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Established in His Presence
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