The Book of Psalms stands
alone in all the literature of the world. It is the prayer book of the man and
woman of God. It extends in history from the time of Moses to the time when the
children of God were in exile.
In the historical section of
the Bible we meet David the King of Israel. In the Psalms we meet David the
man. Here we see him on his knees pouring out his soul to God. We find him in
deep repentance for his sins. We find him singing songs of thanksgiving to God.
We find him declaring his faith, rejoicing in his assurance, crying out for
strength, deliverance, and instruction.
Through it all we meet
ourselves. We identify with the soul in sorrow, with our deepest emotions laid
bare. We meet ourselves in our yearnings and highest aspirations in our pursuit
of God. "As the young deer panteth after the water brook, so panteth my
soul after thee, Oh God." (Psalm 42:1).
In the psalms we find our
spirits caught up in a very special way to the Lord in thanksgiving and praise;
sharing our fears and griefs, and declaring our abiding faith. In the Psalms we
find spiritual nourishment in the pastures of Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd
of our souls. In the Psalms we recognize our own deepest wants, our searching
after God, those longings that only God can satisfy, and those prayers of the
soul that are answered in God alone.
In the book of Job we saw
our suffering humanity struggling with one problem, but in the Psalms we see
ourselves in that far greater range of our spiritual nature. We struggle with
our misgivings and fears. We are beset with the temptations of the world, the
flesh and the devil. We are harassed by our foes. We are scorned and despised
by our enemies as well as by those whom we thought we could trust. And from the
pit of sin, humiliation and defeat, we rise to the heights of triumph and
victory by the power and the grace of God.
Three verbs and one noun
appear time and again. The verbs are: trust, praise, and rejoice. Trust is the
first and foremost idea throughout the Psalms. Whatever the occasion; joyous,
terrifying, or accompanied by the deepest sorrow, it drove David straight to
God.
Praise was always on his
lips. Thanksgiving and praise were a way of life for David, the man after God's
own heart. "Rejoice" was another of his favorite words. David's never‑ending
troubles and trials could not dampen his joy in the Lord. Over and over again
he calls upon all of us to sing and shout for joy.
The noun is
"lovingkindness". This word that deals with the mercy and grace of
God, appears hundreds of times. David often spoke of the justice,
righteousness, and wrath of God. But God's lovingkindness was the thing in
which he gloried.
No other book in the Bible
magnifies the Word of God as does the Psalms. Psalm 119, in particular, is a
declaration of the authority, inspiration, reliability and indespensability of
the Word of God. Likewise, no other book of the Old Testament sets forth in
greater range the person and work of Jesus Christ. We see Him at His birth, His
life as a prophet, priest, and king. We see His death, burial and resurrection,
and the ascension into heaven. It describes in the most glorious manner, His
universal and gracious sovereignty over all the earth.
© Copyright
2002, LeRoy Eims