It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto Thy name, O most High. Psalms 92:1 KJV
You can afford to be ignorant of many things—you can hire an attorney to handle your legal stuff, an accountant to do your books, and a doctor to keep you healthy—but if you are ignorant of the Bible, you have an ignorance you can ill afford.
You see, the Bible is really an anthology, or a collection of writings, which were inspired by the Holy Spirit over a period of 1600 years. Yet even within the Bible, there are books which are distinctive and really stand alone, towering above the great literary works of all times. Such are the 150 chapters known as the book of Psalms.
Actually, this one book is a collection of poems and writings which were used by congregations and individuals alike. The Hebrew title of the book, Seper Tehellim, means “Book of Praise,” and the Greek title, Psalmoi or Psalterion, denotes a song or poem that is to be accompanied by a stringed instrument.
In this collection are some of the most widely known and loved passages in the entire Bible, like, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” When astronauts in the Apollo space program were winging their way back to planet Earth on Christmas Eve, they quoted from Psalm 19 where David said, “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork” (Psalm 19:1 NKJV).
If you had asked my grandmother, or even my mother, or should you ask me, “What is your favorite chapter in the Bible?” you would probably get the response, “Psalm 91.” Do you remember the words of that great psalm: “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him [will I] trust'” (Psalm 91:1-2 NKJV).
Modern versions of the Bible are wonderful. New and contemporary language helps us better understand the truth of this grand Book. But nothing will ever surpass the magnificence of the old King James text of the Psalms. If you really want to discover the Psalms, my suggestion is to find an old King James version and read it, perhaps even with a newer one.
Why has this one book had such an attraction for people down through the years? Surely because the answer is nothing in all of literature can compare to the gamut of emotions—love, hate, deep feelings of intensity and compassion—as we find in the book of Psalms. Dick Iverson writes, “In the course of dealing with the adversities of life, people are often frustrated by not being able to express adequately their emotional pain or mental anguish. The Psalms releases us from that frustration. With emotionally drenched complaints, humble confessions, desperate pleas, penitent prayers, or screams of pain, the writers of the Psalms skillfully expose and express the yearnings of our [deep] thoughts.”
Friend, there is a psalm to match your every mood, and it is that very thing that causes a problem for some. Jesus, of course, taught us to love our enemies, but the writers of the Psalms asked God to settle the score when they felt they had been wronged, which tells me that expressing your feelings to God in prayer is the first step towards healing and help, even when our attitudes are wrong.
I view this marvelous book as a grand expression of praise, trust, simple worship, and heartfelt rejoicing. A deep therapy of the heart that brings wholeness and healing to our lives. It’s something we badly need today. When you discover this book, you will be richer because of it, and be glad because you did.
Resource Reading: Psalms 90:1-16
