The Book of Psalms: A Commentary

Psalms is Israel's hymnal: It is poetry laced with strong theology. In Hebrew, this book is called Tehillim, which means ''Praises". There are 55 psalms addressed to ''the chief musician". [Greek: psalmoi, ''a poem to be sung to a stringed instrument'' or psaltar, for harp or stringed instrument.] History instructs; law teaches; prophecy announces, rebukes, chastens; morality persuades. Psalms is the medicine and succor for the comfort and encouragement of us all. They are written to the individual - all of us, individually. Jesus said that the psalms spoke about him (Lk 24:44). Christ's birth, betrayal, agony, death, resurrection, ascension, coming again in glory, and his worldwide reign - all are pictured in inspired vividness. They constitute irrefutable testimony to the divine inspiration of the Scripture.