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OUTLINE
OF THE PSALMS |
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By Gene McCarty |
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The book of Psalms is a
special book because it gives us a new view of David and the Jewish
people. The book was at least begun by David and much of the early
Psalms are his writing. This part of the book gives us greater
insight into David and his spiritual strength. It is not often that
we have this kind of in-depth information about someone that we
study.
We do not have complete information about the gathering of
the book, but the book does ascribe many of the Psalms to authors
other than David. Moses and Solomon are among those given credit. It
is certain that some of the Psalms were written or collected by
latter editors. This section of the Psalms still gives us great
insight into the lives of the Jewish people and shows us what they
thought about God.
This was the Jewish hymn book and it is
interesting to compare it to the ones that we use.
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The book of Psalms is
divided into 5 books. The first includes Psalm 1 thru 41. The second book starts with Psalm
42 and
concludes with Psalm 72. The third book begins with Psalm 73 and ends with Psalm
89. The fourth book
starts with Psalm 90 and concludes with Psalm 106. The last book begins with Psalm
107 and
finishes with 150. A one hundred and fifty first
Psalm can be found in some records.
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Some of the Psalms appear
twice. The 14 and the 53rd Psalm are identical.
Part of Psalm 40 and Psalm 70 are identical. Psalm 108 is simply part of Psalm
57 and Psalm 60 combined.
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A number of the Psalms
refer to Jesus the Messiah. (Psalm 2, 8, 16, 22, 45, 72, 89, 110,
118 and 142)
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The book of Psalms is
powerful and useful in life, and some have special value to me. No passage of scripture is
better known than the 23rd Psalm. This Psalm speaks of
faith in God that is so appropriate and encouraging. The 121st Psalm is a wonderful Psalm of worship that
focuses on our great source of help in God. The 159th Psalm speaks so eloquently about the God that knows
me. The 8th Psalm raises the question, "what is man that you
remember him"? In all the book is a great book of worship and
praise, and so many of the Psalms are very helpful to us as we
read and meditate upon them.
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