Latest / Reformed Thinking / Introduction to the Psalms | A. R. Fausset

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Introduction to the Psalms | A. R. Fausset · Reformed Thinking

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Welcome to the Deep Dive, powered by Reformed Thinking.
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For this deep dive, we are opening up a collection of
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writings often called the Heart of Scripture.
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It's really an inspired liturgy that functions both as a well a
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book of worship and a detailed prophetic biography.
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That's right, we're talking about the Book of Songs.
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Exactly. A text many people feel they
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know quite well, maybe intimately, but you know it's
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formal structure and it's predictive weight are often
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overlooked. That's absolutely correct.
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When you really examine the Psalms through the lens of, say,
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deep commentary and the historical source material, you
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realize you're holding something far more organized than just a
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random collection of songs. This is an inspired liturgy.
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It's shaped the devotion of God's people for millennia.
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So our mission today really is to distill the knowledge
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regarding its linguistic origins, it's unique historical
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structure, and it's function as a comprehensive guide for
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Christian doctrine and devotion. And we'll specifically focus on
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how this entire inspired collection functions as a text
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pointing directly to the Redeemer, the King, and Zion.
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Right. We've been working with some
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substantial historical notes, looking at the titles, the well,
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the complex system of authorship, that famous fivefold
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division, and the incredibly rich prophetic content contained
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within. We're going to try and find out
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what the original names tell us about its purpose and how the
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organization of the book itself speaks volumes about the
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movement of salvation history. Let's begin then, with the names
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themselves. Because the different
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designations assigned to this collection, they immediately
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signal what the book is and maybe just as importantly, how
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it was used in worship. So when we refer to this book in
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English, we use the word Psalms, naturally, but the primary
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Hebrew designation, the one used by the original Jewish
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congregation, it gives probably the clearest summation of its
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content, Tehalem. Tehalem, right?
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It translates directly as praises or hymns.
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It's the clearest indicator, really, of the book's overall
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mood and its ultimate purpose. So.
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It's the collective title. It stands as the Hebrew
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collective title Yeah, proclaiming that the book's
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entire movement is aimed at the glory and adoration of God.
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It is conceptually a praise book.
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What I found surprising, though, looking through the sources, is
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the the linguistic singularity of that title.
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While praise is certainly that you know, the leading feature of
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the book's content, the actual word tehillim only appears in
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the title of one single Psalm, just one Psalm 145.
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It's almost as if Psalm 145 is the final definitive statement
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that kind of encapsulates the function of the entire body of
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work. That's a fascinating observation
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about the maybe editorial choice there, that singular appearance.
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It acts almost like the concluding theological marker
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for the whole collection. It confirms that while the
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individual psalms cover really every emotional and spiritual
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state limit penitents fear, the overarching theological reality
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is one of praise. But the word we use today,
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Psalm, that actually comes through a different and equally
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instructive row. It's rooted specifically in the,
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let's say, the mechanics of ancient worship.
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OK, so that brings us to the Greek connection, which traces
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back through the Septuagint. You know, the translation of the
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Hebrew Bible into Greek completed roughly 200 years
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before the birth of Christ. Exactly the Greek title used
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there is Somoy. Somoy.
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And that Greek term somoy. It corresponds to a specific
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Hebrew word found within the inscriptions of the individual
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songs themselves. Mismoy, mismoy.
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This connection is critical because both the Greek name
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somoy and the Hebrew word mismoy, they signify something
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very precise in the context of ancient performance.
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What's that? They mean an ode or song whose
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singing is accompanied by an instrument, particularly the
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harp. Ah, so this isn't just generic
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poetry or, you know, prose meant to be recited.
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It's lyrical scripture designed to be sung with specific
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instrumental accompaniment. That moves it from just personal
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reading into corporate musical liturgy, doesn't it?
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Absolutely. The structure dictated the
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performance. When we look at the specific
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application of Miss Moy, we see that word appear in the
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inscriptions of 65 individual songs. 60 Yeah.
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It serves as the technical designation for that type of
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lyrical composition intended for the stringed instrument,
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probably the 10 stringed lute or the harp.
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This deep focus on instrument accompanied singing it really
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demonstrates David's immense effort to well organize and
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beautify the worship of the sanctuary.
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And the sources confirm this usage was, well, widely
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recognized across cultures too, right?
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The Syriac language, which is noted as being quite similar to
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Hebrew, used a similar form of mismoy for the entire book of
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Psalms. Yeah.
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So we have this kind of wonderful triple lineage, Hebrew
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tessalium summarizing the content phrase, and then Hebrew
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mismoy corresponding to Greek psalmoy, defining the required
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form in the method instrumental accompaniment.
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Right. The linguistic shift emphasizes
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2 distinct truths. The whole book is a declaration
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of praise telling them, but structurally each piece is a
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liturgical piece of music is more Understanding.
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This distinction immediately elevates our discussion past
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just general poetry and into structured, organized sanctuary
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worship. Which naturally leads us to the
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author and maybe the architect of that organization.
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Hashtag 3. Authorship and worship context.
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Yeah, and the moment you talk about structured worship in
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ancient Israel, you really have to begin with David.
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Definitely, the entire collection is often just
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casually called the Psalms of David, and his name appears in
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the titles of about have the compositions, but his
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significance it's far greater than just being a prolific
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author isn't. It that's right, he established
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the liturgical framework that really governed the worship life
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of Israel, And the New Testament interestingly goes to great
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lengths to confirm David's authorship, settling some
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historical questions. For instance, our sources point
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out that Psalms 2 and 95 are explicitly ascribed to David in
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the New Testament, Acts 4.25 and Hebrews 4.7, respectively.
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So he's the central organizing force and prophetic voice.
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He was the one who dedicated, well, huge efforts to beautify
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the worship of the sanctuary, making music and song a central,
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organized function of the state and religious life.
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This wasn't some amateur effort. It was a deeply organized
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professional endeavor. The scale of this organization
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is frankly remarkable. David appointed 288 Levite
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specifically for instrumental music and singing. 288.
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Yeah, these weren't just volunteers.
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They were dedicated professional musicians.
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They were split into 24 courses of 12 serving in an established
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rotation. Think about the resource
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allocation, the systematic preparation required to maintain
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an institution like that. Wow, he was essentially
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commissioning the official inspired choir and orchestra of
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the temple before the definitive structure was even fully
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realized. That staggering number.
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It really shows the spiritual priority David placed on the
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form and presentation of worship.
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And critically, these Levite musicians weren't just, you
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know, wrote performers. Many were also inspired
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co-authors contributing their own material to the inspired
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collection. This moves the collection beyond
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just David's personal history and really solidifies as the
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corporate worship book of Israel.
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Exactly. We see the names of these choir
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masters and co-authors appearing in the inscriptions alongside
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David's name, signifying their divine inspiration in this
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literary process. OK, let's maybe list them out
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just to give credit where it's due.
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First you've got Asaph. He was a prominent Levitical
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choir master, and he's described 12 Psalms.
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Then the sons of Korra. They represent sort of a family
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or Guild of singers, and they're ascribed 11 psalms. 11 more.
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We find Heman, who's described 1 Psalm, Psalm 88, though it's
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shared with the sons of Korra, interesting, and Ethan, who is
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ascribed 1 Psalm. Then you also have contributions
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from, well, the royal house itself and even the distant
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past. We find Solomon, David's son and
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successor, ascribed Psalm 72 and 127.
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He adds that wisdom literature element to the devotional
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structure. Right.
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And perhaps the most, I don't know, breathtaking contribution
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stretching the history of the collection right back to the
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beginning of the Covenant. You mean Moses?
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Moses yeah, ascribe the 90th Psalm.
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That single inclusion links the Psalms, the ultimate Israelite
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prayer book, directly back to the foundational experiences in
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the wilderness under the Law. It connects their liturgy
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immediately to their law and their National History, doesn't
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it, providing that historical context for their present
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worship. And Speaking of organization, we
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should pause on the ancient sort of metadata that details the
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management structure of temple worship, the instruction to the
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chief musician. Yes, the chief musician.
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So this was essentially the Superintendent of the musical
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department, the one responsible for the correct arrangement and
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performance of the music. That's the idea.
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This inscription is found in 50 53 Psalms 53, indicating those
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secific comositions were handed over to the musical director for
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technical preparation or maybe erformance instructions.
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It's a urely functional note then, ensuring that the inspired
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text was paired with the proper inspired presentation.
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Exactly. It shows us the incredible level
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of detail in the inspired text, right down to the erformance
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instructions. But what truly expands the
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significance of this role, though, is the fact that this
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same direction, the chief musician is also attached to the
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prayer of the prophet Habakkuk. Habakkuk for specifically
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Habakkuk chapter 3 verses one through 19.
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Wow, so that means the system of musical direction and liturgical
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use wasn't just confined to David's hymn book alone.
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Apparently not. It was a standardized practice
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that extended even into prophetic literature intended
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for use in formal public worship that really solidifies its place
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as the recognized liturgical guide for the entire nation.
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Hashtags tag Tasha Net V structure and the critical
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debate over inscriptions and this functional organizational
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detail, It brings us quite naturally to the grand structure
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of the book itself. I mean, we're dealing with 150
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independent compositions which structurally aren't really
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susceptible to any logical thematic analysis based purely
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on content. Right, they jump around quite a
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bit. They do, yet they have a clear
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historical organization that imposes meaning upon the whole
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thing. And that organization is the
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famous fivefold division, right? This division was made by the
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Jews, and it's universally understood to correspond to the
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five Books of Moses, the Torah. It intentionally mirrors the
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structure of the law. Exactly.
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The specific ranges are easy enough to map out.
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Book one runs from Psalms 1 to 42, Book 2 covers Psalms 43 to
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72, Book 3 spans Psalms 73 to 89, Book 4 takes us from Psalms
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90 to one O 6. And finally, Book 5 encompasses
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Psalms one O 7 all the way to 150.
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This division gives the collection and architectural
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connection to the Pentateuch. It essentially creates a kind of
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second Torah, a guide for life and worship, mirroring the guide
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for law and history. However, the sources introduce a
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crucial critical note here. While the division exists and
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it's ancient, many attempts have been made by commentators to
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find, well, critical or practical value, like a specific
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thematic or chronological development within this five
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fold structure. But these efforts have generally
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been unsuccessful. It seems to be more of an
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organizational choice, perhaps symbolic, more than a strict
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thematic necessity. It suggests the structure might
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be externally imposed, maybe for reverence and connection to the
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law, rather than internally dictated by the subject matter
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itself. Which leads to the next
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question. If the overall structure is
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symbolic, what does that mean for the internal data?
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You know, the title and inscriptions we just discussed.
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This brings us to a really crucial historical and
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theological debate. The authority of those
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inscriptions. They appear on more than 100
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psalms detailing the author, instrument, musical style, or
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the historical occasion of the composition.
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These inscriptions are, I mean, immensely valuable, connecting
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the text to specific moments in David's life, for example.
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Right, But their authority has been disputed by some writers.
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Let's maybe review the arguments against them first, as they
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highlight a significant historical issue.
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OK, the primary challenge really comes from the earliest
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translators of the Old Testament.
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Critics allege that the Greek translators, the Septuagint and
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the Syriac translators demonstrated a kind of disregard
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for the authority of these inscriptions.
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They treated them more like optional notes maybe rather than
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inspired scripture. And they did three things,
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according to the sources, that seemed to weaken the case for
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their authority. First, they varied from the
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proper translation of some titles, suggesting they didn't
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treat the titles with the same precision as the Psalm text
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itself. OK, less careful translation.
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2nd, they altered others outright, changing the reported
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context. And 3rd, in several instances
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they actually supplied titles to Psalms that had none in the
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original Hebrew text, which is a clear editorial edition.
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Right, that historical practice does suggest that even within
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the Jewish tradition, maybe 2 centuries before Christ, there
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was a feeling that these titles might not carry the same divine
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inspiration as the body of the text.
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And furthermore, critics allege that the subject given in a
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title, say, linking A Psalm to David fleeing Saul, is sometimes
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inconsistent with the Psalms actual contents.
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It forces an awkward interpretation sometimes.
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OK, so that's the case against accepting them as fully
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authoritative, But the argument supporting their authority are
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pretty compelling too. Aren't they relying heavily on
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the principle of antiquity and consistency?
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They are Supporters argue that the varying translations of
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those early translators, the Greek and Syriac, well, that's
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not unique to the Psalms titles. They varied from the correct
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translation of many widely accepted passages elsewhere in
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the Bible, too. So it's a general translation
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issue, not specific to the title.
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That's the point. Translation discrepancies are
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kind of a feature of the Septuagint project itself, not
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necessarily a unique dismissal of the Psalms titles.
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And concerning that alleged inconsistency between the title
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and the contents, supporters provide a very strong counter
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argument, which is the apparent discrepancy might simply be
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disproved by a more careful and accurate investigation of the
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historical context. We might just not fully
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understand the precise historical reference the title
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is making. It doesn't mean the title itself
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is necessarily wrong. OK, that makes sense.
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We might just lack the context. Exactly.
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And finally, there's the powerful argument from
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historical longevity, the admitted antiquity of these
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inscriptions, the fact that they were included in the text at a
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very, very early stage. Even if they contain obscure or
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difficult musical terms, that raises a powerful presumption in
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their favor. They reflect the original usages
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and organization of that age. And maybe we should be slow to
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discard them simply because their meaning has been lost over
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time, right? Regardless of the disputes over
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the titles, though, the theological value of the Psalms
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seems entirely fixed, doesn't it?
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Particularly in the Revelation of the Messiah, this prophetic
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core relies completely on David's unique sort of triple
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role in salvation history. Absolutely.
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David was clearly far more than just a historical figure who
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wrote some great songs. He functions as the central
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pivot point for the messianic hope.
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So what are those roles? Well, he held three critical
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interwoven roles that connect him directly and really
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unavoidably to the promised Redeemer.
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First, he was the king and head of the church and state, God's
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chosen servant to rule his people under the covenant
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modeling godly governance. OK, King and Head.
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Second, he was the lineal ancestor of God's Son according
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to the flesh. This ensured that the Christ
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would come from His royal guaranteed line, fulfilling
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those specific dynastic promises affirmed repeatedly in
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Scripture. The line of David got it.
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And 3rd, and this is probably the most critical for the
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prophetic nature of the Psalms, He serves as a type of Christ.
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A type How? In his official relations,
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encompassing both immense suffering and ultimate triumph,
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Davis own trials, say by the ungodly.
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They depicted the trials of Christ.
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His final success and installation as king prefigured
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the success and the final Kingdom of Christ.
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David's personal history becomes the divinely established
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dramatic template for Christ's life and ministry.
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Wow. So this is where the inspiration
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becomes just astonishing. The text claims David was
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inspired to know that his earthly Kingdom, his own
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dynastic structure, would perish.
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Right, temporary. But the spiritual Kingdom,
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foreshadowed by His rule, would endure through Christ's power,
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His beneficence, His glory. David's writing about things he
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knows are temporary, but the Spirit gives him the language to
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describe the eternal reality. That generates a really unique
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prophetic dynamic, doesn't it? David used language to describe
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his own immediate personal feelings, his sorrow, his
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persecution, his deliverance from Saul or maybe Absalom.
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But this very language used to express David's human experience
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only finds its full and complete meaning in the experience and
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feelings of Christ, the true King.
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Which is why the New Testament writers can just apply it
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directly. Exactly.
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Guided by the Holy Spirit, they apply that language directly to
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the Redeemer without any hesitation.
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The sources confirm the Psalms function almost like Christ's
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biography centuries before his birth.
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Let's maybe detail the prophetic content categorized by what the
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Psalm specifically predict about the Messiah.
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OK, first they predict his sorrow and death.
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They describe Christ's incarnation, his humiliating
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sorrows, the intense persecution he faced, and his cruel death,
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often presented through the plaintive, almost despairing
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cries of a sufferer who feels forsaken by God and man.
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And we see this most clearly in some of the really famous
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prophetic Psalms, right? Psalm 22, for instance.
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It details the mockery, the thirst, the piercing of hands
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and feet, the casting of lots for garments.
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All events directly tied to the crucifixion.
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David's lament is used to utter the dreadful sorrows of the
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Redeemer soul on the cross itself.
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It's staggering. Truly, what's next?
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Second, they predict His triumphant office.
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They predict the necessary reversal of fortune, His
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resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the Father,
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His eternal priesthood after the order of Melchizedek, his royal
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dignity over the nations, and his prophetical office as the
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ultimate revealer of God. And Psalm 110 is key here, isn't
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it? It's one of the most frequently
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quoted Old Testament passages in the New Testament because it
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declares, you know, the Lord's saying to David's Lord, Sit at
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my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.
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Precisely this establishes Christ's eternal kingship and
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priesthood. It demonstrates that the
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suffering leads directly to the ultimate installation as King
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over Zion. Suffering, then glory.
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OK, sorrow and death, triumph in office.
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What else? 3rd they predict the nature and
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establishment of the church. This includes the purchase and
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bestowal of the gifts of the Spirit on His people, the
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conversion of the nations to the Messiah, and the establishment,
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increase and perpetuity of the Church across the earth.
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So Psalm 2, which establishes Christ's ultimate reign over the
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nations, and maybe Psalm 68 which predicts the Ascension and
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the subsequent reception of gifts for men.
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They illustrate this perfectly. Exactly.
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The success of the King and Zion guarantees the gathering and
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continuation of his people globally.
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And finally, finally, they predict judgment, predictions of
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the ruin of the wicked who reject the King and Zion.
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These are often referred to as the imprecatory sections and the
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eventual guaranteed blessedness of the righteous who acknowledge
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him as Lord and King. So it really is a complete
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theological system presented through a song.
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The sources confirm that specific Psalms like
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21622404568697297100 and 10 and 118 are explicitly categorized
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as prophetical Psalms, each highlighting a different
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essential facet of the Messiah's work, from his lineage to his
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death, resurrection, and reign. And this immense prophetic
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content, it's not just academic material alone, is it?
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It's woven into a practical guide intended to shape the
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moral life of the believer. The Psalms function as a
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consistent system of moral and theological truth that makes
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them a comprehensive guide for doctrine and theology.
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They absolutely constitute a source for what the sources term
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popular theology for God's people.
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You know you're exposed to the truth not through dry,
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systematic predecessors, but through lyrical, emotional,
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relational expressions. They unfold God's nature, His
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attributes, His perfections, His works related to creation,
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Providence and grace, all celebrated through poetic
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language. And this method of revelation
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ensures that complex truths are made accessible, right?
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The Psalms glorify God's wisdom and justice.
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They celebrate His glorious supremacy over heaven, earth,
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all spiritual forces. We see His holy, wise and
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powerful control over all material and immaterial
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agencies. It makes it clear that His
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sovereignty governs all creation.
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And crucially, this theology is rooted in salvation history.
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They set forth the great covenant of grace, resting on
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that fundamental promise of a Redeemer.
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This framework is essential because within it they
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articulate the way of salvation, including the specific doctrines
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required for salvation. That's right.
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Doctrines like regeneration by the Spirit, you know, the act of
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God renewing the heart and the subsequent necessity of
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forgiveness of sins, repentance toward God, and faith toward
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Jesus Christ, they're all expressed lyrically.
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How does the poetry express repentance, for example?
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Well, by laying bare the full extent of human depravity and
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the resulting need for divine intervention, you see it when
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the speaker cries out for a clean heart and a renewed
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spirit. The way of salvation is
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expressed through confession and petition, through raw honesty
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before God. Right and beyond systematic
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doctrine, they offer these richly instructive historical
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summaries. The sources show they're
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invaluable for instructing God's people historically.
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They recount God's choice of the patriarchs, Israel's sufferings
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in Egypt, the dramatic events of the Exodus, the rebellions and
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calamities in the wilderness, the final settlement in Canaan,
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and that recurring cycle of backslidings and reformations.
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And these historical summaries, they illustrate the
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steadfastness of God's providential government of His
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people. They simultaneously demonstrate
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His perfect grace and, frankly, the folly of human pride and
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self-reliance. They provide a pattern for us,
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don't they? Rebellion leads to judgement,
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but repentance secures deliverance.
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That gives enormous comfort and context for you, the believer
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today, facing your own trials. This historical and doctrinal
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instruction really serves as the foundation for the
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distinguishing feature of the Psalms, their devotional
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character. They are the supreme guide for
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Christian experience. They lay open the whole inner
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life of the pious man under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
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The experience detail here is just so comprehensive, so
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universal, and it's described using words which the Holy Ghost
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taught. This is why Christians across
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ages, cultures, denominations, they find themselves in the
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Psalms. You find every negative
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spiritual experience detailed the struggles with temptation,
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the internal conflicts, feelings of perplexity, crippling doubts,
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paralyzing fears, agonizing penitent moanings, overwhelming
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griefs. It provides words for every
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Christian during their darkest times, validating their
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suffering as part of the inspired narrative.
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But equally, they chart the fruits of sovereign mercy,
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patience and adversity, temperance and prosperity, zeal
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for God's glory, a commitment to justice for the oppressed,
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immense delight in the prosperity of the Church.
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Zion. The Psalms contextualize pretty
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much every spiritual feeling a believer might encounter under
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the sun. And we noted earlier that
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Structural Guide for Spiritual progress, there's a specific
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thematic flow, isn't there? Sorrow and suffering, lament and
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complaint, they seem to have pervade the earlier portions,
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particularly Books 1 and 2. They do, but as the book
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approaches its conclusion, the tones of sorrow grow fainter and
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fainter. And the strains of praise.
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They grow louder and stronger, building toward the final book.
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The entire collection culminates in the exulting, unreserved
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strains of pure worship found in Psalm 150.
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This movement from deep suffering to total unreserved
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exultation. It functions as the narrative of
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redemption for the believer. We start in the depths, perhaps,
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but we finish in glorification, mirroring the work of the
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Messiah himself. This inherent structure brings
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us to the final necessary practical application, the
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Psalms as the inspired liturgy, the definitive guide for
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devotion. They were designed specifically
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for sanctuary worship, used faithfully by the pious Jew
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before Christ, and their authority is cemented by their
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centrality in the New Testament itself.
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Our Savior sang one of these hymns with His disciples on the
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very night He was betrayed, immediately before entering His
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greatest suffering. Right.
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He quoted Psalm 22 to express that dreadful isolation of his
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soul and his deepest suffering on the cross, and he died with
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words from another Psalm on his lips.
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It shows that the inspired hymn book provided the vocabulary for
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the King's entire life, suffering and death.
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And the practice continued right into the early church.
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Paul and Silas sang them in the dungeon in Philippi.
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They are recognized as the universally authorized means of
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addressing God and indeed ourselves in public and private
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devotion. That historical usage certainly
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confirms their authority, but their breath today is just
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astonishing. The sources state they are used
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in public and private worship throughout the entire Christian
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world by people of all lands and creeds, Protestants, Baptist,
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Presbyterians, others in untold forms of version, paraphrase,
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imitation. They stand as the universal
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language of faith precisely because they give voice to every
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spiritual experience under the sovereign hand of God.
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For practical use, this means we can intentionally categorize
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them for focused worship, can't we like didactic lessons for
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instruction, praise for God's verses and attributes,
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devotional expressions of feeling, and historical
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reflection to remember God's faithfulness.
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Yeah, that categorization helps us connect the doctrine, the
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experience, and the devotion into one seamless act of
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spiritual worship. It's incredibly useful.
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Hashtag tag 7 outro. So we've really covered the Book
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of Psalms in immense detail today, starting with those
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original linguistic insights, the essential meaning of Teleman
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as praise, and Mismoy as the song accompanied by the harp,
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demonstrating his architectural function as liturgical music.
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We saw David's role as the inspired organizer and prophet,
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establishing that massive system of, what was it, 288 Levite
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musicians. 288 Yeah, right. And we established that
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threefold identity of David, King, ancestor and type, which
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allows his personal life and trials to become the inspired
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template for Christ's sorrows and his success to prefigure the
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ultimate success of Christ's Kingdom.
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The entire collection truly functions as the inspired
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biography and prayer book of the Messiah and by extension, his
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people. OK, so given everything we've
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discussed about the structure and content, especially that
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emotional and thematic progression, we noted that the
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Book of Psalms begins with deep suffering, complaint, penitence
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in the early books, but the final climactic 5th book
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culminates in sheer exulting praise in Psalm 150.
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We're left with a fundamental question, really, about the
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destination of faith. Yes, if the entire divinely
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inspired collection begins in the depth of human lament and
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concludes with an overwhelming universal Hallelujah that calls
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upon everything that has breath to praise the Lord, what does
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that structural progression tell you, the listener, about the
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nature of the redeemed life under the rule of the Messiah?
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Why is the final word of this divinely authored hymn book not
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sorrow, but guaranteed exulting praise?
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That's the nature of the inspired hymn book guiding us
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from Earth to glory. Thank you for joining us for
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this deep dive.