Interpreting the Psalms – Paul M. Williams

Knowing the Bible for Yourself (Pt. 10) The first recorded song sung in the Bible was the Song of Moses and the last recorded song that will one day be sung is also the song of Moses (Rev. 15:3).  Did you know that there are some 185 songs recorded in Holy Scripture, most of which are found in the Book of Psalms?  If you were God, would you choose to include in your collection of books, a book solely consisting of songs?  Would you choose to make this book the largest book in your collection of books and would you have it contain the longest chapter?  What does all of this tell us?  It clearly sends a message, telling us that songs are important to God!  It has been calculated that there are 283 direct quotations from the Tanakh (Old Testament) found in the New Testament.  Did you know that the greatest number of quotes coming from any one book is the Book of Psalms! One cannot overestimate the role that David played in bringing structured praise into the House of God.  In the days of the Tabernacle of Moses, there was no designated place for the worship of God via song and music in the instructions given to Moses on the Mount.  However, in the instructions given by David for the construction of the Temple praise and worship played a prominent part.  In this tenth teaching part, we take a look at this fascinating book and provide some practical helps that will enable us to better interpret it. Download teaching notes (pdf) https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bethesdashalom/7_Interpreting_the_Psalms.pdf