THE FIVE BOOKS OF THE PSALMS - Bible Claret

1 1019 THE five BOOKS OF THE PSALMSThe PSALMS come from the collections of songs used in the Temple of tradition has it that David regulated the liturgy just as he composed all thepsalms, it is more likely that the Levites the Sons of Asaph and Yedutun who werein charge of the sacred music of the Temple, had a greater role in the writing and selectionof the PSALMS . With the passage of time, the PSALMS took on an overlay of personal piety,collective lamentations and the expressions of another the prayer book of ancient Israel, the PSALMS fed Jewish piety as they did the prayerof Jesus.

2 To this day, they form the foundation of Christian liturgical prayer used bycountless religious, priests and deacons as well as an increasing number of all Christians may find in the PSALMS the fulfillment of their own aspirations, butadapting them for prayer, or better still, allowing them to educate and form one s spirituallife may prove to be more valuable. If we are to enter into a conversation with God, wewould benefit more by listening to Him and meditating his inspired words than byspeaking of our own PSALMS have come through the ages as a powerful means of prayer.

3 If they do notalways satisfy our own sense of prayer, it is not necessarily a bad thing. If they manageto unbalance even slightly our ingrained habits of piety, that is not a small gift. Thesepsalms may be capable of renewing our language and symbolism in a world where Godis often a stranger and people would prefer to be left alone, to pursue their own PSALMS have been collected into five BOOKS as one can see from the endings of eachbook (cf Ps 41, 72, 106). Within different collections one sometimes finds nearly identicalPsalms and we can consider them as numbering of the PSALMS is slightly different in the Hebrew and Greek have used the Hebrew numbering and placed the Greek number in parenthesis theone most often used in our Latin Songs in the BibleTogether with the PSALMS we should also indicate other prayers which we find in mostparts of the Bible and which we usually call canticles : of Moses: Ex 15 2nd of Moses: Dt 32 of Anna: 1 S 2 of Isaiah: Is 12 of Hezekiah.

4 Is 38 of Habakkuk: Hb 3 of the three servants: Dn 3:52 of Tobit: Tb 13 of Sirach: Sir 36 of Mary: Lk 1:46 of Zechariah: Lk 1:68 of Simeon: Lk 2:29 Ephesians: 1:3-14; 3:14-20 Revelation: several passages See also 2 S 23; Ne 9:6; Is 26:7; 59;63:7; Jer 20:7; Jdt 16:13; Wis 9:1; Sir 23:1; 1 The first psalm speaks of happiness, just asJesus first discourse began with Happy! (or beingblessed, Fortunate ).We often find the theme of two ways in the Bible (Dt30:15; Jer 21:8; Pro 4:18; Mt 7:13). It expresses ourpersonal responsibility which will be clearly seen onthe day of judgment.

5 Whatever the appearances maybe at times, true happiness is for those who are faithfulto the will of is the green and productive tree, par excel-lence. All that is good, great, beautiful and holy in theheart of a person blossoms on the tree of the 1 The two ways. What you sow in life you willharvest. Those who keep God s law will behappy here and in the next life. Whoever refusesit will not is the onewho does not go where the wickedgather,or stand in the way of sinners,or sit where the scoffers sit!2 Instead, he finds delight in the law ofthe Lordand meditates day and nighton his is like a tree beside a brookproducing its fruit in due season,its leaves never he does is a it is different with the are like chaffdriven away by the wicked will not stand whenjudgment comes,nor the sinners when the the Lord knows the way of therighteousbut cuts off the way of the two kingdoms.

6 This struggle between the kings of theearth and God s Anointed announces the book of has come among us. His presence is a challenge to thosewho would like to be lords of the earth. There will be no lastingpeace here do the nations conspire?Why do the peoples plot in vain?2 The kings of the earth brace themselvesand the rulers together take their standagainst the Lord and his say, Let us break their bonds!Let us cast away their chains! 4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs;the Lord looks at them in in anger he speaks to them,terrifying them in the fury of his wrath:6 Behold the king I have installed,in Zion, upon my holy hill!

7 7I will proclaim the decree of the said to me: You are my day I have begotten of me and I will give youthe nations for your inheritance,the ends of the earth for your shall rule them with iron scepterand shatter them as a potter s vase. 10 Now therefore, learn wisdom, O kings;be warned, O rulers of the the Lord with fearand fall at his feet;lest he be angry and you perishwhen his anger suddenly are all who take refuge in him!How many are my enemies! King David, like all Christians,has an ally more powerful than all his enemies together: Lord, how great in number are my foes!

8 How numerous are they who rise against me!3 How many are they who say of my soul: There is no help for him in God! 4 But you are my shield, O Lord,my glory, you lift up my I cry to the Lord,and from his holy hill he answers I lie down to sleep,again I awake, for the Lord supports me;7no fear of the thousands standing against 2 Verses 6-9 are like an oracle of Godwarning all nations that he himself hascrowned his Son in Zion, the holy hillof Jerusalem. He asks every king tosubmit. This king is, of course, theMessiah, God s Anointed (we callhim the Christ).

9 His cause is that of theinnumerable poor who await his jus-tice throughout the entire kings of the earth, the rulersare not the only ones who persecute,but all those who wield power overpeople s minds, who create publicopinion among the masses, and themafias, the powers of darkness. Godconfronts them and with him the vic-torious Anointed One who is calledthe 3 PSALM 310228 Arise, O Lord!Deliver me, O my God!You strike all my enemies on the jaw,you have broken the teeth of the comes from the your blessing be upon your people!

10 Evening prayer. An evening prayer for those who trust Godin the midst of their difficulties, remembering how many timesGod has come to their assistance. Gratitude for favors receivedleads us to ask for more; this request will be more trustful; trustwill bring us peace and joy in our difficulties. Evil and misfortunecome in many ways, but prayer always brings when I call, O God, my justice!When I was in distress, you gave me compassion on me and hear my you people, how longwill you harden your hearts?How long will you delight in deceitand go in search of falsehood?