The Book of Psalms

A general overview of the Book of Psalms is that it can be viewed as the worship and prayer book of the Bible. It is composed by different authors over a long period of time, and includes songs and prayers collected and used by the nation of Israel in worship. This collection was eventually included in the official Hebrew Scriptures (i.e. Old Testament). The songs and prayers within the Book of Psalms vary greatly by subject as follows: 1) Songs of Praise and Adoration towards God 2) Songs of Thanksgiving towards God 3) Prayers for Help, Protection, Forgiveness, and Salvation from God 4) Prayers for the punishment of one's enemies by God All of these various songs and prayers have both a individual and community applications, with some portraying the most intimate feelings of the human spirit. The Book of Psalms was used extensively by Jesus and His apostles in the New Testament, and has become one of the key books of worship used by His Church to this day.