The Psalms are songs of praise to Almighty G-d, the Creator of the Universe. The Psalms are about G-d’s greatness, His goodness and mercy; His power and righteousness. David pours out his heart in these Psalms and confesses his sincere and pure trust in G-d alone. Many of the Psalms are prayers and supplications to G-d that King David prayed in times of trouble. Some psalms contain good advice, showing the way to true happiness through virtue and the fulfillment of G-d’s commandments.
- Psalms of David reflect Jewish history
- David not the only author
- The Book of Psalms subdivided
- David did not get angry with G-d
- Why was David chosen as the father of the eternal Messianic dynasty?
- Reciting Psalms
- Psalm 1 to 92
Psalms of David reflect Jewish history
The Psalms reflect all the different incidents that can happen in life on both an individual level and of the entire Jewish nation. In the history of David – his exile, persecution, struggle and ultimately triumph – the Jewish people find an example and a prophecy of their own life. No wonder that the Book of Psalms has served as a limitless source of inspiration, courage and hope throughout the centuries.
David not the only author
Not all Psalms were composed by David. Some were written by Adam, Shem, Abraham, Moses and others. King David collected them all and added his own Psalms composed by Divine inspiration.
The Book of Psalms subdivided
The Book of Psalms is divided into five parts, parallel to the Five Books of Moses. It is further divided into seven parts, one for each day of the week, and further divided into 30 parts, for each day of the month. Many Jews have the custom of reciting a portion of the Psalms each day after morning prayers.
David did not get angry with G-d
David’s life was one full of conflict. And how did he deal with that? Not by cursing his fate. No, he wrote Psalms. When things got tough, he asked G-d for help. And when things were going well for him, he did not forget to thank G-d.
Why was David chosen as the father of the eternal Messianic dynasty?
David was not chosen because he was a perfect person. He was human and made mistakes. But what mattered was how he dealt with his mistakes. King Saul always tried to find excuses for his mistakes. This ultimately cost him the throne. King David always blamed himself. Submitting to G-d means realizing that G-d is always right. Our desires do not always align with G-d’s.
This is the secret of the Tehillim. In good times and bad, David knew how to find and praise G-d. We are to praise G-d for both the good and the bad. By saying the Psalms we learn how to do that.
Reciting Psalms
There are Jews who read the Psalms in a one-week cycle. There are others who use a monthly cycle. When you start reciting Psalms it is best to start with the monthly cycle otherwise it will be too overwhelming. With the monthly cycle you read approximately 5 Psalms per day (there are 150 Psalms).
Reciting Psalms leads to better health, wealth of spiritual well-being and harmony in marriage.
Psalm 1 to 92
Would you like to read more Psalms with a Jewish interpretation? Go to: Psalms 1 through 92.