January 15, 2025

The Psalms: Its Five Booksby parishioner Dick Fichter with assistance from Rev. Dina

Last week’s Hump Day Message gave an introduction to the Psalms. This week we take closer look at its five books.

The five books of the psalter contain the following grouping of psalms:

1–41, 42–72, 73–89, 90–106, 107–150. 

If you look on page 585 of the Psalter in the Book of Common Prayer, you will see the heading Book One and underneath, the title, in italics, First Day: Morning Prayer.

Then on page 589, there is the title, First Day: Evening Prayer. This continues seriatim to page 804 of the fifth Book which has the title, Thirtieth Day: Evening Prayer for psalm 147 and ends with the Doxology psalm 150 which ends on page 808. 

A nice way to start and end your day? A nice way to end your day? Yes!

In recent years, scholars have paid attention to the structure of the Psalms and the difference the structure makes in interpretation.

Britanica points out that psalm titles are also instructive. Curiously, Psalm 3 is the first titled psalm. However, this is intentional. Since Psalms 1 and 2 are untitled, they in effect serve as titles, thereby introducing and facilitating a proper reading of the Psalter.

Psalm 1 characterizes people who live according to or go against the Lord’s Torah. One way promotes life, the other destruction (1:3–5). But what is this Torah? Usually translated “law” or “instruction,” Torah refers to the first five books of the Bible (Genesis through Deuteronomy, or the Pentateuch), the commandments and rules that indicate how to respond to God’s love and grace (Exodus 19 through Numbers 10:10; Deuteronomy), and the story that accents God’s elect people and their role in God’s reconciling plan. Though the Psalms are human words about God, reading them as Torah transforms them into God’s word for God’s people. Serving as a title, Psalm 1 admonishes us to read the Psalter as Torah.

Psalm 2, on the other hand, encourages us to read the Psalter messianically. In this psalm, the world’s rulers are depicted as conspiring against God and God’s anointed, or messiah (2:1–3). But such conventional power is no match for God or God’s royal son (2:4–9). If the world’s power brokers had any sense, they would realize this. Ultimately, all appearances to the contrary, divine power as expressed through God’s messiah will prevail. In essence, Psalm 2 tells us that God will have the final say. We are to read the Psalter with that confidence.

Given the import of Psalms 1 and 2, and the manner in which they serve as titles for the whole Psalter, it is altogether fitting that the Psalms end on a doxological note. Psalm 150 calls for praise, not only on the part of God’s people but on the part of “everything that breathes” (150:6). In fact, Psalm 150 is the final doxological exclamation point for a number of concluding psalms, which give a resounding “Hallelujah” to the whole Psalter (see Psalms 146–149). Praise is the only possible response to a Psalter that begins with Psalms 1 and 2.

A diversion I could not resist.

In going through the psalter, I came across psalm 119 which is said to be considered the longest chapter in the Bible because it is written as an acrostic poem, where each set of eight verses begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet, resulting in 22 sections of eight verses each, totaling 176 verses in all. 

In next week’s HDM, we will explore the recitation of psalms. Come and See! In the meantime – check out the psalter in the BCP: The Online Book of Common Prayer and click The Psalter from the list.