Psalms

Worshipful and Exultant - A Devotional Guide, Prayer Book, and Hymnal

David loved to worship. He wrote seventy-three of the psalms that praise the Lord during good times and bad. He sang of God's faithfulness to him in times of trouble, expressing his anger at injustice and crying out to God for comfort during times of personal pain. David wrote from raw passion and dependence on God. David knew that true worship is not just outward, but inward. Our true worship is conveyed by way of the way we live.

Romans 12:1 In view of God's mercies, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices that are holy and pleasing to God, for this is the reasonable way for you to worship.

True worship manifests itself in action and emanates from a heart for God. David had a heart for God and lived a lifestyle of worship.

Almost all the psalms sing of sorrow and suffering, opposition and persecution - yet always within the context of God's redeeming love and the believer's faith in overcoming, ultimately leading to the everlasting praise of our Creator and Savior.

About half of the Psalms may be classified as prayers of faith in times of trouble. Psalm 23, 91, 121 sustain us in time of deepest need. Memorizing Psalms fortifies us with the Word when testing comes. Other Psalms are devoted to the subject of praise. The note of praise to God should be a part of a Christian's very breath, and such psalms as 100 and 103 should have a large place in our devotions.

Scarlet Thread:

There are approximately sixteen psalms that are widely considered Messianic, meaning they are interpreted as prophesying about the Messiah, Jesus Christ. These psalms contain various types of prophecies, including those about his birth, suffering, death, and resurrection.

• Psalm 2: Speaks of the Messiah's future reign and authority.
• Psalm 8: While not strictly Messianic, it does speak of the exaltation of humanity, which is seen as pointing to Christ.
• Psalm 16: Foretells the Messiah's resurrection.
• Psalm 22: A detailed prophecy of the Messiah's crucifixion, including the piercing of his hands and feet, and his cry of dereliction.
• Psalm 40: Speaks of the Messiah's willingness to fulfill God's will, which is interpreted as his incarnation and sacrifice.
• Psalm 41: Foretells the Messiah's betrayal by a close friend (Judas Iscariot).
• Psalm 69: Another psalm describing the Messiah's suffering and rejection.
• Psalm 110: Contains prophecies about the Messiah's priesthood and future reign.
• Psalm 118: Speaks of the Messiah as the rejected cornerstone.