Like a Tree

As a retired Pastor, I often hear people say they don't understand what they are reading when they try to read the Bible. The discipline of interpreting the Bible with the goal of understanding its meaning and application is called hermeneutics. This process may sound daunting but it doesn't have to be. In response to the thirst for understanding that I often see, I decided to write this series on the Psalms. In this first book, I begin by showing people how to read and understand Scripture for themselves using simple terms, principles, and processes that they can apply to any passage in the Bible. The Psalms offer an excellent platform for applying these proven study methods.

The Psalms are each unique and are a treasure trove of deep theological thought wrapped in moving and sometimes tragic accounts of real events. They use various literary styles and devices to convey a range of emotions and experiences. In this series I use a general outline of the book of Psalms, divided as follows, which parallels the same pattern found in the five Books of Moses:

*Book One: Psalms 1-41 talks about the creation, the fall of mankind, the constant struggle between good and evil, and God's promise of redemption of mankind, just as Genesis does.
*Book Two: Psalms 42-72 describes the nation of Israel as ruined and then recovered, much like the book of Exodus.
*Book Three: Psalms 73-89 is similar to the book of Leviticus in its themes relating to the Tabernacle.
*Book Four: Psalms 90-106 has similarities with the book of Numbers in that they focus on the nation of Israel's relationships with surrounding nations.
*Book Five: Psalms 107-150 is similar to the book of Deuteronomy in that they are primarily anthems of praise and thanksgiving for God and His Word.

The Psalms were meant to be put to music and sung by the people. For that reason, at the end of each Psalm study, we include songs and hymns that are either the words of the Psalm put to music, songs inspired by the Psalm that reflect the themes of the Psalm, or simply songs that we know that come to mind as we read and meditate on these Psalms.