Our looking and longing isn’t done yet. King Jesus will return. And when he does, he will bring this world to an end and establish the new heavens and the new earth. The book of Psalms trains us for that world yet to come. There is a general movement across the five books of the Psalter proportionately from more laments in the earlier books to more praise in the latter books.
Since the 1980s, scholarship has devoted serious attention to the shape of the Psalter. While viewing the Psalms as a book has not filtered into popular consciousness yet, pastors and preachers may have discovered this argument in recent commentaries, such as James M. Hamilton’s excellent volumes. Preaching the Psalter as a book might at first seem like a difficult task, but it’s well worth it. Here are four reasons why.
1. The Book of Psalms Assures Us God Directs Human History
The Psalms are unique, for while they are God’s Word to us, they also are man’s words to God. The mindset of the people who wrote them teaches us something about the reality of our world: God directs human history. If the authors of the psalms didn’t believe this to be so, they wouldn’t have cried out to him.
Throughout Israel’s history, from embryonic kingdom to dismembered state in exile, God cares for, protects, and sustains his people. No matter the circumstances, God is active. And so it is today. Kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall, but God is faithful through it all.
I write from Ireland. On the southern coastline lies Cobh, famous for being the Titanic’s final stop before its fateful sail across the Atlantic. Above Cobh stands St. Colman’s Cathedral, a massive, imposing building that towers over the entire town. No matter where you stand you can see it.
A similar image of God emerges from the Psalms when we preach them as a book. He towers over human history as the main actor.
- In Book One, God consistently aids David in his battle against the wicked (Ps. 18:1–3).
- In Book Two, God rescues the nation from its enemies (Ps. 44:4–8).
- In Book Three, the psalmist cries out in the wake of the exile (Ps. 77:1–2).
- In Book Four, hope is reignited (Ps. 105:1–2).
- In Book Five, it’s all praise to God for his great deeds toward his people (Ps. 117:1–2).
The trajectory of the Psalms assures us that even through enemies and exiles God directs human history. What a comfort to us as we face the tumult of life.