The book of Psalms is one of the most beloved books in the Bible. Christians have been drawn to the book of Psalms as the heart of the Old Testament, especially in how it is able to harmonize all aspects of our Christian experience. John Calvin wrote that the Psalter is “an anatomy of all the parts of the soul,” and “there is not an emotion of which any one can be conscious that is not here represented as in a mirror.” This book had a special place in the hearts of the New Testament writers as well, with the Psalms either directly quoted or alluded to in almost every New Testament book.
The book of Psalms is made up of 150 lyrical poems which have served as the songs and prayers of God’s people for centuries. Written over a period of eight hundred years by several authors, the Psalms teach us that worshiping God is the appropriate response in any circumstance. We were made for relationship with God. In the Psalms, this relationship is illustrated through a variety of images of God as shepherd, warrior, father, mother and king. Each highlights a different aspect of God’s relationship with His people.
