After reading many palms throughout the Book of Psalms I wonder why all of them are contained within one book. They have various themes, and the themes are sometimes in opposition to each other. There is war, prophesy, worship, and morals. These are just some of the broad range of topics included in this book. There are different authors found throughout the Psalms. They were written over the course of hundreds of years. So what do they have in common? What makes them a cohesive piece of work?
The thing that brings all of these together is the Lord. All of these Psalms praise Him. Every single one references the Lord and what He has given to the people of Israel. Of course they would offer praise to the Lord when their lives are going well. That is the easy part of religion, to praise a higher power when you are not going through a hard time. The challenge of religion come when you cannot succeed at anything or it feels like no one is there for you. That is the test of true faith. I find it fascinating that the Israelites worshipped the Lord even when they were in war and being persecuted by their oppressors.
These varying themes also make the psalms universal. They are so popular and relevant today because people can always find a psalm to relate to. Whether they are experiencing hardship or not there is always something to help them through their lives.
It is true that the book of psalms is designed to bring people together, but i do not see it as cohesive work like you try to reationalize. They are of varying lengths, subjects, and contextual motivations that make more sense in atleast distinguished sections if not independent books. The first psalms of David we read were significantly different from the songs of ascent. That said, this work brought ancient Isrealites together throughout different events and has allowed itself to be more easily manipulated by its diverse content since then. The lack of severe distinction is the reason the book of psalms is still applicable, but also why it is sometimes so frustrating and numbing.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your post for the most. However, I feel like the challenge with religion is praising a higher power when you're not going through a hard time. I know from personal experience that it's extremely easy to consult an higher power when you are going through a difficult time. Other than that, I agree with your post. I really liked your last statement, saying that the reason why the Psalms are popular is because anybody can find a Psalm in which they can relate to their personal situations.
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