THE PSALM BOOK...BEGINNINGS

Greetings and Praise The Lord...

Welcome to the beginning of the blog called THE PSALM BOOK. I have just done a cycle of one month on the book of Pro-Verbs...and wondered...what next? Should I continue with the Pro-Verbs for another 31 days...or something else. The something else is THE PSALM BOOK.

This is a collection of songs and poetry that was used in congregational worship...and you can use them in private devotions as well. The bulk of these songs/poetry is a collection of King David's songs...but also from others....Moses, Asaph, Heman, the sons of Korak,Solomon, Ethan, and Jeduthun. Also some with unknown authors. "Jewish scholars called these orphan psalms." (Thanx and a Tip O Da Hat to notes in The Spirit Filled Bible).

This collection of writings...this Sepher Tehillim (Book of Praises)...this Psalmoi/Psalterion (Poems that is to be accompanied by a stringed instrument)...is filled with temple songs, hymns of praise, elegies, laments, personal and national prayers, petitions, meditations, instructions, historical anthems, and acrostic tributes to noble themes. (Thanx and Another Tip O Da Hat to The Spirit Filled Bible). NOTE: This book is also great for a primer on repentance...as seen by the man after God's own heart...King David...needs restoration after murder and adultery (Psalm 32 and Psalm 51).

These writings are NOT just a fluffy, creme filled, pie in the sky look at life. There are real, nitty gritty issues...with a real God...sung by real people. I have always considered David as one of the first blues singers...as he laments the problem...but then praise the solution to the problem. (See Psalm 3).

We will follow the format of The Pro-Verbs (Positive-Action) blog...by systematically going from chapter one (1) all the way to chapter one hundred and fifty (150). We will not deal with the entire chapter (unless they are short) ...but something that jumps out at me...and then next time move on to the next chapter.

As you go through life...utilize The Psalm Book to lead you into the way of praise...and begin to worship the Lord in spirit and truth versus the flesh and what is happening to you.

HEBREW WORDS FOR PRAISE (Thanx and a Tip O Da Hat to various sources for these definitions including ...Strong's Concordance...Young's Concordance...Vines Lexicon...various Internet sites...and last but not least...the worship ninja...Wayne Berry.

Throughout the Bible there are seven primary Hebrew words for praise. Each one has a different colour or emphasis. You may ask yourself..."self...when is it proper to praise the Lord?" Well...self...PRAISE IS ALWAYS IN ORDER! On this inaugural issue of The Psalm Book...let's look at the word PRAISE.

1. HALAL: This is where we get the word hallelujah (halal-jah...praise Yahweh). It means... "to be clear, to shine, to boast, show, to rave, celebrate...TO BE CLAMOROUSLY FOOLISH." (Psalm 113:1-3; Psalm 150:1; Psalm 149:3; I Chronicles 2)

2. YADAH: This is a verb...meaning..."the extended hand...to throw out the hand, therefore to worship with the extended hand." The opposite meaning is..."to bemoan, the wringing of the hands." NOTE: both...actually all of these are a choice...not a gift or a fruit.
(II Chronicles 8:14; Ezra 3:10; Psalm 22:22; Psalm 63:5; Psalm 69:30; II Chronicles 20:21;
Psalm 63:1; Psalm 107:15; Genesis 49:8; II Chronicles 7:6; Isaiah 12:4; Jeremiah 33:11)

3. TOWDAH: Comes from the same principle root word as YADAH...but is used more specifically. Towdah literally means..."an extension of the hand in adoration, avowal, or acceptance." This type of praise (as with others) is thanking God for things NOT YET received as well as things "ALREADY AT HAND." NOTE: That just about covers the gamut of our prayers. (Psalm 50:14; Psalm 50:23; II Chronicles 29:31; Jeremiah 33:11; Psalm 42:4)

4. SHABACH: This means..."to shout, to address in a LOUD TONE...to command...to triumph." (Psalm 47:1; Psalm 145:4; Isaiah 12:6; Psalm 63:1-4; Psalm 117:1; Psalm 35:27; Psalm 106:47)

5. BARAK: This means..."to kneel down, to BLESS God as an act of adoration."
(Psalm 95:6; I Chronicles 29:20; Psalm 34:1; Job 1:21; Psalm 96:2; Psalm 103:1-2; Psalm 18:46)

6. ZAMAR: This means..."to PLUCK THE STRINGS of an instrument, to sing, to praise; a musical word which is largely involved with joyful expressions of music with musical instruments." (Psalm 21:13; I Chronicles 16:9; Psalm 57:8-9; Psalm 66:2-4; Isaiah 12:5; Psalm 27:6; Psalm 149:3; Psalm 30:4)

7. TEHILLAH: This word is "derived form the word HALAL and means...the singing of halals, to sing or laud; perceived to involve music, especially singing; HYMNS OF THE SPIRIT." (Psalm 22:3; Psalm 33:1; Isaiah 61:3; Psalm 34:1; I Chronicles 16:35; II Chronicles 20:22; Deuteronomy 10:21; Exodus 15:11; Psalm 147:1-2)

Well...if you read all the way to end of this blog...you are someone who love to PRAISE THE LORD!

Love and Praising Kisses
Rodney "I Wanna Dance Like David" Boyd