The Book of Psalms, Tehillim in Hebrew (תְּהִלִּים or תהיליםmeaning "Praises"), commonly referred to simply as Psalms or "the Psalms", is the first book of the Ketuvim ("Writings"), the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a book of the ChristianOld Testament. The title is derived from the Greek translation, ψαλμοί psalmoi, meaning "instrumental music" and, by extension, "the words accompanying the music." The book is an anthology of individual psalms, with 150 in the Jewish and Western Christian tradition and more in the Eastern Christian churches. Many of the psalms are linked to the name of King David, although his authorship is not accepted by modern Bible scholars.
Structure
Benedictions
The Book of Psalms is divided into five sections, each closing with a doxology (i.e., a benediction) – these divisions were probably introduced by the final editors to imitate the five-fold division of the Torah:
be gracious to me for i'm falling away, heal me oh Lord for my bones are dismayed and my soul is greatly dismayed oh Lord how long? return and rescue my soul!
Psalm 1 opens with a profound declaration ... This is the kind of blessing that beckons us, and Psalm 1 reveals the path that takes us there ... Psalm 1 is an invitation to plant ourselves by the life-giving streams of God’s Word ... ....
Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever ....
“For the director of music. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.” ....
If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god; Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart ....