THE PSALMS ARE INSPIRED

THE PSALMS ARE INSPIRED

            As I have mentioned many times in this blog, I have prepared each post with the presupposition that the entire Bible is authored and inspired by the Holy Spirit.  The Book of Psalms is therefore the inspired word of God.  Hibbard, in Whedon's Commentary states, "The Psalms are the only collection of sacred songs plenarily inspired which were ever given to the church, and as such presents a claim upon our reverence, faith, and devotional use which belongs to no other."  Whedon’s Commentary, Vol. V, p. 7.

            Since The Book of Psalms is an inspired songbook, it is important to study the various places in the Old and New Testaments where the writers verify the inspiration of the Psalm collection.  It is worth noting that in the New Testament there are more exact quotations, references, and allusions to the Book of Psalms than to any other Old Testament Book.  David claimed the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in II Samuel 23:1-2 where it states, “Now these be the last words of David.  David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.”

            So, what does the fact that the Book of Psalms is an inspired collection of sacred music mean to twenty-first century Christian musicians?  It means that the psalms should be treated with great respect. Although new sacred music is of great value to public worship, so is the singing of the psalms of the Bible. The current notion that psalm singing is outdated and therefore is not capable of connecting with contemporary worshiers, is actually purporting that the Bible is outdated and ineffectual. What worshipers need in many instances are fresh new musical settings for the Psalms of the Bible because the musical settings are outdated rather than the Word of God.