The Psalms are the Hymns of the Old Testament. They are set out in a poetic form and set to music. They are the songs of praise compiled and written primarily by King David. But we cannot suppose that David created them out of thin air. They are based upon the scriptural understanding and upon various prophetic writings and prior songs and poetry which David and the other Psalms writers had access to. And what they present is that much has been lost that once was scripture and most likely particularly those scriptures which presented the coming of the Son of God, even Jesus Christ (the Messiah) which the Jews did persecute and murder the prophets for teaching. Certainly such writings of these persecuted prophets would be disgarded or highly edited whereas perhaps the psalms of the king would not and thus allow at least a remnant of some preserved verses of such prophets in song.

For example, Psalm 110 speaks of God the Father placing Jehovah the Son in the position of being at the right hand of God the Father. This was certainly taken from some prior revealed prophetic scriptural reference which clearly set out the calling and election of Jehovah as recorded in the book of Abraham and Moses in the Pearl of Great Price. And it is likely that we only still have the Psalms record of such out of the 'Royal' respect that the Kings of the House of Daivd owed to originating their claim from David. In fact the 'Messianic' psalms even today from the perspective of the Jews does but speak of the position of the 'anointed king' and are therefore called 'Royal Psalms'. That David was a type and shadow of Messiah to come and thus the verses may be seen as not only dualistic by readily transferable from 'king' to 'Christ' is not considered by the Jews, but to any good Christian they are but all too obvious in their fulfilments in Jesus Christ as the New Testament atests.

The benefit of having the Psalms is that many revealed concepts have been preserved in the hymnal verses of the Psalms. The tradgedy is that we no longer have many of the original writings of such prophets upon which they were based. The Jewish Bible was not compiled in a form similar to today's Bible until after the Babylonian captivity took place. And we already have record for much disregard and corruption of any such earlier scriptural writings in the fact that in the day of Josiah it was but a miracle that they found the record of the law in the temple during its renovative reconstruction. From that delapadated state, Josiah was likely greatly responsible for the conservation of what scriptural references had survived up and until that very late date.

The Babylonian captivity likely helped to preserve any of the remaining scriptures at the same time that it potentially threatened the destorying of them. In such a captive state, the Jewish turn to and clung to their God, and prophets such as Ezekiel were commanded by God to prepare, compile and write the record of the Jews (See Ezekiel 37:15 . . .). The greatest hope for one day recovering the lost scriptures is in the stick or record of Joseh of the brass plates of Laban, which seem to be the record Joseph was commanded by to Lord to be kept from the time of Joseph (See JST Genesis 50:31).

1	Like a tree by water *	39	Keep tongue; hope	77	Remembering God's ways	115	Idols; no praise in death
2	Anointed; son (Christ)*	40	Lord lifted me; trust	78	Trust God; remember	116	Lord heard; death
3	Many foes; shield	41	Weak protected, mercy	79	How long oppression?	117	Lord is good; salvation
4	Glory to shame; peace.	42	As the deer pants	80	Restore us; save us	118	Love, freedom & victory
5	Listen to cry; bow	43	Vindicate; light, truth	81	Sing to God; peop.nt.listn	119	Importance of law
6	Weeping; God's rebuke	44	Scattered but we remem	82	Unjust judges like gods	120	Lying; peace refused
7	Deliverance; end wicked	45	Messiah and Esther	83	God stop your enemies	121	Keeper of Israel *
8	God & unworthy man*	46	God is our strength	84	How lovely dwl; sparrow	122	House of Lord; judgment*
9	Just judgment; throne	47	Clap; God is King	85	Forgiveness; mercy, truth	123	Request mercy; hatred
10	Hear cry of oppressed	48	Great is the Lord; north	86	Teach me your ways	124	If Lord not been our side *
11	Lord is in temple *	49	Why fear the foolish rich	87	Foundation on mtn.	125	Trust, like Mt. Zion
12	Words of wicked; of God	50	God shines; delivers	88	Lord saves; hear cry	126	When Lord br. captives
13	Trust salvation	51	Purge with hyssop	89	Mercy&ju; coven.; David	127	Lord builds house; children
14	Fool, no God; salvation	52	Destroy you forever	90	Our dwelling before mtns.	128	Blessings of fearing God
15	Who dwell in holy h.	53	Corrupt; salvation Israel	91	Sheltered in trouble time	129	Victory of Zion
16	Joy; Messiah resurrec.	54	Deliverance	92	Love & faithfulness of Lord	130	Cry fr.depths; forgive
17	Trials from God; resurr.	55	Fear,hope,escape,trust	93	Higher than mighty waters*	131	Like a weaned child
18	Deliv. phys.&spiritual	56	They twist my words	94	Arise O judge of earth	132	Seeking a place for the L
19	Sky declares God*	57	Among lions; soul fixed	95	Joyful noise; Enter rest	133	Good for broth. together
20	God answers in trouble	58	Judgment, corrupt & true	96	Lord comes to judge earth	134	Bless night watchmen
21	David's praise for bless.*	59	Show enem. Lord's powr	97	Messiah judges; delivers	135	God vs.idols; redemption*
22	Suffering Messiah	60	Show favor to us again	98	Sing new song; joyfully	136	His mercy endures forever
23	The Shepherd's Psalm	61	Lead to rock; shelter	99	Lord reigns; worship*	137	Weep in Bab.; can't sing
24	All is His; King of glory	62	Wait for salvation	100	Joyful noise; thanksgiving*	138	I praise; kings praise
25	Show me your ways	63	Seek God early; helped	101	I will destroy wicked	139	God knows & sees us
26	Examine me; integrity	64	Save from fear of enemy	102	God's care for discouraged	140	Deliverance from evil men
27	Fearless trust	65	Blessing for all; seas	103	God's mercy; throne	141	Sanctification; protection
28	Help; save thy people	66	Works of God; prayer*	104	God guides His works	142	In discouragement
29	Seven voices of thunder	67	Praise; judgm.; nations*	105	God's promises and Egypt	143	Teach your will; deliver
30	House dedication; sick	68	Sinai&Sanct, wicked die	106	Joy in forgiveness; history	144	My rock, deliverer, sing
31	Refuge in the Lord	69	Distress and curses	107	Blessings&curses-victory	145	Lord is great, sustains
32	Blessing of forgivns.	70	Help quick; some praise*	108	Victory over enemies	146	Mortal man
33	Creation by word	71	Refuge in old age	109	Call to judge accusers	147	Lord builds J; gathers
34	Protection, instruction	72	David's prayer for Sol.	110	LORD to Lord; Melchiz.	148	Praise,.creation; saints *
35	Fight my enemies	73	wicked prosp. Messiah	111	Praise; covenant; wisdom*	149	Praise for salvation
36	Wickedness & love	74	How long; sanctuary	112	Happy in righteousness*	150	All things praise
37	Promises and Curses	75	Righteous judgments	113	Majesty of God who lifts*	-	-
38	Feeling God's wrath	76	Majesty in judgment	114	Tremble; God of Exodus*	-	-

An asterisk * indicates a responsive, choral reading arrangement and/or arrangement in a chiastic or other literary pattern. Many if not all the psalms without asterisks have patterns, too. I've left plenty for you to enjoy discovering. I grant permission to copy, modify, and otherwise use the ideas in these verses. Except that copyrighted text used beyond "fair use" under copyright law requires permission from the source publisher. The KJV Bible text is in the public domain. Mention of this website is appreciated but not required.
 

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