Page 19 - eLamdag July 2020

GETTING TO KNOW THE BIBLE BETTER UPDATES
The Book of Psalms
• Psalms is divided into 5 books, each ending in a short doxology – a hymn of praise to God. Each one of this doxologies starts with the words “Praise the Lord”, which helps clearly mark the beginning and end of each section, Jewish scholars say it’s no coincidence that there are 5 books.
These 5 sections parallel the 5 books of Moses – the most revered material in the Jewish Bible. The books of Moses contains the heart of Jewish law and tradition.
One rabbi in ancient times described the connection this way; “Moses gave the 5 books of the Law to Israel and David gave the 5 books of Psalms to Israel.’
Book 1 Chapters 1-41 – containing most of David’s songs
Book 2 Chapters 42-72 – including some songs of the musicians Korah & Asaph
Book 3 Chapters 73-89 – almost exclusively songs of Korah & Asaph Book 4 Chapters 90-106 – mostly psalms with no bylines.
Book 5 Chapters 107-150 mostly songs for special occasions such as festivals and pilgrimages to Jerusalem.
With a whopping 176 verses – every one of them praising the hundreds of Jewish laws delivered by Moses – Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible.
It is long for a purpose – to make a statement, and to do it the hard way. The poet’s statement is “I LOVE GOD FROM A to Z.”
Why is it done “the hard way”? The song is an acrostic. It has 22 sections, one section for each letter of the ancient Hebrew alphabet, starting with aleph, the first Hebrew letter, and working all the way through tov, the last letter. That’s the love of the law, from A to Z.
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GUHABAC ANEWOR .SRM :YB DETUBIRTNOC
THGILTOPS RELLIM .M NEHPETS YB ELBIB EHT OT EDIUG ETELPMOC EHT :ECRUOS