There are 150 Psalms in the Bible. What makes them so appealing?
There are 150 Psalms in the Bible in the Book of Psalms in the Old Testament. It seems they may have been written originally as words to songs.
They are in some ways like songs or poetry, but that alone does not explain their appeal. They are some of the most moving and memorable parts of the whole Bible.
One part of their appeal may be their intense reality. Many of the Psalms were written by David, the great King of Israel. David would vividly write his praises of God, but he would also write about his own heartache and struggles. There are words like "Why are you in despair, Oh my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise Him, my Savior and my God."
David wrote of problems and challenges, yet he concluded by standing strong about His faith in God and His confidence that God would help Him. "Weeping may last for a night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning."
The Psalms speak to our hearts, and they give us confidence that even very godly people can struggle and have emotional challenges; yet in the midst of any difficulty, you can reach out to God and God will be there and God will help you. Here's Psalm 103, a powerful call to praise. Speak it out and let God use it to shape, settle, and revive your heart:
Psalm 103
Of David.
1 Praise the Lord, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:
8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
9 He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
14 for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
15 The life of mortals is like grass,
they flourish like a flower of the field;
16 the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.
17 But from everlasting to everlasting
the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children—
18 with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.
19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.
20 Praise the Lord, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.
21 Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.
22 Praise the Lord, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.
Praise the Lord, my soul.