The Psalms and Their Meaning for Today

This book was written for the general reader, to provide a clearer understanding and a deeper appreciation of the religious and literary value of the Psalms. The Hebrew Psalms have a power of survival which is unparalleled in the spiritual life of the Western world. Composed in the Near East twenty-five to thirty centuries ago, they are still read or sung by Jews as well as Christians of all denominations. What is the secret of their vitality? How do the Psalms continue to offer a wisdom for living and a consolation for dying? Dr. Terrien here gives the twofold reason for their enduring power. The psalmists belonged to a nation born to be the servant of the Lord. They placed God at the center of their existence and held that life on earth is not worth living unless it is related properly to the creator of the universe, the giver of life, the master of nature, and the judge and savior of humanity in history. What they said is particularly relevant today, for in times of cultural decay and military disasters they found that human existence, in spite of its trials and madness, remains a truly worthwhile experience. They faced the agony of national disintegration and of personal death, and yet they were singing. The psalmists praised God and prayed to Him, not only as people of faith but also as poets. They formulated their faith with a sublime diction that remains powerful in spite of the obscurities of language and the awkwardness of translation. Dr. Terrien shows how these poets captured in words certain dimensions of truth and beauty which defy ordinary expression, and why through the marriage of thought and poetic emotion they were able to carry their impact to us across the barriers of time and tongue. This book illustrates how best to reap the wisdom and consolation of the Psalms so that we too may understand their meaning for today.