Introduction to the Psalms

We are indeed living in an unprecedented era, and we have never seen anything quite like the present situation around our world today. 

However, we should not imagine that life was easier in the past. 

In the Bible, God’s people lived through all kinds of trials and difficulties, such as flood, fire, famine, earthquake, imprisonment, plague, financial crisis and persecution.

How did they react in these situations? 

Did they hold on to faith, or give way to fear?

Did they trust their God, or turn to idols?

The Psalms give a great insight into the life of faith, throughout the ups and downs of life.

And when the Psalmist wrote those famous words: "Praise the Lord, Oh my soul", we should not assume that praising God came naturally to him. 

On the contrary, maybe that is the whole point. Maybe, like us, he found it difficult to praise God in all situations.

Maybe that is why he had to write a reminder for himself: to remember to praise God.

We will be adding Psalms to this section regularly, with a few comments or questions to help us remember, to praise God in all situations, and to trust him alone.

Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits. 

 Psalm 103:1-2 (NIV)