A beginner's guide to the psalms by Mike Mazzalongo begins here and follows with a second lecture; between the two first lectures, Mazzalong discusses the various divisions of the psalms and the types of Hebrew poetry. Mazzalongo has slides and other aids here. His video lectures (about ten on the Psalms) are about 35-40 minutes in length. Mazzalongo claims nine categories of psalms such as wisdom psalms, worship psalms, nature psalms, Word psalms, praise psalms and royal psalms, etc.. (This division into nine types of psalms is a bit artificial; other commentators have slightly different classes.)
I will briefly describe some of those lectures here. (I recommend listening to them at 1.25 or even 1.5 times the normal speed.)
- Mazzalongo's examination of nature psalms looks at Psalm 8 and Psalm 19, with a digression to Matthew 5:45.
- Word psalms emphasize love of the covenant Law, of God's Word. The most famous is Psalm 119 which has 22 stanzas dedicated to the power and beauty of God's Law. A worship of God's written Word is Psalm 19.
- Mazzalongo's lecture on wisdom psalms, looks at Psalm 1, a song that introduces the psalter. Other wisdom songs include Psalm 15, Psalms 49, and Psalm 78, all of which, in some way, call one to listen and learn.
- In this lecture on worship psalms, there is a review of the psalms, and then a description of worship psalms. Mazzalongo concentrates on Psalm 24 which has both wisdom and worship, an antiphonal psalm which asks who is worthy to go and worship God. He also looks at Psalm 84 and Psalm 122.
- The lecture on praise psalms looks at psalms that focus simply on praise, describing God's attributed.
- Royal psalms glorify the king and often have a messianic flavor.
Other resources on the psalms include The Psalms Project, with the goal of putting all 150 psalms to music.
We return to our study of the Old Testament tomorrow, with a look at Psalm 67.
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