The Importance of the Psalms: God's Traits Beyond the Gospels Victor Mendoza College

The Psalms are generally misunderstood and underutilized. Because numerous believers have marginalized the Psalms to just prayers and language of praise, some of the greatest realities about God are left uncovered. It is common knowledge that the word “theology” is translated as “the study of God.” However, far too many times, Christians have related this study to Jesus and the Gospels alone. While this is not incorrect, solely studying the Gospels as a view into the character of God is incomplete. While the Torah is essential to the redemptive covenant of God’s fidelity to man, and the prophets are testimonies of the Lord speaking to His people; The wisdom literature specifically has been overlooked as a direct insight into the personality and character of God.

The Psalms are a collection of writings from various people in numerous contexts, all pointing to specific attributes about the Lord. For instance, David writes the majority of the Psalms while he is on the run from King Saul, while other Psalms were written after David had committed a sin. Because there are numerous authors besides David, each Psalm reveals a fresh perspective on the identity of God. The vast sources of writers and backgrounds merely echoes the point...