Psalms 8, 23, 121, and 137

Psalms 8, 23, 121, and 137 are Judeo-Christian writings from the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) that were written around 1000 BCE in present-day Egypt and Israel. These pieces of writing express praise to God and were written with intent to be sung; in fact, the word psalm literally means “a plucking of strings” (“Before You Read […]”). These pieces also convey a multitude of emotions ranging from euphoria to hostile anger. In “Psalm 8” the excellence of God and all of his creations are praised, especially humanity because God “made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor” (“Psalm 8”). This praise toward God is a constant theme throughout the psalms. Fittingly, the Hebrew word for psalm, tehillim, means “songs of praise.” Furthermore, “Psalm 23” conveys the everlasting protection of God and the “goodness and mercy [that] shall follow” those who believe in his greatness (“Psalm 121”). A similar subject is examined in “Psalm 121” when it is stated that “the Lord shall protect thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul” (“Psalm 121”). God is portrayed as a divine protector in many psalms, as shown previously, but he is also questioned for pushing hardship on his people, such as in “Psalm 137”. The anger and sadness of the Hebrews who were exiled from Jerusalem is preserved in the words of this psalm: “we wept, when we remembered Zion” (“Psalm 137”). This unique expression of specific feelings to God is what sets the psalms apart from other parts of the Hebrew Bible (“Before You Read […]”).

The individual themes of trust, God as a divine protector, and lamentation are exhibited in Psalms 8, 23, 121, and 137. The theme of trust is very pertinent throughout many of the psalms, especially Psa...

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...h as the sun and the moon. These Judeo-Christian psalms embody the theme of God’s immeasurable power, and show that he is the most powerful force in the universe.

Works Cited

“Before You Read: Psalms 8, 23, 121, 137.” Elements of Literature: World Literature. Ed. Patricia McCambridge. Austin: Holt Rinehart and Winston, 2006. 76. Print

“Psalm 8.” Elements of Literature: World Literature. Ed. Patricia McCambridge. Austin: Holt Rinehart and Winston, 2006. 77. Print

“Psalm 23.” Elements of Literature: World Literature. Ed. Patricia McCambridge. Austin: Holt Rinehart and Winston, 2006. 78. Print

“Psalm 121.” Elements of Literature: World Literature. Ed. Patricia McCambridge. Austin: Holt Rinehart and Winston, 2006. 79. Print

“Psalm 137.” Elements of Literature: World Literature. Ed. Patricia McCambridge. Austin: Holt Rinehart and Winston, 2006. 80. Print.