The psalms are the work of angels

With the singing of psalms people have glorified the true Lord from time immemorial. The great lights of the Church praise them: St Athanasius the Great, St Basil the Great, St John Chrysostom, St Ephrem the Syrian… “Not one of the other books glorifies God as the book of psalms does,” says Basil of Caesarea.

The book of psalms was composed in the 11th century before our era. This great labour fell to the prophet David, the second king of Israel. The youngest son of a large family, he was set by his father to be a shepherd. While shepherding, the youth, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, composed hymns and played them on a stringed instrument. It is precisely from the name of this instrument that the name of the psalms comes.

Anointed with the grace of the Lord, David was chosen as king of Israel. He ruled the country for forty years and overcame many enemies of Israel. The holy king did not cease writing psalms to the end of his life. He composed them by God's inspiration — in the hour of trial and in the hour of relief, in the hour of falling and in the hour of exaltation; weakened and asking help of God, or victorious by God's grace over visible and invisible enemies.

“The psalms are the driving out of demons. The psalms are a weapon against the fear of the night. The psalms are safety for infants. The psalms are consolation for the old. The psalms are the most worthy adornment for women. The psalms are the work of angels, a heavenly dwelling and spiritual incense. The psalms enlighten the mind, lead up to heaven and make a person a fellow-speaker with God. Where the psalms are sung with contrition, there God is with the angels” (St Ephrem the Syrian).

“The psalm is the stillness of the soul, the bestower of peace. It softens the anger of the soul and makes intemperance blameless. It quiets the raging thoughts of the heart. The psalm is a mediator in friendship, a union for those far apart and a reconciliation for enemies; for who can count as an enemy the one with whom he raises a single voice to God? That is why the singing of psalms gives us one of the greatest virtues — love” (St Basil the Great).

“The singing of psalms is a festival for those who rejoice and a consolation for those in despondency. It tames the passions like wild beasts, bridles intemperance, roots out injustice and stands on the side of righteousness, casts down blasphemous thoughts, kills vile desires, sets the divine law within us, preaches God to us, explains the faith to us, stops the mouths of heretics and builds up the churches” (St John Chrysostom).

Therefore the psalms should hold the most important place in a Christian's life. The holy Church advises us not to let a single day pass without reading the psalms.

The Psalter is used not only in a Christian's private prayers but during the public services as well. The psalms were read in the Old Testament temples already in the lifetime of St David, and later in the Christian churches of the first centuries. Their singing made up the main part of the services.

In the 4th century the 150 psalms were divided into 20 kathismata, which in their turn each form three “glories.” They may be read for any reason — for the departed, for the sick, for health, for peace (together with the corresponding prayers). Often the faithful gather in churches as a choir and read the psalms.

Although we may say these hymns at any time, there are nevertheless psalms appointed for particular occasions. For example, for the departed it is good to read the 17th kathisma; in the hour of repentance, the 50th psalm; for overcoming visible and invisible enemies, the 90th; for offering thanksgiving and praise to God, the 134th and the 135th (and in general those psalms which have “alleluia” as their heading).

The psalms, like every prayer, should be read with the blessing of one's spiritual father.