Book 3

This week we will be reading Psalm 73, and once again we run across a title. This time it reads, “Book 3.” If you will remember back to Psalm 42 at the end of April, we talked about Books 1 and 2. Traditionally, the Book of Psalms has been divided into five parts. Each part seems to correspond to the first five books of the Old Testament (the Pentateuch). Psalms 1-41 are written mainly by David (though there are other authors there) and deal with man’s fall into sin and our need to seek righteousness and a relationship with God. Book 2 corresponds to Exodus and the power of God to free us from sin. Book 3 corresponds to Leviticus. Eleven of the seventeen Psalms in this section are attributed to Asaph. Second Chronicles 5:12 tells us that Asaph was a Levitical singer, a man from the tribe of Levi, associated with the priesthood. Just as the book of Leviticus was written to teach God’s people about holiness, praise, and worship, Book 3 of the Psalms will do the same. Psalms 73-89 were written to be sung as people came into worship and stood in the presence of God. Reverence, holiness, the authority of God, and submission are all themes that resonate in this section. As you read and embed, be aware that God calls us into His presence to transform us. He calls us into relationship so that we can look like Jesus.