I've been thinking a lot about David and the Psalms, and I have a question. Perhaps some of you can help.
It seems to me that every other book of the Bible is written to tell a story. God put His story on the hearts of these writers, and they sat purposely to write a message for not only their people, but the generations to follow. Psalms does not seem to follow this pattern. Instead, we get a glimpse of David's (and some others') personal prayer life. Why, and how, so?
Was David setting out to write his prayers for publication? If that's the case, doesn't it directly contradict Jesus's later proclamation not to pray for attention? (Even though David came first, I think it is logical to assume that a man after God's own heart would not have a different directive than God was intending all along.)
Was he, as an appointed ruler, followed so closely by scribes and other officials that they wrote down everything he said and thus created Psalms for him by simply doing their jobs? What a horrible life to not even be able to pray alone!
Maybe he was like me and often found it difficult to pray. Many nights, when I cannot focus my thoughts merely by thinking of Him, I pull out a journal and write my prayers. Did David, too, have this habit?
I just wonder, is all. In the midst of the law and the narratives, prophecy and the messages God sent directly to His people, we have a prayer book. How did it come about?
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