Prologue to the Psalms by John Wesley

In preparation for my upcoming series on blogging through the Psalter, I read through John Wesley's preface to the Book of Psalms in his Explanatory Notes on the Old Testament. I can't think of a better way of introducing this journey I am beginning with you than to share with you his introduction to this magnificent collection of psalms. With each Psalm, I'll post some of the insights gleaned from Wesley's Notes in addition to interacting with the Psalms themselves. With that, here is Wesley's introduction to the Psalter (note: I have emboldened several portions for emphasis)...

"We have now before us one of the choicest parts of the Old Testament, wherein there is so much of Christ and his gospel, as well as of God and his law, that it has been called the summary of both Testaments. The history of Israel, which we were long upon, instructed us in the knowledge of God. The book of Job gave us profitable disputations, concerning God and his providence. But this book brings us into the sanctuary, draws us off from converse with men, with the philosophers or disputers of this world, and directs us into communion with God. It is called, the Psalms, in Hebrew Tehillim, which properly signifies Psalms of praise, because many of them are such; but Psalms is a more general word, meaning all poetical compositions, fitted to be sung. St. Peter styles it, The book of Psalms. It is a collection of Psalms, of all the Psalms that were divinely inspired, composed at several times, on several occasions, and here put together, without any dependence on each other. Thus they were preserved from being scattered and lost, and kept in readiness for the service of the church. One of these is expressly said to be the prayer of Moses. That some of them were penned by Asaph is intimated in 2 Chronicles 29.30, where they are said to praise the Lord, in the words of David and Asaph, who is there called a seer or prophet. And some of the Psalms seem to have been penned long after, at the time of the captivity in Babylon. But the far greater part were wrote by David, who was raised up for establishing the ordinance of singing Psalms in the church of God, as Moses and Aaron were for setting the ordinance of sacrifice. Theirs indeed is superseded, but this [book of Psalms] will remain, 'till it be swallowed up in the songs of eternity. There is little in the book of Psalms of the ceremonial law. But the moral law is all along magnified, and made honourable. And Christ the foundation, corner, and top - stone of all religion, is here clearly spoken of; both his sufferings, with the glory that should follow, and the kingdom he would set up in the world."

If his assessments above are accurate, then are we not missing out on a rich resource when it comes to the songs we sing? If Christ is so central, the moral law of love is deemed honorable, and they were kept "for the service of the church," "fitted to be sung," etc., then we ought to plumb the depths of this great Book and not just read, but sing these psalms!