Matthew Emerson has written a really helpful article on reading the Psalms theologically. He makes the point that it is pretty easy to love particular psalms (like Psalm 23 or Psalm 1), but the better question is how can we grow in our love for the Psalter as a whole?
He writes that there are at least two truths about the book of Psalms that help us read it well:
- The Psalter is a book centered on the Son
- The Psalter is the church’s prayer book
I highly recommend reading through the article especially if you have primarily thought of the psalms as individual devotional thoughts more than a prayer book for the church.