After three weeks summarizing 150 psalms and finding 67 Book of Mormon connections, I discuss four overarching psalmic themes which also appear in the Book of Mormon: tender mercies, the hazards of pit-digging, the sorrows of death and pains of hell, and the importance of approaching God with broken hearts and contrite spirits.
Psalms 141-150
141. Set a Watch Before My Mouth 142. Prayer from a Cave 143. To Know the Way 144. Happy Is That People 145. One Generation to Another 146. Put Not Your Trust in Princes 147. Stars and Broken Hearts 148. Praise Ye Him, All His Hosts 149. Beautify the Meek 150. Everything That Hath Breath
Remedies Rejected in Jerusalem
King Zedekiah and his people rejected prophets, including Jeremiah and Lehi. Why did God send these messengers, when the kingdom of Judah had all but crumbled already? Out of compassion. Why did they reject the message? Out of resentment and out of habit. But Nephi testified that God will always bless those who exercise faith.
The Compassionate Vulnerability of Prophets
In a rare editorial note, 2 Kings emphasizes that before Israel was conquered, God sent prophets to warn them. Prophets have no way to enforce their words, nor do they try. They can feel lonely, persecuted, and ineffective, but God continues to send them because He loves His children.
The Musician King
King David expressed his love for God through music. Book of Mormon prophets also emphasized worship through music. Alma associated conversion with "[singing] redeeming love." Singing requires us to overcome our self-consciousness and prioritize our love for God over our concern for what others maythink.
Unimaginable
Trusting God includes believing that our setbacks and disappointments are part of His plan for us and are actually propelling us forward. Joseph was a slave and a prisoner for thirteen years, but those difficult experiences refined him and prepared him for an extraordinary opportunity.
Abraham, Tent-Dweller
Abraham lived in a tent, even though he was in the promised land. The author of Hebrews explained that he lived in a tent because he was looking forward to a permanent home that only God could provide. The tent indicated that he was rooted in God's promises, not in his current circumstances.
Merciful Messengers
Noah, Lehi, and the Jaredite prophets all delivered messages which their people rejected. We sometimes say, "Don't shoot the messenger." We should probably add, "Don't ignore the messenger." Human nature leads us to resist change, but God mercifully sends prophets to prompt action that invites His saving power into our lives.
Numberless
Awe inspires humility. It can also build faith. God showed Abraham, Moses, Lehi, and Nephi the vastness of His creations and emphasized to Abraham and Nephi the enormity of their own posterity. This awareness can empower us to trust Him and do our work with greater confidence.
Contents of the Brass Plates
Eight of the 39 books in the Old Testament were definitely in the brass plates, and another 16 may have been included. For Book of Mormon prophets, the brass plates were an essential part of their identity: connecting them to intergenerational covenants, testifying of the Savior, and bringing them closer to God.