The Poetical Books

Book excerpt: The Bible is simply a love letter compiled into sixty-six books and written over a period ofsixteen hundred years by more than forty authors living on three continents. Although theauthors came from different backgrounds, there is one message, one theme, one thread that runs throughout the entire Bible from the first book, Genesis, to the last book, Revelation. That message is God's redeeming love for mankind--a message that is as relevant for us today as it was two thousand years ago.The Poetical Books reveal the heart of the nation of Israel and are considered some ofthe finest literature ever written. It is as if the authors' very hearts have been openedup for all to see. Pain is not minimized, nor is man's struggle to understand God downplayed. Questions of suffering are boldly asked, worship is gloriously displayed, wisdom is held in highest esteem, married sexual love is unashamedly portrayed, and philosophy is openly debated.Hebrew poetry is not structured around the rhyme or meter we are used to reading andhearing. Instead, ideas are often stated in one line and then reinforced in the secondline, or a second line is composed to add to or complete the thoughts of the first. Inother forms, the second line of poetry contrasts the first.Job and Song of Solomon were written as dramatic poems that tell a story. Most ofthe psalms were written to be accompanied by an instrument and are thus examples oflyric poetry--rich in its language of worship and praise. Proverbs and Ecclesiastes areexamples of didactic poetry, giving instructions or lessons about life in short conciseverses.