The Psalter of David | Large Print

The Psalter—Prayer That Brings Peace to the Soul

The Psalter is one of the Church's most powerful books of prayer. It contains the divinely inspired hymns of the Holy Prophet David, the king who glorified God with his harp.

Holy Scripture tells us that when King Saul was troubled by an evil spirit, David would take up his harp and play. Through the singing of the psalms, the evil spirit departed, and Saul became calm and found peace within his soul.

For this reason, the Psalter has long been regarded as a spiritual weapon against demons and turmoil of the soul. The words of the psalms have the power to bring light to the heart and drive away fear, sadness and anxiety.

The Holy Fathers say that the psalms are the breath of the soul. In them we find prayer for every human condition: joy, repentance, hope, thanksgiving and sorrow.

Reading the Psalter brings:

• peace to the heart

• illumination of the mind

• strengthening of faith

• help in trials and temptations

Throughout the centuries, Christians have therefore read the Psalter at home, in monasteries and in churches as a spiritual shield and source of grace.

One psalm read each day can become the beginning of a living relationship with God and a source of consolation for the soul.