The idea that the Nephite authors of the Book of Mormon may have had access to and utilized the Psalms in their writings has become a topic of some interest among LDS scholars in recent years. Here at Book of Mormon Central, we have conducted what is likely the most extensive study of the use of the Psalms in the Book of Mormon to date. The results of this research show that there are at least sixty good examples of the use of phrases from the Psalms in the Book of Mormon. This study also demonstrates how a good case can be made for why most (or all) of the psalms present in the Book of Mormon should be there, based on the time period Lehi left Jerusalem.

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When tragedy struck God’s people in Old Testament times, it was common for them to respond, both as a community and as individuals, with “psalms of lament.” A psalm of lament is a song of complaint to the Lord regarding difficulties being endured, and a petition for His help. They were so common that they make up the largest category of psalm in the Bible.

Lehi and his family would certainly have been aware of this type of psalm, so it would be natural to expect that similar expressions of lament would show up in some form in the Book of Mormon. Selections actually do appear in the Book of Mormon approximately two dozen times.

Due to the large number of laments in the Book of Psalms and elsewhere in the Bible, it is clear that this form of expression was an important means of communicating one’s needs and desires to the Lord and petitioning His divine assistance.

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The Psalms mention the word “temple” more than almost any other book in the Old Testament. The Psalms have been called the “hymn book” of the ancient temple because many of them were likely read or sung during temple rituals and ceremonies. What most readers likely do not realize is that phrases and expressions from the Psalms are often used in the Book of Mormon. About 50 such references have been identified and many of them allude to a temple context. These findings demonstrate that Book of Mormon authors had access to at least some of the Psalms, either from the plates of brass or from memory. Recognizing that Book of Mormon authors knew and quoted from the Psalms provides greater depth to their words. It also illumines the temple setting and background of much of the Book of Mormon text.

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When we realize that our relationship with God is not simply a relationship between a debtor and a creditor, but as a relationship between family members, then we can do what the ancient Israelites did and confidently ask Him for help.

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A number of clues in the Book of Mormon suggest that after its peoples reached the New World they quickly interacted with native societies.

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The Mulekites were more important to the Nephite nation than many readers may realize. They prove that the Nephites' prophetic tradition was correct, illustrate why the scriptures are so vital for societies, and show us how important it is that we remain united in Christ.

This article highlights selected discourses given by LDS women which were recently published by the Church Historian’s Press. Among other things, these discourses show how women's contributions to promoting the Book of Mormon have been invaluable.

Although most readers probably haven’t noticed it, the Book of Mormon consistently discusses thieves and theft in a different way than it speaks of robbers and robbery. This distinction offers good evidence of the Book of Mormon’s antiquity because it is also found in the Hebrew and Greek texts of the Bible. At the same time, it helps readers better understand the identity of the robbers who terrorized the Nephite civilization.

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Readers of the Book of Mormon may wonder, at times, where in the Americas the events described took place. Were the Nephites and Lamanites spread throughout both North and South America or did Book of Mormon events occur within a more confined area? Where did Lehi’s ship land? Where were famous Book of Mormon cities, like Zarahemla and Bountiful, or the epic battlefields of the Nephites and Lamanites, such as Cumorah?

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Moroni spoke of pulling down the pride of noble rulers. This concept shows up in many scriptural passages and may even relate to the “pulling down” of monuments—a common practice among ancient Mesoamerican societies.

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