Each book of the Bible is a product of its time. Some books were written in reaction to certain events, such as Lamentations being written in reaction to the fall of Jerusalem. Others were more proactive, prescribing principles or teachings for readers moving forward. (Proverbs is a great example of this!) Each book was written to ancient readers (i.e., not us!), and then preserved by tradition over long periods of time. If you keep this in mind, you'll have an easier time understanding various parts of the Bible.