Tag Archives: Psalms

December 5, 2020 · 8:34 am

A Summer with the Psalms

The Literature in the Psalms

     Two years ago, I spent a summer with books.  Notice I did not say I spent a summer with the psalms.  

     For over 12 years, I had read almost nothing except seminary resources, followed the lectionary readings at least three times which is really nine years, and of course the Bible. 

     Even as I finished up my teaching career and continued in ministry, virtually all my reading was centered on preparing for sermons and course of study assignments.  Leisure reading just did not fit into my cramped calendar.

     As I stepped away from the pulpit, I started reading again.  I think I was starved.  During that summer, I think I read something like a dozen books.  I read fiction primarily.  I was starved.

     Among my reading choices were a series about the Yada Yada Prayer Group in which one character repeatedly referenced the praying the Psalms.  I also read a fiction book about the biblical character Sarah–fascinating.  But I also added in the Chronicles of Narnia which I had never read

     C. S. Lewis captured me and after conversations with others, I read his book Mere Christianity.  I became hooked on his thinking so as we began preparing for this summer’s series on the psalms, I searched out another of his books, Reflections on the Psalms.  In his introduction, he writes: 

Most emphatically the Psalms must be read as poems; as lyrics, with all the licenses and all the formalities, the hyperboles, the emotional rather than logical connections, which are proper to lyric poetry.  They must be read as poems if they are to be understood. . . “(p.3)

     As we begin today’s reflection on the Psalms, I hope you have your Bible handy and are ready to take notes.  We are students of God’s words and today we study the Psalms.  Please join me in prayer:

Dear Lord, you are our teacher, and you have gifted your faithful with words to guide us in our life journeys.  Open our minds today through the words of the psalms so we may understand your grace, your love, and your promises.  Amen.

     Throughout my own educational experience, I never understood the significance of reading the introductions, the preface, or the forwards of books.  Oddly enough, one of the first instructors in the Course of Study through St. Paul’s School of Theology, emphasized that reading these introductory words to the texts was important in order for us to begin understanding the context that follows.

     Since then, I have made an effort to do just that.  Sometimes it seems pretty tedious, other times it reveals insights that crack open the mind to a completely new concept or author’s point of view that deeply affects the understanding of the material found in the text.  

     Reading C. S. Lewis’s introductions provides a frame of reference from which he writes.  For instance, in his introductions he explains not only who he is, but how he hopes to share his understanding of scripture:

“This is not a work of scholarship.  I am no Hebraist, no higher critic, no ancient historian, no archaeologist.  I write for the unlearned about things in which I am unlearned myself. . . . (p. 1)”

What Lewis does not say about who he is can be found in the biographical information on the book’s flap:

He was a Fellow and Tutor in English Literature at Oxford University until 1954, when he was unanimously elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge University. . .” 

Lewis was gifted, but he chose to write humbly in an effort to explain what many might say is unexplainable–God is real and is part of our daily lives.

     This week’s scripture readings began with Psalm 62 which is subtitled “A Song of Trust in God Alone.”  For those familiar with our hymns, that triggers a recognition of an often-repeated phrase, “God alone is . . . “  

     Even last week as we talked about Psalm 42 and how it was transformed into the contemporary hymn, “As the Deer” written by Martin Nystrom, we can find the repetition of these phrases:   

You alone are my heart’s desire. . . 

You alone are my strength, my shield. . . 

The psalms we read and learn are deep inside our memory to rely on in difficult times or when we are under stress:  

     For God alone my soul waits in silence;

         from him comes my salvation.

     He alone is my rock and my salvation,

        my fortress; I shall never be shaken.  (Psalms 62:1-2)

These words lead Katharina von Schlegel, in 1752, to write another hymn we often turn to in difficult times:  

Be still, my soul:  the Lord is on your side.

Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;        

Leave to your God to order and provide;

In every change God faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul:  your best, your heavenly friend

Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.  (UMH #534)

We need these words.  We need to know that as difficult as times can get, we are not in this journey alone.  We are accompanied by God.

     This summer we are experiencing challenges that we think no one else has ever had to experience before.  But, the parallels are there in history.  Our grandparents and great-grandparents knew of infectious outbreaks that changed the lives of many.  In the earliest years of the 20th century there was the Spanish Flu, during the mid-1900s there was polio, and now we have COVID-19

     Circumstances that surround the pandemic are creating additional havoc in our lives.  Families deal with the loss of their loved ones.  Jobs are lost.  Incomes are lost.  Future plans are put on hold.  And no one can predict how the effects are going to impact their lives physically, financially, emotionally or even spiritually.   We need God.  We need the words of the psalms.

     Do you remember that Lewis was a literature professor?  Well, in his introduction he shares a couple of insights into studying the psalms as literature.  One point he makes is repetition is a way to emphasize a point the author/poet wants to make.  As we read the psalms this is one truth that develops very clearly.  

      Consider the symbolism of the rock that we find in the palms as well as in other scripture.  In Psalm 62, rock is mentioned four times.  The rock is salvation and refuge.  The rock is mighty.  God is our rock.  Repetition of one word can impress on the reader/listener the value of that symbol.

     Now look at Psalm 40:2, also from this week’s readings: 

He drew me up from the desolate pit,

      out of the miry bog,

And set my feet upon a rock,

     making my steps secure.

The repetition cannot be ignored, and of course these words trigger the recognition of another favorite hymn,s My Hope Is Built: [

My hope is built on nothing less

than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

On Christ the solid rock I stand,

All other ground is sinking sand;

All other ground is sinking sand.  (UMH #368)

Even though this hymn is not based on the psalms, it is based on the same symbolism.  It is an image, a literary device, that is carried throughout scripture.  It becomes the rock foundation for our faith.

     Lewis’ second literature lesson is about parallelism.  As a language teacher, my first reaction is to think about teaching students how to write sentence with parallel structure, but Lewis is analyzing literature and defines parallelism as “. . . the practice of saying the same thing twice in different words.” (p.4)

     Lewis uses other examples to explain parallelism as he continues to share:

“. . . ‘Parallelism’ is the characteristically Hebrew form [of creating a pattern as in the arts, painting, dance, music, literature.  . . . Parallelism] is either a wonderful piece of luck or a wise provision of God’s, that poetry which was to be turned into all languages should have as its chief formal characteristic one that does not disappear (as mere metre does) in translation.” (p.4-5)

Lewis saw the repetition and the parallelism that remained as a means of emphasizing God’s message through scripture–despite translations.

                  Each of the psalms we read strengthens us.  We find ourselves facing the same human challenges as those in the ancient scriptures. We hear God in the words that have translated into the words we sing even today.  The psalms are meant to be sung and/or to be prayed in as many ways as we want as we confront the reality of our earthly challenges.

                  One of the contemporary hymns that speaks to me is titled, “10,000 Reasons.”  The lyrics were written by Matt Redman and the music was written by his friend Jonas Myrin.  Redman says he takes inspiration from Psalm 103: 

Bless the Lord, oh my soul,

and all that is within me,

bless his holy name.

Bless the Lord, O my soul

and do not forget all his benefits–

who forgives all your iniquity,

who heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the Pit,

who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

who satisfies you with good as long as you live

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.(v.1-5)

Written in 2011, within one hour, the psalm echoes through the words.  The literature of the hymn keeps the listener centered on God through repetition and parallelism.  The theme of the psalms never waivers regardless of the translation: 

                  Bless the Lord, oh my soul

                  Oh my soul, worship his holy name

                  Sing like never before,

                  Oh my soul I’ll worship your holy name.

                  The sun comes up, it’s a new day dawning.

                  It’s time to sing your song again

                  Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me

                  Let me be singing when the evening comes. . . . 

                  You’re rich in love and you’re slow to anger

                  Your name is great and your heart is kind

For all your goodness, I will keep on singing

Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find.

And on that day when my strength is failing

The end draws near and my time has come

Still my soul will sing your praise unending

Ten thousand years and then forevermore. . . .

     Today we close with the words of the ancient psalms echoing in the lyrics of our hymns today.  We join in worship and include them in our liturgy as a way to learn, to remember, and to grow in our faith.  

     The reality is that we need the repetition the poets, the artists, the lyricists use to seal in our long-term memory and our inner soul, the words of God.  We hear the prayers for help, the hymns of praise and thanksgiving, the wisdom of the faithful guiding us to a solid foundation, a rock foundation in our faith.

     There are indeed 10,000 reasons to read the psalms this summer and then reread them in the seasons ahead.  Reread them in various translations and discover the solid, rock foundation of God’s words.

     Eugene Peterson shares two pieces of Psalm 62 in his devotional, Praying with the Psalms.  

For God alone my soul waits in silence; 

                  from him comes my salvation.

He alone is my rock and my salvation,

                  my fortress; I shall never be shaken.”  (Psalms 62:1-2, MSG)

In his second daily devotion he selects one more verse from the psalm:

Trust in him at all times, O people;

pour out your heart before him;

                  God is a refuge for us.  (Psalms 62:8, MSG)

He adds to these scriptures these two brief statements: 

Silence sinks a shaft to bedrock.  It is the soul’s means for descending through the gravel of rebellion and doubt to the solid, quiet reality of God’s word.  . . . The soul careens from side to side seeking a way to completion.  On one side is the anarchic freedom of lawless. . .on the other the secure wealth of the rich.  But the alternatives are ditches, not highways.  The Lord himself is the way to wholeness. (May 2-3)

Please join me in prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, 

You are our rock, our foundation, our refuge.

In the words you give your faithful

We find reassurance, solace, and strength.

Thank you for all those who know you

And find ways to share your message

 So others can be strengthened

In their relationship with you,

Assuring them of salvation

And life eternal in your kingdom.  

–Selah, forever, amen.

A Summer with the Psalms:

The Literature in the Psalms

     Two years ago, I spent a summer with books.  Notice I did not say I spent a summer with the psalms.  

     For over 12 years, I had read almost nothing except seminary resources, followed the lectionary readings at least three times which is really nine years, and of course the Bible. 

     Even as I finished up my teaching career and continued in ministry, virtually all my reading was centered on preparing for sermons and course of study assignments.  Leisure reading just did not fit into my cramped calendar.

     As I stepped away from the pulpit, I started reading again.  I think I was starved.  During that summer, I think I read something like a dozen books.  I read fiction primarily.  I was starved.

     Among my reading choices were a series about the Yada Yada Prayer Group in which one character repeatedly referenced the praying the Psalms.  I also read a fiction book about the biblical character Sarah–fascinating.  But I also added in the Chronicles of Narnia which I had never read

     C. S. Lewis captured me and after conversations with others, I read his book Mere Christianity.  I became hooked on his thinking so as we began preparing for this summer’s series on the psalms, I searched out another of his books, Reflections on the Psalms.  In his introduction, he writes: 

Most emphatically the Psalms must be read as poems; as lyrics, with all the licenses and all the formalities, the hyperboles, the emotional rather than logical connections, which are proper to lyric poetry.  They must be read as poems if they are to be understood. . . “(p.3)

     As we begin today’s reflection on the Psalms, I hope you have your Bible handy and are ready to take notes.  We are students of God’s words and today we study the Psalms.  Please join me in prayer:

Dear Lord, you are our teacher, and you have gifted your faithful with words to guide us in our life journeys.  Open our minds today through the words of the psalms so we may understand your grace, your love, and your promises.  Amen.

     Throughout my own educational experience, I never understood the significance of reading the introductions, the preface, or the forwards of books.  Oddly enough, one of the first instructors in the Course of Study through St. Paul’s School of Theology, emphasized that reading these introductory words to the texts was important in order for us to begin understanding the context that follows.

     Since then, I have made an effort to do just that.  Sometimes it seems pretty tedious, other times it reveals insights that crack open the mind to a completely new concept or author’s point of view that deeply affects the understanding of the material found in the text.  

     Reading C. S. Lewis’s introductions provides a frame of reference from which he writes.  For instance, in his introductions he explains not only who he is, but how he hopes to share his understanding of scripture:

“This is not a work of scholarship.  I am no Hebraist, no higher critic, no ancient historian, no archaeologist.  I write for the unlearned about things in which I am unlearned myself. . . . (p. 1)”

What Lewis does not say about who he is can be found in the biographical information on the book’s flap:

He was a Fellow and Tutor in English Literature at Oxford University until 1954, when he was unanimously elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge University. . .” 

Lewis was gifted, but he chose to write humbly in an effort to explain what many might say is unexplainable–God is real and is part of our daily lives.

     This week’s scripture readings began with Psalm 62 which is subtitled “A Song of Trust in God Alone.”  For those familiar with our hymns, that triggers a recognition of an often-repeated phrase, “God alone is . . . “  

     Even last week as we talked about Psalm 42 and how it was transformed into the contemporary hymn, “As the Deer” written by Martin Nystrom, we can find the repetition of these phrases:   

You alone are my heart’s desire. . . 

You alone are my strength, my shield. . . 

The psalms we read and learn are deep inside our memory to rely on in difficult times or when we are under stress:  

     For God alone my soul waits in silence;

         from him comes my salvation.

     He alone is my rock and my salvation,

        my fortress; I shall never be shaken.  (Psalms 62:1-2)

These words lead Katharina von Schlegel, in 1752, to write another hymn we often turn to in difficult times:  

Be still, my soul:  the Lord is on your side.

Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;        

Leave to your God to order and provide;

In every change God faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul:  your best, your heavenly friend

Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.  (UMH #534)

We need these words.  We need to know that as difficult as times can get, we are not in this journey alone.  We are accompanied by God.

     This summer we are experiencing challenges that we think no one else has ever had to experience before.  But, the parallels are there in history.  Our grandparents and great-grandparents knew of infectious outbreaks that changed the lives of many.  In the earliest years of the 20th century there was the Spanish Flu, during the mid-1900s there was polio, and now we have COVID-19

     Circumstances that surround the pandemic are creating additional havoc in our lives.  Families deal with the loss of their loved ones.  Jobs are lost.  Incomes are lost.  Future plans are put on hold.  And no one can predict how the effects are going to impact their lives physically, financially, emotionally or even spiritually.   We need God.  We need the words of the psalms.

     Do you remember that Lewis was a literature professor?  Well, in his introduction he shares a couple of insights into studying the psalms as literature.  One point he makes is repetition is a way to emphasize a point the author/poet wants to make.  As we read the psalms this is one truth that develops very clearly.  

      Consider the symbolism of the rock that we find in the palms as well as in other scripture.  In Psalm 62, rock is mentioned four times.  The rock is salvation and refuge.  The rock is mighty.  God is our rock.  Repetition of one word can impress on the reader/listener the value of that symbol.

     Now look at Psalm 40:2, also from this week’s readings: 

He drew me up from the desolate pit,

      out of the miry bog,

And set my feet upon a rock,

     making my steps secure.

The repetition cannot be ignored, and of course these words trigger the recognition of another favorite hymn,s My Hope Is Built: [

My hope is built on nothing less

than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

On Christ the solid rock I stand,

All other ground is sinking sand;

All other ground is sinking sand.  (UMH #368)

Even though this hymn is not based on the psalms, it is based on the same symbolism.  It is an image, a literary device, that is carried throughout scripture.  It becomes the rock foundation for our faith.

     Lewis’ second literature lesson is about parallelism.  As a language teacher, my first reaction is to think about teaching students how to write sentence with parallel structure, but Lewis is analyzing literature and defines parallelism as “. . . the practice of saying the same thing twice in different words.” (p.4)

     Lewis uses other examples to explain parallelism as he continues to share:

“. . . ‘Parallelism’ is the characteristically Hebrew form [of creating a pattern as in the arts, painting, dance, music, literature.  . . . Parallelism] is either a wonderful piece of luck or a wise provision of God’s, that poetry which was to be turned into all languages should have as its chief formal characteristic one that does not disappear (as mere metre does) in translation.” (p.4-5)

Lewis saw the repetition and the parallelism that remained as a means of emphasizing God’s message through scripture–despite translations.

                  Each of the psalms we read strengthens us.  We find ourselves facing the same human challenges as those in the ancient scriptures. We hear God in the words that have translated into the words we sing even today.  The psalms are meant to be sung and/or to be prayed in as many ways as we want as we confront the reality of our earthly challenges.

                  One of the contemporary hymns that speaks to me is titled, “10,000 Reasons.”  The lyrics were written by Matt Redman and the music was written by his friend Jonas Myrin.  Redman says he takes inspiration from Psalm 103: 

Bless the Lord, oh my soul,

and all that is within me,

bless his holy name.

Bless the Lord, O my soul

and do not forget all his benefits–

who forgives all your iniquity,

who heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the Pit,

who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

who satisfies you with good as long as you live

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.(v.1-5)

Written in 2011, within one hour, the psalm echoes through the words.  The literature of the hymn keeps the listener centered on God through repetition and parallelism.  The theme of the psalms never waivers regardless of the translation: 

                  Bless the Lord, oh my soul

                  Oh my soul, worship his holy name

                  Sing like never before,

                  Oh my soul I’ll worship your holy name.

                  The sun comes up, it’s a new day dawning.

                  It’s time to sing your song again

                  Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me

                  Let me be singing when the evening comes. . . . 

                  You’re rich in love and you’re slow to anger

                  Your name is great and your heart is kind

For all your goodness, I will keep on singing

Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find.

And on that day when my strength is failing

The end draws near and my time has come

Still my soul will sing your praise unending

Ten thousand years and then forevermore. . . .

     Today we close with the words of the ancient psalms echoing in the lyrics of our hymns today.  We join in worship and include them in our liturgy as a way to learn, to remember, and to grow in our faith.  

     The reality is that we need the repetition the poets, the artists, the lyricists use to seal in our long-term memory and our inner soul, the words of God.  We hear the prayers for help, the hymns of praise and thanksgiving, the wisdom of the faithful guiding us to a solid foundation, a rock foundation in our faith.

     There are indeed 10,000 reasons to read the psalms this summer and then reread them in the seasons ahead.  Reread them in various translations and discover the solid, rock foundation of God’s words.

     Eugene Peterson shares two pieces of Psalm 62 in his devotional, Praying with the Psalms.  

For God alone my soul waits in silence; 

                  from him comes my salvation.

He alone is my rock and my salvation,

                  my fortress; I shall never be shaken.”  (Psalms 62:1-2, MSG)

In his second daily devotion he selects one more verse from the psalm:

Trust in him at all times, O people;

pour out your heart before him;

                  God is a refuge for us.  (Psalms 62:8, MSG)

He adds to these scriptures these two brief statements: 

Silence sinks a shaft to bedrock.  It is the soul’s means for descending through the gravel of rebellion and doubt to the solid, quiet reality of God’s word.  . . . The soul careens from side to side seeking a way to completion.  On one side is the anarchic freedom of lawless. . .on the other the secure wealth of the rich.  But the alternatives are ditches, not highways.  The Lord himself is the way to wholeness. (May 2-3)

Please join me in prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, 

You are our rock, our foundation, our refuge.

In the words you give your faithful

We find reassurance, solace, and strength.

Thank you for all those who know you

And find ways to share your message

 So others can be strengthened

In their relationship with you,

Assuring them of salvation

And life eternal in your kingdom.  

–Selah, forever, amen.

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August 27, 2019 · 7:52 am

Praying the Psalms V: Pleas and Praise apply today

Life just keeps us hopping, doesn’t it?  Even though we can establish a daily routine and settle into a comfortable pace, surprises develop.

Certainly the wreck, now over four weeks ago, was a surprise and life suddenly forced a change to daily routines.  But, the days keep moving forward and new routines are established.

In the midst of all the doctor’s visits, nature handed a little more excitement.  We had a major windstorm in our community that caused major tree damage. Our own huge silver maple last some branches, but no significant damage.

Just as the cleanup continues around town, another surprise storm blew through yesterday, too. Fortunately the damage was minimal compared to a week ago.  Still, all these storms do create a sense of unrest in our lives.

How does this fit in with “praying the psalms”?

I trust that I am not stretching an idea too much, but I really am discovering just how much the ancient psalms still fit into our 21stcentury lives.

Regardless of the calendar year, life happens.  As I studied literature during my college years, I had one idea drilled into me: great literature is timeless.  

The Bible is literature and it is timeless.

I know that some may be offended or take issue that I boil down the holy words, the holy scripture, the sacred writings into one term, literature, but . . . the words still make sense today, in our global, 21stcentury, technology filled, science-explained world.

So I return to the psalms. There are 150 psalms and we all know there are more than 150 days in our lives, so reading through them does take time. 

But by reading them and studying them in context, by the audience, and through the additional filter of continuing history, the pleas and the praise sung by these words continue to meet the needs of all humans today.

Sitting and reviewing my notes, I can find so many excerpts from the psalms that I have read these past few weeks (and still have almost 50 to go) that make so much sense for my daily prayers.  I find it difficult to open the Bible and determine which fits today.  

Today, though, the morning is fresh, the rainclouds are gone, the coolness of an early fall, and the sounds of kids waiting for the school bus grace my senses.  Today, no pleas just praise.  

Psalms 100has long been a familiar litany for me, and today I abbreviate it:

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.

     Worship the Lord with gladness;

     come into his presence with singing.  . . .

For the Lord is good;

     His steadfast love endures forever,

     and his faithfulness to all generations.  –Amen.

May these words lift your hearts and bring you joy.  And in the words of Psalm 121, a benediction is found at its conclusion:

The Lord will keep

     your going out and your coming in

     from this time on and forevermore.

Thank you for all the prayers and the support you provide my husband and myself, but also for all the others for whom you pray.

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July 24, 2019 · 8:36 am

“Praying the Psalms”: Heard about the phrase. Read, studied the psalms. Finally I understand why.

Over the past decade, I have heard the phrase “praying the psalms, but it never seemed like something I needed to understand. Then I began the year of rest and renewal.  

The first thing I did was start reading—not church related prep material, but fun reading.  Oddly enough I picked up the novel series of the Yada Yada Prayer Group, written by Neta Jackson.  The characters in this series were encouraged to ‘pray the psalms.’  

And I began to sort out the significance of that phrase:  pray the psalms.  

The problem I have long had is how to make psalms fit into today’s culture.  How does the language work?  How does the ancient problems fit or match today’s?  How can the language be used when language changes?

Then I began the year-long Bible study and moved into the psalms this month and I started to understand why the phrase continues to surface as a method of prayer for God’s faithful today as much as in ancient times.

Maybe one of the key tools I have that helped open up my understanding of how to pray the psalms is theWesley Study Bible.  I have a wide range of Bibles and several with study notes, but the subtitles and descriptors that are provided for the psalms, clearly states the purpose of each one.  

Why in the world did I never understand the topic of the various psalms or even the structure of the entire book itself?

I guess that is not really an issue at this point.  The issue is that I have finally unlocked the psalms as prayers that are as appropriate today as they were in ancient times or any time:  past, present and future.

For example, the first section of psalms are considered Book 1 of the Psalter and include Psalms 1-41.  As one begins the study of these psalms, there are clear subtitles for almost each one:

  • Psalm 3:  Trust in God under Adversity
  • Psalm 4:  Confident Plea for Deliverance from Enemies
  • Psalm 6: Prayer for Recovery from Grave Illness
  • Psalm 12:  Plea for Help in Evil Times
  • Psalm 22:  Plea for Deliverance from Suffering and Hostility

These are simply the ones I have already studied within the first book.  There are four other books:  Psalms 42-72, Psalms 73-89, Psalms 90-106, and Psalms 107-150.  Looking ahead at how the Wesley Study Bible prints these, one can tell that the subtitles continue to identify the purpose of each psalm.

Praying the psalms may not be a habit that faithful Christians are using, but at times finding words to put one’s thoughts into a logical prayer leaves us in a mental block.  By stopping and scanning through the psalms in a Bible that can guide the reader, such as the Wesley Study Bible,removes that block.

Finding the right source is so important for anybody wanting to understand scripture, but to ‘pray the psalms’ a version that provides subtitles or study notes to guide the reader to find a psalm that matches his/her own need at the time.

While considering how to discuss the idea of ‘praying the psalms,’ I googled the phrase.  What I was unprepared for the number of hits that came up:  about 11,800,000 results!  

And then I began scrolling.  The websites on the first page provided a range of blogs and theologies, but I opened up The Upper Roombecause it was familiar to my Methodist background.

Check out the site: https://www.upperroom.org/resources/praying-the-psalms

Again, identifying the purpose of the psalm can guide one in how to pray the psalms.  On the Upper Room site, there is an explanation of the concept, then a list of topics aligned to an appropriate psalm is included.  And this is just one of the first website I opened.

A caution needs to be added at this point. When doing a web search, make sure to identify the source of the site.  Make sure to understand the theology or the philosophy from which the author speaks/writes.  Some of those 11 million plus websites may not be solid in theology or may be using an entirely different definition of psalm which would be anti-Christian, anti-faithful.

Because the ancient cultures did not have the law or the hymns in print and readily available, the teaching of scripture was done through singing as it was easier to memorize.  The practice has not been maintained, so praying the psalms is not part of our educational process in most cases.  We do not know the psalms—at least not 150 of them.

Therefore, as one begins reading the psalms and re-reading them, the words become familiar and when needed might surface into conscious thought –if we allow ourselves to pray the psalms.

When stress settles in and the mind freezes up, turning to the familiar psalms can unlock the communication channel to God. Certainly he knows what our issues are, but as we seek to work through the stress, turning to the ancient words used throughout the millenniums can reconnect us with God.

And, maybe it is not stress that we need to pray about; maybe we find joy or success or health and we lift our words of praise to God for those experiences, too.  The psalms are not singularly for stressful circumstances; they are for the celebrations, too.  

God is a moment-by-moment presence in our lives and we live in prayer when we remain faithful.  We remain faithful by praying or communicating with God at all times. 

Praying the psalms is a method of communicating with God; and if one has read them repeatedly, the words are familiar.  The words will surface in our minds when we face stress.  Those are the times God is speaking to us through the Holy Spirit.

Please join in prayer:

Using the words from Psalms 34:11-14 (NRSV)

Lord we pray. . . 

Come, O children, listen to me;

     I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

Which of you desires life,

     and covets many days to enjoy good?

Keep your tongue from evil,

     and your lips from speaking deceit.

Depart from evil, and do good;

     seek peace, and pursue it.  –Amen.

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October 18, 2015 · 11:30 am

Theology in action: Praise the Lord!

Sermon for Sunday, October 18, 2015

Scripture references: Psalm 104:1-9, 24, 35c

Psalm 65:9-13

Acts 14:8-19

Do you have Fall Fever? This is an entirely new malady, and unlike Spring Fever, this is much easier to treat.   First, the mild temperatures provide much relief from those sweltering, muggy summer days. Second, the shortening days make it easier to get needed rest. Thirdly, the sunshine provides a healthy dose of vitamin D, if you can get outside during or after lunch.   And finally, the dose of an apple a day is one of the most cost effective and tasty prescriptions any doctor can recommend for patients of all ages.

Another Christian malady is one John Wesley called poor holy tempers. Certainly the medical field has advanced significantly since Wesley’s lifetime, but this particular issue needs little modern intervention. Rather, the treatment directly affects one’s spiritual health.

In the Wesley Study Bible (NRSV), the core term holy tempers is defined within the book of Psalms. Holy tempers are more than feelings. According to the notes, feelings are “simply passing temptations”:

Our tempers are discerned in the shape and quality of our lives. Most clearly, our tempers are seen in our relationships with God, our neighbors, and ourselves. . . . a life of holy tempers is seen when our joy comes when freely giving service to the needy, when injustice kindles our indignation, when God’s forgiveness inspires a life-changing gratitude. (p. 679)

If you are suffering with a malady you thought was Fall Fever, maybe you really are struggling with your holy tempers.   Reading Psalms 65 and 104 certainly will improve your holy tempers and for those with Fall Fever to experience the delight of God’s creation we witness this week.

The beauty of our mid-American fall or autumn (which sounds more poetic) has included blue skies, warm sun, and delightful colors. We are witnessing the type of October that creates a ‘heaven on earth.’ Try googling autumn versus fall images and you will discover the power of a word’s connotative meanings.

Reading the two psalms create vivid pictures in our minds that relate God’s creative power. The psalmists wrote these hymns as praise. They put theology in action through the power of words. They followed Psalm 104’s closing instruction—“Praise the Lord.”

How does one praise the Lord in a world racing from point A to point B failing to see the glory of these autumn days? The pressures we have placed upon ourselves seem to squeeze out the healthy spiritual practices God expects from us. Wesley, over 300 years ago, knew that humans could be so focused on the basics of living that maintaining holy tempers would not be a priority.

Are we in the same crisis as the working people in Wesley’s England or the Americans struggling to survive in the young nation when he rode the circuit? Our lives are either too busy or too challenged by economic stress, health issues, or family obligations that maintaining healthy spirituality or holy tempers loses priority status. Holy tempers are in critical condition.

Consider the autumn beauty that you are witnessing this year. The colors are vivid, the temperatures are mild, and the sky is sparkling blue during the day and filled with twinkling jewels at night. There are moments that one’s breath is literally ripped away as the eyes fill with the beauty of this earth.

And what do we do in these moments? Do we connect the sense of delight we experience to God or do we ignore Him? These are the moments that Wesley would probably check on one’s spiritual health. He would probably prescribe some work to improve holy tempers.

The praise that we utter when we see the glory of these autumn days go to God. If our holy tempers are functioning well, then Fall Fever is not an illness it is an act of praise. Wesley would acknowledge that praising the Lord is proof that one is spiritually healthy. Just try driving along our Ozark roads that wrap around the lakes here in Missouri. The glory of God is breathtaking!

This breathtaking experience is how spiritual respiration feels. For Wesley, faithful Christians “. . . must breathe God in order to live spiritually.” Spiritual respiration is a core term also explained in the Wesley Study Bible:

. . . When God fills our lives the way that air fills our lungs, we are refreshed, alert and energized for God’s work. . . . If we stop breathing God, we lose the connection that is essential to our spiritual lives. . . .so we have to concentrate on it through prayer, Bible study, worship and other practices that help us cultivate our spiritual lives. (p.755)

The practices are the Wesleyan acts of piety. Fall Fever has hit, but if we are not spiritually healthy, we will not praise the Lord for all that he provides, for his grace, and for the promise of life eternal.

On delightful autumn days we have very little trouble praising God for all He has provided. But what if we were living in challenging crisis day after day? Would we be spiritually healthy enough to see God’s glory despite the challenges? Paul is an example of one who lived in crisis. His ministry established the universal church. His own life is a testimony of God’s grace and the transforming power of loving one another

In Acts 14, Luke the physician again shares Paul’s challenges in Christian ministry. The struggle to demonstrate God’s healing power ended in stoning. Yet in those verses 14-17, Luke reports how Paul and Barnabas respond to the Lystrians’ misplaced praise:

14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening, they tore their clothing in dismay and ran out among the people, shouting, 15 “Friends,[a] why are you doing this? We are merely human beings—just like you! We have come to bring you the Good News that you should turn from these worthless things and turn to the living God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. 16 In the past he permitted all the nations to go their own ways, 17 but he never left them without evidence of himself and his goodness. (emphasis added) For instance, he sends you rain and good crops and gives you food and joyful hearts.”

Paul and Barnabas, in the midst of the hysteria, demonstrate their holy tempers. There efforts to share the good news may not have been easy, but even in this personal crisis, Paul praised God for all the goodness he provides.

Are your holy tempers so healthy that the Fall Fever is not an illness but is evidence of healthy spiritual respiration?

If you are unsure, consider Paul’s situation and whether or not you are able to share God’s good news even in the midst of a challenge/crisis. This fall the prescription for improving spiritual health surely includes a look around this world God created for us. One study note put it this way: “When in doubt about God, look around and you will see abundant evidence that he is at work in our world.” (Life Application Bible, p. 1983)

If your holy tempers are healthy, then you are praising the Lord with every breath. You are “breathing God.” You are experiencing “joy [that] comes when freely giving service to the needy, when injustice kindles our indignation, when God’s forgiveness inspires a life-changing gratitude.” And when you look at God’s creation and your breath is taken away, you praise the Lord!

Wesley understood how important praising the Lord is to maintaining one’s spiritual health. When we are beaten down, worn out, persecuted, or even suffering with debilitating illness, our spiritual health or holy tempers will keep our spiritual respiration strong. Paul’s stoning is just one example how important breathing God regularly, automatically, is.

Practice praising the Lord. Each week, attend worship service as a spiritual practice. Worship includes praises. Read the Bible regularly so you can hear God speaking to you and you can develop your holy tempers. Praise the Lord for all the glory he created, but also for all the grace, the love, and the strength to live healthy, spiritual lives so we can put our theology into action.

Closing prayer

Dear Glorious Father,

Thank you for the beauty of the earth

You have created for us this autumn day.

Thank you for lessons written into scripture

That guide us in keeping our spirituality healthy.

Thank you for all the leaders of our church:

Paul , Wesley, and even today’s theologians.

Help us improve our spiritual health

By improving the use of Wesley’s acts of piety.

We want to breathe in God each day.

We want to feel our lungs fill with the Holy Spirit.

We want to breathe out the love of one another.

We want to live our theology

In praise of you, Lord.   –Amen

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April 6, 2013 · 4:01 pm

A is for Apocrypha; P is for Psalms

given on Sunday, April 7, 2013

Every once and a while an idea just starts bubbling up in the brain, and no matter what you do, you cannot get rid of it.  Several weeks ago, even before Lent, I started wondering about the apocrypha.  Never had it been included either in Bible studies or in Sunday school classes, or even mentioned in sermons.

Yet, somehow I wanted to know what was locked away in this series of Biblical books.   Maybe the term Biblical does not apply because the books certainly are not included in our common versions of the Bible.  Still I could not shake the questions and the ideas that seemed to be flooding my brain.

Even though Lent demanded attention and then Easter called for more traditional readings and sermons, I could only subdue the raging in my head until time had come to consider post-Easter sermons.  That is when the phrase exploded—A is for Apocrypha!  Post-Easter means April and the A’s had come together—A is for Apocrypha.

To begin, the apocrypha is published in between the old and the new testaments and usually only in Catholic Bibles.  Why?  Turns out that the dates the various books are written are between 400 BC and Christ’s birth.  Apparently the gap really does not exist because various religious manuscripts surfaced during that time and were commonly accepted by the Jewish leaders.

Today we opened our service with Psalm 150; a glorious hymn of praise that we frequently include when the tone of our worship is full of energy and excitement.  The tone reverberates the loud music that is listed within the lines.  As April begins and we finally see the promise of spring, the promise of God’s gift of eternal life, Psalm 150 lifts us up from the worst of winter and makes us want to jump for joy.  A is for April, but P is for Psalms of Praise!

As Christians we recognize that Psalm 150 closes the book in the Old Testament.  Studies of Psalms explains the breakdown of the book into various themes and are arranged in an order that journeys the reader through the emotional ups and downs typically associated with David’s life.  Some are written by David, some are not.  But buried in the apocrypha is Psalm 151.  Why?

The Bible is a foundation for our faith.  We read it for guidance, for understanding, for God because he can speak through the words to guide us in our daily lives.  The Old Testament is what the Jewish people read.  The New Testament is added so the story of Christ completes or bridges our earthly life to eternal life.

Psalm 151 is different from those in the Old Testament.  It is autobiographical, written by King David, explaining God’s choice of him over his brothers.  Look back at those verses 1-4:

1 I was the smallest of my brothers,
the youngest of my father’s sons.
He made me shepherd of his flock,
ruler over their young.

2 My hands made a flute,
my fingers a lyre.
Let me give glory to the Lord,
I thought to myself.

3 The mountains
cannot witness to God;
the hills cannot proclaim him.
But the trees have cherished
my words,
the flocks my deeds.

4 Who can proclaim,
who can announce,
who can declare the Lord’s deeds?
God has seen everything;
God has heard everything;
God has listened.  —the CEB

The first verses of the psalm show who David is—a shepherd, a musician, an average guy who seemingly does not have the same qualities of his brothers.  Yet it is David that God chooses rather than any one of his brothers who most would identify as leaders of a nation.

Some translations of Psalm 151 consider the four verses the complete psalm.  But the scroll on which this psalm was found included the other two verses:

5 God sent his prophet to anoint me;
Samuel to make me great.
My brothers went out to meet him,
handsome in form and appearance:

6 Their stature tall,
their hair beautiful,
but the Lord God
did not choose them.

7 Instead, he sent and took me
from following the flock.
God anointed me with holy oil;
God made me leader for his people,
ruler over the children
of his covenant.  —the CEB

These three verses refer back to the story of David and Goliath.  They are written as autobiographical—in first person—so it does not follow the typical pattern of the 150 psalms already included.  In fact, one reference explains that the scroll on which the psalm is written was ripped.  There has been no way to assure scholars that verse 7 completed the psalm or whether there were more that have been lost.

Is there a message in Psalm 151?  Certainly.  God chooses those to serve.  David may not have felt he was worthy to be called in comparison to his own brothers, but he answered the call.  And in the verses 5 and 6, he explains that by referring back to his battle with Goliath.  He was the smallest, most unlikely of his family to become the leader that he did.  God called him, God anointed him, and God made him leader of the Israelites.

Are we hearing God’s call?  Maybe we do, but we do not believe in ourselves enough to answer.  All too often we ignore God’s calling.  All too often we talk ourselves out of acknowledging God’s call to us personally.  God knows the gifts he provides us, God goes with us wherever we go, and God gives us the strength to handle the whatever we must as long as we believe.

April is renewal.  Easter was the beginning of a new chapter in Christianity.  And just like A is for Apocrypha and P is for Psalms, there is more for us in April:

R is for Reading scriptures;

I is for Inspiration from the scriptures; and

L is for Listening to the Word of God.

The Old Testament spoke to the ancient tribes of Israel; the New Testament speaks to Christians since the beginning of the Church.  What lies in the Apocrypha is a mystery to the Protestants, but has been speaking to the Catholics and the Greek Orthodox faithful.  Therefore, A is for APRIL, a time of renewal, of exploration, and of listening to the stories of the Apocrypha, too.

Dear Eternal Father, Author of Our Lives,.

Open our minds to the stories in the scriptures.

Open our hearts to the messages Your Words share.

Keep us curious as we seek understanding.

Keep us faithful to Your commandments.

Use us to reach out to others in need of Your grace.

Use us to demonstrate Your love to one and another.

As the scriptures tell us the story,

Let us tell the story, too, so others may be transformed.  –Amen

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January 26, 2013 · 3:18 pm

5th Sunday Worship with the Word and Song: Prayer

This is the script from Sunday’s service.  Focusing on a theme, PRAYER, the service design is to use scriptures and hymns to carry the theme.  Having used the book, 100 Favorite Bible Verse, by Lisa Guest, I have been able to weave the verses into three sermons.  Thanks to her for the effort she has put forth and her comments.  They have certainly spoken to me during this winter month.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

**Opening scripture & thoughts:  Psalm 100:  a psalm for giving thanks.

1 Shout to the Lord with joy, everyone on earth.
2     Worship the Lord with gladness.
Come to him with songs of joy.
3 I want you to realize that the Lord is God.
He made us, and we belong to him.
We are his people.
We are the sheep belonging to his flock.

4 Give thanks as you enter the gates of his temple.
Give praise as you enter its courtyards.
Give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 The Lord is good. His faithful love continues forever.
It will last for all time to come.

         “God is like a shepherd who, 24/7, protects and provides for His stupid sheep.  It’s not a flattering description, but like sheep, we find our selves drawn to unhealthy waters.  Sometimes we get ourselves turned upside down and can’t get right side up without the Shepherd’s help.  . . .          God has been faithful to generations before us, He shows Himself faithful to us, and He will be faithful to every generation to come.  Clearly, we have no excuse not to obey the Psalm 100 command!  Let us worship the Lord with gladness!”  (p. 215)

 

*UMH Hymn 437:  This Is My Song

 

**Scripture & thoughts:  Philippians 4:6-7

6 Don’t worry about anything. Instead, tell God about everything. Ask and pray. Give thanks to him. 7 Then God’s peace will watch over your hearts and your minds because you belong to Christ Jesus. God’s peace can never be completely understood.

 

UMH Hymn 496:  Sweet Hour of Prayer

 

The Congregation’s Prayer:  from Guest’s notes

 

Prayer is an amazing privilege, Lord, yet too often I take it for granted.  Forgive me, and fuel in me a desire to establish and maintain an ongoing conversation with You.  I do want to learn to pray always and about everything and to do so with thanksgiving.  Please teach me, so that each day I will see You more clearly, love You more dearly, and follow You more nearly. 

“. . . Pray.  Pray about everything.  Pray all the time.  Pray with thanksgiving.  . . . Knowing that worry is our default mode, Paul urged God’s people to pray for God’s presence with us and for the people He puts in our paths.  . . . Don’t worry, pray about everything, and experience God’s peace.”  (p. 35)

Private Prayer:

  • Remember to pray daily for relief from the drought
  • Remember your own supplications and praises

Lord’s Prayer:  Please join in the prayer Jesus taught us using trespasses.

**Matthew 6:9-13:  9 “This is how you should pray.

“‘Our Father in heaven,
may your name be honored.
10 May your kingdom come.
May what you want to happen be done
on earth as it is done in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 Forgive us our sins,
just as we also have forgiven those who sin against us.
13 Keep us from falling into sin when we are tempted.
Save us from the evil one.’

 

   Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

   Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done

   On earth as it is in heaven.

   Give us this day our daily bread.

   And forgive us our trespasses,

   As we forgive those who trespass against us.

   And lead us not into temptation,

   But deliver us from evil.

   For thine is the kingdom,

        the power

             and the glory, forever.  –Amen

 

OFFERING:  Guests should not feel the offering is their responsibility.   Members prayerfully give to support the church’s ministry.

 

*DOXOLOGY no.  95: Please stand as you wish and sing.

 

*PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING:                                             the Pastor

Thank you, God, for allowing us to share our offerings with you.   May these offerings work in your behalf as we continue to share your love.   –Amen

 

UMH Hymn 600:  Wonderful Words of Life

 

Scripture & Thoughts:  Psalm 46

 

God is our place of safety. He gives us strength.
He is always there to help us in times of trouble.
2 The earth may fall apart.
The mountains may fall into the middle of the sea.
But we will not be afraid.
3 The waters of the sea may roar and foam.
The mountains may shake when the waters rise.
But we will not be afraid. Selah

4 God’s blessings are like a river. They fill the city of God with joy.
That city is the holy place where the Most High God lives.
5 Because God is there, the city will not fall.
God will help it at the beginning of the day.
6 Nations are in disorder. Kingdoms fall.
God speaks, and the people of the earth melt in fear.

7 The Lord who rules over all is with us.
The God of Jacob is like a fort to us. Selah

8 Come and see what the Lord has done.
See the places he has destroyed on the earth.
9 He makes wars stop from one end of the earth to the other.
He breaks every bow. He snaps every spear.
He burns every shield with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be honored among the nations.
I will be honored in the earth.”

11 The Lord who rules over all is with us.
The God of Jacob is like a fort to us.

 

from Guest’s comments:

         God is able to call forth powerful winds, part a sea, ad ravage a nation with plagues.  Yet He calls us to know Him not in the spectacular and loud, not in the dramatic and powerful.  He calls us to be still.  We are to find quiet—internal as well as external—is we are truly to know that He is God.  Faith grows during our quiet communion with Him.”  (p.55)

 

UMH Hymn 395:  Take Time to Be Holy

 

**Scripture & Thoughts:  James 5:13-16

 

13 Are any of you in trouble? Then you should pray. Are any of you happy? Then sing songs of praise.

14 Are any of you sick? Then send for the elders of the church to pray over you. Ask them to anoint you with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 The prayer offered by those who have faith will make you well. The Lord will heal you. If you have sinned, you will be forgiven.

16 So admit to one another that you have sinned. Pray for one another so that you might be healed. The prayer of a godly person is powerful. It makes things happen.

 

from Guest’s comments:

         “The power of prayer is one of the mysteries of our faith.  We go through dry seasons when God seems distant and prayer seem pointless, so we skip it all together.  We may feel discouraged from praying for a specific person or situation for months, if not years or decades.  We may also enter a season of great pain and loss when we simply can’t pray, and we rely on the faithful and faith-full prayers of our sisters and brothers in Christ.

         “Then come those prayer times when God seems to be in the same room with us as we pray.  . . .

         “In between these two extreme experiences are those regular prayer times, those acts of disciplined obedience that we do out of love for our Lord.  We pray because He calls us to; we pray because we love Him. 

         “. . . pastor David Jeremiah points out, “The surest way not to get an answer to prayer is not to pray!”  (p. 49)

 

UMH Hymn 527:  Do, Lord, Remember Me

 

Closing Prayer: 

 

Thank you for the privilege of prayer, and forgive me when I take for granted the awesome truth that I am able to speak to You, the sovereign King, the Creator of all, the Healer of my soul, anytime and from anywhere.  I am grateful for those seasons of prayer when You answer quickly and obviously, and I am grateful that you understand those dry times I go through.  So, Father God, please keep me disciplined and expectant as I pray.  (p. 49)

 

The Benediction:  Go in peace & be the Church for others.

 

**All the scriptures were from the New International Reader’s Version (NIRV).

 

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