Category: Psalms

The Psalms

The psalms we have all read them, but do we really understand them?  I know I sure had not until…

A few months ago I offered to lead a breakout session at a women’s conference.  I decided to speak about the psalms.  I had done a similar session several years, so I thought I would get it out and brush it up and be good.  But God had other plans.  As I look through my materials and considered what to do, the focus of my session changed…from just a discussion about the psalms in general to specifically learning how to pray through a psalm.  My hope was women could take the principles from the session and apply them to other psalms on their own.  So started my summer adventure in the psalms.

So I started reading studying psalms by applying the inductive study principles.  All I can say is WOW!  Studying the psalms this way certainly helped me to better understand the psalms and begin to pray them and apply them to my life.

First you need to know what the psalm says

You do this by reading the psalm, several times until you become familiar with the ideas and images presented.  I suggest that you read the psalm aloud at least once, of course you could sing it 🙂

I also find it helpful to mark the key words and phrases.  These are often repeated.  Identifying the keys words and phrases help unlock the meaning of the psalm.

Then you need to understand what the psalm means

You can do this by looking up in a dictionary any unfamiliar words or by reading other verses in the bible that using the same word or phrase.

Another helpful tip is to figure out the structure of the psalm.  By this I mean the flow of ideas or emotions in the psalm.

Now you are about ready to pray the psalm

At this point I suggest you read a section of the psalm, then pray it personalizing it to your life, your situation.

Then pause and listen for God to speak to your heart, before you move on to the next section of the psalm.

Finally I would encourage you to write down when you learn about the psalm as you studied through it and then write down your words as you prayed through the psalm.

Under the Resource tab I have uploaded the materials from my session.  You may find it helpful to read the example of the psalm I gave using the inductive study principles.  If you do or have any questions, please contact me.  If you make a comment, I will respond.

I pray the psalms will take on a whole new meaning in your life, as they have in mine this summer.

Woe is me…

You can’t be around  people too long before someone turns the conversation to a “woe is me” theme.  You haveMH900427662 heard it… “my spouse, kids, or roommates are so difficult to live with”.   Or maybe their complaint is about their boss or co-workers that are soo bad.  Then of course, there are those who believe their lives are the absolute worst anyone could have and we all need to hear about their troubles.

Yes, I realize we need to listen, have mercy and pray for these miserable souls.  But after awhile I just want to say enough is enough and walk away.

Lament…expressing grief, sorrow or regret

Laments and the psalms.   I read recently there are more laments in the book of Psalms than any other category of psalm.  In fact more then one-third of the psalms are laments.  Wow!  Complaining about our troubles is not new.

Read the verses below and consider what the psalmist is lamenting…

1  Out of the depths I have cried to You, O LORD.

2  Lord, hear my voice!

    Let Your ears be attentive 

   To the voice of my supplications.

3  If You, LORD, should mark iniquities,

    O Lord, who could stand?

4 But there is forgiveness with You,

That You may be feared.

What do you learn about the psalmist?     He is in deep, feeling overwhelmed.  He is crying out to God.  But by verse 3, he is ready to acknowledge his own sinfulness and God’s forgiveness.

Now read the next two verses.  What change do you notice in the tone of the psalm?

5  I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait,

And in His word do I hope.

6  My soul waits for the Lord

More than the watchmen for the morning;

Indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning.

What more do you learn about the psalmist?  Has his situation changed?  Not that we know.  But has his attitude changed?  Definitely!  He goes from crying out to God in his misery to finding hope in God’s word and being willing to wait for the Lord.

In the final two verses the psalmist sings God’s praises to Israel.  Encouraging them to hope in the Lord and His lovingkindness and redemption.

7  O Israel, hope in the LORD;

For with the LORD there is lovingknindness,

and with Him is abundant redemption.

8 And He will redeem Israel

From all his iniquities

Sometimes I wonder if we get stuck in the complaint cycle.  Repeatedly crying out in our misery without recognizing our own sinfulness and God’s forgiveness.  And then being unable to find hope in God because our focus is on our misery…

As the watchman waits from the morning through the long and dark night,  I too will wait and hope in God through the difficult and dark trials in my life.