Psalms - Week 5

Welcome to Week 5 of Psalms!  You may recall that we did 4 weeks of Psalms last spring, so we pick up where we left off almost a year ago.  

The collection of Psalms is broken down into 5 books.  Many suggest that the 5 books of the Psalms is modeled after the 5 books of the Torah.  This week, we finish Book 3 and cover all of Book 4 (the books are not of equal length).  We will encounter a variety of psalmists; some are named, others are not.  Among those named you will see the Sons of Korah, David, and Moses.  You will encounter many familiar psalms (90, 91, 92, 95, 98, 100, 103) and you will encounter lesser-known psalms.

One psalm, 88, is rather disturbing. It is a psalm of lament.  Oftentimes, psalms of lament (e.g. Psalm 13) end on a positive note, declaring trust in God.  Psalm 88 does not end that way; rather, it ends by saying, "the darkness is my closest friend."  Take some time to reflect on this psalm and to recognize and appreciate that these words are in scripture.  

Take some time to reflect on all the psalms.  As with all poetry, there are meanings on multiple levels.  What is God speaking to you through these psalms?

Enjoy your reading!  Please share your reflections and questions.  Be sure to use the guiding questions as you read.


Our guiding questions are these: 
  • What stood out to you in the reading?
  • Was there anything confusing or troubling?
  • Did anything make you think differently about God?
  • How might what you read change the way you live?

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