Psalms - Week 7

Welcome to Week 7 of Psalms!  This week we finish our trek through the psalter.  Along the way we've encountered psalms of praise, royal psalms, history psalms, psalms of ascent, psalms of lament, and more!  One of the beauties of the psalter is that these psalms give voice to many of the things we are experiencing but cannot put into words ourselves.  Oftentimes the words of the psalms can become our prayers before God.

Our readings begin with the last 6 psalms of ascent, the songs sung by Jewish pilgrims on their way to worship in Jerusalem.  Psalms 136-137 create a contrast through the repeated phrase of "His love endures forever" in Psalm 136 to the lament of "By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept..." in Psalm 137.  Why are those two psalms placed next to each other?

As the psalter ends, the last 7 psalms begin with words of praise to God (all but one start with "Praise the LORD").  The climax of that praise is in Psalm 150 when God receives praise from every part of creation.  

Now that we've made it through the psalms, let's go back to Psalm 1.  That psalm pronounces a blessing on those who delight in the Lord, who meditate on his law day and night.  Psalm 150 begins with the words, "Praise the LORD!"  Those who delight in the Lord and meditate on his law are led to loud shouts of praise to God.  May it be so that all of us shout that praise to God, not just in our reading, but in our everyday living.

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?