Saturday night Reads: The Psalms

There is just something about the psalms... They contain the whole spectrum of human emotion. You name it... It is in there. David is one of the greatest psalmists and even his son Solomon and Moses have some psalms. Then there are the liturgical Levites who continue in the great tradition of David.

The Psalms are great for praying through. They are a source of comfort and joy. David gets in many tight spots in his life, but he almost always ends by praising God.

And then there are the Laments, which are so rich and helpful with any person who is struggling through life. One morning in the wee hours I tried to read all 150 psalms once I realized I wouldn't be able to sleep that night. It strengthened me for what was ahead, as the very next day I was in the hospital and had a psychotic break. If you can't sleep, pray and read the Psalms. I recommend it to any one who is searching for the answers to life. Puzzling things out can be difficult work, but the great psalmists are genuine God-seekers. I would love to some day read the psalms in the original Hebrew as the poetry is very beautiful in its original language and cadence. Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem and many of the psalms follow a strict poetic structure. It is all fascinating for me to study.

Today I got a new study Bible at a garage sale. It is an NIV study Bible. I already have an embarassing riches of Bibles, but Biblical studies is my passion and I love mining the pages of Scripture for the hidden treasure the Holy Spirit put in there... It is tragic when a Bible ends up collecting dust on a shelf and is not read by someone who is spiritually malnourished without it. That's why I no longer feel bitter about the Bible someone stole from me. If they stole it, they probably benefited from it and I certainly could afford to replace it. Some people are dying without a Bible in their own language and that for me is the missionary imperative to translate the Scriptures into as many languages as possible. My cousin is doing that work with Wycliffe Bible translators and I am hoping to support his ministry in a meaningful way through prayers and financial support.