During 2023, our congregation-wide faith study initiative is Seasons of Psalms.
The Book of Psalms is a collection of songs and prayers that express the heart and soul of humanity. The psalmists confess their sins, share their doubts and fears, ask God for help in times of trouble, and praise and worship him. Throughout each season, you will find comfort and strength in the weekly readings and gain a better understanding of how our deepest, strongest, and honest emotions fit in our relationship with God.
However, we are not to simply read or sing or pray the Psalms. We are to be immersed in them so that they profoundly shape how we relate to God. The Psalms are the divinely ordained way to learn devotion to our God. For a fun overview poster of the Psalms, look below.
Seasons of Psalms
It's Never Too Late to Join!
We may have started our study in January, but it is never too late to join in. Participation is simple!
Our reading plan for the 150 Psalms has been arranged by season and week. Click below for a copy of the plan. Copies may also be found on the table below the monitor in the Narthex.
How To Read and Pray the Psalms
“The Psalms are inexhaustible, and deserve to be read, said, sung, chanted, whispered, learned by heart, and even shouted from the rooftops. They express all the emotions we are ever likely to feel (including some we hope we may not), and they lay them raw and open, in the presence of God.” -N.T. Wright, Simply Christian
The Psalms, the longest book in the Bible, can be intimidating. It goes from praise to lament or lament to praise in a few short lines. Sometimes it is hard to keep up. They should not be a quick read. Engage yourself in the beautiful images of nature, the emotional struggles, and the blissful praise of our loving God that fill the Psalms.
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Read or listen to the 1-4 outlined Psalm(s) each week.
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Re-read and meditate on the Psalmist’s words throughout the week.
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Choose to purchase a copy of “Praying with the Psalms, A Year of Daily Prayers and Reflections on the Words of David” by Eugene Peterson or “The Songs of Jesus, A Year of Daily Devotions in the Psalms” by Timothy Keller, available for purchase on Amazon.
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Choose to Dig Deeper by participating in study opportunities during Sunday School. Join us for special sessions during the week led by Rev. Herrin.
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Our first Digging Deeper session with Rev. Herrin was on Feb 9 and was repeated after the 10:30 worship service on Feb 26. You may view it here.
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Our second Digging Deeper session with Rev Herrin was on Tuesday, April 18. We enjoyed a video of a 2016 conversation about the Psalms between U2's Bono and theologian Eugene Peterson and discussed Psalm 40, which inspired Bono's "40 (How Long)" last track on U2's 1983 album War. Click here for the Bono/Peterson conversation.
Helpful Tech Tip
When reading the Scriptures, and especially Psalms, you may
find it helpful to read more than one Bible translation.
YouVersion is a free online and mobile Bible platform
published for Android/ iOS/ Windows phone and many
other operating platforms.
Access YouVersion by going to bible.com. Click on BIBLE
at the top. Choose from numerous translations. Use the
Parallel bar at the top to view two translations at once. This makes for an easy study when verses are challenging you.
Download the YouVersion phone app in your Android/ iOS/ Windows store. Tap the Bible tab located along the bottom next to Home. Flip your phone or tablet sideways. Tap the open book icon in the upper right-hand corner and select the two versions you want to read side-by-side.
