The most consistent spiritual practice I have maintained is reading the book of Psalms every month. It was inspired by NT Wright, Billy Graham, and an inner ache for an authentic relationship with the Lord.
The Psalms are songs and poems written thousands of years ago. They have been the basis of devotions and prayer for billions of people
The Psalms bypass the logical brain, a mainline to the heart.
Reading and praying the Psalms every day and throughout the day has never felt like a duty. There are times when I haven’t kept the cadence, but the Spirit has brought me to where I needed to be at that moment. Grace upon grace.
Individual Psalms and the entire book have captivated my heart and mind. They have lines, phrases, metaphors, and lyrics to describe and express every emotional situation of our spiritual journey.
Each month when a Psalm comes back around, I recall the times and the places that God seared the Psalm on my soul. I remember where I was then and how God has brought me through it to where I am today. With hope and trust, I can look forward to the future with praise and thanksgiving.
When you go through the whole book, you see patterns that flow through, build, and reach a crescendo! Definition and resolution to the inner emotional landscape.
Four of the main themes I see in the Book of Psalms:
- The Word transforms our whole life
- God hears our struggles and cries for mercy
- Christ is present wherever we are
- We are praising Him for eternity
The Word Transforms our Whole Life
The instructions of the Lord are perfect,
reviving the soul.
The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
The commandments of the Lord are right,
bringing joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are clear,
giving insight for living.
Reverence for the Lord is pure,
lasting forever.
The laws of the Lord are true;
each one is fair.
They are more desirable than gold,
even the finest gold.
They are sweeter than honey,
even honey dripping from the comb.
Psalm 19:7-10
Crying Out To God In Our Struggle
I cry out to God; yes, I shout.
Oh, that God would listen to me!
When I was in deep trouble,
I searched for the Lord.
All night long I prayed, with hands lifted toward heaven,
but my soul was not comforted.
I think of God, and I moan,
overwhelmed with longing for his help.
Psalm 77:1-3
Christ Is Present Wherever We Are
Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice!
Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!
Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy!
Let the trees of the forest sing for joy
before the Lord, for he is coming!
He is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with justice,
and the nations with his truth.
Psalm 96:11-13
Praise Him For Eternity
Let every created thing give praise to the Lord,
for he issued his command, and they came into being.
He set them in place forever and ever.
His decree will never be revoked.
Psalm 148:5-6
Schedule of Psalms
Every psalm reveals Christ and shows us how to relate to Him and live in the Kingdom of God. The Psalms have the power to penetrate our life and transform us. But they won’t show up in your soul unless they show up on your calendar. See Christ in the Psalms by allowing the Psalms to show up on your schedule.
There are multiple plans to read the Psalms. The 28-Day Plan developed by another lover of the Psalms, Martin Luther, five centuries ago, is the best way to go. It starts on a Saturday night and goes over four weeks. It has multiple psalms, split up for morning and evening, to read throughout the day. You don’t have to read them all in one sitting, and if a psalm speaks to you, it is best to sit with it and read it multiple times.
Here is the plan:
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Send out your light and your truth;
let them guide me.
Let them lead me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you live.
There I will go to the altar of God,
to God—the source of all my joy.
I will praise you with my harp,
O God, my God!
Psalm 43:3-4
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