The Writings of Psalms

Talking to a stranger is difficult.  But how do you talk to God? What if you say the wrong thing? Have you ever felt too sad to pray? Have you ever felt too broken to worship?  Have you ever been too busy and in too control of your life to bother talking to God?  On the other hand, have you ever wanted to burst into a song of thankfulness for all God has done? If any of these situations sound familiar, then the book of Psalms is a good place for you to start.  God wants us to talk to Him. The good news is He doesn’t leave us on our own to figure out how.  He helps us by giving us 150 psalms that we can use to talk to Him.

King David wrote most of the 150 Psalms, but others also contributed. A priest from the tribe of Levi wrote some from the tribe of Levi.  A family with leadership positions in the Jerusalem temple wrote a few.  Even Moses wrote some of the psalms that are recorded for us.   The author of each psalm is interesting but what is most important is how they speak to God.  Psalms are musical poems, written very the heart of the person.  Each psalm shows us a moment with God, and gives us a glimpse into the hardships and triumphs of life.  The Psalms reveal how God is available in every season of life.  No matter the author, each Psalm has something that helps tie them all together. They are all crying out to God, waiting for God to respond, and responding to God for something He has done.  The Psalm written is a reaction to their circumstances. Some of the reactions are shown in thanksgiving and praise, and some reactions are sorrow and despair, but no matter what state the Psalmist is in, they are all inviting God into their circumstances.

We can view the Psalms as a beautiful hymnal that has been carefully passed down from generation to generation. As we open it we find songs and prayers that will help us navigate through different seasons of life. As we open the hymnal we will find that some of the Psalms are Psalms of praise. They show us and guide us in giving God the praise that is due His name, whether life is easy or life is hard. We also find some Psalms that are thanksgiving. These Psalms helps show us how to respond to God in gratitude for all He has done. Some are Psalms of trust. These Psalms are declarations that help us stand firm in our hope in God, no matter what is going on in the world around us. 

There are also some Psalms that are unique and particularly useful during our darkest moments. These are Psalms of sorrow.  We often hear about rejoicing in the God of our salvation, and praising Him for all he has done, but what happens when things are really hard? What happens when we feel so broken we don’t know how we will ever be whole again? We are sorrowful but the good news is we can bring our sorrow to God as a form of worship. God loves us so much He wants us to come to Him in our most broken and vulnerable states. 

Psalms draw us in towards the heart of our Father. We are never too far away to come to Him. Psalms remind us to not forget about God in our highest moments. They remind us that God has not forgotten about us in our lowest moments.  As you read through each Psalm, offer your own personal worship up to God.  Whether it is a shout of thanksgiving or tears of sorrow, God will meet you.