The Book of Psalms by Linda Sweeney

We all have our favorite places to go and things to read.  I’m not sure why I love Psalms so much and consider it my favorite place in the Bible except maybe because it’s such a book of honesty!  David wrote the majority of the Psalms (Israel’s hymn book), and he’s definitely one of my favorite Bible characters.  He certainly wasn’t perfect, had no problem speaking his mind to God, and it always came back to a heart issue! 

I find so much hope in this book for whatever I’m going through.  Reading it always changes my countenance!  Even when my circumstances haven’t changed after prayer, I feel better when I’ve spent some time in this book.  It really is the book in my Bible that has the most “dog eared,” underlined, color coded and tear stained pages.  Sometimes I am led to cry out to God as David did because I am in such a hard and misunderstood place.  Other times I find myself singing out loud as I read the incredible praises David penned while worshipping his God.  Occasionally I realize I am telling God about my frustrations with people or circumstances (knowing He knows what I’m thinking before I speak).  One of my most favorite addresses to visit is Psalm 3:3 which says:  “But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head.”  Sometimes I need a shield and sometimes I need my head to be lifted!   Maybe you do too.

I recommend that you go to the book of Psalms when you know you need “something,” but aren’t sure where to go…I believe you’ll find what you’re looking for in every chapter!

Psalms to Ponder

The Psalms were written by several different authors during a variety of situations, each highlighting a different aspect of God’s character. Read the following Psalms and note which facet of God’s character comes to mind for you.

Psalm 1
Psalm 8
Psalm 27
Psalm 34
Psalm 42
Psalm 71
Psalm 89
Psalm 96
Psalm 111
Psalm 145