Preparing to Pray the Psalms

 

As we prepare to plunge and pray the Psalms in the coming weeks, perhaps my invitation to read all 150 is feeling a bit too much.  So, I have a wonderful alternative assignment for you from Eugene Peterson.  He decided to read five Psalms repeatedly. 

 

Psalm 3 is a Psalm for praying our troubles and tells when David fled from Absolm in fear!  Who/what/where are you singing, “Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen”?

 

Psalm 8 is a psalm of creation ~ to remember the web of mutuality that ties and tethers us to all that was, is, and will be in the worlds around/within.

 

Psalm 23 is a psalm to release our honest fears ~ the shadows and presence of evil.

 

Psalm 137 is to pray our hate ~ that faith is more than neckties and dress hats.  God longs for more than your carefully guarded public persona that you post on social media. 

 

Finally, Psalm 6 is to pray our tears as a cathartic release.

 

Perhaps this summer you want to return, repeat, replay and re-pray these five Psalms over and over again as a way to explore and examine the anatomy of your soul (see quote from John Calvin in Monday’s Morning Mediation).

 

A few more logistics as you prepare for Monday to launch your raft of life into the pond of the Psalms.  One, find a rhythm that works for you.  Some people will read a Psalm at breakfast, one at lunch, and one after dinner.  Some will read all three for each day at the same time.  Two, when you read the Psalms, read them out loud!  Just as we don’t listen to music from some objective, science-like, arms-length place (or at least I don’t!)  Just like I cannot hear the soundtrack of Wicked without joining in, the Psalms were meant to be heard in your ears ~ listening to the sound of your own voice.  Third, read the Psalms for each day slowly, savoring the syllables.  I encourage you to circle words/phrases that fascinate you and put a square around words/phrases that frustrate you.  You may want to draw a picture in response to the Psalm.  Or what get out your colored pencils to underline words/phrases of praise in green or blue; words/phrases of lament in red/purple (the color of Lent); words/phrases of thanksgiving in yellow/orange.  I encourage you to write down your first response to the Psalm.  Do not edit yourself, be honest and whole-hearted.  I do encourage you, if possible, to read each Psalm in two different translations side-by-side.  You can read the Message or Voice Version for a more contemporary translation.  You can read the King James for a translation that sought to be as close to the Hebrew as possible for the scholars of the day.  You can read an inclusive version of the Psalm.  Finally, feel free to re-write the Psalms when you feel particularly moved.  If a Psalm stirs in your soul, let your shy soul sing out with the words you long to express.  It is my prayer that engaging the Psalms will help us explore all that is within us and around us in these days.  Amen.