The Psalms have been called the mirror of
the human soul. They are rivers of refreshment and wells
of consolation.
They
reflect our joy and hope but also our confusion and pain.
We
turn
to the Psalms for comfort in times of suffering
and to express our both hopes and fears, our joys and sorrows.
The Psalms
were at the heart of worship in Israel.
The book
is like a hymnal.
The Psalms continue to be at the center
of worship for traditional Jews.
The
Psalms
are so central to identity of the people of God
that Psalms is the most quoted book
of Hebrew Scriptures in the New Testament.
Psalms are the lifeblood of the church
as well as the songbook of ancient Israel.
Paul
and Silas sing Psalms in prison (Acts).
Jesus
and disciples sing a Psalm
as they leave the Last Supper (Mark).
Psalms
quickly became central in Christian worship.
To learn the Psalter by heart was the
first duty of a novice in monastic life
and Psalms were recited throughout the day.
The Psalms are central to the Reformed
Tradition.
Calvin
said of the Psalms,
"God's promises are presented to us ...
the principles of proper prayer are found
scattered throughout this whole work ... this book is crammed with all sorts of
precepts
capable of shaping our life holily, piously,
justly ...
general praises of God's goodness are recounted
to teach us to rest in Him alone...”
Reformed
worship included the singing of metrical psalms.
It is this
use
of the Psalms
that
left
its
mark on Reformed piety and practice. The Psalms were sung in
one’s own native language by the congregation.
This
was quite radical as prior to this,
Psalms were sung only by clergy or
special choirs in Latin.
The form of private and
family worship recommended
by the Westminster Directory (English,
1600’s) included
the singing
of metrical Psalms, the reading of scripture and a
lengthy prayer.
The
Psalms came early to America.
The first book printed in North America was the Bay Psalm book in 1646.
Many
Protestant martyrs died singing the Psalms.
There are many types of
Psalms.
Scholars have developed many systems of classification.
Some of these categories are:
Psalms of Praise/Thanksgiving
(both for Israel as a people of God and for individuals)
Laments
(painful cries to God as a people or an
individual)
Enthronement/Royal
(celebrates God as our true and only king)
Wisdom
(celebrates living life in accordance with God’s law)
Psalms of Praise/Thanksgiving
.
Today’s
Psalms celebrate the power and goodness of God.
They
remind us of the wonders of God’s creation
and all that He has done for His people.
They
allow us to praise His mercy and compassion
and thank Him for all that He has done for us.
*****************
Prayers for 10-6-13
Psalm 8
Lord, our
Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory in the
heavens.
Through
the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your
enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.When
I consider your heavens, the work of your
fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you
have set in place, what
is mankind that you are mindful of us, human beings that you care for us?
Yet
you have
made us
a
little lower than the angels and crowned us with
glory and honor.
You
have
made us rulers
over the works of your hands;
you put everything under our
feet:
all flocks
and herds,
and the
animals of the wild,
the
birds in the sky,
and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the
seas.
Lord, our
Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
***************************
Psalm 103
Praise
the Lord, my
soul;
all my
inmost being, praise His holy
name.
Praise
the Lord, my soul,
and forget
not all his benefits—
who
forgives all your sins and heals
all your diseases,
who
redeems
your life from the pit
and crowns
you with love and compassion,
who
satisfies
your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
The lord works
righteousness
and justice
for all the oppressed.
He
made
known his ways to Moses, His deeds
to the people of Israel:
The
Lord is
compassionate and gracious, slow to
anger, abounding in love.
He
will
not always accuse,
nor will
He
harbor
His
anger
forever;
He
does
not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay
us according to our iniquities.
For
as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is His love
for those who fear Him;
As
far
as the east is from the west,
so far has He removed
our transgressions from us.
As
a father has compassion on His children,
so the Lord
has compassion on those who fear Him;
***************************************************Psalm 148
Praise the
Lord.
Praise the Lord from
the heavens;
praise
Him in
the heights above.
Praise
Him,
all his angels;
praise Him,
all his heavenly hosts.
Praise
Him,
sun and moon;
praise Him,
all you shining stars.
Praise
Him,
you highest heavens and you
waters above the skies.
Let
them
praise the name of the Lord,
for at
His
command
they were created,
and
He
established
them for ever and ever—
He issued a decree that will never
pass away.
Praise
the Lord from
the earth,
you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,
lightning
and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds
that do His
bidding,
you
mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all
cedars,
wild
animals
and all cattle,
small creatures
and flying birds,
kings
of
the earth and all nations, you princes
and all rulers on earth,
young
men and women,
old men
and children.
Let
them praise the name of the Lord,
for His name
alone is exalted;
His splendor is above the earth and the
heavens.
And
He
has
raised up for his people a horn,
the praise of all his faithful
servants,
of Israel, the people close to his heart.
Praise the Lord.
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