Tuesday, December 6, 2011

I love the Book of Psalms. Tradition has it that most of the Psalms were written by David, though many scholars aren’t so sure. Regardless of who penned them, I think they’re awesome. Awesome because of the range of emotions they cover. Awesome because of the many prophesies about Jesus they contain. Awesome because they were included in the Dead Sea Scrolls, which means they were much older than historians ever suspected.  

But the thing I like most about the Psalms is that they are songs or poems, and as such speak to me in a way that prose seldom does. Take for instance the following verses from one of today’s readings, Psalm 28:

Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard the sound of my pleadings. The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts; so I am helped and my heart exults.               

The beauty of this passage of thanksgiving is made more poignant by the metaphor of the Lord as a shield. The cadence of the verse beats through the translation from Hebrew to English and the use of strong words like "pleadings" and "exults" catches the ear and draws you in. 

The Psalm identifies itself as a song...one wonders if it would have rhymed in its original form and what the melody would have been. The Psalms are works of art in human emotion; sometimes plumbing the depths of despair, loneliness, and oppression; sometimes lifting the spirit with glory, praise, and thanksgiving to God.

Jesus said that the greatest commandment of them all is to love God "with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." In that context, the Psalmists are a pretty tough act to follow. Look at pop culture these days and ask how many performers are singing songs to God? How many poets write verses to the glory of God?  How many painters dedicate their brush to depicting scenes from the Bible?

It's not easy, I know. I've tried my hand at poetry from time to time and have attempted to write devotions but the words just never seem to flow. I'm weighed down by this overwhelming sense that I'm not qualified.

It's a useful exercise, though, as it gets me thinking about my relationship with God and reminds me that I've got a long way to go. Yes, the Psalmists are a tough act to follow.

(Brion Keagle)