In good and in bad times - I used to read the bible. Here at the very center are songs, rising up like a tune from the heart. Cries from the heart - songs for sorrow as well as joy. I am talking about the psalms. They capture the innermost thoughts and prayers of the Old Testament people - and they will speak directly to our needs.
For every motion and mood, you can find a psalm to match. The psalms wrestle with the deepest sorrow and ask God the hardest questions about suffering and injustice. Their voice is refreshingly spontaneous. They do not tip flowery compliments toward God: they cry out to Him, or shout for joy before Him.
In almost every psalm you find the presence of God, not as a philosophical principle, but as an active, strong, and loving ruler. Since reading the psalms, I found out that God really makes many differences in my life.
How did the psalms come together? They seem to have been compiled as hymnbooks for use in temple worship. Some psalms were written from an individual's experiences, but were adapted for congregational use. Directions for musicians were added.
Living by faith is not always easy - especially in these times of the "new normality". These powerful poems of worship and praise offer no magical formulas to make troubles go away. Yet, while real life questions, struggles, and discouragements have strong voices in these poems, more powerful still is the voice of joy and security in strength.
The best way to read the psalms is also the most common way: to make these ancient prayers your own and speak them directly to God. So many of the poems catch deep human feelings that you can't help being moved by them.
There are so many psalms. It is indeed the longest book of the bible. The richest lessons from psalms may come from difficult poems you must read again and again until you understand them. They merely ask time and close attention. My suggestion: read and reread them. They grow richer with careful study.
