Approaching the Psalms

Good morning! I had to be up extra early today for an orthodontist appointment before work. I was looking through old posts of mine and found this one that has some of the highest traffic of all my posts. I thought I'd share again these thoughts on how to "decode" the Psalms that I heard from a speaker at church. Let me know how it works for you!

Like me, the speaker had struggled with finding interest in the book of Psalms. I don't know about you, but I've never really enjoyed reading the Psalms. I find that I use verses from the Psalms to support studies or topics I am writing on, but I wouldn't open to the Psalms to just start reading. 

However, the class opened up my perspective on the Psalms. As the speaker pointed out, the whole Bible has a practical application for us. It is true of the Psalms, and here are a few steps he used to show me how to really enjoy the book of Psalms! The same can be done with any area of the Bible you are struggling to enjoy.

Approaching the Psalms:

1. Day-to-day advice

-- Look for themes and advice on your relationship with others

2. Objectives for life

-- Look for guidance on goals for personal growth

3. Guidance for your relationship with God

-- Look for evidence on how the Psalmist speaks to God

Afterwards, I spent some time reading the Psalms and using these tips. I found that the Psalms truly are useful and practical! Thankfully, God is SO much bigger than I!