Item number three on our list of Seven Faith Practices is “read and study the Bible.” Each week we, as a congregation, will be reading one chapter from a book of the Bible. Currently, we are reading from the book of Psalms.
Psalms is a book of poetry with 150 chapters. The Hebrew title of this book means “songs of praise,” while the Greek title, Psalmoi, has come to mean “sacred songs sung to musical accompaniment.” The words of many beloved hymns and contemporary worship songs are taken directly from Psalms. The entire collection is thought to have been compiled over a period of a thousand years.
We will continue with our “one chapter per week” schedule. I hope you will consider joining us as we practice our faith!
The reading schedule is listed below.
Faith Practice #3 Reading Schedule...
for the week starting…
(Book 3)
Dec. 12 – Psalm 88
Dec. 19 – Psalm 89
(Book 4)
The fourth book (Psalms 90–106) focuses on how God is above us. Psalm 90 is the one psalm credited to Moses. In it, he speaks of how our lives on this earth are brief, so we need to number our days right. God, on the other hand, is eternal, and God will reign forever and ever.
Dec. 26 – Psalm 90
Jan. 2 – Psalm 91
Jan. 9 – Psalm 92
Jan. 16 – Psalm 93
Jan. 23 – Psalm 94
Jan. 30 – Psalm 95
Feb. 6 – Psalm 96
Feb. 13 – Psalm 97
Feb. 20 – Psalm 98
Feb. 27 – Psalm 99
Mar. 6 – Psalm 100
Mar. 13 – Psalm 101
Mar. 20 – Psalm 102
Mar. 27 – Psalm 103
April 3 – Psalm 104
April 10 – Psalm 105
April 17 – Psalm 106
The Book of Psalms, which is generally believed to be the most widely read of all the books in the Old Testament, is part hymnbook, part prayer book, part wisdom literature, and part anthology of poems that express the religious feelings of the Israelites throughout the various periods of their national history. The subject matter of the Psalms is astonishingly broad. On one hand, it proclaims praise and prayer for God Most High (Psalm 50:14), and on the other, it embraces human experience as intimate as lamenting a lost mother (Psalm 35:14). The Book of Psalms has a special significance for understanding the religious life of ancient Israel. The prophets and scribes provide some insight concerning what the Hebrews thought, but the psalms give the clearest indication of what the Hebrews felt. Here, we find a revelation of the hopes, the joys, the sorrows, the loyalties, the doubts, and the aspirations of the human heart.
The Psalms are of varying length (but most are pretty short) and there are a lot of them, however, we will continue with our ‘one chapter per week’ reading plan. Over the course of the next few years (150 Psalms!), we will discuss the different types of Psalms (lament, praise, worship, royal, etc.) and the different uses for Psalms. One suggestion is praying through the Psalms. Augustine of Hippo said, “If the psalm prays, you pray. If the psalm laments, you lament. If the psalm exalts, you rejoice. If it hopes, you hope. If it fears, you fear. Everything written here is a mirror for us.” As you pray the Psalms, you will learn how to pray in every season, whether rejoicing with those who rejoice or mourning with those who mourn.
