8. First Reading of the Psalms

Psalms 1 to 21 - the debut album

I really struggled with the decision as to how to divide up the psalms. After investigating various different groupings, I realised that if I made it too hard to do I'd probably end up abandoning the whole project. The easy approach looks like this:

Basically, when I fill a page in my notebook, I'll blog it.

I thought that I would agonise over trying to condense a whole psalm into a sentence, but as they often carry a single strong theme it wasn't too hard to find a sentence - finding an interesting sentence was a bit trickier though. Which is not to say that the Psalms aren't interesting, but it could easily be like when some pop artists sample a really good hook line from a classic song and then repeat it and repeat it until it loses everything that made it a catchy line in the first place. I wanted to try and capture something of the meaning of each psalm without losing its feeling. Sometimes it was easy, other times I felt that I hadn't quite got it.

As I pointed out in my introduction I read the bible (almost) daily as part of morning prayer, which means I'll get through the psalms more than once before I'm finished with the rest of the bible, so it'll be interesting to see how my interpretations change over time. Oh - and if you are eagle eyed you will notice slight differences between my handwritten notes in the picture above and what's typed out below. This is where my own sentence made no sense to me as I transcribed it, and so I went back to the psalm and altered my words a bit for clarity.

So, here are my interpreted (and slightly edited) sentences for Psalms 1 to 21:

1. Happy people are fruitful, but the wicked are dust

2. A ranty rant at ranty rulers

3. Please God, shatter the teeth of the wicked!

4. I will lie down and sleep in peace

5. Hear my groaning prayers

6. Don't punish me Lord, hear me

7. Lord, you should be angry about what's happening to me

8. God - why do you care about humans?

9. God is... a safe place

10. The wicked ambush the helpless

11. When the very bottom of things fall out...

12. People praise slick-talking lips and depravity

13. How long will you forget about me God?

14. Fools say there is no God

15. The one who does what's right lives with God

16. I have a lovely home

17. Enemies like lions waiting to pounce

18. God, you light my lamp

19. The Lord's words are perfect, may mine be acceptable

20. Some trust horses, we trust God

21. The Lord is powerful and crushes enemies

If it were the track list from an album I'd definitely want to listen to it! I feel it captures many of the things I love about the Psalms; catchy imagery, everyday problems, human absurdity and, above all that, the goodness and patience of God.

'Track' 2 reads like an unfortunate comedy track (a bit like the inclusion of The Laughing Gnome on a David Bowie Greatest Hits album I nearly bought a while back). The vengeful and violent wishes expressed in 3 are a frequently recurring theme in many Psalms, which I find a bit stomach churning, so I tend to downplay this aspect in my interpretations. 4 is a classic hit that I just couldn't add to and didn't want to subtract from. I think 20 is my favourite so far; I could have substituted 'strength' or 'power' for 'horses', which would have more accurately and logically described what the horses represent in the psalm, but I think it would have lost something important.

Also, I love horses

Psalms 22 to 42 - the second album isn't quite as catchy...

The second section of psalms still felt a bit like an album track list, but it had a few tricky titles, and I had to go back re-read and re-write some of my sentences at the editing stage:

22. God does not despise the suffering
23. God is my shepherd
24. God is king of all
25. I seek the way of God, for the Lord's paths are good
26. I walk with integrity
27. I am sure I will see the goodness of the Lord
28. Pay back the wicked and save me
29. The Lord's voice breaks Cedar trees
30. God bought me back from the pit
31. The Lord is my fortress
32. Confessing to God will keep you safe
33. Strength and power will not save - hope in the Lord
34. The Lord saves the righteous and the suffering
35. Don't let the haters wink at my demise 
36. The wicked are stuck on wrong paths, but God's love reaches further
37. Delight in the Lord and ultimately you will win in life
38. I'm totally broken down and afraid, I will wait for the Lord
39. Lord - give me a break!
40. The Lord saved me, I told of God's deeds, now I need rescuing again
41. I'm not worthy, but save me anyway Lord
42. Though I am brought low, I will thank God

Lots of different images for God in this selection - king, shepherd, fortress - the images swing between strength and care. I enjoyed the repeating theme of God's paths in 25, 26 and 36.

There's a real familiarity in the way the psalmists swing between the highs and lows of their spiritual life, patterns I've seen in my own spiritual journals. One week God is amazing, the next I'm completely crushed and can't find God at all, then something good happens and I'm back at the top of the rollercoaster again - the fickleness of humans is so well described in scripture, as is the steadiness of God

Psalms 43 to 118 (blah blah blah)

I'm finding myself getting a little tired of the Psalms... so many of them feel very similar when you read them through day after day in their printed order. The mood seems to switch between 'the king is great!' (which I don't believe) and 'it's not fair!' (tedious and whiney) and 'God help us squish our enemies' (bloodthirsty and whiney). So I'm going to power through a big chunk at once in this post, and perhaps, further on I'll begin to find more that I want to say about them again. They are divided into groups according to each page from my notebook:

43. I don't want to be sad and oppressed, so I will come to God and renew my hope
44. You saved our ancestors Lord, but now you've retreated and left us to suffer
45. A woman is encouraged to offer herself to the king
46. God is a place of safety
47. Praise God, who is king of all
48. God is like a mighty fortified city on a mountain top
49. Wealth will not save you from death
50. God pronounces judgement on the wicked
51. Rescue me from sin and make me pure again
52. When the rich and powerful are taken out, I will remain because unlike them I'm rooted in God
53. Evildoers and God reject us will come to a bad end
54. God has heard me and saved me
55. The wicked persons racket is devastating!
56. I am constantly trampled but I trust God, because I am God's and God is mine
57. Trapped by enemies, I found refuge in God and so I will sing
58. The righteous will triumph over the wicked because of their God
59. My enemies prowl around me all night, like growling dogs, but I know God is my stronghold against them
60. We are losing this battle because we have lost God - come back and rally us again God!
61. God, hear me and save me and I will honour you
62. God is my only salvation
63. I seek God and I praise God and it feels good

The psalm I found most intriguing in this section was 55. Attributed to David, it seems as if it's describing either a major panic attack or a huge tantrum following betrayal by a friend. The language used by the CEB translation here is quite demanding and childish "Pay attention! Answer me!" (verse 2) which I strangely enjoyed. I feel this kind of 'honest' language, that we turn to in times of great perturbation, is an appropriate way to speak to God when we feel that way. By comparison the same verse in NRSV reads "Attend to me, and answer me; I am troubled in my complaint", which really doesn't convey the same energy and feels artificial.

64. The wicked scheme from hidden places, but they cannot hide from God

65. The abundance of the earth is a song of praise

66. The whole earth and God's people praise God and our witnesses for God

67. God blesses the whole earth, let all people thank God

68. A great big battle hymn of God's triumphs

69. I'm already having a hard time, but my enemies still won't back off - punish them God, wipe them out!

70. God be quick to deliver me from these mockers who laugh in my face

71. All of my life God has rescued and guided me, all of my life I will sing God's praise

72. A last prayer from David; that the king of Israel will rule like God, with mercy and and generosity

73. I used to envy the wealthy scoffers living comfortable lives, but then I realise that without God they are doomed

74. Our enemies have overwhelmed us, only God can save us

75. God will bring down the wicked when the time is right

76. All shall know that God is a terrifying warrior

77. Meditations from a sleepless night

78. An epic ballad of how how God saved a stubborn rebellious people

79. We are helpless in the power of other nations, only God can save

80. God of power, shine your face on us as you did before

81. God songs a song of celebration and lament for Israel

82. A cry for justice

83. A plea for God to smite the enemies of Israel

84. Even small birds can find a place in God's house, I long to be in that wonderful place

Nothing really jumped out at me from this section, there were some good images but nothing that I hadn't already come across many times in previous Psalms

85. Don't give up on us God - the crops are doing well and the people are close to salvation

86. A pleading prayer for rescue

87. God is the source of life and knows all peoples

88. Cry to God constantly there is nothing else I can do

89. God's covenant with David is shaky

90. A prayer to an angry god

91. Sheltering close to God will save you

92. The Lord is eternal and righteous, evildoers seem to flourish but their destruction is inevitable

93. God is majestic and powerful

94. I trust that God will destroy the wicked and save the faithful

95. The people praise God, bow down and worship, but are they listening?

96. Let the whole world and all peoples praise God because God is bringing justice soon

97. All the righteous should give thanks because God is mighty and above all objects of worship

98. The whole world roars it's praise to God who has triumphed and is coming to bring justice

99. God establish justice for those who called for it

100. Celebrate, because God is good

101. David promises to walk with integrity and to root out evil from the city

102. You Lord are forever, look on your groaning people

103. Bless bless bless - let everything bless the Lord!

104. A celebration of God's wonderful creation

105. A retelling of Exodus connecting Abraham and Moses in a single story as God's chosen people

Psalm 105 marks the end of my bout of 'psalm-fatigue'. On the next page of my notebook extra notes, questions and symbols begin to reappear as my brain engages once again with this book of songs and poems. It's a good reminder for me that there are seasons for things. Every aspect and expression of my Christian faith has seasons of energy and enthusiasm as well as seasons of doubt, anger, boredom, frustration and all kinds of other emotions that aren't always easy to categorize

106. A recounting of the Exodus story from the Reed sea to the promised land, emphasizing the failings of the people

107. Consider God's faithful love; he saved those who were lost, imprisoned, foolish and trapped by their desperate circumstances

108. I will get out my instruments, sing to God, and hope for victory in this battle

109. A prayer that God will save me from my accusers and won't let them prosper

110. Praise for all the ways king David seems favoured by God

111. A song of praise to God's righteousness

112. Righteousness lasts but wickedness fades

113. Praise God, who does unexpected things

114. When God acts the whole earth responds

115. Idols are mindless, and those who worship them become like them

116. God gives so much to me, in return I will be God's servant

117. Praise God (short but sweet)

118. God is good and eternally faithful, God has saved me - thanks!

Some lovely Psalms in this section; 107 reads like a folk song celebrating a succession of close shaves with death and salvation by God. Much emphasis on God's faithfulness, the only one I found a bit 'meh' was the exuberant praise of David 110 which seemed somewhat sycophantic.

Some of my experiences of the life of faith have taught me that the kind of 'dry' period I experienced while reading through the Psalms is often unexpectedly fruitful. I can remember a period of nearly two years where going to church services felt excruciating because I was experiencing frequent anger and frustration in my spiritual life - going to church felt so pointless. Somehow I found the strength and encouragement to keep going week by week, until eventually the feelings began to change. When I emerged from the end of that time my faith felt stronger, and I noticed that my understanding of God had changed, and seemed somehow bigger - more expansive and inclusive

Psalm 119 - the longest, but not the best IMHO... but is my opinion humble?

The longest psalm is written from the perspective of someone wanting to be saved, and clearly feeling they deserve to be saved because they've kept God's Law, and I'm afraid I can't say I found it particularly compelling or interesting on first reading

119:1-25. A praise of God's commands which I strive to keep

119:26-40. A plea that I will understand God's commands better

119:41-56. I am completely committed to the instruction God has given me

119:57-72. I didn't always follow God's way, but now I've learnt to do so

119:73-88. I'm trying to follow God's ways, in spite of other people oppressing me - save me from them Lord!

119:89-112. "Your word is a lamp before my feet and a light for my journey"

119:113-128. I don't want to be destroyed like the wicked are, so I stick to your ways

119:129-144. Your laws are wonderful and I want to understand them better

119:145-160. I have kept your laws, so make my life good again

119:161-176. Lord find me and save me, because I really do keep your commandments

On the plus side there are lots of references to God's paths in this one; the nicest of them from verse 105 which I've left unchanged from the CEB translation. Other than that I didn't feel I 'got' much from psalm 119 - now why might that be? Could it have something to do with the Christian lens I view The Law through?

Christianity incorporates Jewish scripture (the Torah, some history, some prophetic writings and some poetry) but focuses more heavily on the stories and teachings of Jesus, his first disciples and the apostle Paul, found in what we call the New Testament. Although the New Testament writings were also written mostly by practicing Jews and refer a lot to Jewish practice and teaching, Christians tend not to think of them as being inherently Jewish. Even the names used to differentiate the two sets of writing - 'New' as opposed to 'Old' Testament - speaks volumes about Christian attitude towards Jewish scripture. The way that the New Testament writers frequently express criticism of the Jewish leaders' interpretation of religious law, along with the way that this emphasis has been interpreted by the church historically, can lead Christians to a negative bias about The Law and about Judaism generally

In recent years Christians in some churches along with Jewish scholars have begun the difficult work of exposing and confronting prejudice towards Judaism, and most modern theologians are much more careful about how they handle interpretation of The Law. But still, the question remains, how do Christians (and by this I mean every Christian, not just those with theological training) appropriately treat The Law when their own understanding of God's grace does not require strict adherence to every aspect of it?

Becoming aware of your own personal bias and prejudice is hard, but I have found it to be of significant importance for spiritual growth. A book changed my attitude towards The Law was AJ Jacobs 'A Year Of Living Biblically'. It's an autobiographical and comic account of an experiential journalist's attempt to live strictly by The Law for a year. AJ described himself as nominally Jewish but mostly agnostic at the start of the experience, but seemed to undergo a spiritual change during the course of it. The book made me begin to understand that The Law was and is transformative

Returning to Psalm 119, I am struck by the boldness of the author. He is not just politely requesting that God hear him, he is demanding it! He's in effect saying "God, we have a deal - a covenant - and I've kept my side, so you have to keep yours. Now get on with it or tell me why. What gives him such boldness? It can only be his confidence in The Law, which has been affirmed and remembered in the history stories of his people and handed on to him. And actually that is the whole point of this psalm

Psalms 120 to 150

The 'home straight' in my first read through of the Psalms

120. I found myself among warlike people and cried out to God to rescue me

121. When I look for help God is there

122. A prayer for Jerusalem

123. We wait and watch for God to free us

124. A short reminder that God saved Israel from Egypt

125. God and God's people are as sure as the mountains

126. May the Lord soothe our tears and make us fruitful like we used to be

127. Work is pointless, unless for God, and children are a gift

128. Those who walk God's ways will be blessed

129. May the wicked who hurt me be brought to shame

130. If God kept track of our sins we would have no hope, but the Lord is faithful in redemptive love

131. I am quiet as a well fed child as I wait for the Lord

132. A prayer that God will remember the promise to anoint those of David's line

133. Families in harmony are a blessing from God

134. All who serve God bless God, and are blessed in return

135. A song of praise for God, recognising all the Lord has done for Israel

136. A song of thanks for creation and for the rescue of Israel

137. A lament for the loss of Jerusalem and a call for vengeance on Babylon

I didn't make many notes for this section, except to observe that psalm 136 had a lovely repeating chorus about God's love lasting forever, which I could imagine being sung responsorially in a great congregation. Also that without the language made familiar in the disco song 'By The Rivers Of Babylon' released in 1978 by Boney M, psalm 137 seemed to communicate sorrow and rage more clearly. It made me wonder whether the Psalms sometimes lose something by being made into songs. Some Psalms were clearly written as songs, but many read more like poems or even raps which I feel could be better mediums for communicating the more challenging emotions like anger. But I doubt we'll be rapping angry psalms in church any time soon, even if that were possible the 'cursing psalms and verses are generally left of the lectionaries for main Sunday church services

138. Thank you God for being with me

139. God you know me in every way, lead me on

140. Lord rescue the righteous and let the wicked be trapped by their own snares

141. Hear my prayer and protect me

142. I'm yelling out to God because no one else can save me

143. Help me quickly Lord, for I'm fading away

144. God made me a fighter; now I ask for victory, so that we can live in peace and plenty

145. God is great and good, the whole world proclaims it, and so will I

146. Don't trust humans, trust God

147. Everything happens according to God's will

148. Every single thing ever made should praise the Lord

149. Let the people praise God and avenge their enemies

150. Praise God as loudly as you can!

Lots of short praise psalms as we coast towards the end, which made for a nice upbeat finish. When reading the very familiar psalms (like 139) I found that the CEB translation gave a fresh voice to them, although in a few places the colloquialisms made me cringe a bit