Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Explore the Bible for Yourself, Part 25 of 52

IDEA: The psalms are valuable in helping us deal with our lives in relationship to God.

PURPOSE: To have listeners understand the benefits derived from studying the psalms.

Have you ever read closely Lincoln's Gettysburg Address? Why would anyone study it?

Would there be any benefit for us today?

We are reading the psalms, written almost 3,000 years ago. Are there any benefits derived from studying the psalms?

I. They are a guide to worship.

Sometimes in personal or corporate worship we lack the words to express what we are experiencing.

The psalms can help us put into words what may be beyond words for us.

II. They demonstrate to us how we can relate honestly to God.

We can learn openness in expressing joy, disappointment, anger or other emotions. This explains a psalm like 137.

Imagine someone in Hitler's Germany.

The New Testament tells us to be angry and not sin. What are we to do with our anger?

Are we to stuff it?

We can express it to God in some pretty strong terms.

III. They show us the importance of reflection and meditation on the things God has done for us.

To cry to God for help is not a judgment on His faithfulness, but an affirmation of it.

The psalms review the history of God's dealing with His people.

We are also His people, and we can reflect on what He has done for us.

They also give us a model for reflecting on how God has dealt with us individually. In times of difficulty, that is a very important thing to do.