Understanding the Psalms

Life isn't always a straight path upward. Sometimes we feel God's presence strongly, while other times He seems distant. The Psalms give us a framework for navigating these seasons with honesty and hope.

The Psalms are a collection of 150 songs, prayers, and poems written by kings, priests, prophets, musicians, and shepherds. They've been used by believers for thousands of years to express every human emotion to God.
We need the Psalms because they give us:

• A language for every season of our soul
• Permission to be honest with God about our feelings
• Words to pray when we have none of our own
• Assurance that we're not alone in our struggles
  
  

Many Christians expect that following Jesus means constant spiritual growth "up and to the right." But the reality is different. The early church fathers recognized this pattern in spiritual life:

• Consolation: Times when God's presence feels real and close
• Desolation: Times when God feels absent or distant

This pattern of consolation and desolation is normal. Our spiritual journey looks more like a mountain range than a straight line upward. During desolation, God isn't punishing us, He's teaching us to mature in our faith, much like weaning a child from a bottle to give them something better.

Scholar Walter Brueggemann categorized the Psalms into three types that match our spiritual journey:

• Psalms of Orientation: When life makes sense and God feels present
  • Example: "Sing for joy to the Lord, O you righteous ones" (Psalm 33:1)
    
    
• Psalms of Disorientation: When life falls apart and we feel lost
  • Example: "How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?" (Psalm 13:1)
  • These are actually the most common type in the Psalter
    
    
• Psalms of Reorientation: When God brings renewal after despair
  • Example: "He brought me up out of the pit of destruction" (Psalm 40:2)
    
    

If you're walking through joy, sorrow, doubt, or something in between, there’s a psalm for that. This summer, we’re going to sit with these ancient words and let them shape our prayers, remind us of God’s faithfulness, and help us find language for whatever season we’re in.

Join us this Sunday at 10am as we kick off our new series Summer in the Psalms: Soaking in the Beauty of God. You don’t have to have it all together. Come as you are. We’ll walk this road together.