Learning from the Psalmists
Psalms is an amazing collection of 150 poems written over many centuries by a host of different writers. The linguistic skill of these poets is dazzling and their ability to transfer feelings into words is almost beyond compare; yet, as fascinating as this might be, the beauty of Psalms is in the authors’ connection to the God of Heaven.
In His great wisdom, God preserved this collection of writings to demonstrate the kind of relationship He wants with humanity. As God, LORD, and Father, His desire is for a relationship so strong and personal that His people can pour out their praise in good times, seek His help in bad times, and freely express frustration when it appears He is not actively present in their lives. The people of modern times do well to explore these ancient texts for instruction as they seek to come into a relationship with Him.
The way in which this type of relationship is developed is identified in the very first psalm, which serves as an introduction to the collection. The writer states, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night” (1:1-2). This is not descriptive of one who simply enters scholastic endeavors with the word; instead, it is one who has come to realize that the word reveals God. A pursuit with this in mind will create a life with stable foundations and a constant source of nourishment very much “like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season” (3a). Those with this mindset will know God and be known by Him.
How, though, does one develop the mindset of a psalmist? In exploring the answer to this question, consider the following thoughts.
- The psalmists were human. It is important to remember that each psalm represents a moment in time. Somewhat akin to a photo album housing pictures from different times in one’s life, the psalms are poems written at specific times in life. The writers were not perfect; in fact, many of their psalms express that very point. They were people who struggled with spiritual conflict, had moments of weakness, had moments of success, and questioned why things happened to them. With this in mind, readers should never grow discouraged, thinking it impossible to attain their level of spirituality.
- Questioning God is not irreverent. Modern readers may find some of the psalmists’ language troubling as it relates to God. For example, consider Psalm 44:23: “Awake! Why are You sleeping, O LORD? Rouse Yourself! Do not reject us forever!” The psalm speaks of the great works done by God but not in the lives of the present generation. Though they had been faithful, they could not understand why God had not shown Himself in great works for them. With pleadings, they ask for His blessings. Far from being irreverent, many of the psalms provide divinely approved examples of how to approach God when He seems distant.
- There is a way back from sin. Sin creates distance from God and several of the psalmists wrote about this in their poems. Perhaps the most notable are Psalms 32 and 51. For certain, Psalm 51 was written after David’s sin with Bathsheba; it is likely that Psalm 32 was written at this time as well. In these psalms, David expresses the pain of separation caused by his sin: “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long” (32:3). Following reconciliation, he speaks of how his vitality returned: “You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance” (7). Sin, by its very nature, seeks separation from God. When it is present, one is often tempted to stray even farther from Him. However, David demonstrates the better way; he shows that God delights in forgiveness and that a sinner should seek His kind reconciliation.
- Prayers should be expressive. Many Christians struggle with prayer, not only in taking time to pray but also in choosing the words to use. The psalms are extremely helpful with the latter. The language pertaining to God, to self, to friends, to enemies, and to many situations in life can and should be employed in personal prayer. Christians of the modern era can learn much from these ancient teachers in not only the mindset of approaching God but also with words that can be used in the approach.
Psalms is far more than a book from which to pull pithy statements for greeting cards; it is a divinely inspired model of approaching God and dealing with life’s problems. It is a book that shows the minds of kings and looks forward to King Jesus. It is a book from which the New Testament writers drew heavily as they showed divinely given promises fulfilled. May each child of God commit to reading and meditating on this masterful collection to not only better understand the minds of the psalmists but also to learn how better to understand the mind of God.
