 |
[ Back ] [ Up ]
On Praying the Psalms
by Rev. Michael Comer
Our Lord Jesus lifts up the Psalms
more than any other book of the Holy Scriptures. Even from the cross,
Jesus speaks the Psalms when he cries, "My God, my God why have you
forsaken me", and, "Into your hands I commend my spirit"
(re. Psalm 22.1 and 31.5). The Psalms have been used by the followers of
Jesus from the beginning of the Church at Pentecost. The Psalms can be
prayed in several ways.
First,
as in the Service on Sunday, the Psalms may be prayed through chant or
song. The Psalms originally were used for congregational singing.
Indeed, the Hebrew Tephilim, which in English we translate as Psalms,
literally means songs. The chant setting in the Lutheran Book of Worship
(pg. 290-290), which you may know from corporate prayer, are a good
place to start singing the Psalms.
Second,
the Psalms may be prayed through recitation. This is also done in the
corporate prayer of the Service. Whether the Psalm is spoken
responsively or spoken together, speaking the Word of God aloud helps
this Word enter into our minds and hearts. The same blessing on the
recitation of the Revelation (re. Revelation 1.3), also is present with
the recitation of the Psalter.
Third,
the Psalms may be prayed through meditation. To meditate is to eliminate
every thought and to focus entirely on the Word alone. Psalm 1 exhorts
us to such a concentrated focus on the Law given to us by God. It is no
accident that the Psalms are divided into five books (1-41, 42-72,
73-89, 90-106, and 107-150), which mirror the five books (Genesis,
Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) of the Law given to us for
such prayer. Time in meditation will feed us, bore us, excite us, and
grow us in the way of God through the working of the Holy Spirit. This
is a challenging way of prayer but well worth the effort.
In
particular, it is very profitable to meditate on how the
Psalms reveal the life of Christ. The church father, St. Athanasius
writes, "if...you want to sing the Psalms that speak especially
about the Savior, you will find something in almost all of them; but 45
and 110 particularly to his divine begetting from the Father and his
coming in the flesh, while 22 and 69 foretell the holy cross, the
grievous plots he bore and how great things he suffered for our sakes.
The 3rd and 109th also display the snares and malice of the Jews and how
Judas betrayed him; 21, 50, and 72 all set him forth as judge and
foretells his second coming in the flesh to us...The 16th shows his
resurrection from the dead...the 24th and 27th his ascension into
heaven. And in the Psalms 93, 96, 98, and 99, all the benefits deriving
from the Savior's passion are set forth together." The Psalms lead
us into the depths of Christ. Our prayer in Christ calls for the
guidance of the Psalms.
Fourth,
the Psalms may be prayed through dialogue. This dialogue may be entered
into through reflection and imagination. Place yourself into the
situation of the Psalm text. Consider Psalm 5: What appeal are you
making to the Lord (v3)? Who are the enemies, which threaten you (v9)?
How do you take refuge in the Lord (v13)? This dialogue may be best
explored through journaling or through sharing with a trusted friend or
confessor.
In
conclusion, these are just a few ways to pray the Psalms. Our
common Christian tradition is full of tools and resources to help us
grow in our prayer life and the Holy Spirit always seeks to lead us into
the depths of prayer to our heavenly Father in the name of Jesus. Commit
yourself to the discipline of praying the Psalms each day and claim the
gifts of knowledge and discernment which God intends for you.
Works Cited
Athanasius. On the Incarnation. Appendix: Letter of St.
Athanasius to Marcellinus on the Interpretation of the Psalms. St.
Vladimir's Press, 1993.
New Oxford Annotated Bible. New Revised Standard Version. Oxford, 1991.
Michael Comer, Pastor
Ebenezer Lutheran Church
4914 Old Beatty Ford Rd.
China Grove, North Carolina 28023 |
