As I mentioned in my sermon of yesterday, at both the 10am and 12:30 Worship in a New Key services, I want to encourage the congregation in its reading of a too often neglected book of our Bible, the Psalms. This, as I begin a new sermon series entitled “Psalms in the Key of Life.” (And yes – thanks Stevie Wonder for the inspiration!)

Here are some suggestions for studying and reading the Psalms during Lent. And at the end – a mention of our Dante Blog for any interested.

Study the Psalms. Let’s keep it simple here. Here are a few suggestions to get started – the first will take you about ten minutes:

  • Here’s a brief, but very good, article to get you started, with some links for further study if you wish to: The Significance of the Psalms, by Bob Deffinbaugh. See links at the bottom for further study.
  • If you want to purchase an excellent primer on the Psalms, and learn more about each genre, here’s an excellent book, and one I’ll be citing throughout the sermon series: Out of the Depths, by Bernard Anderson.
  • If you’re a guy, you might want to consider joining our Men’s Bible Study. We’re still only about 1/4 through our study.

Read the Psalms. Most importantly, I urge you to read the Psalms, every day if you can. Here’s a site I can’t recommend enough. It provides a systematic plan for reading the Psalms in 30 days. It will also enable you to make Bible reading a daily or regular part of your spiritual discipline, by accompanying your reading with journaling and reflection:

  • examen.me is the website. You will sign in and create a simple account to keep track of your reading. See the plans specifically geared toward reading the Psalms. You will be surprised at how reading the psalms systematically will enhance not only your understanding of Psalms, but your understanding of scripture in general. Not to mention how they will be a means to connect your prayer in a more intimate way with the ancient prayers of our spiritual ancestors.

Finally…Dante! There are some who have also adopted, along with several of us, the reading of Dante as a Lenten spiritual discipline. If you wish to – please read along with us at DailyDante.com as we blog through the third part of Dante’s Divine Comedy – Paradiso.

Love to hear from you!

Jeff V.