Lamenting the Psalms

Forsaken was the theme based on my 2024 key verse, Ps 22:1: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Because Christ was utterly forsaken on my behalf, I never would. I am encouraged by Anne Frank, who died in a concentration camp of typhus fever at age 15. In just her early teens, the age of my oldest grandchildren, it is remarkable that she wrote in her diary, "God has not forsaken me, and He never will."

Rejoice is the theme based on my 2025 key verse, 1 Th 5:16: "Rejoice always," which is the shortest verse in the Bible. Through my ordeal and predicament I learnt that joy and sorrow can coexist peacefully, even perfectly. This was exemplified by Jesus, who was simultaneously all of the following: 

• a man of sorrows who was familiar with suffering (Isa 53:3), 
• a man of peace, for he is the Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6), and 
• a man of joy, happiness and contentment (Jn 4:32; 10:30; Mk 1:11; 9:7; Lk 9:35; Mt 3:17; 17:5; 11:25-30).

Seemingly random laments. Over the past 15 months, West Loop UBF Church has studied and preached on the Psalms two to three times each month, from October 2023 to December 2024. For the past four decades, I had largely avoided studying the Psalms. With 150 seemingly random psalms—most of which are laments I could not quite relate to—they felt overwhelming and difficult to track. Additionally, as someone who isn't drawn to poetry, I often read the Psalms without much reflection, meditation, inspiration, imagination, insight, or deep thought.

A book for sufferers. What helped me truly appreciate the value of the Psalms was the trial and tribulation I am currently facing. For the first time, I "understood" the laments and why the Psalms have been cherished by Jews and Christians for over 2,000–3,000 years. Throughout their storied histories, both Jews and Christians have endured persecution, adversity, and even martyrdom, and the Psalms spoke deeply to their souls. In contrast, I have experienced relatively little, if any, suffering since becoming a Christian in 1980. From the Psalms, I learned:

• The theology of the soul. John Calvin (1509-1564) called psalms “an anatomy of all parts of the soul." Athanasius (296/298-373) called it “an epitome of the whole Scriptures." Basil the Great (329-379) says it is “a compendium of all theology.” By God's grace the psalms have finally spoken to my soul--perhaps meaningfully for the very first time--after becoming a Christian for over 40 years!
• The highs and lows of life. The Psalms encompass the full spectrum of human emotions and experiences, capturing the essence of life in all its dimentions. They vividly express existentially and experientially all that life is--the joys and the sorrows, the good and the bad, and the highest highs and the lowest lows of the human journey, which by God's loving sovereignty and providence I am able to experience even a tiny bit over the last few years.

5 books in the Psalms (complementing the 5 books of the Law--the Pentateuch) helps to have some organizational thought with a few illustrative verses:

1. Book I (1-41): Confrontation. Ps 1:2; 22:1; 23:1; 27:4; 31:5; 34:8. Relationship.
2. Book II (42-72): Communication. Ps 42:5, 11; 43:5; 51:1-4; 54:4; 55:22. Redemption.
3. Book III (73-89): Catastrophe (Devastation). Ps 73:23-26; 88:18; 84:5. Refuge.
4. Book IV (90-106): Consecration (Maturation). Ps 90:1; 91:1; 93:1; 97:1; 99:1; 103:1-5. Repercussion.
5. Book V (107-150): Consummation. Ps 146:1; 147:1; 148:1; 149:1; 150:1-6. Revival.

Happy New Year 2025.