Why meditate on the Psalms – part 1

As a church we have just started a short series looking at some of the most famous Psalms. And here are some reasons why every church and individual should meditate on the Psalms every once in a while (if not all the time). Please note I say meditate, as to study the Psalms would be too abstract and intellectual, when originally they were sung and recited and memorised.

(1)   They bring balance, depth and breadth to personal and corporate spirituality

One of the reasons the Psalms are so important to an individual believer and the family of God is that they provide depth and breadth in terms of emotions, experience of God, life experiences, vista of God, prayer and doctrine. On a personal note, if you read the Psalms quickly (with 5 other guys I am currently reading all 150 in 6 weeks – 25 a week) you’ll find blind spots in your faith and you’ll be forced to think and feel things you hadn’t expected.

On a corporate note, the Psalms give balance to church life which is too “vision and strategy” orientated by talking about the depths of our hearts; they give balance to a church that only focuses on the love of God by talking about his wrath (or vice versa); they bring balance to a church that focuses on individual discipleship by calling us together to devotion and obedience to God…and so on and so forth.

So we should meditate on the Psalms to bring balance, depth and breadth to church life.

Part 2 will come tomorrow