The Psalms

Jesus accepted the Psalms as God’s inspired words, equal with the laws and the prophets (Luke 24:44). And the Psalms remind us of what is important to God, and what should be most important to us. The Psalms overflow with messianic prophecies about Christ, His church and our salvation through Christ and His church, because God has been focused on your salvation, long before He even created you. Consider these two examples: (1). Acts 2:22-35, Psalm 16:8-11; 110:1: David was a prophet, David prophesied about the death and resurrection of Jesus, Jesus is Christ, the Messiah. (2) Acts 4:10-11, Psalm 118:22-24: Jesus is the chief cornerstone of the house of God, the church (Eph. 2:19-20; 5:27-29), His resurrection is proof of it and the fulfillment of many prophecies, the day of His resurrection is the day that Jesus was declared the chief cornerstone of our salvation (see also Romans 1:4). Which is why God has called us to rejoice in the day of his resurrection– “this is the day that the Lord has made.”

Peter also reminds us, that anyone, any religion, and any church, that rejects Jesus as Messiah, and the Son of God will be lost eternally. And true Christianity is the only religion that declares Jesus as Savior and the Son of God. I say true Christianity, because there are many false teachings and practices about Jesus and His church, even within Christianity (1 Timothy 4, 2 Timothy 4). 

The book of Psalms is a powerful prophetic collection of beautifully inspired poetry set to music or songs. So beautiful, that it is easy to forget that Jesus, and our salvation is the reason we are blessed with the Psalms. But the Psalms may also be seen as…

A gateway to God, or a beautiful painting of who God is to us.  They lead the casual reading into seeing God in everything above, around and beneath and inside of themselves. They lead the reading into praising God. Almost every Psalm has an element of praise to God.

• Psalm 19:1: “The heavens declare the glory of God…”
• Psalm 148: “Praise the Lord from the heavens…For He commanded and they were created…praise the Lord from the earth…”
• Psalm 103: “Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name!”

So, if someone were to be introduced to God by reading Psalms they would have a big picture of God, and why they should praise him, but they would fully understand how to worship and praise Him. For, that you need to read the Apostles’ doctrine found in the New Testament.

But both believers and unbelievers reach for a psalm in different times in their lives, but mostly in times of sorrow, when their spirits cry out for comfort and reassurance. Why? Because the Psalms cover the full range of human emotions and experiences, and they draw people in, because whatever mood you are in, whatever experience you are having, there is a Psalm that will either heighten it, lower it, rebuke it, or temper it. From jubilation (joy), war, peace, worship, judgment, praise, lament or sorrow, and of course love. 

THE PSALMS ARE THERE FOR US ALL, LIKE A GOOD FRIEND WITH JUST THE RIGHT WORDS. The Psalms can bring you comfort, stir you into action, bring you to your knees in worship, and they can lead you into confession, repentance and renewal. But there is another great blessing for us in these Psalms.

God has given the world the Psalms to show us what a mature relationship with HIM built from obey faith to love faith looks like. And they are written through the life experiences of people, to show us that it is possible for us to have those same experiences with God, when we develop the psalmist’s heart of faith-love.  The Psalms are not researched material, they are expressions from experiences.  

What is faith-love? 

• Hebrews 11:1 is not trying to define faith in a single statement, it is conveying to us the scope of faith. For faith covers hope, and everything we hope for, why we hope and how we behave when we hope in anything, anything, but especially God. 
• 1 Corinthians 13 is not a definition of love, but a vivid description of how love behaves and doesn’t behave. Afterall, does the Bible also tell us that God is love (1 John 4:16)

Both faith and love cannot be fully defined by a few words. They are only understood through their actions, and we only get a glimpse into what they are, when those actions are then described in the most sensory words.  

That is why we love the Psalms, because they give us glimpses into the relationship with God that we all desire. 

A relationship of both faith and love that makes us see the beauty of God’s love, smell and taste the flavors of God’s love, touch, be held, and be comforted by God’s love, listen and be filled with joy by the melodies of God’s love. Even while we walk through the valley of the shadows of death (Psalm 23:4). Even while we are venting to God, like Moses complaining to God about his leadership woes, or Job cursing the day of his birth (Job 3). And like David on so many occasions. Even while we cry tears to God for the plight of bodies, our families and world, we still maintain an unshakable faith and a love beyond words. Because God’s love understands the struggles of our humanity, and our faith and love for God cannot be measured by the things or even by our relationships in this world. 

Do you want to experience this faith-love relationship with God?

Here are four ways that you can cultivate the Psalmist’s faith-love in God:

1. Seek knowledge about faith and love with God from God’s word. Every relationship begins with knowledge, and knowledge comes to us about God from nature and our spirits, but only the words from God can guide and shape your knowledge into saving faith and active love (Romans 10:17). The whole bible reveals God and his plan of salvation for us through Jesus and the church. Read the bible in a balanced way. Read the old and the new, read the gospels and the letters of Paul, and yes, read the Psalms.  But reading about the joy of someone’s experience with God, will only tell you what you could experience. It is like reading about and salivating over a slice of mango chocolate cheesecake. Even if you lick the picture, you will not “taste that the LORD is good” (Psalm 34:8).  
2. Seek God through obedience, until you delight in the law of the LORD (Psalm 1). 
3. Seek God in private devotion and together worship (Psalm 122:1).
4. Seek God in service. Become the hands, feet, and voice of God (James 1:27, Matt. 25:35-40). 

Richard Nepaul 2023