Counsel the Psalms
Charles Spurgeon referred to the book of Psalms as The Treasury of David. Though David was not the only author, he did write more than any other contributor. He wrote exactly half of the 150 songs compiled for God’s people as the original Hebrew songbook. However, contained there is much more than poetically structured theology. The book not only exalts God as Creator, Almighty King, Shield, Judge, Rock, Shepherd, Fortress, Refuge, Savior, and coming Messiah. It also presents the human experience in raw, honest, and often heart-rending language.
This is undoubtedly why believers throughout history have been drawn to its pages more than to any other book of the Bible. Because the life experiences of its writers are no different than our own we find true and faithful friends here when we are lonely. We find prayers that say what we don’t have the inner resources to come up with ourselves. We find empathetic companions who struggle through life as sinners living in a fallen world with other sinners. We find fellow believers to talk to when no one else will listen. Most of all, we find the God who—when all others have failed—is ready to come to our aid, be our steady guide, our hope, and the soul-sustaining Life without which we cannot go on. Steve Lawson writes of Psalms, “[T]his worship book is vitally relevant to daily life. Contained in it are the highs and lows of real human experiences, with their victories and defeats, their mountain-top highs and valley lows. From the pinnacle of praise to the pit of despair, this book captures the full range of human emotions.”
When Satan tempted Jesus to look outside of God for all that He really needed, Jesus answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4). When in need of soul-feeding counsel yourself then spend much time in Psalms. When you counsel others whose hearts have been ripped apart by the trials of life then spend much time in Psalms and encourage them to do the same. The Holy Spirit will feed your weary souls through the words of God revealed in this amazing book. Feast upon them!
