A Year in the Psalms

I’m still looking back at 2017, in which the Lord called me to spend my daily quiet time in Psalms. For the whole year. I read through the entire book twice, covering one psalm each day except for Psalm 119, where I covered one section a day. That left me about two weeks at the end of the year to dwell in the Christmas story.

Perhaps the most beautiful blessing came on April 26th, the day my father died. That morning, I read Psalm 116, including this verse.

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants.  –Psalm 116:15

Along with my incredible husband, this promise carried me through that most-difficult day.

Over the year, I blogged about Psalms seven times. If you follow me on Twitter, I’ve tweeted about each of these in the last ten days or so. I also read two books about Psalms (meant to read more, and I will).

Browse the summaries below, then click on whatever interests you.

If Mouse Was King of the Jungle

From Psalm 8, some thoughts on why God called humanity to rule over nature…and a connection to The Gruffalo.

Math, Psalms, and Real Righteousness

From Psalm 15, a post-crucifixion perspective on King David’s list of what God likes to see in us. Don’t worry, there’s not much actual math.

Bible Study: Making the Familiar Fresh

From Psalm 23, on why we can read the same passages throughout our lives, including an easy way to apply Scripture personally.

When Worship Wanes and I Lose My Glasses

Rooted in Psalm 54 with quotes from Psalms 92 and 95, this post addresses those times when we just don’t feel like worshiping.

Observations from Psalms

From Psalms 59 and 73, a couple of devotion-length reflections about death row and road kill. Yes, really. Despite the temptation, I didn’t include photos of anything gross.

Speechless Worship

Using Psalm 104, I simply supply some of my own photos to help us all worship. This was a favorite post for the year, so I may try to do another one at some point.

Watching and Waiting

From Psalm 130, this short essay on patience will encourage you and leave you with a nice image in your mind.

Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. This is a tiny little book—more like a pamphlet, really—with guidance on using the different psalms in your prayers. Quick read but deep, as Bonhoeffer usually is.

Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God by Timothy Keller. This isn’t specifically about Psalms, but as I dug into the psalms, I came to understand they were as much or more about prayer as they were about worship. This book seemed appropriate, and there are many references to psalms.

Reflections on the Psalms by C.S. Lewis. I love this! In this collection of essays, Lewis is accessible and easy to read—like sitting around the fire with a professor who pauses to smoke his pipe occasionally.

Seeking the Face of God: Nine Reflections on the Psalms by Martyn Lloyd Jones. I started this one but haven’t finished it.

Answering God: The Psalms as Tools for Prayer by Eugene H. Peterson. This one is much more like a textbook, which is why I’ve been putting it off.

A Year in the #Psalms, in which I saw at least 7 blessings and read a few books. via @Carole_Sparks #NotAboutMe (click to tweet)

Have you taken some time to look back on your spiritual life through 2017? What did the Lord teach you? What new direction is He taking your quiet time in 2018? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

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