St. Athanasius famously said: “Most of Scripture speaks to us; the Psalms speak for us.”
We are all on a journey just trying to find our way and on that journey, there are a lot of ups and downs.
John Calvin said, “Any emotion a human being has ever felt can be found in the Psalms.”
Psalm 1:1-3 Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked [following their advice and example], Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit [down to rest] in the seat of scoffers (ridiculers). 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And on His law [His precepts and teachings] he [habitually] meditates day and night. 3 And he will be like a tree firmly planted [and fed] by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season; Its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers [and comes to maturity]. AMP
We live in this space where two realms are colliding as the flesh and the spirit battle against each other.
Psalms 1:4 The wicked [those who live in disobedience to God’s law] are not so, But they are like the chaff [worthless and without substance] which the wind blows away. AMP
The paths of the righteous and the unrighteous both have connection (relationships), direction (pathway) and a destination. You have a choice, and your decisions determine your destiny.
Psalms engages the whole person. They engage with our minds through instruction and understanding, sharing deep truths about who God is. They engage with our bodies through movement and expression (e.g. kneeling, lying prostrate, raising hands, walking, speaking, listening), inviting us to love God with all our strength. They engage with our souls, connecting with our emotions. They engage with our imaginations, calling us to picture or visualize what God is like and what life in the kingdom can be. They engage with our relationships, both with God and one another as we speak to, with, for, and about him.
I’m convinced that one of the reasons so many people find prayer boring is they don’t really pray, they perform! They hold back from God all the ugly stuff.
But prayer isn’t a place to be good, it’s a place to be real.
Two-thirds of the Psalms are what scholars call lament!
Lament is different than complaining. Complaining is just griping about your life, and just makes a bad problem worse. Lament is bearing your soul to God going down into your pain, but then offering it up to God.
It takes practice to keep God in the forefront of our minds as we face various circumstances of this life.
About 3 centuries after Christ men and women known as the Desert Fathers and Mothers went out into the Egyptian desert to pray and meditate on God’s Word. This was after the years of intense persecution when many Christians were martyred. These monks and nuns were separating themselves from the worldliness in the church, which was increasingly adapting to and being accepted by Roman culture.
The Desert Fathers and Mothers lived in cells or huts made of reeds and practiced rigorous spiritual disciplines like silence, solitude, simplicity, fasting, penance, and obedience to an elder. Their “internal martyrdom” purged their souls of sin and worldliness and led them into lives of intimacy with the Lord and ministry to others. Their testimony to the transforming life of Christ was so powerful that thousands of people traveled to visit them in the desert to receive spiritual direction or healing.
One of the beautiful things that emerged from the disciplined life of the Desert Fathers and Mothers was their practice of Breath Prayers. They contemplated Christ’s presence in quiet solitude, meditating on short, one breath prayers. Often, they did this while sitting outside their cells and weaving baskets from reeds.
They breathed in God’s Word slowly and deeply. Gently, they repeated their prayer, over and over, letting it descend with their minds into their hearts, to form their will in the image of Christ. They would breathe their prayer before going to sleep at night until it prayed itself within their souls while they slept. Then when they awoke in the morning the prayer was still on their lips!
Prayer is relaxing into God's goodness as you practice abiding in Him.
I’d like to encourage you to begin exploring these breath prayers as a way to more habitually meditate on God’s Word day and night.
Psalm 1:1-3 Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked [following their advice and example], Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit [down to rest] in the seat of scoffers (ridiculers). 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And on His law [His precepts and teachings] he [habitually] meditates day and night. 3 And he will be like a tree firmly planted [and fed] by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season; Its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers [and comes to maturity]. AMP
GP2RL: Read two chapters a day in Psalms. As you read pause to give voice to the emotions you identify with in prayer before the Lord.
Planted by Streams of Water
DISCUSSION GUIDE
UNDERSTANDING THE SEASON: Psalms unveils the authenticity of humanity in the, sometimes painful, but always beautiful pursuit of God. The beauty is that God never wastes a single hurt if we are willing to give it to Him.
We can judge God according to our circumstances or we can judge our circumstances according to our God. God is good even in our times of pain and desperation. We live in a fallen world, but we look to a Risen King.
Two thirds of the Psalms are what scholars call lament. So often, our greatest purpose is born from our deepest pain. May we press in and go deeper in our authentic pursuit of the heart of God as we explore the treasures of Psalms.
It is a good thing to hear what God is revealing in the hearts of those around us. Feel free to use this question however you feel it fits in your time together as a group.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
1. Where are you reading in your Bible and what are you sensing from God?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: to help develop a context for a greater understanding of the verses for today. Psalms opens with beautiful imagery of God’s people being like fruitful trees planted by streams of water.
2. Share an example of a season when you felt like you were thriving spiritually and what you believe were key contributors to that season.
3. The various themes found throughout the Book of Psalms are praise, thanksgiving, lament, trust, and wisdom. Which themes resonate with you the most, and why?
Psalm 1:1-4 Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked [following their advice and example], Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit [down to rest] in the seat of scoffers (ridiculers). 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And on His law [His precepts and teachings] he [habitually] meditates day and night. 3 And he will be like a tree firmly planted [and fed] by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season; Its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers [and comes to maturity]. 4 The wicked [those who live in disobedience to God’s law] are not so, But they are like the chaff [worthless and without substance] which the wind blows away. AMP
4. What stands out to you about these verses?
5. What are some practical steps we can take to align ourselves with the principles out lined in Psalm 1 and experience spiritual fruitfulness?
6. How will you be intentional about our action point this week?
Everywhere we go, we bring...
GP2RL: Read two chapters a day in Psalms. As you read pause to give voice to the emotions you identify with in prayer before the Lord.