Update 2024-09-12: All notes and podcasts are now linked.
Interested in the Psalms? Do you know what they meant to Israel as their story unfolded in the five books of the Psalms? Why was David so central? Does that have anything to do with Jesus? What do the Psalms mean to us?
We’ll take two Psalms each week for six weeks, selecting different genres from across the five books within the Psalms, so that you’ll know how to treat the Psalms well.
We’ll add notes and podcasts here each week. We’re meeting on Wednesday evenings (7–9 pm) from 31 July to 11 September 2024 (except 14 August):
- Full notes (all six weeks) OR
- 31 July: Psalms 1, 2. Notes (week 1). Podcast Psalm 1. Podcast Psalm 2.
- 7 Aug: Psalms 3, 22. Notes (week 2). Podcast Psalm 3. Podcast Psalm 22.
- 21 Aug: Psalms 48, 72. Notes (week 3). Podcast Psalm 48. Podcast Psalm 72.
- 28 Aug: Psalms 80, 89. Notes (week 4). Podcast Psalm 80. Podcast Psalm 89.
- 4 Sep: Psalms 91, 97. Notes (week 5). Podcast Psalm 91. Podcast Psalm 97.
- 11 Sep: Psalms 118, 145. Notes (week 6). Podcast Psalm 118. Podcast Psalm 145.
A sample?
Welcome to psalms. This is an amazing book that feels so relevant. When you’re joyful, sing Hallelujah psalms. When life is terrible, use a lament psalm to express your anguish to God. The Psalms shine God’s light into every facet of our existence.
In six weeks, we’ll only cover 12 of 150 psalms. To help you pursue the Psalms for yourself, we’ll be sampling different kinds. Some taste like bitter tears; others like joyful praise. Psalms of trust taste like soft-centred chocolate, while wisdom psalms are more like a nougat that takes time to chew.
Are the Psalms a random selection of songs? Or have they been arranged in a meaningful way to tell a story?
Why is David a key voice in the Psalms? Do we find Christ in the Psalms? Only in the ones quoted in the New Testament, or everywhere?
We’ve selected Psalms from different genres, and from different eras. For each one, we’ll ask what it meant for Israel, as well it what it means for us.
Bookmark this page, or subscribe if you’d like to be notified as each post comes out.
The series is called Formed in God’s Story because we’re living participants in God’s story. We are being formed in the character of the one we follow.
Our next course (in Oct/Nov 2024) covers the Book of Revelation. Notes and podcasts will be provided. If you’re planning to attend in person (in Perth, Western Australia), please register.
Related posts
Previously in Formed in God’s Story:
Seeking the kingdom 