Every now and then you come across a book that just blesses your socks off!
I love the Psalms. For years now, and during some of the toughest seasons of my life, I have gone to the Psalms daily. They are a place of refuge, of comfort and of encouragement. Maybe it is because I am a writer, and love putting my feelings into words, that I can equate so much with the honest outpourings of the psalmists. In their words, their cries of despair, their shouts of praise, their quiet whispers of trust, I can hear my own words.
God can handle our messiness
I have learned that God can take the messiness of our internal strivings. He wants to hear our hearts, in all their rawness. And as we pour out on Him, He responds with kindness. He reassures us of who He is, who we are in Him, the security and safety we can find in trusting Him, His faithfulness to hear and answer our cries, to satisfy our longings. He reminds us of the power of worship, that we are created to rise above it all and praise Him continually. He declares how vital His Word is to joy-filled living, how His ways are always the best ways to walk, how His promises stand over our lives, and how quick He is to show us mercy when we fail Him. He does all of that in the Psalms.
Dwelling in the Psalms
Wandering past a bookstall at a writer’s event a few weeks ago, I was drawn to pick up a copy of ‘Dwelling in the Psalms’ by Pat Marsh. After all, that described what I had been practicing for years. The book is subtitled ‘A Healing Journey’ and I knew the truth of that. I know I have found healing for my soul in the Psalms. I bought the book and brought it home.
I honestly didn’t know how much this book would bless me!
Because I have read the Psalms for years, many of them are familiar. Even too familiar, if you understand what I mean. Nice words, easy to remember, read at important events, or to start a worship service. What Pat does is make you stop and pause and sit, dwell, in the actual words of each Psalm. To think about what they are saying to you personally, and pray for God to make those truths real to you.
God speaks
For each Psalm, the author takes you through four stages. First she selects a few verses to focus on, then she gives her own interpretation of what the Psalm is saying. Then you are invited into a reflection to make you think deeper, followed by the words of a prayer in response.
What I love about this, is that on any given day God will use a different aspect of the study to speak to me. Sometimes it is Pat’s interpretation – putting the Psalm into her own words, sometimes it is the reflection, often it is the prayer.
An example
Let me give you an example from a familiar Psalm, by sharing snippets of what the author writes about it.
Interpretation: ‘In the uncertain terrain of life where dangers lurk at every bend and good grazing is sparse, the Good Shepherd watches over His flock, guides and protects them… His goodness and love pursues them relentlessly…and leads them tenderly to the quiet living waters where they may flourish in peace.’
Reflection: ‘Shepherding in biblical times… was a demanding and vital role: without the constant care and protection of the shepherd, the sheep would not survive’, ‘the Shepherd God: a fearsome protector who will guide us through whatever real or imagined dangers that threaten us…’
Prayer: ‘When I cannot see the way, Lord show me. When I thirst for more of You, fill me. And when tiredness overwhelms me, give me the quiet rest of a peaceful heart.’
This beautiful book has so blessed me, can I encourage you to get a copy for yourself!
Dwelling in the Psalms, A Healing Journey, by Pat Marsh.
Published by Kevin Mayhew RRP £9.95 -£15.95
Available to purchase direct from author here
Direct from publisher Eden books Amazon
Joy Margetts is a published author and blogger. Her books are works of Christian Historical fiction. Set in medieval Wales against the backdrop of Cistercian abbey life, they tell stories of faith, hope and God’s redemptive power. She has also written two non-fiction devotionals. More information on Joy, and her books can be found here
