Favorite Psalms

note: the blog posts here now correspond with our church's website Visit6th.com and the polls or events which are highlighted there. in this way, we hope to gain a better interaction between the user and the site, .

So, What's Your Favorite Psalm?

With a 150 to choose from, that's a difficult multiple choice question--i'm guessing the answer "other" will gain the most votes! Psalms were songs, though we're not certain of all their melodies or different instrumental parts, they were likely originally written to be sung and heard. in the current context, we may ask, "what's on your ipod?" or, "what song is stuck in your head?"

the Psalms are among the favorite books of the Bible, and a collection of some the Hebrew people's favorite songs for worship, celebration, inspiration, and instruction. the book of Psalms may be likened to a church's hymn book. their lyrical value has been admired from beyond the religious context and are often quoted and remembered in the best and worst of times.

as we began a series of messages on this topic, it's given me time to reflect on quite a few in preparation for messages & related discussions. in such preparations, i've had a lot of inspiration and challenge from 2 in particular--Psalm 22 and Psalm 23.

Psalm 22 is the one Jesus began to quote from the cross--the perfect place to start our series after Easter. given the excruciating nature of the crucifixion, it's possible that the entire Psalm may have been "playing" through the mind of our Savior--encouraging him to finish the redemption task for which He had been sent. the prophetic references are amazing in their own right, but contemplating how the emotion and inspiration may have aided our Savior on our behalf is truly awe-some.

Psalm 23 is perhaps the most quoted, beloved, and recognizable Psalm. it's often used in the context of comfort in times of challenge or grief (like in funerals). however, in my recent contemplation in preparation for a message on Psalm 23, i considered the source of it's inspiration--David's days as a Shepherd. that is, the days in David's job, his 9-5, his mundane routine. could it be that history's most comforting song grew out of one's work experience? as we contemplate the value the Scriptures place on work, and God's continuing presence with us (even at work), perhaps God has something truly comforting and encouraging for us within our own work context. perhaps, God has an enduring song that can transcend our 9-5 routine--and even bring hope to others

so, what's your favorite Psalm? we've explored several Psalms from Books I & II (that is, through Psalm 72) in our Sunday morning worship at 6th Avenue. this series (which began with Psalm 22 on April 19 and will continue through the end of July), obviously, won't be able to cover them all during this time, but we'll cover quite a few more.

we encourage you to join us each Sunday morning at 9:30 am as we discuss these psalms--you can also listen online at our website's "listen" page as the messages are uploaded. and consider taking time this summer to reload the "Psalms playlist" by reading one per day, and meditating on each one. leave your comments, thoughts, and questions from your readings here for others to read, be inspired, or to share answers from their experiences and studies.

as always, in all things, let us continue to serve, love, and pray to bring God glory...