Doxologist ContentPsalms: Seeking God’s Glory from Lament to Praise
Doxologist Psalm Preview from Mars Hill Church on Vimeo.
Today we begin a new weekly feature a long time in the making. Beginning today, and continuing each Sunday indefinitely, we are launching an extended series on the Psalms. The Psalms are unique in that they express the whole of the human experience and do it all to the glory of God.
Martin Luther, the great reformer, actually called the Psalms the “little bible” in that all the truths of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection are spelled out in it’s pages, along with the central truths of all scripture. These songs and prayers are essential to a life of worship, not just for worship leaders, artists and musicians, but to anyone who seeks to glorify Jesus in their whole life. This series will consist of weekly reflections on a Psalm by myself along with Pastors Joe Day, Matt Johnson and Deacon Joel Brown. There will also be periodic guest contributers along with special pieces to help us understand the Psalms such as Jesus in the Psalms, the poetry of the Psalms and the life of David.
Today we launch the series with an extended introduction to the book called Dwelling in the Psalms along with an introductory video. I invite you to check these things out and then dig into Psalm 1, reading it once a day in the coming week. Take your time and read it prayerfully meditating on the prayer of the Psalmist, how Jesus identifies and fulfills the prayer and then how we are to respond.We will post the first reflection on Psalm 1 next week and we encourage you to stay a week ahead in your reading. That way we are digging into the same Psalm together and we can compare notes in the comments section. I have been deeply convicted and moved by my study of the Psalms in recent months and my prayer is that we will grow in our understanding of seeking God’s glory both in song and in all of life; from lament to praise and everywhere in between.
[...] yesterday, Sunday the 15th, Pastor Tim Smith began us on a weekly study of the Psalms. Find out more about this series which will be integrated into our time of song in the coming weeks and [...]
Hi Pastor Tim! I am so excited about this. I had no idea what was going to happen when I walked into the 7pm last night, and was delighted. I love the bands, and look forward to more music with them. But it was a really great stripped down session last night - thank you for helping us focus on what we do when we sing, and walking us through connecting our minds to our emotions to our theology to our hearts to glorify Jesus in song in our whole being.
Pastor Tim, It was AMAZING to hear all the voices singing in Ballard. From the movement through the Psalms, to the songs, to the worshiping I witnessed, it was all very beautiful and filled my heart. Thank you for truly leading us in worship by example, your heart for worship and for the MH body is evident.
This is awesome!
That bit about worship being our responce to God. Really changed my whole veiw of the singing we do. Along with steward ship of gifts and time and stuff.
Most of the Psalms were David’s responces to life, which you can find in the Books of Samuel and Kings.
And not just any responce, to get to the point where you are singing and making music in your heart to Jesus,like it says in Ephesians, there is this whole– cleaning process you go through– where God unbends you from your self and slavery to the evil one and sin.To being free to put your face and heart towards Him. Like we were meant to do.
Too often, music has only been a background sound track for movies. But if your to the place you are singing to God and others, your whole life is about Jesus, to the very heart.
Its funny, we use all the good stuff God gives us, to try to get to that singing place because we are bent into ourself,but its really submitting and opening up to Him that we are there.
This will so rock.
I keep thinking about songs that other people of faith sang in responce to God’s goodness in other places in the Bible. Like Miriam’s song. And Mary’s song.
So is Luke a mini Psalms? In that it has a good portion of songs in it?
Greatings from Berlin!
This is a great idea. Thanks for sharing.