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Compelling Reasons to Check Out the Psalms By Rev. Joshua Ulm
T H I G H E R T H I N G S __ 14
he book of Psalms has more chapters than any other book of the Bible and is only behind Jeremiah and Genesis in how many words it contains, which may seem intimidating at first. Although the Psalms are lengthy, they are overflowing with promises of Christ and His forgiveness, they demonstrate countless ways for you to speak to God in a variety of situations, and sometimes they even provide insight into God’s mighty works. Whether or not you’ve delved into the depths of the Psalms consider these reasons to consistently invest time in reading them:
1. The Psalms are all about Jesus.
————————————————— Luke 24 tells us that after His resurrection Jesus gave His disciples peace and “opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” As He began to do this He said,“These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled” (v. 44). From the mouth of our Lord we are taught that all the Scriptures testify about Him (and He specifically mentioned the Psalms)! In fact, when Jesus wanted to explain what He was doing and how it fit into the grand picture of God’s love for His people, the Psalms was His go-to book. The Psalms tell us of the LORD’s anointed (Jesus), against whom the kingdoms of the earth will not triumph (Psalm 2). They tell us that the LORD will not abandon His Holy One (Jesus) to death (Psalm 16). Psalm 22 is fulfilled during Jesus’ last hours prior to His death on the cross. The Psalms speak of a good shepherd (Jesus) who shepherds His sheep through death itself (Psalm 23). The Psalms tell us that the LORD is our light and salvation (Jesus) who is our stronghold, casting out fear. Jesus is everywhere in the Psalms and finding Him is exciting! If you want to hear about Jesus and His love, check out the Psalms.
2. The Psalms immerse us in the struggles of God’s chosen people. ————————————————— Do you ever wish you could get inside someone’s head to know what
