Thank God for the Psalms.

As the hymnal of the church, the Psalms hold within them the whole gamut of human emotion. At times they can be a little jarring – we might sing along with the psalmist’s cry for vengeance against enemies while living a largely peaceable life. Or perhaps we read their shouts of joy as we sit in a much darker place emotionally. I’ve found that one way to get around that cognitive dissonance is to use the psalms as intercessory prayer. If I personally don’t immediately connect with a particular psalm, I can nevertheless pray it on behalf of one who does.

I was reminded of this as we prayed Psalm 88 during Friday morning prayers this week. It starts in deep darkness, and only gets worse. By the end of the Psalm we read;

“Your fury has swept down upon me: 

and your dread assaults have utterly crushed me. 

They surround me like a flood all the day long: 

they close in on me from every side. 

Friend and acquaintance you have taken away from me: 

and my one companion is darkness.” 

Thankfully, even in lockdown, that sentiment doesn’t ring true for me. But this week has been filled with fairly horrific news, from the earthquakes in Haiti killing 1400+ people and dragging a poor nation even further back, to the swift capture of Afghanistan by the Taliban leading to scenes of desperation at the airport and stories of the hunting down and killing of anyone perceived as a threat, including members of the underground church. If I don’t feel like praying Psalm 88 for myself, I can certainly pray the words on behalf of my neighbours.

Of course, the Psalms also offer us a chance to affirm God’s presence and goodness in the midst of such difficult news, so if you do read Psalm 88 this week, can I recommend you continue on and read the first two verses of Psalm 89 where you’ll be reminded

“I will sing of your steadfast love for ever O Lord: 

my mouth will proclaim your faithfulness 

from one generation to another. 

For your love is such as to endure for ever: 

your faithfulness is established as firm as the heavens." 

Whatever your emotional landscape is this week, I pray that the Psalms will provide something for you and those close to your heart.