Psalms

In preparation for our Advent study of Spirituals, we took a general look at the book of Psalms.


The book of Psalms is a hymnal that includes hymns for many purposes: personal and community prayer and praise, confession, lamentation, remembering history, wedding celebrations, pilgrimages . . .

The book of Psalms links beauty to God's dwelling place and holiness. This is a very different perspective on beauty than our society often presents us.

In reading the Psalms we can notice the many motivations for the Psalmists to worship. These motivations might also inspire our worship.


A Psalm writer's job description:
1. reflect on experience through the framework of relationship with God
2. speak relevantly
3. through worshiping creatively, be a catalyst for the worship of others

Stories of God

Last week we concluded our study of knowing God's will with the reading of two stories from Rilke's Stories of God. Myja read "God's Hands" and "The Stranger" for us.

These stories imaginatively emphasize many of the themes we have considered: visions of God's creative and redemptive involvement with the world.

The Lord's Prayer, Part 2

"Give us this day our daily bread" reminds us that we are not self-sufficient. It also expresses a prayer for needs to be met, not that excess be delivered. Finally, it is a prayer for the needs of a group, not only the needs of an individual.

"Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." Here our spiritual experience is connected to community and we are reminded that sins are not only between us and God but also have an impact on the rest of humanity.

Several readings of the final phrases appear in the early manuscripts of the prayer:
"lead us not into temptation"
"do not bring us to the time of trial"
"deliver us from evil"
"deliver us from the evil one"


The Lord's Prayer helps us know how to pray when we feel no spontaneous prayer to express or when we are conflicted and do not know how to pray.

The Lord's Prayer, Part 1

The words "Our Father" suggest something about our relationship with God as well as our relationship with each other.


This prayer is filled with details (such as the word "our") that make it the prayer of a whole group of people, not just that of an individual.


"Hallowed" - This word means "to keep or treat as sacred."


"Thy Kingdom come" - What is meant by "Kingdom?"
Personal salvation?
Christian community?
The spread of the gospel?
The final age of peace and justice?

How does this Kingdom come?


In the original language, the phrase "on earth as it is in heaven" refers to all three of the phrases that precede it:
Hallowed be Thy name,
Thy Kingdom come,
Thy will be done.