The Woven Psalms

“I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart…” (Psalm 9:1)The Psalms are often written from the perspective of the sufferers and the oppressed. We are given an opportunity to hear the cries of the victims, and when we ourselves are victims to injustice and evil, we can find comfort in these ancient prayers that give voice to our pain.The Woven Psalms is a reflective, u

“O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” (Psalm 8:1)The Psalms are about God; they are prayers and songs meant to guide our hearts in worship to the Creator and Savior. Yet the Psalms are also about us; they explore the human experience, they demonstrate the depth and breadth of human emotion, they show us the role of human beings. The Psalms ask, “Who

“O LORD my God, in you do I take refuge…” (Psalm 7:1)The Psalms have a balanced perspective on justice. The Bible doesn’t often allow us to see people as entirely innocent or entirely guilty, because even the most innocent victim can do wrong in the way they call for justice and even the most guilty criminal can change their ways and be reformed. There is right and wrong, b

“O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath.” (Psalm 6:1)The Psalms are much more honest with emotions than we are. We often hide how we feel not only from others but also from ourselves or from God. We might feel pressure to say that we’re fine even when our lives are crumbling. But the Psalms can open a pressure release valve that allows us to be v

“Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my groaning.” (Psalm 5:1)The Psalms invite us to meditate not only on what we are experiencing and how we are feeling but also on the character of God. They honor the troubles and distress that we’re in, but then they lift our eyes out of our circumstances so that we can see how God fits in with everything around us. It’s a reorientat

“Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!” (Psalm 4:1)The Psalms are literary masterpieces, some of the greatest poems and songs ever written, and like all great works of art, they surprise you and take you down paths you didn’t expect. They force you to think, to ask, “Why did the author say this and not that?” They are meditation literature, intentionally writt

“O LORD, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me…” (Psalm 3:1)The Psalms are sometimes written out of a specific situation and life event for the author, but they are also written to be sung and prayed by the people of God in every time and age and situation. For example, most of us have not experienced a time when our child formed a rebellion against us to overthrow

“Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?” (Psalm 2:1)The Psalms are global in their scale. Yes, there are many psalms that are intimate and personal prayers, but there are also many psalms that are broad and universal, aiming to give us a grand vision of the world from God’s perspective. Beggars and kings, those who suffer and those who rule — all can find the

“Blessed is the man…” (Psalm 1:1)The Psalms are the prayerbook and songbook of God’s people, so they are examples and models of how to talk with God. But they are also more than that. The Psalms teach us how to be in a relationship with God; they are a guide to know who God is, who we are, and what it means to live according to God’s ways. The Psalms are meant to shape us

The Woven Psalms is a reflective, unhurried, and practical podcast about praying every psalm in the Bible. To learn more about this podcast, visit www.wovenpsalms.com.