Summer Anthems Vol. 3

One thing I used to like about the book of Psalms when I was a child was that you could always find it easily! In almost every bible if you open it right in the middle you usually find the Psalms. And maybe there is significance in the position of the book of Psalms in the bible which it is good to reflect on as we begin this summer series on these opening Psalms. I read this comment the other week "You open the Bible in the middle and there it is at the heart of revelation... The centre of Scripture is experiential religion, and so it begins not with the word 'LORD' but with the word 'Blessed'. Because you see, as Joseph Hart reminds us in his poetry, "true religion is more than notion something must be known and felt."

The great strength and beauty of the Psalms lies in the fact that they appeal to the whole person; they demand a total response. The Psalms inform our intellect, arouse our emotions, stimulate our imaginations and direct our wills. So as we read and meditate upon the Psalms over these next Sunday evenings we'll find an enriching menu of nourishing food that speaks directly to our situations in life even today. That in itself is remarkable given that there is a massive chronological gap of some 3000 years between us and the time of their writing. Nevertheless here we will find wonderful expressions of worship, of pain, of heart felt longings, of deep joy and satisfaction, which will speak so helpfully, powerfully and honestly to us today.

Why not come and celebrate these summer anthems over the next weeks on a Sunday evening!

Phil Jenkins

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