Many people love reading the psalms in the Bible.
They connect with the beauty and the flow of the words; they resonate with the pains, passions, and praises of the writers; it is their “go-to” place to find, express, and reveal their emotion of the moment as it emotes from daily living.
I am not one of those people.
Let me be frank. The psalms bore me to tears. I want to reach back through the passage of time and slap King David (a writer of many of the psalms) with the rejoinder, “Quit your whining.”
However, when reading the psalms in The Message—a Bible paraphrase that attempts to capture the raw, earthy nature of the original text in a comprehensible way for today’s world—I, too, become captivated by the power and honesty of it.
If, unlike me, you enjoy reading the psalms, then by all means continue to do so. Don’t let my curmudgeonly outlook spoil your joy and appreciation for this ancient text.
However, if, like me, you too struggle connecting with the psalms, then check them out in The Message—you might just find a new appreciation for them.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.
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