How to Slowly Read the Psalms in One Month
Whereever GBTF travels to teach classes around the world, one of our joys is to share practical tools with the pastors and church leaders we encounter. Most of them have not had the training they desire for ministry and yet in many case lead significant churches in their local areas. One of the practical tools the foundation shares with them is how to read the Psalms. The book of Psalms is in the poetry section of the OT and is a great storehouse of wisdom for everyday living.
The Psalms are some of the most experiencially rich literary sources in the OT. The Psalms or Songs were written by everyday people who had something important to say about their life situation or a parrticular event or trial through which God had brought them. The Psalms are varied and were often written by individuals who recorded not only their emotions but critical life lessons they had acquired in the midst of their experiences.
One of the reasons people don't read more of the Psalms than they do is because of the great length of the book. These writings include 150 distinct Psalms and are oftentimes ignored simply on that basis. However, there is a method of reading them that is both practical and which allows you to learn many of the great truths these ancient writers had to share. One of the methods for reading them is very simple and effective, yet enables you to read the entire book of Psalms slowly and beneficially over the course of one month by reading five psalms per day. You can begin by reading the Psalm which fits the calendar day of month. Today, you would begin with Psalm 29. Then continue by adding 30 to 29 and read Psalm 59. Continue the process by adding thirty and
reading Psalm 89, 119, and finish with Psalm 149. If you follow that process of reading 5 Psalms each day you will read all of the 150 Psalms in just one month.
Now let me take this just one step further. You may have noticed that today's section of Psalms includes Psalm 119. That happens to be the longest chapter in the entire Bible. Consequently, if you attempt to read that in its normal cycle for today, it will keep you a lot longer than perhaps you have time for in your devotional reading. Since January, March, May, July, August, October, and December all have 31 days, I like to save the reading of Psalm 119 for the 31st day in these months.
I cannot tell our readers just how beneficial the Psalms can be in your personal life, but I can tell you that they have deeply enriched me and continue to deepen my walk with God every day. Start reading!
The Psalms are some of the most experiencially rich literary sources in the OT. The Psalms or Songs were written by everyday people who had something important to say about their life situation or a parrticular event or trial through which God had brought them. The Psalms are varied and were often written by individuals who recorded not only their emotions but critical life lessons they had acquired in the midst of their experiences.
One of the reasons people don't read more of the Psalms than they do is because of the great length of the book. These writings include 150 distinct Psalms and are oftentimes ignored simply on that basis. However, there is a method of reading them that is both practical and which allows you to learn many of the great truths these ancient writers had to share. One of the methods for reading them is very simple and effective, yet enables you to read the entire book of Psalms slowly and beneficially over the course of one month by reading five psalms per day. You can begin by reading the Psalm which fits the calendar day of month. Today, you would begin with Psalm 29. Then continue by adding 30 to 29 and read Psalm 59. Continue the process by adding thirty and
reading Psalm 89, 119, and finish with Psalm 149. If you follow that process of reading 5 Psalms each day you will read all of the 150 Psalms in just one month.
Now let me take this just one step further. You may have noticed that today's section of Psalms includes Psalm 119. That happens to be the longest chapter in the entire Bible. Consequently, if you attempt to read that in its normal cycle for today, it will keep you a lot longer than perhaps you have time for in your devotional reading. Since January, March, May, July, August, October, and December all have 31 days, I like to save the reading of Psalm 119 for the 31st day in these months.
I cannot tell our readers just how beneficial the Psalms can be in your personal life, but I can tell you that they have deeply enriched me and continue to deepen my walk with God every day. Start reading!
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