The Psalms in Our World
To conclude our series on the Psalms, I'm offering up some additional resources. Below are quotes and links to a few of the many blogs, articles, clips and more that influence how I think of poetry and the Psalms in our world. You can hear more by listening to our Psalms series.
On Poetry & Justice:
An article written by Tanya Riches, a friend of Ben Grace, "How Poetry Can Change the World."
"The question I was asked was “what is the role of an artist in bringing justice?... It’s not immediately easy to see how a graphic designer can help in the many conflicts happening around the world. What can a sculptor do when the news declares another famine? How does a songwriter have anything to assist when faced with global climate change, when realizing that whole nations of the South Pacific are likely to be affected by rising seas?"
On the Bible & the Language of Intimacy:
A "must-read" post on the blog, NextReformation written by Len Hjalmarson, "Learning the Language of Intimacy."
"Eugene Peterson, in his book The Contemplative Pastor, writes that we all learn three kinds of language....The language of intimacy, the most important language we can know, is neglected. The language that assists us in developing relationships of trust and hope and understanding, the language that assures that we are not alone (emotionally and physically) in our world, is often forgotten."
On Christ in the Psalms:
A page from the website of Living Word Bible Church in the U.K. "The Messianic Psalms."
"There are a number of Messianic Psalms which refer directly to the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. These do not stand alone but are accepted and mentioned as such in the New Testament. The following Psalms are referred to in various places in the New Testament..."
Testimonies of Psalms of Hope in the World:
A video testimony from Sharon Cohn, lawyer with International Justice Mission sharing the story of "Elizabeth," a survivor of human trafficking.
An article on American Thinker, by Janice Shaw Crouse on "Faith and the Rescued Chilean Miners."
On Poets, Prophets & Pastors:
A post from Brian Zahnd's blog in praise of the intersection of poetry and prophecy in the Bible and why pastors should embrace poetry. "The Poetic and the Prophetic"
"The Old Testament prophets were all poets to one degree or another and nearly all Hebrew prophecy is poetic in nature. Prose is the vehicle for inert information; but poetry is the magic carpet of prophetic imagination. Prose is the precise tool for telling what is; poetry is the mystical means of imagining what could be. Prose is the small room of fixed reality; poetry unlocks the door to infinite possibility. The poetic and the prophetic are related."
On Science & the Psalms:
A post from guest blogger, AJ Doltorio, on the blog of Rachel Held Evans, "Guest Post: Science and Psalms."
"There are black marks, but then there are words; there are words, but then there are poems; there are poems, but then there is art; there is art, but then there is beauty; there is beauty, but then there is God."
Recommended Books on the Psalms:
“A man can’t be always defending the truth; there must be a time to feed on it.”
― C.S. Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms
Walter Brueggemann says “The Psalms, with a few exceptions, are not the voice of God addressing us. They are rather the voice of our own common humanity- gathered over a long period of time. It speaks about life the way it really is.”
“the story the Psalms tell is the story Jesus came to complete. It is the story of the creator God taking his power and reigning, ruling on earth as in heaven, delighting the whole creation by sorting out its messes and muddles, its injuries and injustices, once and for all.”
― N.T. Wright, The Case for the Psalms: why they are essential