This is the first of 150 posts on the Psalms, actually will probably be much more than that as chapters such as Psalm 119 will merit at least a dozen posts as it is very rich in the value of knowing the Word of God.  I am committing to embark on this task over the next year or two as God has been further revealing Himself to me through the Book of Psalms over the last year.

My conviction is that knowing the Psalms is a valuable resource for knowing God, knowing the attributes of God, and becoming intimately acquainted with the Providence and Sovereignty of God.  In short, the Psalms are rich in biblical theology which will produce the fruit of a deeper faith when studied, meditated upon and prayed through.  In that deeper, richer faith will be the Peace of God in times of trouble, times of uncertainty as well as joyful times, which manifests in a stable life of faith.  As Christians, we can demonstrate our faith in our response to affliction through the Peace of God which produces calmness and waiting with an assurance that God is in control.  In the same vein, we should also be able to demonstrate the peace of God during times of blessing which is demonstrated in our praise of God as we give testimony of His faithfulness.

I believe the reason that the Psalms were written as melodies was for the purpose of learning, memorizing and keeping the truth of God in our hearts so that we can honor God (Psalm 119:11), so that we can grow in personal holiness (Psalm 119:9), so that we can grow in wisdom (Psalm 119:66), so that we can get back on track when we stray (Psalm 119:71), and a hundred other reasons we will explore in the coming months.  The Apostle Paul encouraged us to know the Psalms and to use them to encourage others:

Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Colossians 3:16

So it is my hope that exploring this great book will provide encouragement, hope and a richer understanding of the God we serve.