Romans gave Luther his theology, but it was the Psalms that gave him his thunder.
- Steven Lawson
Originally composed as 150 public worship songs, billions have found the Book of Psalms to be a great source of inspiration. For millennia the beautifully expressed personal and passionate thoughts and emotions of Moses, David and other authors have served as a lighthouse for those tempest tossed.
Unique for their revelation into the mind and heart of God and man, the Psalms act as waypoints between wisdom and foolishness, faith and doubt, good and evil. Filled with heavenly wisdom and psychological savvy, prophetic insight and spiritual treasures, they continue to stand the test of time. A harbor for the soul, the Psalms offer insight and direction, comfort and encouragement, to generation after generation. And will continue to do so until "heaven and earth shall pass away.”
Written to be sung in their entirety, snippets of the most beloved Psalms have launched hundreds of new songs. Taken as a whole, these Scriptures have inspired thousands of hymns and choruses, comforting and strengthening God's people.
The Psalms most vital role may have been as a book of prayers. As often prayed as sung, believers throughout the world have long found these Scriptures helpful in dealing with their own thoughts and emotions. Particularly in regards to the fear and wonder of our collective passage through time into eternity.
As with their ancient counterparts, QC’s Modern Psalms vary in theme and style, scope and purpose. From praise and adoration to inquiry and advice, the hope is to provide up to date insight into the human condition. From petition and intercession, to complaint and lament, they serve as examples of seeking and serving God. Whether filled with praise for or wrestling with Omnity, they offer glimpses into the process of knowing Him and making Him known. Modern psalms are designed to take advantage of insights and revelations provided by the New Testament, with assistance from modern science.
The Psalms of Scripture are amazing on many levels. Beyond their continued relevance as inspiration and revelation, each stands as a bastion of truth and light against the growing darkness of temptation and deception. Given some of the more dramatic passages found in Biblical Psalms, their original use as public worship songs is curious. It's hard to imagine singing Psalms 22 in its entirety as a worship chorus. This raises an interesting question. If such Psalms were for public use, what might the composers private prayers and worship have been like?
Modern Psalms in the Night, along with the companion series dealing with happier thoughts entitled Psalms of Delight, are offered in a similar vein. Written to express modern dilemmas, Psalms in the Night are meant as prayers of faith and hope, particularly at at time when both may be in ever shortening supply. They may also serve as templates of strategic prayer and insight in response to God’s open offer to come and reason together.
This labor of love is being developed to reveal the common bond people of faith share in a world full of reasons to doubt. Standing on the foundation of the Biblical Psalms and words of the patriarchs like Job, and prophets like Jeremiah, this aspect of modern psalmistry addresses the great mystery of the apparent silence and distance of God. An intersection where brutal honesty necessitates aggressive faith.
Below are links to both Modern Psalms of Delight and Psalms in the Night.
Psalms of Delight
Psalms in the Night
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