$ Psalms: Songs and Prayers of the Heart (BeADisciple.com)

This course introduces the Psalms by exploring the impact of the Psalms for understanding who God is, what it means to be human, and how this knowledge influences interaction with the world. The class will study the Psalms in the context of the worship life of ancient Israel with a view to their role in the present day. 

The Book of Psalms, often referred to as the hymnal of the Bible, is a fascinating compilation of songs where God meets the historical experience of God’s people. It allows readers to thank God for God’s faithfulness and goodness yet lament God’s apparent absences and complain of God’s apparent neglect. No emotion goes unexpressed in the Psalms – joy, grief, sorrow, fear, doubt, hope, care, and perplexities, all of which can be expressed in song. The Psalmist will say, “How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever?” (Psalm 89:46a) but, in the same breath say, “Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised.” (Psalm 48:1a). In this course, learners will explore how to live out this dichotomy in their daily lives. Through these prayers, poems and expressions of faith, they will find identity as God’s people.