Chunks: The Book of Psalms

On the one hand, Psalm 118 is a personal prayer of gratitude. On the other hand, it is also a summons to God’s people to join in praise and thanksgiving; the psalm contains what seem to be liturgical elements. In a manner reminiscent of Psalm 115, the psalmist calls first all Israel, then the house of Aaron, then those who fear the LORD to praise him for his everlasting love. And as we’ll explore here, it may be that the psalmist means for that praise to be embodied.

What is Chunks: The Book of Psalms?

If the Bible had a hymnal, it would be the book of Psalms. This diverse collection of 150 poems and prayers runs the gamut of emotion and experience, from songs of highest praise to the deepest depths of lament, from prayers for help and salvation to vehement curses against the psalmist's enemies. We will not cover all the psalms in this podcast, nor take them in order. But my hope is that each episode will help you connect more personally with the riches of the Psalms. All biblical passages will be read from the New International Version, unless otherwise noted.