A few years ago, someone recommended reading the book of Psalms from beginning to end–aloud. It sounded like a good idea, but I really didn’t get the "aloud" part. What impact could reading the book aloud possibly have? Was I wrong! In reading these Psalms aloud, I began to hear words and phrases I had not heard before. I found myself actually praying these Psalms.
Consider doing this:
Begin reading four Psalms a day, every day, until you read through the entire book. Read these Psalms aloud.
Not only did I read the book aloud, but I underlined every word in Psalms that I thought in some way described God’s character or God’s action. In fact, if the word or phrase told me something about God, I underlined it. Again, words and phrases began to jump out of these Psalms. There is nothing magic about this suggestion. However, doing this helped me hear these Psalms in a fresh way again.
Why not try this for a week?
For several years now, I hve been reading the Psalms regularly…5 a day. Over time, it has changed my prayer life and my understanding of God. Well, I guess I’ve always acknowleged his “God-ness” on some level, but the repetition of the Psalms has made it more of a daily, hourly, minutely reality.
Thanks for posting on this.
Yes, doing things differently jogs the brain (and at times the heart). I sometimes read the bible in a foreign language. The slow read, the translation, turns familiar passages under a more brilliant light.
Kaye,Great to hear how the reading of the Psalms has blessed your life. Sounds like you have been at it a long time. Thanks for affirming the value of the repetition of the Psalms.
L.L.,In reading your comment, it had never occurred to me that reading the Bible in another language (I am assuming you are refering to a modern language besides English) could be very refreshing as well.I have experienced this in working with Hebrew and Greek but I had never thought about the value of reading the text in a modern language (other than English or whatever one’s primary language might be)Thanks–