It was a joy to be with our church family again on Sunday! Thank you for the gift of our sabbatical and the love you have shown Amy and me upon our return. We love you!
Tim Keller has a helpful book on the Psalms called The Songs of Jesus. The introduction reminds us of the Psalms' important role throughout church history. He states:
"The Psalms were the divinely inspired hymnbook for the public worship of God in ancient Israel (1 Chronicles 16:8–36). Because psalms were not simply read, but sung, they penetrated the minds and imaginations of the people as only music can do. They so saturated the heart and imagination of the average person that when Jesus entered Jerusalem it was only natural that the crowd would spontaneously greet him by reciting a line from a psalm (Mark 11:9; Psalm 118:26). The early Christians sang and prayed the psalms as well (Colossians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 14:26). When Benedict formed his monasteries he directed that the psalms all be sung, read, and prayed at least once a week. Throughout medieval times the psalms served as the most familiar part of the Bible for most Christians. The Psalter was the only part of the Bible a lay Christian was likely to own. At the time of the Reformation, the psalms played a major role in the reform of the church. Martin Luther directed that “the whole Psalter, psalm by psalm, should remain in use.” John Calvin prescribed metrical psalms as the main diet of song in worshipping congregations. Calvin wrote: “The design of the Holy Spirit [was] . . . to deliver the church a common form of prayer.”
Jubilee, may we follow the saints' example who have gone before us and find our hope in the songs of Jesus!
Find Our Hope in the Songs of Jesus
Hi Jubilee Family,
It was a joy to be with our church family again on Sunday! Thank you for the gift of our sabbatical and the love you have shown Amy and me upon our return. We love you!
Tim Keller has a helpful book on the Psalms called The Songs of Jesus. The introduction reminds us of the Psalms' important role throughout church history. He states:
"The Psalms were the divinely inspired hymnbook for the public worship of God in ancient Israel (1 Chronicles 16:8–36). Because psalms were not simply read, but sung, they penetrated the minds and imaginations of the people as only music can do. They so saturated the heart and imagination of the average person that when Jesus entered Jerusalem it was only natural that the crowd would spontaneously greet him by reciting a line from a psalm (Mark 11:9; Psalm 118:26). The early Christians sang and prayed the psalms as well (Colossians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 14:26). When Benedict formed his monasteries he directed that the psalms all be sung, read, and prayed at least once a week. Throughout medieval times the psalms served as the most familiar part of the Bible for most Christians. The Psalter was the only part of the Bible a lay Christian was likely to own. At the time of the Reformation, the psalms played a major role in the reform of the church. Martin Luther directed that “the whole Psalter, psalm by psalm, should remain in use.” John Calvin prescribed metrical psalms as the main diet of song in worshipping congregations. Calvin wrote: “The design of the Holy Spirit [was] . . . to deliver the church a common form of prayer.”
Jubilee, may we follow the saints' example who have gone before us and find our hope in the songs of Jesus!
Longing to sing with you again,
Pastor Toph