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Living the dream with Carlin Doeksen
GETTING IT: THE PSALMS: What the? Poetry
Aug 18th
Ooo, now we’re wading into delightfully foreign territory. Art.
The next three weeks I’m going to briefly describe three pools that must be waded into in order to get the most out of the book of Psalms: Poetry, Parallelism, and Imagery. These are not only literary terms, but also artistic terms. For most of us these three pools are more foreign bodies of murky water, than cool, chlorinated, wave pools of enjoyment. That’s okay; I’ll try and help you get over your fear of artistic water.
First off, it barely needs to be said that the Psalms are poetry. Anyone can open their Bible and look at the very structure of the Psalms and see symmetry, extra space in between short lines, and repetition. These are all dead give-aways to the presence of poetry. That, and the fact, that as soon as you start reading one of them you realize there are parts of what you are reading that don’t make any sense at all. This is where mere poetry becomes dreaded poetry. It’s in what we don’t understand at first that we exhibit fear and loathing.
But that is ultimately the beauty and drawing factor to poetry. What one person immediately understands and connects with, another person just sits there staring at and stumped. “Well, what on earth does that mean?” And, even more frustrating, you can’t just dismiss it because it came from a real person. It, again, reflects the puzzlement that comes with human emotion. That frustration is to your benefit. It leads to depth. What scares you about poetry, when pursued courageously, is actually what deepens your will, enlightens your mind, invigorates your imagination, and touches your emotions.
Add to the parade of puzzlement this second reality regarding the Psalms. They are Old Testament poetry. They aren’t 1960’s hippie poetry. They aren’t 1980’s pop materialistic poetry. They are Old Testament Hebrew poetry. This is important to keep in mind because if a song comes on the radio from the 60’s and you don’t get the lyrics you could turn to your father or grandfather and ask them about it. But other than in the Bible, I don’t know any Old Testament Hebrews.
In the next two weeks, I’m going to introduce you to two habits that Old Testament Hebrew poets had in writing their songs. And just being able to know and identify those habits as you read through the Psalms will not only diminish your fears, but also maximize your confident worship of God through these poetic Psalms.
GETTING IT: THE PSALMS: Heart of the Psalms: Soul
Aug 12th
At the heart of the Psalms is the gospel. The good news of Jesus Christ is central to the content of each of the 150 Psalms in our Bible. As a worshipper begins to know the Psalms better, that worshipper is getting to know Jesus better, and understand more clearly the relationship that Jesus has with His people.
That’s the content, but the Psalms are written not just to inform but to move. The Psalms are a conduit for worshippers. The Psalms are a path, and the pathway was designed for the soul. So, just as the heart of the content of the Psalms is the gospel, so to the heart of the conduit of the Psalms is the soul.
Tremper Longman III writes, “While the Psalms inform us about God and his relationship with people, they do far more. They arouse our emotions, direct our wills and stimulate our imaginations.”
Our imaginations are both corrected and unlocked by the Psalms. With the constant barrage of images and creative language of the Psalms, our imaginations are carried in the truth of the gospel.
Our wills are shaped by the wisdom, examples, and commands of the Psalms. Psalm 32 motivates our will to confess sin because it lays out the wisdom of being blessed, forgiven, and covered by the righteousness of Jesus. Look how the psalmist provides examples of thankfulness (Psalm 7), trust (Psalm 23), witness (Psalm 51), prayer (Psalm 86), and obedience (Psalm 119:32). As well, our wills are profoundly moved by the very commands of God evident in the Psalms. Especially in regards to worship (Psalms 47, 29, 103), the will of the reader is moved by an encounter with God in the Psalms.
And finally, and perhaps most dramatically, all of human emotion is reflected and deepened by worshipping God through the Psalms.
John Calvin wrote, “There is not an emotion of which anyone can be conscious that is not here represented as in a mirror. Or rather, the Holy Spirit has here drawn to the life all the griefs, sorrows, fears, doubts, hopes, cares, perplexities, in short, all the distracting emotions with which the minds of men are wont to be agitated.”
I love that quote, especially the word “wont.” I have found it to be true. My mind is “wont” to be agitated by shame, grief, wonder, doubt, love, desire, fear, expectation, reverence, and anger almost moment by moment. Now, I’m a pretty emotional guy, which isn’t necessarily that cool in our culture. But in the Psalms, in the Bible, I find that I’m actually pretty normal. I feel, in worshipping through the psalter, like I’m known and understood. And my feelings are not just understood, but moved, shaped, redeemed, and healed.
At the heart of the Psalms is the gospel of Jesus Christ. At the heart of the Psalms is the soul that is transformed by the gospel.
Notes of Encouragement: Tremper Longman III
Aug 12th
Tremper Longman III is currently the Robert H. Gundry Professor of Biblical Studies at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California. Previously he taught Old Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary at Philadelphia for eighteen years. I got to take a course on the book of Genesis from Tremper several years ago as a spring module through Canadian Bible College (now Ambrose University College). That study experience with Tremper unlocked in me an enormous adventurous curiosity in the original cultures of the Old Testament. I also met my buddy Trevor Rysavy that week in that class. We felt like we were living the dream one night when we went to see Matrix II with Tremper Longman III. Good guy, great stories, terrible film.
NOTE OF ENCOURAGEMENT:
Dear Tremper,
I admire your work, and I’m writing to pass on encouragement from one of your readers. No doubt, you get plenty of feedback from students, and intellectual exchange with fellow scholars. I have no idea how much encouragement you might receive from plain old readers.
My compliment to you is simply this: Your work is eminently readable. Your scholarship is so helpful to pastors like me, but it wouldn’t do me any good if you weren’t so readable. You write so that the Bible is more understood, and more joyfully read. That is your gift to me, the reader. Thank you.
I pastor Deer Park Alliance Church in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. This summer our preaching has been from the Psalms, and your book “How to Read the Psalms” has been an indispensable and enjoyable companion to our worship. I only hope that my preaching might become as straightforward to receive as your books are to read.
I hope your summer has been refreshing and adventurous.
Warmly,
Carlin
Notes of Encouragement: Mark Driscoll
Aug 11th
Mark Driscoll is Preaching and Theology Pastor, and the founding pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle. His preaching and teaching originally unlocked for me, in my own preaching, a fresh desire for authenticity and freedom to use humor and speak as a man to men. His books “Vintage Jesus,” “Death By Love,” and “Vintage Church,” have been three of the most concise, sound, and practical helps in my life and ministry.
NOTE OF ENCOURAGEMENT:
Dear Pastor Mark,
Thanks for being obedient.
Your obedience has inspired me countless times to man up and do what God’s called me to do.
Thanks for marrying Grace and loving her and your kids in a way that helps us all see gospel better and trust Father God more fully. Thanks for planting Mars Hill. We’re all attracted to the authenticity, fresh simplicity, and even the funky name. We keep tuning in and growing because it’s all about Jesus and it has a sturdy gospel spine. Thanks for gathering men to the gospel. Your priority for calling out men for redemption and kingdom usefulness has directly shaped my own redemption and calling. Thanks for calling me out.
I’ve been married to Lori-Anne for 18 years, and we’ve got 3 crazy, Jesus loving kids. We live in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. I’m gathering men to the gospel in my city as Lead Pastor of Deer Park Alliance Church. One of the first books that I recommend to men here is your work “Vintage Jesus.”
Thanks again. Your obedience has served us huge!
Warmly,
Carlin
Notes of Encouragement: C.J. Mahaney
Aug 10th
C.J. Mahaney is the President of Sovereign Grace Ministries whose mission it is to plant and support local churches. He is truly a pastor to pastors as well as a model for pastors like me. Previously he pastored Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland for 27 years. He is the author of two foundational books for christians, “Living the Cross-Centered Life,” and “Humility.” He has also written one exceptional book for men who are married, or who plan to be, “Sex, Romance, and the Glory of God.”
NOTE OF ENCOURAGEMENT:
Dear C.J.,
I’m writing to express how deeply thankful I am for having been introduced to your ministry, and for having the opportunity to meet you briefly at a conference.
Your ministry has inspired me in three ways:
1) Jesus’ work of love and glory on the cross has become my mainstay of constant joy and wonder.
2) You make the joy of salvation not only visible, but also desirable. I pray that God would make this gift of demonstrative joy super evident in all of my life also.
3) Your humble posture and the humor that can therefore flow freely from it makes me want to weep and laugh with you because God really is that good.
I live in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. God has spoiled me with a wife whose attention can completely distract me from anything. We are raising three incredible teens/nearly teens. We are all hockey fans (of course), and reflect a healthy Canadian diversity: 2 Vancouver Canucks fans, 2 Calgary Flames fans, 1 Edmonton Oiler fan. Come playoffs we promise not to cheer against Ovechkin too much simply to honor you, C.J.
I am the Lead Pastor at Deer Park Alliance Church, and the first book I recommended to my new church family was your “Living the Cross-Centered Life.”
Thank you for contributing to my joy and maturity, C.J, and to that of my family and church family.
Warmly,
Carlin
GETTING IT: THE PSALMS: Heart of the Psalms: Gospel
Aug 4th
The heart of the Psalms is the heart of the Scriptures, the good news of Jesus Christ.
Jesus himself is central to the Psalms. Remember how Jesus taught the disciples, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” (Luke 24:44)
Jesus clearly taught that at the heart of Old Testament scripture was a revelation of himself as the Christ, the Anointed One.
So, expounding on the heart of the Psalms (as well as all the Old Testament), “Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”
In a moment, Jesus brought the deepest clarity to his disciples about the gospel of the Lord Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and the reconciliation of humanity to God. And in the process, Jesus brought the deepest clarity to the heart of the Psalms meaning and usefulness.
The Psalms are ultimately all about Jesus.
Therefore, when we enter into the Psalms, we are ultimately singing the Psalms to Jesus. We are singing hymns to Jesus. We are singing laments to Jesus. We are singing thanks to Jesus. We are singing psalms of remembrance to Jesus. We are singing psalms of confidence to Jesus. We are singing wisdom psalms to Jesus.
When we read the Psalms as Christians, we must anticipate meeting Jesus, and expect to respond to Jesus. This is how Jesus himself taught us to read the Psalms.
GETTING IT: THE PSALMS: Getting the Context Straight
Jul 28th
Context always makes all the difference in understanding statements. How many times have celebrity reputations been built up or torn down based on a sound bite. They made a statement that was then played over and over again without the preceding or following comments. (It’s also a common defense for the celebrity themselves, “What I said was taken out of context!”)
In order to understand best what is said, we need to listen to everything that has been said before and after. That’s context.
For the Psalms, the immediate context is the message of the whole Old Testament. Tremper Longman III writes, “Of course, it is stating the obvious to say that the book of Psalms is in the Old Testament. It is more significant to discover that the Old Testament is in the Psalms!” So then, what is the most significant theological concept present in the Old Testament that shapes everything sung by the Psalter?
God’s Covenant with His People
The Old Testament is about the intimate covenant relationship between God and his people. The word “covenant” is important because the biblical covenant revealed in Scripture closely relates to the historical treaties current in the ancient Near East. The differences between ancient Near Eastern treaties and the biblical covenant between God and his people shed gospel light on such topics as:
- the Sovereign God as one of two parties involved in covenant relationship
- God’s historical initiation of the conditions of the relationship and preservation of the relationship
- God’s sovereign law laid out treaty-style, but with the revelation of God’s character central to the growth of the relationship
- The blessings and curses that flow from either abiding by or rebelling against the covenant initiated by God
The Psalms are ultimately theological. The Psalms are Old Testament doctrinals encased in experience and richly personal application. The psalmists may not be systematic in their expression of God’s covenant, but as Longman writes, they “…cry out to God from the context of their intimate covenant relationship with God and they call on others who know God’s love to do the same.”
GETTING IT: THE PSALMS: Getting the Origins Straight
Jul 21st
Now that we’ve practiced identifying the style (genre) of a psalm, in order to receive it a little more appropriately, it’s time to ask a new question of each psalm. That question is, “Where did you come from?”
Continuing with the analogy of “making friends with the psalms,” I find this question fits in perfectly. Think of any friend you’ve ever made, and how early in the relationship you asked, “So, where are you from?” You probably asked it so early on that you’ve forgotten it’s significance. The question, and answer, immediately establishes:
a) the level of familiarity you might have with the person,
i.e. “Oh, you grew up in Castlegar, I grew up in Trail, we’re both Kootenay boys…”
b) hints of a possible back-story that has shaped the character of said person,
i.e. My dad grew up in the Netherlands during WWII, and so the answer to “Where are you from?” is loaded with stories and experiences that are completely foreign to me.
c) and an idea of that person’s potential competencies.
i.e. Every man I’ve ever met that grew up on a farm has exhibited a higher than average work ethic. (Okay, higher than my average work ethic.)
The origins of the psalms also give potential indicators to readers as to:
a) the familiarity of the experience the psalm may be born out of,
Titles:
The majority of psalms begin with titles that indicate either (i) authorship or (ii) historical setting, or sometimes both. Psalm 3 is an example of a psalm that begins by indicating both the author (David), and also the experience from which the psalm was written (the horrendous story of his own son challenging him and chasing him from his own city).
b) the back-story that has shaped the original message and use of the psalm,
Groupings:
Over a long period of time during Old Testament history, the psalms were collected into five major groupings (intentionally formed to parallel the five books of Moses). Psalm 1-41, 42-72, 73-89, 90-106, and 107-150 each hold together with unique defining structure. Each of the five groupings (books) of the Psalter show various preferences, back-stories, and trends. There are also, sometimes, groups of psalms within these groups. The easiest example to identify is the Songs of Ascents, Psalms 120-134. These Psalms are regarded as songs sung by spiritual pilgrims as they ascended the temple mount in Jerusalem at festival time. It was the first group of psalms that I ever preached because it was not difficult to enter into the back-story of a worshipper on a journey to know God and enjoy Him more deeply.
c) and an idea of how the psalm will be most appropriately useful.
Movements:
The whole Psalter is one movement from Psalm 1, the gateway that calls for a decision from the individual worshipper, right through to the last 7 psalms that climax in a call on the whole world to praise and worship the one true God. You can also identify movements from lament to praise, from kingly declaration to thanksgiving, and from history to remembrance right through each grouping.
It’s clear by observing the origins of the psalms, that the overall intended use of the psalms is to learn a life of worshipping God. Spend some time, as you read and worship with the psalms this summer, seeing how the psalms move, and move you to respond to God.
