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Friday, August 21, 2020

The Psalms need to be re-imagined in our times

 The problem most of us have with the Psalms is that they were written in a different culture and we do not understand many of the references, so we need to re-imagine them in the context of the issues that now concern us. Last week, I spoke of the power of the imagination. I think we need to really read the Psalms with imagination and transpose or interpret them so they are meaningful for us. I think it is challenging and may just be what I need to focus on during this time of sheltering in place. I invite any who wish to join me. I suspect it will be easier to begin with the Psalms that I know best and love the most. Stay tuned and I will be happy to share any new insights.

I will no doubt be learning much from Patrick Woodhouse. In the second Chapter of Life in the Psalms, he reminds us that the Psalms were shaped and formed over maybe 800 years and only became a book of Psalms around 200 BC. We can trace their beginnings to the reign of King David in 1000 BC. Some are even attributed to David, but many were after his reign. 

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