Preaching the Psalms as Stories...Continued from page 1

There may also be stories that embrace more than one psalm. Psalm 120-134 are the psalms of degrees, or ascent. They were pilgrim songs sung on the way to Jerusalem for holy days. They may also be psalms sung as the exiles returned to Jerusalem. These psalms reflect an upward movement from despair to joy. In other words, they tell a story.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer notes that while the rest of the Bible is God’s Word to us, the Psalms are words given by God to be said back to Him. They were not written as information but as prayers.[1] God’s intention in giving them to us was that we would give them back to Him as expressions of our own devotion and desires.  

All stories may have a distinctive three-part structure. A story begins with equilibrium. There is a setting that makes sense, and characters who are comfortable in their setting. It is the moment at the beginning when the baseline of normality is established. In the parables, it is usually the opening lines: “A certain man had two sons,” “A sower went out to sow,” “A certain man was going from Jerusalem to Jericho.”

In material that is less overtly narrative, it may not be a place or setting, but a proposition which is universally accepted. Psalm 73 opens with “Surely God is good to Israel, even to those who are of a pure heart.” This is what we would expect the Psalmist to say. It is the starting place for all that comes afterward.

Next comes the upset. This is when the equilibrium is challenged by argument or circumstances such as, “The younger son said to his father, give me my portion now,” “And he fell among thieves.” In Psalm 73, the upset comes when Asaph, the psalmist, admits, “But as for me, my feet almost slipped, I almost lost my foothold for I envied the arrogant.” It is the moment when the status quo is threatened, and the old order no longer holds.

Finally comes the resolution. Whatever caused the upset is resolved, and a new equilibrium is established. This new equilibrium is not like the old. We gain new strength and understanding from having our world shaken. A father forgives his wayward son. Even a Samaritan can be good. Asaph in Psalm 73 learns not to envy the arrogant when he goes to the sanctuary of God (73:15).

In the Psalms, the story arc is essentially the same for all. The Psalmist trusts in God (the equilibrium). His faith is challenged by the realities of a sinful world (the upset). He learns that God is trustworthy, even through difficulty (the solution).

A psalm usually does not tell the whole story arc. Faith fills in the rest. A psalmist might be anticipating difficulties that lie ahead, giving instructions on how to avoid it, or he might begin his psalm at that moment of upset. Things have gone wrong, so he is crying out for help. Or the psalmist might be rejoicing because he can finally see help on the horizon. Or a psalm might be reflecting back over a time of trouble, and offering praise to God for his deliverance.