The Psalms: Praise, Prayer, and Instruction for Life in Christ

The Psalter has been the Church’s treasured prayer book throughout history, and today is being reclaimed for devotional and pastoral use. This course engages the Psalter—that “anatomy of all parts of the human soul” (as Calvin testified)—through historical, literary, theological, pastoral, and trauma-studies lenses. Within this intentionally-shaped book, and as it engages the larger canon, the psalms draw our attention to God. Reviewing select psalms, we will consider how human words become God’s words for humans, and the varied and creative ways psalms can be utilized in the church’s life and worship, and one’s private devotional life. An interactive class engaging students through lectures, art, music, small discussion groups, readings, and assignments.