Tag Archive for: devotions

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and it’s a day many people ponder reasons to be grateful. But how do you give thanks when life hurts?

Moreover, Philippians 4:4 tells us to “Rejoice in the Lord always.” It’s one thing to rejoice in the things we’re glad the Lord has done. But how do we take rejoicing to the next level—rejoicing in the midst of suffering?

This is important for several reasons.

  1. Philippians 4:4 tells us to rejoice always.
  2. Being grateful stops the grumbling and complaining that the Bible warns us against (Philippians 2:14).
  3. The very act of rejoicing plants joy in us.
  4. Being grateful reminds us of God’s past good care and that brings peace over knowing his good care will continue.

For example, in January, my husband Clay was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. We immediately began praying Philippians 4:4-7 together daily—sometimes twice a day.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:4–7

We’d recite “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” Then we’d take turns rejoicing in the Lord before continuing to recite and pray the rest of the passage. Being grateful before presenting our requests calmed our hearts. While we no longer pray this passage together daily, we each continue to pray it when disappointment derails our peace.

But what can we rejoice in when confronting dreaded news?

Here are four reasons to be grateful no matter what season of life you’re experiencing.

1) Be Grateful for Answered Prayers

Glorify the Lord with me;
        let us exalt his name together.
I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
        he delivered me from all my fears.

Psalm 34:3-4

The book of Psalms has many thanksgiving songs that praise God for answered prayers, giving us examples to follow. Additionally, Jesus showed that he expects God’s people to praise God for answered prayers (Luke 17:17-18). Indeed, we can rejoice spontaneously as we see prayers answered. We can also rejoice deliberately by writing down our requests so we can later review them to mark those that God has answered and give thanks.

Indeed, just this morning I turned to where I’d written my prayer request, “Let insurance authorize liver radiation,” and wrote in the column next to it, “Yes! We got the approval on 10/31.”

2) Be Grateful for God’s Daily Provision

Sing to the Lord with grateful praise;
        make music to our God on the harp.
He covers the sky with clouds;
        he supplies the earth with rain
        and makes grass grow on the hills.
He provides food for the cattle
        and for the young ravens when they call.

Psalm 147:7-9

We can rejoice in every need that God meets: paychecks, gifts, meals, clothing, housing, and healing. We can rejoice in every delight: family, friends, bird songs, sunsets, flowers, and rain. We can rejoice that God gives us everything we have, including our strength, intelligence, and knowledge. We can start a habit of rejoicing in the Lord for every blessing the moment it arrives.

When the weather permits, I walk after lunch and pray. I rejoice in the weather that permits walking, in the blue flowers tumbling from a neighbor’s tree, and in the Anna’s hummingbirds flitting among its branches.

3) Be Grateful for Faith Purifiers

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

1 Peter 1:6-7

Sometimes God answers our prayers “No.” Sometimes we go through heartbreaking loss. But even in those times, we can rejoice because we know God is good and he will work good out of our current difficulties (Romans 8:28). When we face trials, we can rejoice that they prove our faith genuine, they purify our faith and motives, and they will bring us praise, glory, and honor when we go before Jesus at the end of times.

When we face difficulty, we can rejoice that God is building our character. When embarrassed, we can thank God for developing in us humility. In weakness, we can rejoice that God will either strengthen us or be our strength. Character lasts forever; difficulties do not.

Discovering Joy in Philippians

4) Be Grateful for God’s Eternal Promises

Praise the Lord, my soul;
        all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, my soul,
        and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins
        and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
        and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
        so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Psalm 103:1-5

This psalm reminds us, “Forget not all his benefits.” Forgetting God’s benefits makes us impatient, unfruitful, faithless, and fearful. It discourages. And forgetting makes us grumble and argue, like the Israelites in the desert.

Instead, we can remember and rejoice in God’s benefits, including his eternal promises. We can rejoice in his promise to forgive (1 John 1:9). When we recover from illness, we can give thanks for health and for our future imperishable body (1 Corinthians 15:42). Redemption is something for which we can always be grateful: he’s adopted us as his own and he promises eternal life. We can rejoice that he crowns us with love and compassion, and that he satisfies our desires with good things. We can give thanks that he will reward us for our faithful service.

In all circumstances, we can rejoice that one day God will resurrect our bodies and take us to a new heaven and earth (Revelation 21:1). We will reign with him in his kingdom. And there will be no more mourning, crying, or pain (21:4). This life of hardship ends, but the next life of glory is eternal.

Next Step

Get started today by giving thanks for something in each of these categories. Download this handy prayer guide to remind you of four great reasons to be grateful: Reasons to Be Grateful Prayer Guide.

This article was adapted from Discovering Joy in Philippians. This is an affiliate link for which I receive a commission at no cost to you.

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“This is almost certainly metastasized cancer,” our GP told my husband Clay. “We’re not talking cure here. We’re talking quality of life and length of life.” The words sliced like a knife through my chest.

A week later, an oncologist confirmed stage 4 cancer.

We responded the way we’ve learned through the years: first, by praying, giving thanks out loud to God, and asking God for help; and second, by each creating a Truth Journal.

What a Truth Journal Is

What we call a Truth Journal consists of four things: truths, remembrances, Scriptures, and prayers. Clay keeps his in a Word document and has a separate page for each. He changes the font color of anything related to eternity to purple, the color of royalty. Whenever he updates it, he prints a new copy.

I have a tab in the back of my daily planner labeled “TRUTHS.” This section has pages with these titles:

  • TRUTHS
  • REMEMBRANCES
  • SCRIPTURE
  • PRAYERS

The titles are in green ink because in my Bible, I underline God’s blessings in green. I placed a gold flower sticker next to the titles because gold reminds me that Jesus is King and sovereign, and flowers remind me of Jesus’s words, “unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24).

When we wake up sad or hear something that shakes us, we get out our truth journals and read through them. Sometimes item 3 will be just what we need. Other times it’s item 12. It’s important to regularly add to the journal and to keep it handy.

Previously I wrote about using a Truth Journal to combat doubts (“Does God love me?”) and false beliefs (“God let _____ happen so he must not care about me”). I’ll provide a link to that at the end of this post. Here, I’ll explain how to use a Truth Journal to find hope in time of crisis, such as a health crisis or loss of a loved one.

Let’s begin by looking at the four parts of a Truth Journal.

Truth Journal Section 1: Truths

These are personalized statements based on Scripture. When I previously wrote about Truth Journals, I suggested co-mingling truth statements and Scriptures. But Clay’s Scripture list was long and he ended up adding page breaks before and after it. After I made a mistake copying a longer passage, I decided to redo my Truths page and attach his list onto a separate Scripture page.

Truths page in Truth Journal
Truths page in Truth Journal

In my Bible I underline what we should do in blue, so I list truth statements in blue to remind me I must act on these truths.

Here’s a sample of what’s in our lists.

Clay’s List

  • The Lord is all-powerful, and He loves us.
  • Unless we die suddenly, everyone is going to have to go through this (“but such as is common to man,” 1 Corinthians 10:13).
  • We know that the Lord intends for us to suffer and that He expects us to handle it well.
  • Hardship is necessary for our spiritual growth and is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory.
  • The Lord is helping us not love this present world.
  • We don’t know the future—I could be healed—maybe forever—who knows what drugs will come up?
  • The Lord has brought us medical professionals to help us.
  • The Lord will take care of both of us no matter what.
  • The Lord will provide for Jean E., no matter what.
  • He is disciplining us not to look to the wind but to look at Jesus.
  • This is an opportunity for us to glorify the Lord.
  • No matter what happens, we will enjoy each other for eternity.

Jean’s List

Most of Clay’s are also in mine. Here are a few extras.

  • Everyone has to face suffering, death, and dying. Jesus shows us how to face it.
  • God has always worked good from the hard things that have happened. He won’t stop now.
  • The Lord worked great good out of Clay’s first bout with bone cancer.
  • We know people who have survived metastasized cancer for years.

As we realize more truths, we add to our lists.

Truth Journal Section 2: Remembrances

In my February newsletter, I wrote about how last summer, I was praying while walking when I saw a strange sight: a crow with white feathers in his wings. I snapped a few photos of him hopping among pine branches and headed home to get Clay. The pics were too fuzzy to see the white feathers, and the bird was gone by the time we got down to where I’d seen it. Clay teased that I must be making it up. (He didn’t mean it.)

With Wingtip, God answered prayer better than I asked

The next day as I headed out for my walk, I asked God to show me the crow again so I could call Clay and have him join me. But I didn’t see him during the one-mile walk. I came in through the back door and was telling Clay how I’d prayed to see the crow so he could see it, when I glanced out the window. There the bird was, perched on our fence! He stayed long enough for us to get good photos, then flew into the grapevine, giving us a chance to record him flying. When he flies, his white wingtips sparkle. I named him Wingtip.

What an amazing answer that was better than what I asked for! Instead of me finding Wingtip and calling Clay to quickly come see, God brought Wingtip to Clay.

Scripture tells us it’s essential to remember answered prayers like this.

So I have a section called REMEMBRANCES in which I’ve written these two verses:

I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands.

Psalm 143:5

My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge.

Psalm 71:15

I have a two-column list of blessings God’s given us and prayers he’s answered in providential ways. I listed as many wonderful things God has done for us as I can remember as well as the ways God brought good out of past sufferings. That raises my confidence that God will work similarly in this circumstance. While I list just a word or phrase that reminds me of what God has done, Clay writes mostly sentences and uses one column. He entitles his Remembrances section “Remember how God has done amazing things for us—Thank You, Father!

For both of us, “Wingtip” resides near the top of our remembrances. It assures us that even though God has said no to some of our prayers about Clay recently, he has good reason for it. He will give an answer that I expect to be better than what I asked for.

Truth Journal Section 3: Scripture

Both of us started writing beneficial Scriptures when we were young Christians in high school. This habit has greatly helped our spiritual growth. Prior to this week, I mingled verses with truth statements. But as I mentioned, I messed up a verse I was copying and decided to print Clay’s list and attach it to a separate page in my journal with washi tape (tape that can be lifted and reapplied). In an upcoming blog, I plan to list these comforting verses.

Our Scripture lists go on for pages. Here are a few favorites for finding hope in crises.

Favorite Verses for Truth Journals

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

John 16:33

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Romans 5:3–5

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:16–18

The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Revelation 3:21-22

A Note on Conquering

Clay emphasizes the word conquer (Greek nike) in the Revelation passages because it’s what we need to do when we suffer. Nike in other versions is also translated “overcome” or “victorious” and is where Nike tennis shoes gets its name. We need to keep the faith by honoring God through every hardship, disease, persecution, and even to our own deaths. When we do that, we conquer and we will inherit the kingdom.  

Truth Journal Section 4: Prayers

The first time Clay had cancer 19 years ago, I made the mistake of praying over every possible future I could think of. I thought praying over each to the point of peace would fill me with lasting peace. But it didn’t. Instead, I’d pray to the point of peace about one possible future only to have another possibility disrupt my peace.

My prayer section is labeled “PRAYERS” and begins with Philippians 4:4-7 broken into lines that I can pray. We’ve both memorized it so we can pray it aloud often. One of us will recite part of the verse and then both of us will pray according to what it says.

Philippians 4:4–7

Prayers page in Truth Journal

Here’s an example of how we might pray, with the Scripture in bold and our prayers in italics:

  • Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
    • Lord, we rejoice that this is the path you’ve set before us. We rejoice that the brain MRI showed no cancer. We rejoice in how you sent Wingtip to encourage us in how you answer prayers in better ways than we even ask. We rejoice [here we go through as many things from the Remembrances section as we can remember].
  • Let your forbearance be known to all.
    • Father, help us to forbear in this situation and to show others the forbearance you give us.
  • The Lord is at hand.
    • Lord Jesus, thank you that you are at hand, that you are right here with us now.
  • Do not be anxious about anything.
    • Father, forgive me for being anxious about the results taking so long. Help me not to be anxious, for you have this in your hand.
  • But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
    • Lord, help the lab to correctly identify the molecular profile, and let it be one that is more easily treatable.
  • And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 71

Psalm 71’s theme is continual hope and it’s my favorite prayer for building hope. I plan to add a prayer based on Psalm 71 once we have the oncologist’s prognosis.

Prayer Requests and Answers

We both have a spot for prayer requests and answers. Clay entitles his “Recent Opportunities to Trust God.” I have mine on a separate page with two columns labeled “Prayer Requests” and “Answers.”

Conclusion

If you’re going through a crisis, try creating a Truth Journal and reading it often. Arrange it any way that works best for you, just as Clay and I have. It’ll calm fears and help you face crises with hope.

Downloadable Truth Journal

The Joy Super Bonus Bundle has a downloadable Truth journal that you can print.

Related Posts

  •  Fight Fear with Truth: This explains how to create a Truth Journal for combatting doubts and false beliefs.

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Has your Bible reading plan got you yawning? Or do you lack a plan altogether? Here are ways to revitalize your Bible reading plan, whether you’re new to the Bible or have been reading it for decades. After all, Psalm 1 promises blessings on those who meditate on God’s words day and night. So start seeking those blessings with a new Bible reading plan.

Have You Never Read the New Testament All the Way Through?

If you’ve tried reading the New Testament books in order but got bogged down, here’s a method that starts with mostly short books so you build momentum. As you finish each book, mark it finished on the contents page.

  1. Gospel of John: Jesus’s good news of salvation
  2. Galatians through Philemon: Paul’s short letters explain how to live as Christians
  3. Gospel of Mark: Jesus’s good news from Peter’s assistant
  4. James through Jude: Other church leaders explain how to live as Christians
  5. Gospel of Luke: Jesus’s good news from a Gentile perspective
  6. Acts: The spread of Christianity from a Gentile perspective
  7. I, II Corinthians: Paul’s long letters to a Gentile church on how to live as Christians
  8. Gospel of Matthew: Jesus’s good news from a Jewish perspective
  9. Romans: Paul’s long letter on how Jewish and Gentile Christians should do community together
  10. Hebrews: Encouragement to Jewish Christians on perseverance through hardship
  11. Revelation: John’s prophetic message of exhortation and expectation

I recommend a Life Application Study Bible so you can look up anything you don’t understand. You can also download four reading plans including this one called Reading the New Testament for the First Time.

Have You Never Read the Old Testament?

Reading the Old Testament from start to finish at least once works well because it’s grouped by type of book.

  1. The Five Books of Moses: Creation through the journey to the Promised Land
  2. The Histories: These are mostly chronological, though Esther is concurrent with Ezra 4
  3. The Poetic Books (or Books of Wisdom): These examine life from differing perspectives
  4. The Prophetic Books: 5 Major Prophets and 12 Minor Prophets (major means “long” and minor means “short”) that overlap the histories

You can download my Reading the Old Testament the First Time, which intersperses poetry with other readings. Again, I recommend a Life Application Study Bible so you can look up anything you don’t understand.

Have You Read the Bible So Often the Same Way Your Eyes Glaze Over?

Bible legend for Bible reading plan

One person told me he reads the Bible through every year, and now it feels like he’s no longer taking it in. If you’re reading the same books in the same order every year, it’s time to shake things up. Here are some ways to do it.

Slow Down

Make your goal quality over quantity. Forget reading through the Bible in a year. Instead, take the time to dive into the material, look up cross-references, and use the index for further study. Create charts. Use colored pens or highlighters to mark anything you want to trace in Scripture. Use a blank page in the back of your Bible as a legend for themes you’re tracing (see the sample of one of mine). If you’re artistic, illustrate verses in a wide-margin Bible.

Switch to a New Translation

I switch the translation I use for my main reading every few years. The subtle differences catch my attention.

Change Your Reading Order

You can pray over what book to read next each time you finish one. Or try reading books chronologically. You can get a chronological Bible, although reading one can feel choppy. What I like better is to read books in the same time period. Either use a study Bible’s notes to figure out historical order or download my “Reading the Bible by Time Period.”

When you’ve read the Old Testament once from start to finish and once chronologically, try matching Old and New Testament books with similar themes, marking them on the contents page as you finish. Here are some examples:

  • Leviticus and Hebrews on the sacrificial system
  • Deuteronomy, Romans, Galatians, and James on the Mosaic Law
  • Proverbs, Ruth, and Ephesians on family
  • Proverbs and James on wisdom
  • Job and 1, 2 Peter on suffering
Sample of Bible marked in Bible reading plan

Read a New Study Bible

If you’ve never read all the notes in a study Bible, now’s the time. Read books all the way through including their introductions and notes. Then mark them complete on the contents page. Once you finish the entire Bible, including essays and articles, find a new study Bible and do the same. Here are some good options:

  • Life Application Study Bible, Kenneth N. Taylor, gen. ed. Evangelical. Multiple translations available. A good first study Bible.
  • NIV Study Bible, Kenneth L. Barker, gen. ed. Evangelical. Offers multiple viewpoints.
  • NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible (formerly NIV Zondervan Study Bible), D.A. Carson, gen. ed. Evangelical, leans Reformed. Offers multiple viewpoints on some topics.
  • ESV Study Bible, Wayne Grudem, gen. ed. Reformed. An ECPA Book of the Year.

Read Study Guides and Commentaries

Pick a book of the Bible to study deeply, get a good study guide or commentary on it, and read it alongside your Bible. This will greatly enhance your Bible reading and make it more interesting. I’ve written five in-depth study guides that can help you.

Here are some great commentaries in different price ranges. Some you can get electronically through Kindle or Logos. While most are pricey, single volumes are less than it costs to take a family out to lunch.

Conclusion

So start reaping the blessings of meditating on God’s words by revitalizing your Bible reading plan today!

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When times are crazy, it helps to remember God’s faithfulness to fulfill his promises about Jesus’s first coming. That’s because it assures us he’ll fulfill his promises about Jesus’s second coming. Join me in a new online Bible study of Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament! Your faith will soar as you discover how the Old Testament unfolds God’s incredible plan. And your hope will rise as you grasp his promises for you when Jesus returns.

This 13-session study begins June 22. Subscribers can watch my weekly teaching videos for free. All you need is a copy of the Bible study book to follow along with the discussion and the subscriber password from my last newsletter. (Not subscribing yet? Get the password when you register).

online study Moses
Learn what Moses said about Jesus

Benefits

These are the benefits you can expect from this OT online Bible study:

  • Grow in faith as you see God’s eternal plan unfold.
  • Know God’s incredible, unchanging love for you.
  • Understand your place in the Bible’s big story.
  • Increase your joy as you learn and rejoice in the future awaiting you.

Here’s what one reader said of Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament:

Amazing and mind-blowing and helped us all grow in our faith and our relationship with God.

Reader DeAnn Dinelli

How This Online Bible Study Will Work

Starting Monday, June 22, I’ll post weekly videos and discussion questions so you can interact with me and others learning from the study. When the video is up, I’ll email a link to it to those who have registered.

Each week:

  • Watch the video.
  • Answer the online questions.
  • Complete a chapter in the study book.

That’s it!

FAQS

What if that’s not a good date?

No worries! Begin any time from June 22 on. I’ll check in regularly.

What if I can’t complete a chapter in a week?

Go at your own pace!

Is there a fee?

The videos are free to my newsletter subscribers—you just need your subscriber specials password.

How do I get the password?

Jesus in the OT

Newsletter subscribers: The password is in my latest newsletter. Not a subscriber? When you register, you’ll subscribe automatically and receive a confirmation email with the password.

Does the password unlock anything else?

Yes! There are timelines to go with the study and other materials here: Free Resources

How to Join This Online Bible Study

Here’s what to do:

  1. Register here: Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament Online
  2. Buy a copy of the book: Amazon

I’ll email registrants a link to the videos when I post them.

For bulk purchases and other buying options, go to the registration page: Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament Online. The Amazon link above is an affiliate link for which I receive a small commission.

More Details

online study prophets
Discover what the prophets said about Jesus

Your faith will grow as you journey in discovering all God has planned since before the foundation of the earth. You’ll see how God enfolded his plan, what Jesus fulfilled in his first coming, and what he has for you in his second coming.

You’ll never tire of studying Scripture with this fresh and engaging Bible study encounter. Through persuasive instruction and inspiring devotions, it reveals God’s redemptive plan from the beginning of creation. Explore…

  • timeline icons to help you track God’s plan through the Old Testament
  • key questions at the beginning of each section to guide your focus
  • opportunities for creative expression, including full-page graphics and bookmarks to color
  • sidebars that offer fascinating historical insights
  • practical application questions to guide and deepen your walk with Christ
  • online opportunities for connection and interactive community

As you discover new ways to engage with God’s Word through this in-depth approach to studying Scripture, you will gain wisdom and understanding about his incredible, unchanging love for you.

Join Now!

Register here: Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament Online

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This is an affiliate link for which I receive a small commission at no cost to you.

Psalm 51 Scripture art

I used Prismacolor Premier pencils first in this Psalm 51 Scripture art, and then added a silver metallic gel pen on “clean” and “God,” a green pen on “right spirit,” and a red pen around the outside of the heart.

Many people are asking what to use to color the gorgeous Scripture art that Karla Dornacher created for Discovering Hope in the Psalms. I’ve followed the advice of Karla and other artists on what to buy, and I like the results.

Karla recommends the Prismacolor Premier Soft-core Pencils 72-count. These run around $25 today. You can get as many as 150, or as few as 24. Prices change often, especially before Christmas. I started with 24 and mixed colors (the lavender in the Psalm 51 Scripture art is a mix of pink and blue). Later I bought a bigger set–no more mixing required. The light grays and multiple blues in the Psalm 23 Scripture art are from the new set and weren’t possible in the small set.

Karla offers a terrific free color chart here: www.karladornacher.com/free-colored-pencil-color-chart-and-coloring-tips. I started out keeping a color chart at the back of my book, but when I bought more pencils, I downloaded and used her chart. I love it.

The pencils require a pencil sharpener made for soft cores. A sharpener that holds the shavings and has two hole sizes runs about $5 (I could find only two packs when I wrote this). Many sellers bundle the pencils with an eraser and sharpener, but the bundles often aren’t a good deal. Plus, sometimes they combine Premier pencils with Scholar sharpeners, and vice-versa. (The Prismacolor Scholar pencils have a harder core.)

There’s also a nice Prismacolor 7-piece Accessory Kit. This includes a small sharpener, two erasers, a colorless blender, a solvent blender, an ebony pencil, and a pencil extender. It’s usually under $7. Note that color pencil marks can’t be fully erased, so use erasers to lighten marks. The colorless blender allows you to put down one or more colors lightly and then blend them so that the color goes into the little valleys in the paper. The solvent blender dissolves pencil marks so they look like watercolors (see the water on the Psalm 23 picture).

Psalm 23 Scripture art

I used a solvent blender on the water in this Psalm 23 Scripture art. Gel pens outline “Lord” and “my Shepherd.” Everything else is Prismacolor Premier pencils.

Coloring over the words in Scripture art washes them out, but you can use gel pens to trace the words and make them stand out again. You can see what I mean in the Psalm 23 picture, where I left most of the words muted so they looked like they were part of the water and grass. I bought 100 GelWriter gel pens at Costco before Christmas and like them. Many are metallic and glitter–see the Psalm 51 picture. They’re running $30-$40 on Amazon, but 140 Smart Color gel pens are $20 today. I haven’t tried them, but the reviews look good. Be sure to let the page dry when you use these.

Or you can go over the words with Pigma Micron pens. This set has 6 colors for $11. I use them in my Bible because they don’t bleed. Karla uses the black ones for outlining her illustrations.

For applying watercolors, water brush pens are easy to use. A set of 3 are about $9. The brushes work with watercolor pans, watercolor pencils, and inks. Use as little water as possible to keep the paper from warping.

For instructions and ideas, the book, Complete Guide to Bible Journaling, features Karla Dornacher and other Christian artists. It has lots of examples of Scripture art, art and words to trace, and stickers. Finally, the book’s website has lots of links to free tutorials: www.DiscoveringHopeInThePsalms.com/Extras.

So what are your favorite supplies for Scripture art? Comment below and share photos in the Facebook group, Discovering Hope in the Psalms.

In my last post, I offered seven free tools to help you understand the Old Testament. Here I’ll review Bibles, books, and study guides that help with that, too. Some are for those who are new to reading the Bible, and some are for seasoned Bible readers.

I end each review with an excerpt that shows how each explains Isaiah’s promise to King Ahaz to trust God to deliver him, and Ahaz’s refusal (Isaiah 7). That should let you know if the depth is what you’re looking for.

Bibles

If you’ve read the New Testament before and are ready to dive into the Old Testament, these two Bibles will help you understand it.

Review: NIV Zondervan Study Bible

Edited by D. A. Carson

Audience: Thoughtful Christians wanting historical, archaeological, and theological insights

Reading level: college

If you want a Bible with articles, charts, timelines, color photos, book introductions, and notes, this five-pound beauty is the way to go. This is the third edition of the NIV Study Bible that I own, and it’s the best of the three. It includes two dozen articles covering overarching topics such as “The Story of the Bible: How the Good News About Jesus Is Central” and “Prophets and Prophecy.” The introductions to each book are fabulous. (The link above is for leather, but there are less expensive options. I don’t recommend the Kindle version–I purchased that for version 2 and regret it. The pictures are too small and the hyperlinks overlap, making some unworkable.)

This Bible would overwhelm a new Christian. But for the thoughtful Christian wanting depth, this is the Bible to invest in. Here’s an excerpt from the Introduction to Isaiah (1308):

In ch. 7 Isaiah issues King Ahaz a challenge to trust Yahweh, not Assyria’s power. Ahaz refuses the challenge, and much of Judah’s history between that point (734 BC) and the destruction of Sennacherib’s army in 701 BC revolves around the results of Ahaz’s refusal. A burning question unites chs. 7-39: Will Israel trust Yahweh or the surrounding nations? Chs. 7-12 not only give the answer (no) but also give the answer’s implications.

Review: The One Year Chronological Bible NIV

Edited by Steve Benson

Audience: Anyone wanting to read the Old Testament and New Testament chronologically

Reading level: high school

Old Testament in chronological order

The One Year Chronological Bible: New International Version

I read the Bible in chronological chunks fairly often, so I made things easier by buying a chronological Bible. In the table of contents, I color coded the prophets so I could see at a glance how they relate (see figure). I seldom read from this Bible, but I use its table of contents to guide my reading in other Bibles. The editors provide short italicized segues when switching between texts, but not a lot of historical notes. Here’s the transition from histories (2 Kings and 2 Chronicles) to Isaiah 7 (799):

Isaiah encouraged King Ahaz to trust in the Lord when Rezin and Pekah marched against Jerusalem. Through these prophecies of Isaiah, the Lord also gave Ahaz a sign of coming salvation—the coming of the Messiah.

Books

Review: Kingdom of Priests: A History of Old Testament Israel

By Eugene H. Merrill

Audience: Thoughtful Christians wanting to understand Old Testament history

Reading level: graduate

This superb book is my number one recommendation for thoughtful Christians who have read and studied the entire Bible and aren’t put off by academic works. Merrill divides Old Testament history into 15 parts and examines each thoroughly, weaving in historical documents from surrounding nations and archaeological finds. He keeps the overarching purpose of God establishing a kingdom of priests clearly in mind. His analysis of the ministry of the prophets is illuminating.

This is an academic work that carefully examines dating problems and apparent contradictions. His goal for this second edition was “to take on the task of bringing the narrative up to date so that the message of the Old Testament as not only a theological but also a historical work can resonate more clearly and relevantly with a new generation of readers” (11).

The book contains numerous chronological tables and maps, as well as both Scripture and subject indexes. Here’s an excerpt (420):

Ahaz had paid a staggering price for survival not only in monetary terms but especially in the moral and spiritual compromises his bargaining had required. As the Chronicler notes, in the final analysis, Tiglath-pileser gave Ahaz trouble and not help (2 Chron. 28:21). Ahaz had had to loot the temple to pay the heavy protection fees that Tiglath demanded, and as an act of thanksgiving, Ahaz offered sacrifices to the gods of Assyria, whom he credited for his salvation. He also installed their shrines throughout the land. It is little wonder that Isaiah the prophet chastised Ahaz in the bitterest terms and predicted the day when Judah also would come to know the awful Assyrian scourge (Isa. 7:17).

Review: The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People

Selections from the New International Version

Audience: Churches desiring to teach the entire congregation the main story of the Bible and willing to use supplemental supporting material

Reading level: youth and adult versions are available

The Story divides selections of text from the NIV Bible into 31 chapters arranged mostly chronologically. Short italicized segues summarize skipped material and add a few historical notes. Simple timelines begin the book; some use increments of thousands of years, others decades. The back material includes discussion questions and a character list.

Zondervan intended for churches to use The Story as part of Sunday sermons, adult small group studies, youth studies, and children’s materials. They provide DVDs, curriculum to go with the DVDs, and other support materials, including a church resource library. I offer a companion study guide (see below).

The Story highlights a dozen or so kings and includes only five excerpts from Isaiah. It skips King Ahaz and Isaiah 7, so here’s the first transition between histories and Isaiah (224):

The greatest of the writing prophets, Isaiah, began his work in Jerusalem (capital of Judah, the southern kingdom) in 740 BC, shortly before King Uzziah died. Isaiah achieved prominence during Hezekiah’s reign, helping the king to stand-down the Assyrian threat by relying on God alone. Such a strategy must be founded on rock solid faith, and this kind of faith Isaiah clearly practiced and developed. His call to service came in a powerful vision—an apt start to a prophetic vocation that would span nearly 60 years.

Study Guides

The first of these is ideal for new Christians; the second is good for those who have read a bit of the Bible already and are willing to put in 31 weeks of daily study.

Review: Seamless: Understanding the Bible as One Complete Story

By Angie Smith

Audience: Women’s Bible study groups with a mix of new and mature Christians wanting to understand how the Old Testament and New Testament relate

Reading level: high school

The women at my church just finished going through Seamless: Understanding the Bible as One Complete Story, by Angie Smith. It’s terrific, funny, and touching. Those who had never read the Old Testament before felt it made sense of the Bible. Those who have read the Bible many times loved the clarifying way Smith laid out the stories. I had a brand new Christian in my group who had never gone to church until a few months ago, and she kept up fine.

Icons that represent major events adorn the footer and make the story easy to follow and review. The back cover folds out with the icons in order and linked by a thread. My group loved turning to the back cover to review the icons together. In the margins, Smith provides a dozen-word summary of every book of the Bible.

The women loved the book and videos, and they had tons of questions every week (which shows how engaging they found the material, but also shows the need to have someone around to answer questions). Some had trouble following the chronology of Week 4: The Kingdoms & the Prophets, so I recommend supplying a few timelines (feel free to use the ones I provide in 7 Free Tools for Understanding the Old Testament).

Covering the entire Bible in six chapters, Smith broadly summarizes Israel’s history. In this excerpt, she introduces some of the prophets, including Isaiah (104):

Several prophets preached in Judah before and during its destruction: Isaiah, Micah, Nahum, Jeremiah, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah. Isaiah and Micah overlapped our division of times. They lived and preached in Judah both during the Divided Kingdom—the same time as Hosea and Amos—and after the Northern Kingdom was destroyed. See how this all fits together?

Review: The Story Personal Journal and Discovery Guide

By Jean E. Jones

Audience: Thoughtful Christians with some Old Testament understanding who want an in-depth Bible study guide to accompany The Story

Reading level: high school; languages: English & Korean

Free Download here

Picture of 'The Story: Personal Journal & Discussion Guide'

The Story: Personal Journal & Discussion Guide

I wrote this companion to The Story for my church and later updated it for Zondervan’s church resource library. It explains historical details and has ten timelines to keep the events in perspective. Practical application questions apply the Bible’s message to the reader’s life. It’s written so that people can read a chapter in The Story, and then answer questions from their Bible. Headings summarize what’s happening, and there are plenty of footnotes with additional details for those who want them. You can get it free from my website (see the link above) or Zondervan’s church resource library.

This excerpt is on Isaiah approaching King Ahaz:

God sent the prophet Isaiah to encourage Ahaz king of Judah not to be afraid, for he wouldn’t let [the kings of Israel and Aram] overthrow him. He told Ahaz to ask for any sign as proof. But Ahaz refused and instead sought Assyria’s help. He voluntarily became a vassal to Assyria’s king, paid him a large tribute, and set up shrines to Assyria’s gods in Jerusalem.

Related Posts

6 Bibles, books & study guides to help you understand the Old Testament Click To Tweet

My church’s women’s Bible study just completed Angie Smith’s Seamless: Understanding the Bible as One Complete Story. It was perfect for small groups that have a mix of new believers and mature Christians (more on that next week). Several women told me they’d love to understand the Old Testament even better, especially where the prophetic books fit in with the histories. They also wanted to dive deeper into their understanding of the entire story of the Bible. So I’m offering a two-part series on tools to help you do just that.

Old Testament timeline of Daniel

Timeline: Daniel in Exile 620 to 530 BC

Here I offer

  • A link to a free downloadable Bible outline
  • A link to six timelines to help you understand the Old Testament
  • Tips on using those tools to read the Old Testament chronologically
  • A short explanation of how the Old Testament prophetic books fit with the books of history

Old Testament and New Testament Outline

The Bible’s books are arranged by genre. You need to know a book’s genre to understand what you’re reading. If your Bible’s table of contents doesn’t outline the books for you, go to my Free Resources page and click the link to Subscriber Specials. There you’ll find a downloadable  Bible outline you can use to add headings to your contents page.

Old Testament Outline

Bible Outline

As the Bible Outline shows, the Old Testament books of Joshua through Esther are histories. Reading the histories chronologically gives us a better understanding of what happened. The histories are listed chronologically with three exceptions:

  • Ruth takes place somewhere within Judges.
  • 1,2 Chronicles were written around the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, but they chronicle King David’s reign and the reigns of his descendants.
    • Chapters 1-9 are genealogies starting with Adam. Part of chapter 9 goes with Nehemiah 11.
    • The rest of 1,2 Chronicles goes with 1 Samuel 31 to the end of 2 Kings.
  • Esther goes with Ezra 4:6.

How to Read 1,2 Chronicles Chronologically

Saul, David, and Solomon reigned over all of Israel. After Solomon, the kingdom split into two kingdoms: Israel to the north and Judah to the south. David’s descendants ruled over the south. While 1,2 Kings summarizes the reigns of both kingdoms, 1,2 Chronicles summarizes only the reigns of David and his descendants. Therefore, to read Kings with Chronicles, use two bookmarks. When you finish reading about David, Solomon, and any king of Judah, hop over to Chronicles and read about the same king.

Timelines for Reading the Old Testament Prophets with the Histories

Timelines that show historical events and when the prophets ministered will help you understand what events the prophets were talking about. They’ll also help you coordinate reading the histories and prophetic books together.

How the Prophetic Books are Arranged

The books of the prophets are divided into two groups:

  • The Major Prophets ministered over decades so their books are longer (“major” means long)
  • The Minor Prophets ministered for shorter times so their books are shorter (“minor” means short).

How to Read the Prophetic Books with the Histories

NIV Old Testament timelines

NIV Timeline showing the prophets’ ministries (Zondervan)

To read the prophetic books with the histories, keep timelines at hand. My NIV Zondervan Study Bible has timelines that show key historical events, the kings’ reigns, and the ministries of the major prophets and half the minor prophets. I wrote five additional minor prophets’ names on the timeline approximately where they go (see figure).  Two prophetic books are missing from this timeline: Lamentations, which Jeremiah wrote so it belongs with Jeremiah’s ministry on the timeline, and Joel, whose date is unknown. If your Bible has timelines, use the figure to the right to fill in any missing prophets.

Free Timelines

I often create additional timelines that zoom in on time periods that have a lot of related material. Over on the Free Resources page, click the link for Subscriber Specials to find six timelines I created for The Story: Personal Journal and Discussion Guide  (the guide is there, too). The timelines show you at a glance where the main prophets fit within the histories.

  • 1 Kings Of Israel and Judah 930 to 850 BC
  • 2 The Beginning of the End 750 to 680 BC: The fall of Israel and the prophetic ministries of Amos, Hosea, and Isaiah
  • 3 The Kingdoms Fall 655 to 570 BC: The fall of Judah and the prophetic ministries of Jeremiah, Daniel, and Ezekiel
  • 4 Daniel in Exile 620 to 530 BC: Shows Daniel’s chapters chronologically
  • 5 The Return Home 540 to 470 BC: The return from Exile, Esther, and the prophetic ministries of Daniel, Haggai, and Zechariah
  • 6 Rebuilding the Walls 480 to 430 BC: Esther, rebuilding the walls under Ezra and Nehemiah, and the prophetic ministry of Malachi

Understanding How the Prophetic Books and Histories Relate

The key to understanding how most of the prophets and histories relate is this cycle:

  1. When Moses brought the Israelites to the Promised Land, he warned them that if they ever turned away from God and started committing the sins of the current inhabitants (such as sacrificing children to idols), God would drive them out of the land.
  2. Whenever the people went astray, God sent prophets to call them to repent and return to God lest God drive them out of the land.
  3. Eventually the people quit listening to the prophets, so the prophets’ message changed to one of impending judgment via exile followed by grace; the messages of grace talked about a new King who would one day rule righteously.

The northern kingdom of Israel quit listening to the prophets first, so God sent Assyria to deport them from the land. Later, the southern kingdom of Judah quit listening to the prophets and God sent Babylon to deport them. After 70 years, God allowed the people to return to the land, but they were ruled by foreign powers. There they awaited the new anointed King, the Messiah. The New Testament tells us about him: Jesus Christ.

Tips About the Major Prophets

NIV Zondervan Study Bible with Old Testament Notes

NIV Zondervan Study Bible (affiliate link to Amazon)

Here are a couple helpful points about the major prophets.

  • All the major prophets are from Judah (the southern kingdom)
  • Isaiah prophesied around the time of the fall of Israel (the northern kingdom); the rest prophesied around the time of the fall of Judah
  • Judah’s exile happened in three stages, resulting in 3 prophets speaking from diverse places
    • Daniel went to the Babylonian king’s palace in the first deportation; he served in government and showed God was in charge
    • Ezekiel went to Mesopotamia in the second deportation; ministered to exiles
    • Jeremiah stayed in Jerusalem until the third deportation and Jerusalem’s fall; he helped the people who ignored his warnings mourn
  • Only Ezekiel is chronological

Tips About the Minor Prophets

  • The Minor Prophets are clustered around 3 events:
    • The time leading up to and surrounding Israel’s exile: The first 6 books except Obadiah and perhaps Joel (Joel’s date is unknown)
    • The time leading up to Judah’s exile: Books 7-9 plus Obadiah
    • Between Judah’s restoration and the end of Ezra’s and Nehemiah’s reforms: The last 3 books
  • They tell us a lot about social injustice and what God thinks about the rich and powerful taking advantage of the weak
  • Want to know more? Here’s an article I wrote for Crosswalk: 6 Things Every Christian Should Know About the Minor Prophets

Next week I’ll review Bibles, books, and study guides that are helpful for understanding the Old Testament.

The key to understanding how the Old Testament prophetic books relate to the histories Click To Tweet

Free Bible outline and timelines Click To Tweet

How to read the Old Testament chronologically (not as hard as you think!) Click To Tweet

Embroider Scripture Psalm 30

Embroider Scripture: Psalm 30

Edited 9/12/23.

I like to embroider Scripture. It’s fun and doesn’t take a lot of talent. By the time I finish a piece, I’ve got the Scripture memorized and I’ve meditated a lot on its meaning. Then I can frame and hang it so that it becomes not just a daily reminder of the passage, but a conversation piece for guests.

Last year I finally finished a large needlework that had taken years to complete. I wanted to try some smaller, faster pieces. I sketched some ideas for Psalm 71:14. But that was right about when artist Karla Dornacher joined author Pam Farrel and me in creating the book, Discovering Hope in the Psalms. She created bookmarks that people could trace or cut out. I realized these would be perfect small projects!

I hoped to finish all of them before the book came out, but that didn’t happen. I’m working on the third bookmark now, so here I’ll explain how to embroider Scripture from two of the book’s eight bookmarks. I’ll also explain the symbolism I used. I hope this inspires you in your own creative endeavors, whether or not you choose to embroider Scripture.

How to Transfer Bookmarks to Fabric

The bookmarks I used are on page 223 of Discovering Hope in the Psalms. Mine differs a tiny bit because I used Karla’s early illustrations, before she created the page with four bookmarks.

If you have an all-in-one printer that can scan and copy, the easiest way to transfer the bookmarks is to scan and print or copy the page on printable fabric. I scanned and printed the bookmarks on EQ Printables Inkjet Cotton Lawn Fabric Sheets that I loaded into my HP Inkjet.

If you don’t have access to an all-in-one printer, big box office stores can print on fabric. Or you can go low-tech and trace the bookmarks onto your fabric with a sharp, pale fabric pencil.

Optional: Add a Colored Background to the Fabric

I used Adobe Photoshop to add a semi-transparent gradient background to each bookmark before I printed.

How to Prepare Fabric to Embroider Scripture

If you’re using printable fabric, follow the instructions that come with it for removing excess ink. When it’s dry, sew 4” strips of scrap fabric to all sides, enlarging the 8.5” x 11” original to 16.5” x 19” so it can fit into a 13” diameter embroidery hoop.

Supplies

Embroider Scripture

Bookmarks printed on fabric

  • Prepared fabric (see above)
  • Embroidery hoop at least 13″ across
  • Embroidery needles
  • Needle threader
  • Embroidery scissors
  • Magnifying lamp (I use the Carson DeskBrite)
  • Embroidery thread of your choosing

How to Embroider Scripture: Psalm 30:11-12

I love Psalm 30. The first stanza always reminds me of how God delivered and saved me: “You restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.” So the butterfly Karla put on the bookmark is perfect because a butterfly symbolizes being born again. I changed the bunting around “into” and “me with” to a vine to represent Jesus is the vine and we are the branches (John 15:4).

Paul used a seed “dying” in the ground before springing to new life as a metaphor for our earthly bodies dying before Christ raises us in new, resurrected bodies (1 Corinthians 15:35-44). In my mind, then, the flower stands for the resurrection. The last line of Psalm 30 is “I will give thanks to you forever,” which speaks to me of the resurrection. I changed the scallops at the top and bottom into tiny flowers to represent friends and family who will resurrect as well.

Light orange is my main color because it’s such a happy color, making it perfect for a verse about dancing and gladness. The pale blue background complements the orange. The butterfly and flower seemed a perfect way to practice needle painting. I had to adjust the shape of the flower a bit and left off some internal lines.

Downloads and Links

The Discovering Hope in the Psalms Super Bonus Bundle has more detailed instructions, including the DNC thread colors and stitches I used. For more on needle painting (including more on preparing and protecting fabric), see Needle Painting Embroidery by Trish Burr. For more on selecting color schemes, see Colour Confidence in Embroidery by the same author.

How to Embroider Scripture: Psalm 73:26

Embroider Scripture Psalm 73

Embroider Scripture: Psalm 73:26

The choirmaster Asaph wrote Psalm 73 about how God kept his feet from slipping when envy of the wicked nearly destroyed his faith. The white and gray flowers represent how we see some truths clearly and others dimly until heaven.

“GOD” is white to represent that he is light. I used a padded stitch to look like light radiating. The white didn’t stand out enough from the background so I added a scarlet border to represent the blood of Jesus, the means to bringing us to God.

“STRENGTH” is steel gray to represent the strength of steel, but it’s on a soft, padded background to represent God’s tenderness. He strongly but tenderly binds our broken hearts.

The word “heart” is scarlet, the color of a human heart physically. “Forever” is silver to give the feel of stars sparkling, which reminds me of eternity.

“Portion” is interesting. The first layer is white to represent being filled with the Holy Spirit. I added scarlet lines and dots to represent being filled in another way, through the blood of Jesus. It turned out messy looking and I considered pulling it out, but I decided the Cross was messy. So I left it to remind me of the great pains God took to bring us to him.

The leaves are variegated green because gray would have blended them in with the flowers too much and black would have distracted from the words. It’s purely utilitarian, though I suppose green could represent new life!

I used whitework techniques here. Whitework is typically done on a solid white background, but I didn’t choose the technique until after I’d printed the fabric. I couldn’t keep the Scripture reference where it was and so far don’t see a good place to add it. I’ll probably put it on the ribbon backing I’ll add later.

Downloads and Links

The Discovering Hope in the Psalms Super Bonus Bundle has more detailed instructions, including the DNC thread colors and stitches I used. For more on whitework, see Whitework with Colour by Trish Burr.

How to Embroider Scripture Symbolically Click To Tweet

Psalm 1 tells us the blessed person will meditate on God’s instructions, not simply hear or read them: “Blessed is the man … who meditates on his law day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2). “Meditate” means to think deeply and carefully about something. But sometimes we don’t know how to do that. Here are six simple and fun ways to meditate on God’s words.

How to Meditate on God’s Words

Here are the general steps I use to meditate on God’s words. These aren’t hard-and-fast steps so much as habits I’ve found useful over the years. If you’re new to any of these, try one or two ways for a few weeks until you’re comfortable with them, then add another.

Meditate & record Psalm 1

Figure 1: Record the results of meditation with symbols, notes and quick sketches

1.      Pray for Guidance

I pray for the Holy Spirit to guide me and show me anything God wants to particularly speak to me about. Prayer reminds me reading God’s words is a conversation, and that sets the tone for meditation.

2.      Meditate While Reading the Passage

I read through the passage looking for what God is saying. I think about how the passage relates to me and others today. If there are instructions, I ask myself if I’m following them and how I could implement them. I ask God about anything I don’t understand.

3.      Meditate While Reading Notes

If you have a Bible with study notes, you can read the notes next. I highly recommend Bibles with study notes—they explain ancient customs and help you understand context, which enhances meditation on God’s words.

Currently, I’m reading through the NIV Zondervan Study Bible so after I read a passage, I read the notes on it and look up some of the cross-references.

For the Psalms, I put a flower next to the psalm’s header to let me know I’ve read the study notes. I add a second flower to let me know I read my favorite Psalms commentary on it, too. When I’ve finished all the notes in a book of the Bible, I put a flower next to the book’s name in the table of contents.

4.      Record what You Learned from Meditating in Your Bible

Meditate and record

Figure 2: underline similar and contrasting ideas using color

Draw and write the results of your meditation right into your Bible. My Bible’s pages are very thin, so I use the Pigma Micron Bible Study Kit, which is six colored pens that don’t bleed through Bible pages.

I draw symbols next to the text to represent main ideas (for example, a green cross to represent Old Testament passages that relate to Jesus–see Figure 1). Some of the scribbles make sense to only me, but that’s okay: I’m not doing it for other people, just God and me. I know what they mean and they remind me of themes quickly. I created a legend at the back of my Bible to keep track of the symbols. In previous Bibles, I’ve used fewer symbols. This Bible’s notes trace major biblical themes so I’m using more symbols to track these. It’s a good idea to start simple and build, using just symbols meaningful to you.

I look for repeated ideas and either underline them in the same color or put a small symbol next to every instance so I see the connections (see Figure 2).

I might squeeze in a few notes anywhere I can find space, such as the top margin or next to a heading (the prose sections of this Bible—such as the historical books and the letters—have tiny margins). The books of poetry (such as Psalms and Proverbs) have a little more margin so I might illustrate key concepts in more detail (see Figure 1).

Meditate in prayer

Figure 3: Meditative prayer on Psalm 1

5.      Meditate Prayerfully

I often finish up with meditative prayer about what I’ve read. The passage is God’s words to me, so I respond by talking to him about what he said. The book, Discovering Hope in the Psalms (that I co-authored with Pam Farrel and Karla Dornacher) teaches how to do this. Here are the basic steps:

  1. Praise God for something I see of his character in the passage
  2. Confess anything that convicts me in the passage
  3. Ask for help to do something the passage calls me to do
  4. Thank God for something in the passage

6.      Meditate Creatively

After I meditate using my Bible, I decide if I want to do anything further to work the verses into my life. Here are some things I might do to continue meditating on a passage after I’ve closed my Bible.

Torah Psalm by Jean E. Jones

Figure 4: A personal psalm based on Psalm 1

  1. Plan to do something the passage says to do
  2. Write a particularly encouraging verse in a journal, usually with thoughts and illustrations
  3. Write out a passage so I can memorize it
  4. Dictate the passage into my smart phone so I can memorize it
  5. Write a psalm or poem based on the passage (see Figure 4)
  6. Creatively interact with the passage in other ways

Creatively exploring a passage is another form of meditation. It helps us remember a passage better. Many creative expressions are also ways to proclaim a message, either on social media or in our homes where they might spark conversation. Our book, Discovering Hope in the Psalms, has lots of creative ideas, including Karla Dornacher illustrations which can be colored (see Figure 5).

I also like putting verses into cross stitch and embroidery—these are fun ways to memorize Scripture and I end up with something pretty that keeps the verse before me for years while also becoming a conversation piece. Recently, I purchased a Crossway Journaling ESV Bible to hold more detailed illustrations, and I’ve started sketching ideas for that. This will be a way to meditate in a different Bible.

Meditate through art

Figure 5: Psalm 1 art from “Discovering Hope in the Psalms”

Resources

Here are Amazon affiliate links to products and ideas I referred to or used:

And of course, the new book I co-authored with Pam Farrel and Karla Dornacher:

One day while I was meditating on the message of Psalm 1 that those who follow God’s instructions will be blessed in ways that those who don’t miss out on, I started thinking about my own life and the lives of those I knew. I’d seen couples who made forgiving an essential part of marriage grow closer, while those who held grudges divorced. Friends committed to honesty matured spiritually, while those who hid sins behind lies stagnated. Teens who chose godly friends avoided trouble, but those who hung out with the wrong crowd went astray.

One thing in particular stood out: God had delivered me from the tongue of a slanderer, even though some believed her lies. I thought of the hurts, broken relationships, and lost ministry left in her wake.

Then I thought of other women who embraced truth and kindness. Everyone wanted to be their friends, including me. I felt uplifted when I talked to them, and I knew I could trust their every word because they were so cautious to speak truth. I wanted to emulate them.

I decided to write a psalm about what God says about this, using Psalm 1 as a guide. Psalm 1 is a Torah psalm, which is a psalm that proclaims the goodness of God’s instructions (Torah means “law” or “instructions”). It’s a type of wisdom psalm, which is a psalm that explains how to become wise. Here’s what I wrote:

A Wisdom Psalm by Jean E. Jones

Torah Psalm by Jean E. Jones

A Psalm of Jean E. Jones

5 Reasons to Write a Wisdom Psalm

After writing this psalm, I realized more clearly why the psalmists wrote wisdom psalms, and in particular Torah psalms. These psalms

  1. proclaim the wisdom of God’s commands;
  2. teach others how following God’s instructions brings blessing;
  3. encourage meditation on why God’s instructions make sense;
  4. glorify God by proclaiming his goodness for making known how we should live; and
  5. are an act of worship.

When I wrote the first draft of Discovering Hope in the Psalms, I included instructions for optionally writing a wisdom psalm. The women who timed the lessons for me all wrote one, which I’m including below. One of the women, Jean Strand, printed her psalm in a lovely script and framed it. Hanging it on the wall made it something to talk about with guests. She brought it to our summer Bible study last year and everyone asked for copies! They also pleaded for instructions so they could write their own wisdom psalms; I said they’d be in the book.

But as we were finishing up the book, Harvest House (my publisher) asked me to cut ten pages so they could keep the price point down. I decided to move the instructions from the book to here. I’ll provide a link to those instructions in a moment. (Update 9/12/2023: The instructions are now in the Bonus Bundles and Super Bonus Bundles for both Discovering Hope in the Psalms and Discovering Wisdom in Proverbs.)

But first, here are the wisdom psalms my friends wrote. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

A Wisdom Psalm by Jean Strand

Torah Psalm by Jean Strand

A Psalm of Jean Strand

A Wisdom Psalm by Angie Wright

Torah Psalm by Angie Wright

A Psalm of Angie Wright

A Wisdom Psalm by Virginia Thompson

Torah Psalm by Virginia Thompson

A Psalm of Virginia Thompson

***

So which of God’s commands amazes you as to how following it brings blessing? Download and print the instructions for How to Write a Wisdom Psalm and create your own this week! You can post them here or in the Facebook group, Discovering Hope in the Psalms. Enjoy!

5 Reasons to Write a Wisdom Psalm (and How to Do It!) Click To Tweet

See 4 modern-day wisdom psalms! Click To Tweet

One of the delights of deciding to write a book on the Psalms is the excuse to read many books on them. Here are the six best books on Psalms I’ve found, ordered from broadest appeal to narrowest. They’ll enhance your prayer life and deepen your understanding of these prayer songs.

By the way, the Bible study guide I wrote with Pam Farrel and Karla Dornacher, Discovering Hope in the Psalms, is due out August 2017. It will walk you through praying with and understanding psalms as you discover eight hopes in the psalms for you.

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Best Books on Psalms #1

A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society

By Eugene H. Peterson

Audience: Christians wanting to draw closer to God

This superb book is by the translator of The Message. It contains sixteen inspirational chapters on the Songs of Ascent (Psalms 120–134). The Jews sang these songs as they made their way to worship God at the temple in Jerusalem, and so Peterson presents them as “’songs for the road’ for those who travel the way of faith Christ.” This is a book to read over and over. If you can read only one book on the Psalms, this is the one.

Quotation

I knew that following Jesus could never develop into a “long obedience” without a deepening life of prayer and that the Psalms had always been the primary means by which Christians learned to pray everything they lived, and live everything they prayed over the long haul.

Pros

Easy to read and understand. Delightful writing style. Folds many Christian disciplines into praying psalms.

Cons

If you don’t own it already, you should.

Best Books on Psalms #2

Psalms as Torah: Reading Biblical Song Ethically

By Gordon J. Wenham

Audience: Thoughtful Christians with good biblical background wanting to worship with psalms

This book transformed the way I prayed psalms. I already prayed laments (prayer request psalms) and praises, but Wenham’s insights into how praying a psalm becomes transformative deepened the way I approached these psalms and emboldened me to memorize psalms for prayer. It also showed me how to pray other types of psalms, such as wisdom and royal psalms. This book is rich and deeply layered, with chapters such as “The Unique Claims of Prayed Ethics” and “Virtues and Vices in the Psalter.” The chapter, “Appeals for Divine Intervention,” examines three of the harshest psalms: 35; 69; 109. This is an outstanding theological work on interpreting Psalms. I return to it often—it’s that good.

Quotation

If we praise a certain type of behavior in our prayers, we are telling God that this is how we intend to behave. On the other hand, if in prayer we denounce certain acts and pray for God to punish them, we are in effect inviting God to judge us if we do the same. This makes the ethics of liturgy uniquely powerful. It makes a stronger claim on the believer than either law, wisdom, or story, which are simply subject to passive reception: one can listen to a proverb or a story and then take it or leave it, but if you pray ethically, you commit yourself to a path of action.

Pros

Thoughtful, clear discussion of ethics in the psalms and how praying the psalms should transform our lives.

Cons

Requires a good biblical background, and that may deter some.

Best Books on Psalms #3

Interpreting the Psalms: An Exegetical Handbook

By Mark D. Futato

Audience: Christians who want to understand Hebrew poetry and who are comfortable with college reading level

This is a 200-page introduction to interpreting Psalms. It’s the first book I read on Hebrew poetry, and it answered questions I’d always had as well as questions I hadn’t known to ask. It spurred me on to read even more. The first chapter explains Hebrew poetry. The second examines the Psalter’s arrangement. The third touches on historical influences. The fourth discusses psalm categories. The fifth and sixth help the teacher develop an outline. While this book isn’t directly about praying the psalms, knowing how to interpret them enhances prayer. If you can’t afford Ross’s commentaries below, then get this.

Quotation

My objective is to acquaint you with the principle that parallelism is the art of saying something similar in both cola [line segments] but with a difference added in the second colon. Hebrew poets thus invite us to read slowly, looking for a difference in the second colon, be that difference small or great.

Pros

Excellent introduction to interpreting Psalms and understanding Hebrew poetry. Fast to read.

Cons

No transliteration of Hebrew (though English translations are supplied). The last two chapters are really too short to be useful.

Best Books on Psalms #4

A Commentary on the Psalms: Volume I (1-41)

Best Books on Psalms #5

A Commentary on the Psalms: Volume II (42-89)

Best Books on Psalms #6

A Commentary on the Psalms: Volume III (90-150)

By Allen P. Ross

Audience: Pastors and Bible teachers comfortable with graduate reading level

I own quite a few commentaries on Psalms, but this three-volume set far surpasses the rest. Volume I has an introduction to interpreting biblical poetry that equals or surpasses that of Futato above. Ross supplies a history of psalm interpretation (as do Wenham and Futato). He also details literary forms. Then comes the psalm-by-psalm commentary—this is where Ross shines. Each contains the author’s translation; composition and context notes; exegetical analysis (including summary and outline); the main commentary on the text; and message and application notes. This last section has preaching tips and is where Ross’s pastoral heart comes through clearly. There are extensive footnotes, including many Hebrew word studies on difficult words such as she’ol.

Volume I Quotation from introductory chapters

A type is a divinely prefigured illustration of a corresponding reality (called the antitype) it is a form of prophecy, the major difference with direct prophecy being that the passage can only be understood as prophetic once the fulfilling antitype has come into full view. This topic will be discussed in the notes on the royal psalms.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Ps. 22:1)

The words of the psalm hyperbolically describe the suffering of David but become historically true in Jesus.

Volume II Quotation from Psalm 51 message and application

We, like the psalmist, can and must have complete cleansing before we can fully and freely serve God in any capacity. Our eternal destiny may not be in doubt when we sin, and neither was David’s because he appealed to that covenant relationship, but our fellowship and service will be. God will not tolerate unconfessed sin, but will discipline for it.

Volume III Quotation from Psalm 137 commentary in expository form

All of this is to say that the communal prayer of Psalm 137 was a prayer in harmony with the prophetic oracle concerning the coming judgment on Babylon. They were actually praying for God to do what he said he was going to do, bring punishment on the Babylonians that was a just recompense for their barbaric activities.

Pros

Comprehensive. Many word studies (index in Volume III). Teaching and application tips. If you’re teaching or writing on the Psalms, this is the commentary set to get.

Cons

Typographical errors in verse references. No transliteration for Hebrew words, though English translations are always supplied.

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Best books on Psalms

Long Obedience in the Same Direction, by Eugene Peterson