Deovox, a resource from
Damaris, is an audio podcast/download produced by Managing Editor Richard Collins, ‘designed for anyone with a desire to draw closer to God through a study of the Bible’, which ‘aims to dig behind the text itself with commentary explaining the contemporary setting and meaning of what we read in a Bible passage’.
Richard has just started a series on the Psalms, which can be subscribed to (or downloaded)
here. The same page carries links to study guides.
The series focuses particularly on the expression of emotion in the Psalms, as Richard writes:
‘The psalms are poems that were sung in worship, and many of them are prayers also. They span a thousand years of Israel’s history. The writers experience joy, anger, frustration, fear and wonder. They then channel these emotions into verse about the character of God. Instead of dwelling on their own condition, they express themselves with joyous statements about God’s faithfulness, his creative power, his guidance and provision. Psalms give voice to emotion, but they’re not about emotions. They’re about God. And they contain some of the most beautiful writing in the entire Bible.’
The psalms to be included in this series are:
• Psalm 23 – the most famous, and among the most beautiful pieces of writing in the Bible… a song of trust that extols the faithfulness of God.
• Psalm 51 – associated with David’s adultery with Bathsheba – a penitential psalm with the heartrending language of remorse and contrition.
• Psalm 8 – a psalm of descriptive praise, Psalm 8’s focus is on human beings and God’s surprising decision to elevate us to rule over creation.
• Psalm 100 – a short hymn of praise to Almighty God. Joyful and exuberant.
• Psalm 83 – a psalm with imprecatory language. The psalmist calls on God to display his holiness by judging the wicked.
