Prayer book guides readers through difficult Psalms

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Usually thought of as comforting and uplifting, the Psalms can just as often be disconcerting to the present-day reader.

Perhaps you have been through difficult life experiences that put you in the shoes of the psalmists, or maybe those feelings of anger and abandonment are hard for you to imagine. In either event, a guide can be helpful as you read through the collection.

Fortunately, in “Lord, Hear My Prayer,” John Dobbs serves as a faithful Virgil, leading the reader in prayer through the Psalms and grappling with their most difficult themes while also keeping God’s faithfulness in view. Dobbs ministers for the Forsythe Church of Christ in Monroe, La.

The subtitle of Dobbs’ book is “Prayers and Prompts from the Psalms,” and that is exactly what the reader will find in 15 of its 16 chapters. Chapter 2 covers the first nine Psalms, with each page-length entry including a scriptural quotation, a prayer inspired by the text, and a question or statement to prompt further consideration from the reader.

The sections are short and accessible, making the work ideal for the person attempting the Psalms for the first time or for someone seeking comfort during a difficult season of life. The following chapters each tackle 10 Psalms (10-19, 20-29 and so on) down through Psalm 149. Psalm 119, the lengthiest chapter of the Bible, receives six entries of its own as a subsection of Chapter 13.

The epilogue, double the length of a typical entry, takes as its subject Psalm 150 and gives the reader opportunity to think back through the previous weeks or months of study and prayer.

Before getting into the daily readings, however, Dobbs takes great care to familiarize his audience with the Psalms as a whole through the inclusion of an introduction and a prefatory “Before We Begin” first chapter.

In the introduction, Dobbs confesses his own past discomfort with the Psalms, a sentiment familiar to this reviewer. “There was a time when I didn’t like the Psalms,” he begins. “I didn’t like them because I was trying to read them in a way they were never meant to be read.”

A more complete understanding of their literary qualities and aims helped break down those barriers, but it was not until Dobbs “experienced some difficult days, painful times, and moments of life that left me with tears and questions” that the walls fell and the beauty and wisdom of the collection became visible to him.

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Related: Panera and Psalms: Where do you find much-needed reflection?

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Dobbs alerts the reader to some of the stumbling blocks they may encounter: the repetition of themes and emotions, the ways in which other biblical texts reach back into the Psalter for words and ideas, and the relations (sometimes direct, sometimes less so) between the individual reader and the perspective of the psalmist.

And he shares advice on how to view those potential difficulties as opportunities for further growth in biblical knowledge.

Best suited for use in private contemplation by the individual reader, “Lord, Hear My Prayer” will also bless those who read and pray through it during family devotional times and small group studies.

JOHN YOUNG is an associate professor in the Turner School of Theology at Amridge University.

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Filed under: Bible Study book review devotional Features Guided reading Prayer Psalms Reviews Top Stories