Dear Friends and Members of Shepherd of the Hills,

I invite you to study the Psalms with me this season of Epiphany.  I’m excited to dive into the Psalm readings appointed for this season.  Luther says this about the Psalms:

“The Psalter should be precious to us if only because it most clearly promises the death and resurrection of Christ, and describes his kingdom, and the nature and standing of all Christian people. It could well be entitled a “Little Bible” since everything contained in the entire Bible is beautifully and briefly comprehended, and compacted into…a Manual. It seems to me as if the Holy Ghost had been please to take on himself the trouble of putting together a short Bible…touching the whole of Christianity…in order that they who are unable to read the whole Bible may nevertheless find almost the whole sum comprehended in one little book…the Psalter is the very paragon of books.”

Additionally, the Psalms are beautiful because they are simultaneously God’s Word to us and our words back to God.  They encompass the fullness of being human and our human experiences.  In the Psalms we see the poets, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, speak to those in sickness and health, those with families and those single, the poor and the rich, the spiritually secure and those in doubt, those who are new to the faith and those who are mature, those young and old.  

Study the Psalms with me.  Our Christian faith we share is expressed in all its fullness in these beautiful words.  All the emotions we feel are part of our Christian faith.  Come see how God’s Word speaks at all times and all seasons.  

This week at Bible Study we will dive into Psalm 62.  “For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence for my hope is from him (v.5).”  Join me at 9AM on Sunday morning, either in person or on Zoom.  See you then. 

In His Love and Service,

Pastor Rust