REFLECTONS TO PUT IN YOUR JOURNAL (Try answering some of these question after each psalm you read. You don’t have to answer every question and some are not even relevant to the psalm.T his is just to help you reflect on what you read. Choose whatever question(s) you want to answer)
- What has God said to you personally in this Psalm?
- What particular verse was relevant to you or stood out to you?
- How can you relate to what is being said?
- How will you respond to what you studied? What action will you take after reading this psalm?
- What has it taught you about God?
- What has it showed you about yourself?
- What verse will you memorize?
- What does it say about those who do evil?
- What does it say about the people of God?
- What you think is the theme of this psalm? What title would you give it?
- What question or questions does the psalmist ask? Do you find an answer to that question? Have you ever asked a similar questions?
- What does the psalmist ask God himself?
- Write all the verses that say something about God’s character
- How do you feel after reading this psalm?
- Since psalms were meant to be sung what traditional hymn or contemporary Christian song (or maybe a song that is not considered “Christian” per se) would you choose to go with this psalm?
- Write a short summary of your favorite psalm in your own words.
- Make up your own song using the thoughts in the psalms and sing it to God. Or write a poem about this psalm or what it’s taught you.
- If you like to study how Psalms are written: Look for the sections of the psalm and come up with your own. What is the theme? What are the supporting points? How are they made? Did the psalmist use statements, questions, commands, praises, laments? Does the psalm shift in person and who is speaking? Are there repeated or key words or phrases?
- If you like to study how Psalms are written: Do you get a sense of a particular type of Hebrew poetry the psalmist is using? (metaphors, images, Synonymous (echos), etc.