Book of Psalms
A Judeo-Christian response to God’s presence in our lives, Psalms have held, for 3,000 years, a primary place in both Jewish and Christian private prayer and group liturgy, for instance in today’s Responsorial Psalm immediately following our first Reading at Mass.
Jesus prayed the psalms; they contain the whole story of God’s plan of salvation for us.
Many of our familiar hymns are based on a psalm. They embody the prayers of the Church: sacramentally, liturgically, and personally.
We are resuming our in-person Bible class in January with a study of the Book of Psalms.
Join us as we discover the many emotions and situations found in these divine prayers. Hallelujah!
We will explore their beauty, their specialness to Jesus, their background and their individual purposes for our own daily prayer and supplication.
Much or even most of the material in this course will be additional to previous studies of Psalms that I have conducted. This is to provide an advanced understanding of these beautiful prayers, and to reveal the intricacies that the original psalmist built in as praise to our God and Creator.
Class Materials
- Download the eBook Psalms as Personal Prayer, which is available from either Apple iTunes or Kindle Reader (see below). This translation will be our text for the class.
- Bring your tablet/iPad, smartphone, or laptop with the eBook downloaded. Unfamiliar with eBooks? Assistance will be provided in class.
Meeting
Education Building, St. Christopher Parish
Monday evenings 7:00 – 8:30 p.m., or
Wednesday mornings after Mass (9:30 – 11:00 a.m.)
Course Calendar*
| Week of | Discussion | Prayer/Downloads |
|---|---|---|
| January 8 | Bible Discussion Q&A | eBook on Apple iTunes eBook for Kindle Reader |
| January 15 | Introduction to the Psalms | 1, 23, 119 |
| January 22 | Structure of the Book of Psalms | Structure of Psalms |
| January 29 | Royal (Messianic) Psalms | 2, 18, 20, 21, 101 |
| February 5 | Royal (Messianic) Psalms | 45, 72, 110, 132, 144 |
| February 12 | Penitential Psalms | 32, 38, 51, 130, 143 |
| February 19 | Lamentation Psalms | 3-4, 7, 13, 17, 35, 40 |
| February 26 | Lamentation Psalms 10:00, After Parish Mission/Mass | 42/43, 55-56, 61, 64, 69-71 |
| March 4 | Lamentation Psalms | 77, 86, 88, 102, 109 |
| March 11 | Lamentation Psalms | 22, 89, 120, 140-42 |
| March 18 | Egyptian Hallel | 113-118, 136 |
| March 25 | Holy Week: NO Classes | |
| April 1 | Gradual Psalms: Songs of Ascent | 120-127 |
| April 8 | Gradual Psalms: Songs of Ascent | 128-134 |
| April 15 | Thanksgiving Psalms | 11, 16, 23, 30, 34, 41 |
| April 22 | Thanksgiving Psalms | 62, 65-68, 75, 92 |
| April 29 | Education Bldg Closed: NO Classes | |
| May 6 | Wisdom Psalms | 14/53, 15, 24, 36-37, 40, 49-50 |
| May 13 | Wisdom Psalms | 52, 62, 91, 112, 127-28, 133, 139 |
| May 20 | Torah Psalms | 19, 119 |
| May 27 | Psalms of Supplication | 5, 25, 26, 28, 31, 54, 57-59, 61 |
| June 3 | Specific/Unique Types | 6, 8, 11, 27, 39, 58, 71, 73, 102 |
| June 10 | Psalms of Praise | 8-9, 29, 33, 46-48, 63 |
| June 17 | Psalms of Praise | 93, 95-100, 111 |
| June 24 | Psalms of Praise | 135, 145-50 |
* Dates / topics subject to adjustment.