Finding spirituality in the psalms

by Emmanuel Ngara · February 3, 2014

This month we look at spirituality as expressed in some of the psalms. We examine psalms that deal at a deeper level with the relationship between the individual believer and God.

“Some psalms give us some idea of this deep relationship with the Creator. I call such psalms spiritual psalms.

It can, of course, be argued that there is nothing in a Christian, or in a human being, that is not spiritual, and that to the extent that they signify the psalmist�s belief in God and recognition of the power of God, all the psalms are spiritual.

It can, however, also be argued that being spiritual is more than being a believer or being religious, for being spiritual denotes a deeper relationship with God; a consciousness of one’s relationship with God at a level that signifies a real connection between one’s soul and one’s Creator.

This kind of connection with God can be experienced in special situations, such as during meditation and contemplation, and in moments when the believer feels truly sorry for his or her sins.

Some psalms give us some idea of this deep relationship with the Creator. I call such psalms spiritual psalms.

Psalm 1 depicts for us some of the characteristics of a spiritual person: But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on God’s law he meditates day and night.

What this means is that this person is forever conscious of the presence of God, and of the need to obey God’s law. Because of this his or her relationship with God flourishes:

He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither (verse 3).

The connectedness between God and the soul of a spiritual believer is given a very powerful metaphorical expression in Psalm 42 where the believer’s desire for a solid relationship with God is expressed in terms of a deer that is thirsty and is yearning for streams of water:

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God (1-2).

The psalmist appears to be suffering from a strong sense of separation from God as he recalls happier times when he used to lead worshippers to the house of God:

These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving, among the festive throng (4).

But now his soul is disturbed and downcast because of his strong sense of the absence of God. However, he puts his trust in the saving power of God, and consequently he comforts his soul:

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God (11).

If Psalm 42 is written from a strong desire to be united with God, then Psalm 51 is the cry of a sinner who is acutely aware of his unworthiness and sinfulness, and is pleading with God to forgive him.

David wrote this psalm after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba and the prophet Nathan had rebuked him for this sinful act (2 Samuel 11 & 12). The psalmist is so conscious of his sinfulness against God that he confesses that my sin is always before me.

This being the case, the psalm opens with a cry to the merciful God to cleanse him and blot out his sin:

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion, blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin (1-2).

It is a sobering thought to think that David, who was specially chosen by God, could have committed such a heinous act. However, he speaks for all of us, the children of Adam and Eve, when he recalls that he was conceived in sin:

Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me (5).

Despite the enormity of his sin, David shows that our God is a compassionate God, who, as Psalm 103:10 explains, does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.

But what does it mean to be repentant? What do we need to do to be forgiven by God? Do we have to make great sacrifices or bring burnt offerings to him? In his prayer to God David gives us the answer:

You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise (16-17).

In a subsequent column we can explore further the richness and depth of what I have called spiritual psalms.

What I can say in concluding this article is that in a sense St Augustine explained something of the depth of these psalms when he cried out to God: you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they can find peace in you (The Confessions of St Augustine, Book 1).