This is the outline of a psalm sing that we did at Trinity RPC on 12/29/2013. It used the red psalter, The Book of Psalms for Singing.
This highlights why Christians need to sing the Psalms, rather than uninspired hymns, because hymns do not deal with affliction, which is common to man. Hymns typically deal with lightweight ideas that appeal to those who recognize no problems in their lives.
If you don’t have affliction now, you will have it later in life, with high probability. Being a Christian means having a share in the sufferings of Christ. Look at Psalm 88, and see if that does not describe out Savior on the cross, taking on the sins of all of God’s elect saints.
| Topic | Psalm Selection | Verses to highlight |
| Affliction is Normal | 23C | Whole psalm – there is comfort amid troubles in the valley of the shadow of death, and enemies |
| Affliction is sometimes a test | 66B | Vv 10-12 How do we react to affliction? Do we go to God, tough it out, complain, etc.? |
| God’s Word comforts us in affliction | 119G | Vv 49-50 Recalling God’s Word brings peace. Read it, memorize it, and meditate on it. |
| Affliction leads us to learn God’s Word | 119I | Vv 67-68, 71-72 Often we don’t understand the value of God’s Word, until we are chastised for sin, or afflicted by God. |
| Affliction makes us value God more | 71A, B, C & D | Whole psalm – Calling out to God for help, trouble from enemies, taking hope in God, and the strength that He gives, leading to revival of spirit, and praise to God. |
| Affliction leads us to pray | 77A & B | Vv 1-15 We pray even we seem to get no answer from God, then we remember how God has acted in the past to save his people and us. |
| Affliction shows us Christ and His sufferings | 88A & B | Whole psalm – We gain comfort knowing that the afflictions that Christ bore, and his perfect obedience through them, were necessary for our salvation. |
| Affliction helps reveal God’s protection of us | 124B | Whole psalm – God protects us amid many who would harm us. He guards and protects his Church. |
I hope you gain spiritual benefit from this. We really benefited from it today, as it fit in with the sermon, and adult Sabbath School class, without any coordination.
