19. The Secret Language of the Psalms

Why should we pray the Psalms slowly?In this reflective teaching, John Ortberg explores the nature of Hebrew poetry, the structure of the Psalms, and why the language of prayer was never meant to be rushed.Using Psalm 90 and several other Psalms, John unpacks the beauty of biblical parallelism — repetition, pivots, refrains, and poetic movement that deepen meaning and slow the soul down enough to notice God.This episode explores:- Why the Psalms are poetry, not prose- Hebrew parallelism explained simply- Why repetition matters spiritually- Psalm 23, Psalm 88, and Psalm 90- Jesus’ use of poetic teaching- Prayer as attentiveness rather than efficiencyFeaturing reflections from:- Eugene Peterson- C.S. Lewis- Robert LowthScriptures:- Psalm 90- Psalm 23- Psalm 88- Matthew 7#Psalms #Prayer #JohnOrtberg #SpiritualFormation #HebrewPoetry #BibleStudy #Psalm90 #ChristianFaith #EugenePeterson #CSLewis📚 Today's Resources:Answering God — by Eugene PetersonReflections on the Psalms — by C. S. Lewis🙌 New episodes every weekday.📲 Subscribe, like, and share to help others grow spiritually. One day at a time.Become New is here to help you grow spiritually one day at a time.TEXT us at 51504EMAIL US at [email protected] OUR WEEKDAY EMAILS WITH EXTRA GOODIES at becomenew.com/subscribeGET A TEXT REMINDER FOR NEW VIDEOS: text NEW to 51504SEND US PRAYER REQUESTS: via text or email; we'll send you a written prayer from our teamDOWNLOAD FREE STUDY GUIDES: BecomeNew.com/study-guides😊 Join Our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CnqywVp9s/🤳Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/become.new/Music Credits:Vikersund by RØRE - MB01V0UASAACPKEAlta by RØRE - MB01IWZVJASGKHF00:00 The One Word for Praying the Psalms00:21 Psalm 90 & Numbering Our Days00:51 Why the Psalms Repeat Themselves01:08 The Psalms Are Poetry, Not Prose01:34 Hebrew Parallelism Explained02:03 Robert Lowth & Hebrew Poetry02:59 Poetry Carries Thought Forward03:24 “It Doesn’t Rhyme!”04:04 Eugene Peterson on Poetry & Prayer05:06 Why the Psalms Slow Us Down06:02 Psalm 8 & Returning Home07:18 Psalm 23 & Poetic Pivoting08:06 Psalm 88 & Unresolved Anguish09:21 The Psalms Were Never Meant for Speed Reading09:44 Jesus Used Parallelism Too10:14 “Judge Not…” Explained10:37 “Ask, Seek, Knock”11:23 Prayer, Patience & Attention11:56 The Language of the Soul