"Preface To The Psalms" | Luther's Works, Vol. 35 | Dr. Martin Luther

"Preface To The Psalter" | Luther's Works, Vol. 35 | Dr. Martin LutherIn 1545, Martin Luther sat down to explain why the Psalms had meant more to him than anything else he'd ever read. His answer is not what you'd expect. It's not that they're poetic. It's not that they're ancient. It's not even that they're inspired.It's that they show you what a saint looks like on the inside.You can read a thousand biographies of holy men and women. You'll see what they did. You'll see the miracles. You'll see the sacrifice. But you won't see the fear. You won't see the doubt. You won't see what they actually said to God at 3 in the morning when everything was falling apart.The Psalms give you that.Luther says a human heart is like a ship on a wild sea. And what comes out of a person when the storm hits — that's what's real. The Psalms are what the saints said when the storm was hitting. Which means they're also what you can say.But here's the question Luther ends with — and it's uncomfortable: What happens to a people who are handed this treasure and treat it like worthless food?He watched it happen in his own day. He wondered if it would happen again.Is it happening now?