A reading of a letter by Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria (298? - 373 A.D.) on the Psalms.
"To those who really study it the Psalter yields special treasure. It is like a picture, in which you see yourself portrayed, and seeing, may understand and consequently form yourself upon the pattern given.
"Elsewhere in the Bible you read that the Law commands this or that to be done, you listen to the Prophets to learn about the Saviour's coming, or you turn to the historical books to learn the doings of the kings and holy men; but in the Psalter, besides all these things, you learn about yourself. You find depicted in it all the movements of your soul, all its changes, its ups and downs, its failures and recoveries.
"Moreover, whatever your particular need or trouble, from this same book you can select a form of words to fit it, so that you do not merely hear and then pass on, but learn the way to remedy your ill. Prohibitions of evil-doing are plentiful in Scripture, but only the Psalter tells you HOW to obey these orders and abstain from sin.
"(We) find in the Psalms a fit form of words wherewith to please the Lord on each of life's occasions.
"Let each select from it, as from the fruits of a garden, those things of which he sees himself in need. In this book all human life is covered...For no matter what you seek, whether it be repentance and confession, or help in trouble and temptation or under persecution...are sad for any reason, or you want to praise and thank and bless the Lord, each of these things the Psalms show you how to do, and in every case the words you want are written down for you, and you can say them as your own." |
