The challenge for everyone at South Head in August is to read a Psalm a day and to meditate on the prayers in the songbook of the bible. To do that, there is a list of suggested psalms below.

When you read: 1. Say a prayer and ask God to help you. 2. Read the psalm. 3. Look back at one thing that stood out. 4. Talk to God about that idea.

The book of the Psalms is broken into 5 different ‘books’ which together tell the story of the people of Israel and God’s anointed king. Each book has its emphasis as it follows the life of God’s people, Israel, after King David, through the exile and when God’s people return to the land.

Book 1: The first set of psalms closely follows the life of David; here, the life of God’s king is shown to be complex and challenging. David is on the run and surrounded by enemies and must trust in God to vindicate and save him.

August 1: Psalm 3

August 2: Psalm 8

August 3: Psalm 15

August 4: Psalm 23

August 5: Psalm 25

August 6: Psalm 32

August 7: Psalm 40

Book 2 focuses on David and the promise of an heir for David, who would sit upon David’s throne and rule over God’s kingdom. Many still have David in the title, but the hope extends beyond him to the greater king to follow.

August 8: Psalm 46

August 9: Psalm 47

August 10: Psalm 50

August 11: Psalm 62

August 12: Psalm 63

August 13: Psalm 69

Book 3: The darkest psalms are in this book; it is filled with the pain of Israel in exile, the temple has been destroyed, and there does not appear to be a way back to the land or for God to fulfil his promises. It is about the failure of Israel and its kings. How will God keep his promise to David?

August 14: Psalm 73

August 15: Psalm 74

August 16: Psalm 79

August 17: Psalm 84

August 18: Psalm 89

Book 4: Is written when God’s people are far from home. In this state, they look to the power of God above, beyond human kings, they seek the power of God as creator, the one who all reality serves. God still reigns even over the chaos and difficulty of human history. There is a joy found in trusting God’s control and reign.

August 19: Psalm 91

August 20: Psalm 95

August 21: Psalm 97

August 22: Psalm 104

August 23: Psalm 106

Book 5: Here Israel rejoices in coming back home to Israel. It is filled with the joy of knowing God is good and has kept his promise. It finishes with Psalms from David. They are about the ‘coming of God’s king’ or ‘the return of the king’ and with him God’s people to Jerusalem. It looks forward to the final praise of God’s people when all gather around his throne in heaven.

August 24: Psalm 110

August 25: Psalm 115

August 26: Psalm 121

August 27: Psalm 125

August 28: Psalm 136

August 29: Psalm 139

August 30: Psalm 145

August 31: Psalm 148