My Rock My Refuge

A year of daily devotions taken from the Book of Psalms

Peter Holt | April 2016 - Highfields Book of the Month

By Timothy Keller with Kathy Keller - (2015) London: Hodder and Stoughton

My rock my refugeThis book written by Timothy and Kathy Keller is a year of daily devotions taken from the Book of Psalms.  The psalms are studied sequentially - usually no more than ten verses a day so the longer psalms are covered over a period of a few days.  All 150 psalms are included in the year.  The portion of scripture selected for the day is written on each page and serves as a good framework for prayer time.  The book is not an in-depth commentary on the psalms, but the authors provide a helpful understanding of the context of the psalm and a short meditation on its meaning.  Each page ends with a prayer to use in preparation for our own prayer time.

A good framework for prayer time

The authors have skilfully limited the amount of reading to “bite-size pieces” of one page each day – the book is a little smaller than A5 and the font size is very comfortable for reading.  I was given this book for Christmas.  I am finding it instructive and challenging.  The authors provide refreshing insight into God’s word.

skilfully limited the amount of reading to “bite-size pieces” of one page each day

How do we deal with slander and gossip (Psalm 7)?  “David shows us straightaway; he doesn’t say I will take refuge in the Lord.  Rather, he shows us that he already has.”

Honesty before God (Psalm13).  How long Lord?  Will you forget me forever (v1)?  “David cannot feel the presence of God.  He cries out that God has ignored his pain and his sorrow, and the fact that this has been included in the Bible tells us that God wants to hear our genuine feelings.  David never stops praying; that is the key.”

Peace in the midst of trial (Psalm 23 v5).  “God has a celebration meal with us, not after we get out of the dark valley, but in the middle of it.  Jesus is the only shepherd who knows what it is like to be a sheep.  He understands what we are going through, and will be with us every step of the way, even through death itself, where all other guides turn back (Romans 8 v 38, 39).”

The anatomy of sin (Psalm36 vv1-4). “Fearing God (v1) is to be so filled with joyful awe before the magnificence of God that we tremble at the privilege of knowing, serving and pleasing Him.  Sin shrugs at God.  Its essence is failing to believe not that He exists, but that He matters.  Fear of God and self-understanding grow or diminish together.  Indifference toward God is a form of self-conceit and self-deception (v2).  To feel no need for God is to be out of touch with reality – such people have ceased to be wise (v3).  What starts as mere overconfidence can grow into dishonesty and cruelty (v4).  Sin is spiritual cancer.”

I look forward to opening this book every day – it is such a source of encouragement and strength.  Do have a look at the copies available on the bookstall.

“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you might know Him better.  (Ephesians 1 v17)

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