Many of you are now in the midst of memorizing Psalms for our annual Psummer Psalms (thanks to Daron Drown for organizing this event every year). This is where you pick a Psalm, memorize it, and then recite it with your parish sometime in August.

Why should Christians memorize the Psalms? C.S. Lewis said of the Psalms, “These strange, alien figures may at any moment show that, in spiritual descent (as opposed to cultural) it is they, after all, who are our ancestors.”[1] If the Psalms are our ancestors, then we are cheating our heritage if we are severed from them. When Christians live in the moment irrespective of their past, they are missing something. When they ignore the Psalms, they download Spotify trash. They know this is an artificial substitute. They know they are missing something. But since gaining it back takes discipline, and since smothering the imagination is easier than memorizing ancient hymns, they block out their fathers. They fail to realize that by blocking their fathers they block the God of their fathers.

They are also blocking their humanity. It’s strange to think how Christians today are quite fanatically fond of emotions, yet exhibit a mysterious disinterest in the Psalms. The Psalter is filled with raw emotions that the modern age tries to cover up. This is why modern music cultivates anger, resentment, jealousy, and lust rather than training your soul that there is a righteous method for arbitrating every emotion. The Psalmists are rarely polished or dignified. Few people are when they are buried under their sin (Psalm 51), or an enemy (Psalm 5), or endless waiting for God to answer (Psalm 88). Yet the Psalms provide a spiritual scrubbing for the dark corners of every situation. They also provide the proper lustration for the bright days of thanksgiving and praise.

There are certain Psalms suited to certain occasions. At least that’s how Athanasius saw it when he wrote a letter to a young man named Marcellinus directing him to study the Psalms.[2] What follows is a list of the Psalms Athanasius matched to the occasion.

Repentance

Psalms 3, 51

Expressions of Faith and Prayer

Psalms 11, 12

Personal suffering renders praise to God

Psalms 54, 56, 57, 142

Narrative in form

Psalms 73, 78, 114, 115

Hortatory

Psalms 32, 97, 103

Prophetic

Psalms 22, 45, 47, 110

Resurrection of Christ

Psalms 16, 66

Psalms about the Savior

Psalms 3, 21, 22, 24, 45, 47, 50, 69, 72, 109, 110

Benefits derived from the Savior’s Passion

Psalms 93, 96, 98, 99

Prayers to God

Psalm 6, 16, 54, 102

Denounce the wicked

Psalm 14

Declare another to be blessed

Psalms 1, 32, 41, 112, 119, 128

Persecuted by your own family and opposed by many

Psalm 3

Give thanks to God for your afflictions end

Psalms 4, 75, 116

When the wicked want to ensnare you

Psalm 5

If you feel yourself beneath a cloud of God’s displeasure

Psalms 6, 38

When you see the boundless pride of many, and evil passing great, and no holy thing remains

Psalm 12

If the state of things is long drawn out

Psalm 27

If you hear others blaspheme the providence of God

Psalms 14, 5

If you want to learn what sort of person is a citizen of God’s kingdom

Psalm 15

If you have been led astray by others’ arguments

Psalm 137

When being tempted

Psalm 139

If you desire to be free of the enemy

Psalm 140

If you feel downcast and poor

Psalms 102, 103, 104

Why and how to praise God

Psalms 105, 107, 113, 117, 135, 146-150

Prayer and supplication

Psalms 5, 141, 142, 143, 146

Trust in God to defeat Goliath

Psalm 144

Thanksgiving, Praise, Jubilation

Psalms 8, 98, 117, 125

Praise God for his kindness and goodness

Psalm 105

Praise God

Psalms 105, 106, 107, 111-118, 135, 136, 146-150

Athanasius’ letter goes on to further categorize the Psalms. If you’d like to read the entire letter, click here.

[1] C.S. Lewis, Christian Reflections (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1967), 118.

[2] Athanasius, “Letter to Marcellinus on the Interpretation of the Psalms.” https://www.theologyethics.com/2016/08/22/the-letter-of-athanasius-to-marcellinus-on-the-interpretation-of-the-psalms/