Pray the Rhythm of Life in the Psalms Each Week
In his classic book, Spirituality of the Psalms, theologian Walter Brueggemann has arranged the rich diversity of psalms around this three-part narrative arc:
Act I - The Psalms of Orientation are prayers that affirm that God is on His throne and life is good, true, beautiful, and well-ordered. These are the “summer psalms.” Psalms of Orientation include the genres of praise, enthronement and wisdom.
Act II - The Psalms of Disorientation are prayers that question God, God’s ways, and God’s presence, from a place of pain, failure, disappointment or persecution. These are the “winter psalms.” Psalms of Disorientation express the biblical genre of lament.
Act III - The Psalms of Reorientation are prayers that look back on suffering through the lens of God’s provision and deliverance, and look to the future with hope. These are the “springtime psalms.” Psalms of Reorientation include the genres of sacred history, thanksgiving and trust.
Orientation > Disorientation > Reorientation… this is real life. These core movements of the human soul are reflected in great literature, film, art and music. Individuals, marriages, families, churches, even nations and cultures experience this process. The whole biblical Story can be understood through this basic narrative arc.
This website is built around the conviction that in the Psalms, God has given us authentic language for every movement of the human soul.
Rhythm of Life Weekly Prayer Guide
Below is a prayer guide that takes you through the rhythm of the psalms each week.
Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays: orientation psalms.
Wednesdays and Thursdays: disorientation psalms.
Fridays and Saturdays: reorientation psalms.
This pattern continues week by week through the autumn season, until the beginning of the Advent.
Week 1: I. Orientation- Sep 8: Psalm 1; Sep 9: Psalm 2; Sep 10: Psalm 8; II. Disorientation- Sep 11: Psalm 6; Sep 12: Psalm 12; III. Reorientation- Sep 13: Psalm 3; Sep 14: Psalm 4
Week 2: I. Orientation- Sep 15: Psalm 15; Sep 16: Psalm 19; Sep 17: Psalm 24; II. Disorientation- Sep 18: Psalm 13; Sep 19: Psalm 17; III. Reorientation- Sep 20: Psalm 9; Sep 21: Psalm 16
Week 3: I. Orientation- Sep 22: Psalm 29; Sep 23: Psalm 33; Sep 24: Psalm 37; II. Disorientation- Sep 25: Psalm 22; Sep 26: Psalm 25; III. Reorientation- Sep 27: Psalm 18; Sep 28: Psalm 20.
Week 4: I. Orientation- Sep 29: Psalm 45; Sep 30: Psalm 47; Oct 1: Psalm 49; II. Disorientation- Oct 2: Psalm 31; Oct 3: Psalm 38; III. Reorientation- Oct 4: Psalm 23; Oct 5: Psalm 27.
Week 5: I. Orientation- Oct 6: Psalm 50; Oct 7: Psalm 65; Oct 8: Psalm 67; II. Disorientation- Oct 9: Psalm 39; Oct 10: Psalm 42; III. Reorientation- Oct 11: Psalm 28; Oct 12: Psalm 30
Week 6: I. Orientation- Oct 13: Psalm 68; Oct 14: Psalm 72; Oct 15: Psalm 90; II. Disorientation- Oct 16: Psalm 43; Oct 17: Psalm 51; III. Reorientation- Oct 18: Psalm 32; Oct 19: Psalm 34
Week 7: I. Orientation- Oct 20: Psalm 93; Oct 21: Psalm 97; Oct 22: Psalm 98; II. Disorientation- Oct 23: Psalm 60; Oct 24: Psalm 77; III. Reorientation- Oct 25: Psalm 40; Oct 26: Psalm 46
Week 8: I. Orientation- Oct 27: Psalm 100; Oct 28: Psalm 104; Oct 29: Psalm 110; II. Disorientation- Oct 30: Psalm 80; Oct 31: Psalm 85; III. Reorientation- Nov 1: Psalm 56; Nov 2: Psalm 62
Week 9: I. Orientation- Nov 3: Psalm 111; Nov 4: Psalm 112; Nov 5: Psalm 113; II. Disorientation- Nov 6: Psalm 86; Nov 7: Psalm 88; III. Reorientation- Nov 8: Psalm 63; Nov 9: Psalm 66
Week 10: I. Orientation- Nov 10: Psalm 115; Nov 11: Psalm 127; Nov 12: Psalm 132; II. Disorientation- Nov 13: Psalm 102; Nov 14: Psalm 130; III. Reorientation- Nov 15: Psalm 71; Nov 16: Psalm 73
Week 11: I. Orientation- Nov 17: Psalm 133; Nov 18: Psalm 139; Nov 19: Psalm 145; II. Disorientation- Nov 20: Psalm 140; Nov 21: Psalm 143; III. Reorientation- Nov 22: Psalm 84; Nov 23: Psalm 91
Week 12: I. Orientation- Nov 24: Psalm 146; Nov 25: Psalm 147; Nov 26: Psalm 148; II. Disorientation- Nov 27: Psalm 5; Nov 28: Psalm 69; III. Reorientation- Nov 29: Psalm 107; Nov 30: Psalm 116.
I pray this rhythm of life in the psalms gives voice to the rhythm of your life this fall.
Together in Christ,
Paul Dugan
