The writer of Ecclesiastes hit a nerve when he wrote, “Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body” (Ecc 12:12). Yet there is something magnetic about Christian bookshops: we find them almost irresistible. The baffling array of volumes presents us with a veritable Aladdin's Cave: how delicious! The big difference is that the contents of Aladdin's Cave were all of immense value: the contents of Christian bookshops appear to be a mixture of gold, various levels of alloy and outright dross!
How wonderful, then, to find a book that is pure gold from start to finish. In my view, How to Enjoy the Psalms: Instruction for worship and warfare in days of trouble, by teacher and author Neil Turner, is just such a treasure.
A Heaven-Sent Library
The Psalms are the literary centrepiece in our Bibles – as well as making up the longest of the Bible’s books and the book most quoted by Jesus. Could this be so arranged by the Holy Spirit to show us that praise and worship should lie at the heart of our faith? Few believers would doubt it.
Turner sets out his aim in his introduction: “My responsibility is to train and equip disciples who will stand in the last days. I offer these reflections to get you started, encourage and provoke you to study, quicken your interest and provide some of the keys that will unlock this treasure chest in these difficult days, and to help you plug into heavenly hope and power.”
From this you will deduce that the writer believes the Psalms have a particular role to play in preparing us for the turbulent times preceding the soon return of our Lord Jesus. Turner describes the Book of Psalms as “a heaven-sent library” comprising “A hymnbook of praise; a pattern for worship; a heart-cry to God; a model for penitence/repentance; a collection of pattern prayers; a compendium of poetry; an armoury for warfare; a source of prophecy; a treasure chest of powerful proclamations; a revelation of the Trinity.”
Setting out his personal perspective on today's Church, Turner highlights various problems including apostasy, persecution and political correctness. We are up against huge odds and only the mighty power of God can enable us to stand and conquer (see Ephesians 6:10ff). But this also requires a practical response from believers: we must engage the enemy, or else face the disastrous consequences. It is Turner’s contention that the Psalms, written by men who overcame great odds and tremendous pressure, are uniquely placed to help us in this respect.
The writer believes the Psalms have a particular role to play in preparing us for the turbulent times preceding the soon return of our Lord Jesus.
Inspired and Inspirational
The Psalms are arranged in five volumes (collections) and span several hundred years from Moses' time (around 1450 BC) to the post-exilic period (5th-4th Century BC). Such a vast collection spread over such a vast period surely merits the closest scrutiny. Turner meticulously analyses each one, classifying them using a unique system of reference icons.
Turner's profession as a management educator enables him to analyse the Psalms in great detail, considering their technical elements and structure, their prophetic application and how they can best be enjoyed by modern readers. He teases out themes that recur throughout the 150 ‘chapters’, showing their astonishing richness and relevance to every area of Christian experience. The book is also beautifully presented, with contextual illustrations and comprehensive footnotes.
At the close of the book, Turner provides us with steps we need to take to embed the treasure of the Psalms in our lives. There are vital gems for every individual believer, particular gems for intercessors, training gems for pastors and preachers and powerful gems for corporate worship.
I believe that this is an inspired and inspirational tour de force that deserves our close attention. After a preaching ministry spanning almost six decades, I have begun to look at the Psalms in a whole new way; working through Turner's book is proving to be a real blessing.
‘How to Enjoy the Psalms: Instruction for worship and warfare in days of trouble’ is available from Amazon (paperback) for £24.95 and follows on from the author’s previous book ‘End-Time Survivor’. Find out more on Turner’s website. Watch a short introduction to the book here and read Prophecy Today UK's interview with Neil Turner here.
