I spent some time with Luther today...in some of writings on Psalms....

While I enjoyed much of what I read, though I did not understand most of it truly, I keep thinking about two bits in the introduction:

You have come, fathers and excellent men and brothers, with magnanimous and benevolent spirit, I see, to honor the opening and beginning of the study of this illustrious prophet, David. Perhaps I myself should not have failed in the duty to bestow this honor; in fact, I should have taken the lead with some prefatory remarks, obviously complimentary ones, to sing the praises of this outstanding prophet. He is certainly in every way wonderful and most excellent and most worthy of genuine praise. But it seemed more useful to me to omit this, lest I might seem to promise something splendid or lest someone might think there is something in me beyond what he sees. I am certainly aware of how this burden presses down on my shoulders, a burden with which I have wrestled in vain for some time. Compelled at last by my instructions, I give in to it. I confess frankly that even to the present day I do not understand many psalms and, unless the Lord enlightens me through your help, as I trust He will, I shall not be able to interpret them.

[(Luther's Works 10), S. 10:8]

He does not understand many of the psalms! What a remarkable statement, he who championed praying the Psalter and the father of Lutheranism. If he didn't understand them what hope have I?

In truth, I did not, however, find discouragement within this statement.  I know he was strong in his convictions, but he was also humble in his scholarship, knowing it was by God's mercy and grace that he learned what he learned through the Holy Spirit.  If he continued to study his whole life, ought not I?

The next bit cracked me up when he kept writing what he was NOT going to write about David.

...I shall not recite the glow of his reign and the brilliant military campaigns he waged in his youth, nor the uncommon humility, marvelous patience, and intense piety of him who was the first king and lion of the tribe of Judah, since, as he says, his soul does not want to make its boast in these matters, but in the Lord (cf. Ps. 34:2). I also omit that he is the illustrious root, the holy seed, the source of blessing, the stem of Jesse, the seed-grain from which the Savior of the world has sprung. These things are so very great that they could fill and adorn not one but a thousand discourses. 

But...oh...the wonder of what comes next!


For our theme let us hear only what he himself says concerning himself in 2 Sam. 23:1–4: “The man to whom it was appointed concerning the Christ of the God of Jacob, the excellent psalmist of Israel said: ‘The Spirit of the Lord has spoken by me, and His word by my tongue. The God of Israel spoke to me, the Strong One of Israel spoke, the Ruler of men, the just Ruler in the fear of God, as the light of the morning, when the sun rises, shines in the morning without clouds, and as the grass springs out of the earth after the rain.’ ” 

It would give me a great deal of pleasure to speak at length on this most beautiful and, so to say, most theological text, but now I want to be brief.  However, I implore you by God, whence comes such great presumption and unique boasting beyond all prophets, and the same often repeated, that the Lord spoke by him, that by His tongue came the latter’s speech, “to whom it was appointed concerning the Christ of the God of Jacob, the excellent psalmist of Israel”? 

Other prophets used the expression “The word of the Lord came to me.” This one, however, does not say, “The word of the Lord came to me,” but he says, in a new manner of speaking, “His word was spoken by me.” With this expression he indicates some extremely intimate and friendly kind of inspiration. Other prophets confess that they spoke, but this one declares that in a unique way it was not he who spoke but the Spirit who spoke through him. Although the Spirit spoke by all the prophets, as we sing, it is not stated thus regarding any of them. [paragraph breaks mine]

[(Luther's Works 10), S. 10:9]

But what I have been thinking about is the last piece of this, His word was spoken by me...that the Holy Spirit was speaking, singing, through David.  Even then the Holy Spirit was lifting our prayers before God!

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 

~ Romans 8:26-27

Extremely intimate...Yes, I find the Psalter tremendously intimate.  The words are for me.  The prayers are for me, even when I do quite not understand how this can be so or struggle with praying them.  They are for me.  Breathed by the Spirit...then, now, and always.

Such is the mercy of God to give this blessing to a poor, miserable sinner as am I.