Book Review: The Psalm 119 Experience

The Psalm 119 Experience. John Kramp. 2014. B&H Publishing. 217 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence from the introduction: Watch out. Psalm 119 is about to sneak up and draw you into a life-changing experience.

First sentence from chapter one: If you seek a happy life, discover the secret to a blameless life. Impossible? Can any of us stand before God innocent of wrongdoing, free of guilt and not subject to blame? No. At least not on our own. But God provided a way to the impossible.

The Psalm 119 Experience is a twenty-two week devotional by John Kramp. Kramp set out to write twenty-two songs to aid in memorizing or experiencing Psalm 119. The songs are NOT included and must be purchased separately. Oh, the lyrics are included--but not the actual music.

Psalm 119 has twenty-two sections. Kramp has written five devotions for each section thus making it easy for this book to be a twenty-two week devotional. Each devotion begins with a verse from Psalm 119 as a jumping off place. But the devotion rarely--if ever--stays in Psalms for better or worse. I appreciate that Kramp brings Jesus Christ into each and every devotional. Many--if not all--are open proclamations of the gospel itself. This is a good thing. How could it be anything other than good to exalt Jesus Christ? Yet this one isn't so much an experience of Psalm 119 in and of itself as an experience of the gospel.

If you love devotional books this one is worth your time.

Quotes:

We gain nothing by considering sin inevitable. Why think of ourselves as victims when God has equipped us to battle sin's enticements? God gave us His Word so that we would not sin. That's the good news. God gave us an advocate for when we sin. That is even better news. The more we treasure God's Word in our hearts, the more we can resist sin. We will recognize sin's seduction early and escape quickly. When tripped up by sin, we can confess to Jesus, our advocate, immediately and experience restored fellowship without delay. (21)

We live in a world of mystery explained by the providence of God and held by His absolute power. As we move through time and eternity, He alone is our fixed point. (115)

Those who have gained understanding from God's Word do not simply avoid evil ways; they hate them. They recognize the damage evil inflicts on people. They know the destruction and pain. Even more, they live with the knowledge that there is an alternative. (129)

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible