Psalm
Teacher
Lesson Summary
The class opened with a lighthearted anecdote about the Olympics before transitioning into a study of the Psalms of disorientation. Clint Davison introduced Walter Brueggemann’s three‑stage model—orientation, disorientation, and re‑orientation—explaining how the psalmists use honest lament as a legitimate way to approach God. The focus then shifted to Psalm 13, where David’s repeated “How long?” questions illustrated the feelings of abandonment and yearning that accompany spiritual fog. Davison highlighted the structure of the psalm: complaint, petition, and confident hope, and connected these elements to contemporary experiences of personal tragedy, illness, or complacency. The teacher emphasized practical responses to disorientation: bringing the confusion before God in prayer, rejecting the tendency to pretend everything is fine, and sharing the struggle with trusted community members. He also referenced Psalm 35 as a retributive psalm, reminding listeners that God ultimately addresses injustice. The session concluded with a call to apply the psalms’ lessons, encouraging participants to seek honest dialogue with God and others as they navigate periods of doubt and spiritual drift.