Passages for Inner Peace: Finding Joy and Comfort in the Psalms

By Tom McKinley

We are all searching for inner peace – something that is harder and harder to find in our fast-paced 21st century world. While civilization has become more “advanced,” life is more stressful than ever!

So how can we find serenity in these complicated and chaotic times? Fortunately, we have the Book of Psalms. In his new release, Passages for Inner Peace: Finding Joy and Comfort in the Psalms, veteran self-help author Tom McKinley shows us ways in which the beautiful verses of the Psalms strengthen our inner peace, our faith, and our relationship with God.

Each of the 33 chapters is based on a powerful verse from the Book of Psalms. Written in a style that is direct and relatable, Passages for Inner Peace is a book for our Age of Anxiety and a companion for life’s hard times as well as its joys.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jun 16, 2020
• ISBN: 9781663202758

Tom McKinley

Tom McKinley is the author of Winning the Fight to Be Happy, and believes in helping people live better and happier lives. Check out his website at www.tommckinley.com and his Facebook Page at Tom McKinley Self-Help.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

"My soul, wait thou only upon God;

For my expectation is from him.

He only is my rock and my salvation."

(Psalm 62:5–6, King James Version)

We must ask ourselves, What will give me peace? Inner peace – that state of contentment and calm, of freedom from anxiety, of enjoying the present while trusting in the future – is something which we are all searching for, often unconsciously, in the frenetic pace of 21st century life. Reaching for our cell phones as soon as we wake up, checking messages on the phones while typing at our computers, going from thoughts of work to family to bills in just a few seconds – we have been brought so far from the idea of inner peace that the concept seems unrealistic. We have been conditioned to think that peace is temporary, coming in small units of time, and that once that time or feeling runs out, we have to somehow buy it again.

But inner peace cannot be bought. In fact, the messages of the Bible destroy the idea that money can buy anything permanent. While the inner peace offered to us by God cannot be acquired through money, it is also the only inner peace that lasts forever. Jesus says, in the Gospel of Matthew, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28, KJV). Likewise, the speaker in the psalm says to his own soul, wait thou only upon God, adding, He only is my rock.

There is no pill, no drink, no retail therapy that provides this permanent inner peace for the soul, or salvation for our future life. That stable, steadfast feeling of inner peace in this life and the next is only fully achieved through having faith in God and growing closer to him. And we grow closer to God through prayer, through reading the Psalms and other books of the Bible, through thinking deeply about God’s work, and by acting in the way the Lord has instructed us.

I like the way the psalmist says, But my expectation is from him. The word expectation has gathered a negative quality over the years; it sounds like a demand. However, in its nature, the word is positive. Expect comes from the Latin words ex and spectare, meaning out and to look. Hence, to expect is to look for, to seek, to hope for. Part of our relationship with God involves looking out for his grace, looking out for the peace that he will bring to us. We do not demand these things – it would be pointless to demand anything – but we should look for this peace, ask for it, and have the faith-based certainty that it will come. To feel expectancy is to feel faith, and faith is our defense against fear. It is also the root of our optimism that life will get better, and that a better life awaits us with God. The more we expect, or look out, for God, the more inner peace we have. As the psalm says, In God is my salvation and my glory (Psalm 62:7, KJV). We are not just saved, but we are saved in glory.

Further reflections

As the psalm comes to an end, we have the powerfully concise verse,

God hath spoken once;

Twice have I heard this.

(Psalm 62:11, KJV)

The meaning is symbolic. When the voice of God speaks, we do not only hear it once; rather, it echoes in our minds. When you pray and read the Bible, make sure to find an atmosphere of stillness and silence, where the peace around you reminds you of the peace you can find within. Listen closely to God’s word echoing in your mind, along with the expectancy of his favor, on your journey to the inner peace that he alone can give you.

CHAPTER 2

"I will praise thee; for I am

fearfully and wonderfully made:

Marvellous are thy works."

(Psalm 139:14, KJV)

Have you ever thought about what a complex creation you are? In our technology-driven age, there is a temptation to look down on our humanity in comparison to computers and the increasing presence of artificial intelligence.

But one good look at yourself can begin to tell you that you are wonderfully made. Look at the intricacy of your face and body. The human body has 206 bones, and just one foot contains 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments, and 19 muscles! And that’s just the tactile part of the body. When we look inside, deeper and deeper, we find over 35 trillion cells, with each cell containing over 100 trillion atoms. Those atoms are composed of subatomic particles such as protons, and even those are composed of elementary particles called quarks and hadrons. In time, I’m sure we’ll find out what’s inside a quark!

My purpose here is not to give you a lesson on biology, but to show that you are just as complex as any technological triumph out there – and actually more complex. You have the ability to decide between right and wrong, a faculty for moral judgment; you have imagination, the capacity to think of and understand the abstract; you can appreciate the beauty of this world and envision the beauty of the next. God, with his ultimate knowledge and his expert hands, created beings that are infinitely complex in mind and in body. As the psalmist says, Marvellous are thy works!

I mentioned that our digital age can make us feel inferior, but so can the human tendency to compare ourselves to others. Human culture, especially in the United States, is very competitive and hence addicted to making comparisons. From a very young age, we start judging ourselves by comparing ourselves to those around us. Even before our adolescence, we have forgotten that we are wonderfully made, and lose the appreciation for what we are. This has devastating effects on our