Allegory and typology are somewhat fluid; there are no hard and fast definitions for them when it comes to the Scriptures. What is important is to see the pattern and paradigm of Christ and the gospel in the Scriptures, as much in the Old Testament as in the New.
For according to our Lord Jesus Christ, the Scriptures are about him. They must be opened by the Lord to our understanding, our minds must be opened up to them by the Lord, and our hearts must be unveiled in order to see — and that unveiling happens only when we turn to the Lord Jesus. It is only then that we see that all the Scriptures are about him.*
To read the Scriptures, then, we look for Christ and the gospel throughout. Not as something to be read back into the Scriptures but, rather, as inherent in the Scriptures, as being what they really are about from their beginning. For until we read them as the testimony of Christ, we are not yet reading them as Scripture.
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* Luke 24:27-32,44-45 John 5:39,46 2 Corinthians 3:14-16.
This is a project that has been a long time coming. I began writing it over 30 years ago, and it has been in studio production over the past two years. And now, thanks to my brother, Greg Doles, who prodded and poked and cajoled me into bringing to completion what I had begun so long ago, and to his amazing skills and instincts as a record producer and soundsmith, as well as being a musician and songwriter himself, and thanks to the generosity and artistic genius of so many musicians and vocalist friends and family — fine players all — I am delighted to announce that it is now complete.
The Pilgrim Psalms is a collection of 15 songs based on Psalms 120-134, the “Songs of Ascent.” It was first inspired not only by the psalms themselves, but also by Eugene Peterson’s book on them, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction. These psalms describe a pilgrimage. They are thought to have been sung by Israelites making their way up to Jerusalem for the three great festivals: Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles. The journey begins from far away, in homesickness and repentance. It ends in Jerusalem, at the Holy Temple, with all worshiping the Lord together, one in heart and mind. For these “road songs,” the psalms they have sung along the way, have brought them together, refocusing their hearts toward the Lord and each other. And it is for us today, as the people of Christ, as we learn to travel together, becoming of one mind and heart with our Lord Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit. And so shall we find ourselves standing within the New Jerusalem, the Holy City, and heavenly, whose gates are never shut. Come join the journey!
The Pilgrim Psalms is now streaming at Amazon Music, Apple Music, Pandora, YouTube, Spotify, and wherever you enjoy music. It is also available for download at Amazon and iTunes.
Many thanks to the singers and musicians, whose fine talents and generous spirit have added so greatly to the whole project, lifting it above and beyond what I had dared to hope when I first began. So, in addition to my own vocals and acoustic guitar are:
Backing Vocals by Greg Doles, Jon Doles, Heather Doles, Kwando Lynch, Christina Chang, Latora Desue and Stephanie Robinson
