Many of us begin hearing them from the time we’re very young, those messages and mantras that tell us to show more restraint and reign ourselves in. Keep it together. Don’t let it show. Stay strong. Put on a brave face. Don’t ask questions. Don’t rock the boat. We quickly learn that in order to get along well in this world we should present a counterfeit version of ourselves, one who has it all together and doesn’t have any hangups. We try to be perfect. We become accustomed to walking into spaces and relationships with counterfeit personas firmly in place. Unfortunately, some of the places where we can feel the most pressure to posture and pretend is in the church and in the presence of God. But being human is messy. We are fearless in one moment and afraid the next. We celebrate, and we mourn. We make mistakes and go too far. We get angry. Sometimes we want to shout for joy and sometimes in frustration. We can be certain, but oftentimes we harbor doubts. Is there a place where we can bring all these things? The Psalms are a collection of poetry and songs written over centuries, and they’re a deep well, brimming over with the full spectrum of human experience. They’re written during times of plenty and during famine. They’re written to bring clarity in the midst of wars and for worship. Some are designed to be danced to, and some to give us the words to express our deepest sorrows. The Psalms show us we’re not alone because in these ancient passages we hear the voices of real people who hold nothing back, who don’t feel the need to restrain their imperfections, questions, emotions, or worship. As we read their vulnerable words we feel the centuries of time between us collapsing into kinship. But more than anything, the Psalms reveal a God who is Savior, Sustainer, Shepherd, and King, and who invites us to bring our whole selves and situations into His presence. In the Psalms we’re ushered into a safe place, a sacred space where God invites us to bring all the things we feel and face, worry and wonder over. The Psalms give us a picture of how the real us can be in relationship with the real God.