A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene H. Peterson
Week 11: Chapter 10 — Community (Psalms 128–130 & 132–133)
Read Chapter 10 of A Long Obedience in the Same Direction. Primary texts: Psalms 128, 129, 130, 132, and 133.
Previewing Week 11 of A Long Obedience in the Same Direction
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 14-week guide when you’re ready.
The pilgrimage is not a solo journey — these psalms paint a picture of the community that forms around shared worship, shared suffering, and shared hope.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Psalm 128 describes the blessing of ordinary family and community life — a table surrounded by children, a flourishing household. Peterson argues that holiness is not found by escaping ordinary life but by consecrating it. How does this challenge any tendency you have to locate spiritual growth only in explicitly "religious" settings?
2.Psalm 129 is a testimony of suffering survived — "They have greatly oppressed me from my youth, but they have not gained the victory over me." Peterson uses this to describe the experience of the church across history: battered but undefeated. How does knowing that the community of faith has survived centuries of opposition affect your confidence in its future?
3.Psalm 130 opens with the famous cry "Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord." Peterson names this as a cry from the bottom — a prayer that comes not from theological composure but from genuine crisis. When have you prayed from the depths? What makes that kind of prayer different from ordinary prayer?