PSALMS FOR BLACK LIVES
Reflections for the Work of Liberation
In the summer of 2020, while composing a series of devotionals on the Psalms for their church, the Double Love Experience, authors Gabby Cudjoe Wilkes and Andrew Wilkes recognized that these ancient words spoke truth and inspiration not only to their immediate community, but also to the growing number of people doing the holy, demanding work of pursuing justice, undoing structural racism, and building a society that truly values Black lives.
The Psalms speak power today as they always have. They have spoken across generations. They have bridged cultural divides and social contexts with their emotional rawness, urge towards justice, and blunt candor about the coarse edges of walking with God.
Psalms for Black Lives includes thirty devotions, each containing a psalm, a reflection, and an invitation for the reader to develop a justice imagination through further engagement with the text. Psalms for Black Lives also includes daily discussion questions to support small-group study and a guide for congregational and community groups who want to embody the words of the Psalms together.
Order now from The Upper Room online store and receive a 15% discount and free shipping when you use promo code HBBL15 at checkout. *Offer valid through December 31, 2022
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August 1, 2022
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Upper Room/Upper Room Books, a division of The Upper Room, will release on August 1, 2022, Psalms for Black Lives: Reflections for the Work of Liberation by authors Rev. Dr. Gabby Cudjoe Wilkes and Rev. Andrew Wilkes.
Psalms for Black Lives initially arose as devotionals for a churchwide fasting experience led by the Revs Wilkes during the summer of 2020 when America was ablaze with righteous indignation over the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless others.
The Wilkes found that the ancient words of the Psalms spoke truth and inspiration not only to their immediate community, but also to the growing number of people called to the difficult work of pursuing justice, confronting structural racism, and building a society that equitably values Black lives.
Psalms for Black Lives includes thirty devotions, each containing a psalm, a reflection, and an invitation for the reader to develop a justice imagination through engagement with the text. the book also features discussion questions to support small-group study and a guide for congregational and community group interaction.
In her recommendation for the book, Risë Nelson, Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion at Yale University Library writes,
“Pastors Gabby and Andrew have made this offering from and of love as a reminder of who you are and we are. It is an invitation to renew your faith in God and in the power of our community. It is a confirmation of God’s plan for each of us and God’s promise to be with us in our challenges and our victories.”
Rev. Kimberly Orr, publisher of The Upper Room states,
“For too long the Black experience and voice have been muted as interpretive conversation partners for the Psalms. The Wilkes go a long way toward remedying this disparity. Psalms for Black Lives is an important work for beginning the healing process in our churches.”
The Reverends Wilkes are co-founders and co-lead pastors of The Double Love Experience Church in Brooklyn, New York. Psalms for Black Lives is inspired by the countless individuals, organizers, collectives, and assemblies fighting, struggling, and planning for the liberation of Black lives, a precondition for the liberation of humanity.
To learn more, please visit UpperRoomBooks.com/BlackLives
The Upper Room is a global ministry dedicated to supporting the spiritual formation of Christians seeking to know and experience God more fully. From its beginning as a daily devotional guide, The Upper Room has grown to include publications, programs, prayer support, and other resources to help believers of all ages and denominations move to a deeper level of faith and service. The Upper Room is a part of Discipleship Ministries. Visit UpperRoom.org to learn more.
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Contact:
Lisa Lehr
The Upper Room – Books
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