Bible Psychology Devotional

R. Scott Stehouwer, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist,

Emeritus Professor of Psychology, Calvin University

Bible psychology predates human psychology by thousands of years. By the time Freud and his colleagues pieced together a few foundations of human psychology, the Bible had been putting them forth for centuries. Moses was a straightforward biblical psychologist. Job was a meticulous researcher, David a penetrating therapist, and Solomon a studied practitioner. The minor prophets practiced reality therapy in its purest form. Paul was a tireless group therapist who, in Ephesians 4:28, lays out a prescription for complete character change in a single verse! Jesus, the master, specialized in birthing new personalities. These psychologists relied upon the mind of God. Where their work corroborates modern psychology, the knowledge of man is verified.

The truth-seeker should enjoy connecting human thought with divine revelation for vivid understanding of the Christian faith. This devotional work links two psychology sources--biblical and human--so that bedrock human behavior may be scripturally verified and understood.

Jesus taught psychological concepts like the perils of temptation, the nature of the flesh, the grip of fear, and even the Freudian slip (Matthew 12:34). A myriad of psychology principles are addressed by Scripture; rigidity of character, sex addiction, love, personality change, self-esteem, and healing the fractured self are just a few. Make no mistake: as transformation relates to the human experience, the Bible is a spiritual psychology text. This devotional brings this dimension to the written page.