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Psalms 1–2; 8; 19–33; 40; 46 Part 1 • Steven Sharp Nelson • August 17-23 • Come, Follow Me

August 12, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Psalms as the Soul's Songbook: Finding Connection, Creativity, and Healing

When Steven Sharp Nelson was sixteen, he performed a difficult elegy at a prestigious event and didn't play it well. His father came up afterward and said, "My son, I felt like I was every part of every mistake you made." The problem wasn't the missed notes—it was that every error was "written on your face, and you pulled me into it." From that moment, Nelson decided he would smile every time he made a mistake. That decision, he says, "has elevated my performance, it has elevated my relationships, and it's elevated my relationship with God."

Why the Psalms Matter More Than Any Other Scripture

The Psalms were the people's hymn book in ancient Israel—not just read but sung, memorized, and ritualistically used. Nelson explains that when a character in a Broadway musical becomes too emotional to express with words, they sing; when it's too emotional to sing, they dance. The Psalms work the same way, moving from monologue into transcendent praise or raw lament. They capture the broadest range of human emotion in scripture.

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (00:00) **Opening & Guest Introduction** - Hank and John introduce Steven Sharp Nelson (The Piano Guys) as the guest for a three-part series on the Psalms.
  • 2 (12:01) **Why the Psalms Matter: The People’s Hymn Book** - Steven argues the Psalms are the most accessible and emotionally resonant book of scripture.
  • 3 (16:50) **The Psalms as a Bridge for Gathering Israel** - Steven explains why the Psalms are the best tool for building the kingdom and connecting with other believers.
  • 4 (18:55) **The Problem of “Rehash Browns”** - Steven introduces the concept of replaying past mistakes and offers a practical antidote.
  • 5 (26:08) **Jesus’ Endorsement of the Psalms** - John and Steven confirm that the Psalms were the Savior’s favorite and most-used book.
  • 6 (28:42) **How to Become a Psalmist: Start Where You Are** - Steven moves from “why” to “how,” assuring listeners they are already on the path.
  • 7 (33:16) **Pure Creativity as a Burnout Antidote** - Steven connects creativity to divine nature and offers a practical prescription for spiritual burnout.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Steven Sharp Nelson

Show Notes

Is the Lord actually listening or just cataloging your complaints? Steven Sharp Nelson joins Hank and John to examine the Psalms as the ancient “people’s hymnbook,” showing how prayers of praise and lament can heal burnout, quiet the inner critic, and turn everyday creativity into worship.

SHOW NOTES/TRANSCRIPTS
English: https://tinyurl.com/podcastOT234EN
French: https://tinyurl.com/podcastOT234FR
German: https://tinyurl.com/podcastOT234DE
Portuguese: https://tinyurl.com/podcastOT234PT
Spanish: https://tinyurl.com/podcastOT234ES

YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/mbkORPrBrxU

ALL EPISODES/SHOW NOTES
followHIM website: https://www.followHIM.co

FREE PDF DOWNLOADS OF followHIM QUOTE BOOKS
New Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastNTBook
Old Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastOTBook
Book of Mormon: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastBMBook
 
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SOCIAL MEDIA
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/followHIMpodcast
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followhimpodcast

TIMECODE:

  • 0:00 - Part 1 - Brother Steven Sharp Nelson
  • 0:33 Welcome
  • 3:39 Victor Borga story
  • 6:30 Today’s roadmap
  • 8:06 John’s “translation” of Steven’s bio
  • 11:33 Steven’s parents and his musical childhood
  • 12:45 Come, Follow Me Manual
  • 13:39 Why love the Psalms: The People’s Hymnbook
  • 16:34 Psalms, joy, and Team Jesus
  • 19:25 “Rehash browns”
  • 22:41 Wrestling with the Adversary
  • 25:29 Jesus’s final words were Psalms
  • 28:32 Becoming psalmists
  • 33:46 Creativity forces its way into its secrets
  • 36:29 Divine nature is creative nature
  • 39:28 Why Steven smiles while he plays
  • 42:09 Play to the one
  • 45:12 Is that me or the Adversary?
  • 48:10 The Piano Guys’ Origin and burnout
  • 51:54 The Broadway musical revelation
  • 55:02 Look for the “packets”
  • 58:40 “Be still and know”
  • 1:01:46 Brother Dallas Jenkins and The Chosen
  • 1:05:04 The 911 protection psalm
  • 1:07:25 the temple as a place of connection
  • 1:09:57 Korean mission story: “trees, not sisters”
  • 1:12:52 End of Part 1 - Brother Steven Sharp Nelson

Thanks to the followHIM team:
Steve & Shannon Sorensen: Cofounder, Executive Producer, Sponsor
David & Verla Sorensen: Sponsors
Dr. Hank Smith: Co-host
John Bytheway: Co-host
David Perry: Producer
Kyle Nelson: Marketing, Sponsor
Lisa Spice: Client Relations, Editor, Show Notes
Will Stoughton: Video Editor
Krystal Roberts: Translation Team, English & French Transcripts, Website
Ariel Cuadra: Spanish Transcripts
Amelia Kabwika: Portuguese Transcripts
Heather Barlow: Communications Director
Sydney Smith: Social Media, Graphic Design
 
"Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise" by Marshall McDonald<

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