Praying the Psalms

There are some really great prayers in the bible. We can learn a great deal about prayer just from reading them. Sometimes, we can even pray them ourselves. For example, take a look sometime at Nehemiah’s prayer in Nehemiah chapter nine. It is a wonderful prayer of praise to God.

Nothing, however, compares to the use of the Psalms for prayer material. There is so much “prayer richness” in the Psalms to choose from. No matter what your emotional state or what your circumstance, there is a prayer in psalm to suit you. Are you hurting? Are you remorseful? Are you joyful? There is a Psalm for you to pray.

It used to be that when I read the Psalms, I saw all the “stuff” in there that just seemed to be irrelevant for our society today or perhaps even inappropriate as an attitude for a New Testament believer. After all, does this really seem like an appropriate prayer?

Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me. Take up shield and buckler; arise and come to my aid. Brandish spear and javelina against those who pursue me. Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.” May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plot my ruin be turned back in dismay. May they be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the Lord driving them away; may their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.

NIV, electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984), Ps 35:1-6.

In many parts of the world, this prayer may have direct, personal meaning to persecuted Christians; but even then a New Testament, Christ-like believer ought to be praying for their enemies, not praying against their enemies. As you read through the Psalms, this kind of language is prevalent. Nevertheless, there is a way to pray the Psalms that is both relevant and meaningful. For example, consider this prayer:

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; in you I trust, O my God. To you I call, O Lord my Rock; do not turn a deaf ear to me. I will exalt you, O Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths. I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you. One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

NIV, electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984), Ps 34:1-3; 33:22; 30:1; 28:1; 27:4; 25:1-2.

This is a rich, powerful prayer. As you can see from the copyright notice, though, this prayer is not one Psalm, but various verses put together to make a single, meaningful prayer. I would strongly encourage all Christians to read a portion of the Psalms every day. As you do so, look specifically for those verses that speak directly to your heart, such as Psalm 40:8

I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart. (NIV)

Whenever you find such verses, stop and take a moment. Meditate on that verse. Speak it to God as if it were from you personally. Commend it to Him. If you like, jot it down or even memorize it. Or even if you like, you can do what I have decided to do myself: start making notes of these verses and, on occasion, pull them together into a single prayer like the one above. Then, one day in your private time with God, pull it out and pray it back to Him.

Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen. (Ps. 41:13)