Dear God, Part 9: Praying the Psalms

Wendy Powell, Community Outreach Pastor

The Psalms are the Bible’s .

The Psalms are a form of worship that .

When we voice our beliefs out loud together, we remind each other of .

Praying the Psalms together reinforces our as the Church, the people of God.

Psalm 138
I will praise you, LORD, with all my heart;
          before the “gods” I will sing your praise.
I will bow down toward your holy temple
          and will praise your name
          for your unfailing love and your faithfulness,
          for you have so exalted your solemn decree
          that it surpasses your fame.
When I called, you answered me;
          you greatly emboldened me.
May all the kings of the earth praise you, LORD,
          when they hear what you have decreed.
May they sing of the ways of the LORD,
          for the glory of the LORD is great.
Though the LORD is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly;
          though lofty, he sees them from afar.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
          you preserve my life.
You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes;
          with your right hand you save me.
The LORD will vindicate me;
          your love, LORD, endures forever—
          do not abandon the works of your hands.

The Psalms help us find God .

God’s people have found their own experience of reflected in the Psalms. 

The Psalms help us find God and connect to him—not in spite of but because of in us, to us, and around us. 

Psalm 62:5–12
Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
          my hope comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
          he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
          he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, you people;
          pour out your hearts to him,
          for God is our refuge.
One thing God has spoken,
          two things I have heard:
          “Power belongs to you, God,
          and with you, Lord, is unfailing love.”  Amen.

Three simple ways to make the Psalms more accessible, more available to you:

1. Read a psalm a day so you become familiar with them.
2. Categorize Psalms by the emotion or situation each describes and start a directory of Psalms so you can easily find one that fits.
3. Daily Prayer Pauses that start with a Psalm.

Praying for someone else from the Psalms
centers our prayers on the solid foundation of .

Small Group Questions

1. What church background, if any, do you have? Was reading Scripture together a part of that church’s services?
2. On a scale of 1 to 4, how would you describe your familiarity with the Psalms?
3. Which phrase or verse from the Psalms above do you resonate with right now? Why?
4. Does anyone in the group have other ideas or resources for reading through the Psalms? If not, which suggestion above would you consider trying for the next 30 days?
5. How can we pray for you right now and throughout the week?