How exactly do I pray? Frustrations vary for Christians when it comes to praying. Have you ever felt as though your words bounce off the ceiling, going nowhere? The Psalms can serve as our guide in one very important way: by praying them. By using the Psalms as our guide and language in prayer we can orient our minds, hearts, and words to a deeper experience with God.
The Psalms invite us to reflect deeply on the love of God, to ponder His nature, to celebrate our redemption and to poetically verbalize the triumphs and heartaches of life. The Psalms are a deep well from which we are invited to drink.
The Psalms teach the importance of being honest with God and that it’s OK to ask, “Why?” and “How long, O Lord?” We learn the necessity of submitting to Him in difficult times and the joy we have in approaching Him when we contemplate His greatness. Following the Psalter’s prayer patterns will enrich our prayers; make their substance fuller, and more Christ-centered. It is vital that we ask of every psalm just how it speaks to us of Christ and how we can respond to Him.
Monday: Introduction to the Book of Psalms. We will examine and pray Psalms 8,24, 66 and 103. God is praised as Lord, Creator and deliverer how does it involve me.
Tuesday: We will explore the psalmist’s emphasis on trusting God and the safeguard that trusting in God produces in Psalms 11, 23,131,63 and 91.
Wednesday: We will use the lament and penitential psalms which are written from an individual or national perspective to express our own sorrow for sin and prepare for Reconciliation; we will use Psalms 6,38, 51, 130.