When people are going through difficult circumstances, mourning over losses, or wondering fearfully what the future holds as they face troubles; caring, compassionate pastors will say, “pray the Psalms.”  If we are in the Word of God and believe what He says to be really real; we understand what it means to pray the Psalms. 

This counsel is not meant to be flippant or a way to dismiss us in our pain; just the opposite.  The Psalms are prayers with ways to praise the God who love us completely and sacrificially even in our pain.  God is the faithful One. God is perfectly Holy in every way.  God is the Love we seek. God knows what we are going through and has way prepared for us that we yet to see.  Most of all, God is the One and Only who longs to have an intimate, growing relationship with Him forever!  He knows our name, our story, and our longing for real Love.  God is Love.

When we pray, Our Father and all of Heaven stops and bends down to listen while we speak. God knows our hearts and sees the confused thoughts hovering in our minds.  His desire is to cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, refresh and reset our souls with His mercy, while restoring the joy of His salvation within us—all because of His great love for us!  All we need to do is ask.  When we do Peace washes over us.  Jesus described His Peace;

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”—Jesus, John 14:27

The sincere words of David and those he taught to worship and write more psalms to pray give us words to say to God but we cannot think or form the words to say in our misery, anxiety, and fear. Thank you, David and your team who was inspired by God! You, David sought the Lord, and He heard, and He answered. That’s why centuries later, I trust God, too!  I seen God work in miraculous ways with my own eyes!

We who are growing in our relationship with God, through Jesus, have a plethora of prose to choose from when we cannot muster the words ourselves.  These are not chants to repeat but words of truth to internalize and live by daily. 

Psalm 17, The Message

A prayer of David.

^1-2 Listen while I build my case, God,
    the most honest prayer you’ll ever hear.
Show the world I’m innocent—
    in your heart you know I am.

³ Go ahead, examine me from inside out,
    surprise me in the middle of the night—
You’ll find I’m just what I say I am.
    My words don’t run loose.

^4-5 I’m not trying to get my way
    in the world’s way.
I’m trying to get your way,
    your Word’s way.
I’m staying on your trail;
    I’m putting one foot
In front of the other.
    I’m not giving up.

^6-7 I call to you, God, because I’m sure of an answer.
    So—answer! bend your ear! listen sharp!
Paint grace-graffiti on the fences;
    take in your frightened children who
Are running from the neighborhood bullies
    straight to you.

^8-9 Keep your eye on me;
    hide me under your cool wing feathers
From the wicked who are out to get me,
    from mortal enemies closing in.

^10-14 Their hearts are hard as nails,
    their mouths blast hot air.
They are after me, nipping my heels,
    determined to bring me down,
Lions ready to rip me apart,
    young lions poised to pounce.
Up, God: beard them! break them!
    By your sword, free me from their clutches;
Barehanded, God, break these mortals,
    these flat-earth people who can’t think beyond today.

I’d like to see their bellies
    swollen with famine food,
The weeds they’ve sown
    harvested and baked into famine bread,
With second helpings for their children
    and crusts for their babies to chew on.

¹⁵ And me? I plan on looking
    you full in the face. When I get up,
I’ll see your full stature
    and live heaven on earth.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

I’m sure as you read the above prayer, a flood of personal thoughts rushed in. That’s how it is with the psalms—the words become ours to God, too. God’s gift of the Psalms are meant to draw us closer to Him while realizing who He is and what He wants to do in our lives!

Prayer begins with surrender to His Will.  The greatest model of prayer was introduced later by Jesus, God’s Son.  Jesus’ disciples saw Jesus retreat often to a quiet place to speak with God, the Father.  Their question “Master, teach us to pray” became not only a teachable moment but a lifeline for us who would believe and follow Jesus later.  Jesus’ model of prayer is given as a beginning point of developing a life of prayer that grows our relationship with God.  Communication with God, as with anyone we want to get to know, respect and love, means talking, listening, learning, and growing then repeat daily! 

Here is what has been deemed as “The Lord’s Prayer”—

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” –Jesus, Matthew 6:9-13, NIV

But how will we know God and His will?  Be still. Stop talking, let go of what you want to Listen as He speaks to our hearts and minds.  He will show the path to take to fulfill His perfect plan and purpose for us!  He is able. He love never ends. Trust Him.

This simple prayer of Jesus contains profound words as a foundation of our faith in God.

Our Father—We seek God first with acknowledgement for Who we are talking to!

Hallowed—We come to Him in reverent awe for Who He is—The One and Only God!

His Kingdom and His Will means surrender to Him, laying down our will and our personal kingdom building activities that are futile.

Daily Bread—Refers to the manna “from heaven” provided daily by God for His people as they journeyed through the wilderness on their way to the promised land of God. They needed, as we do, acknowledgement of God’s Presence daily.  Each day was given to us by God to declare His glory.  “Give us this day”; we admit that we need to speak with and hear from God daily as we walk humbly with Him on our journey with Him until we see Him face to face in all His glory!

Forgive us our sins AS WE forgive others like Jesus forgave us.  Jesus was very specific about living a life of forgiveness by those freely forgiven by Him.

Lead us not to the Enemy but deliver us from the Enemy. Jesus knew we would need the unlimited Power of God to defeat the limited work of the Deceiver, the Father of Lies. So, we ask and God answers with Help from His Holy Spirit who guides us to Truth!

There we have it—the Three-in-One—The Holy Trinity who was, is and always will be all we need to walk humbly with God. 

God, the Father—Jesus, Our Savior and Lord—His Holy Spirit comprise Truth for Life!

He is who we talk to honestly with a humbled heart then pause to listen to for the answer we need most—Him!

Lord,

Thank you for your daily manna of truth that uplifts our thinking, builds our faith, reminding us of your love, care, mercy, and grace for us!  You are our confidence for today and always.  Your compassionate forgiveness causes our hearts to be forgiving as we long to be more like you in every way.  May your will be done in all the details of today.  We have not arrived in perfection; but we are on our way in our pursuit of you; the One who is perfect in every way. Speak to my heart; I’m listening.

In Jesus Name, Amen