Building a Life of Prayer

Psalm 69 reminds us that honest, sincere lament and complaint is acceptable to God. It also reminds us to always turn to God in a crisis. We should always trust in God's steadfast love.

How can Psalm 67 guide us in developing our own prayers? It reminds us of God's call for the Church to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to all the nations of the world.

Willfully holding on to the practice of sin can hinder our confidence in prayer. The good news is that God has made provision for our sin. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

Regardless of how we feel and despite whatever our circumstances are, God is always worthy of our praise. God provides everything that the Earth needs and the Earth itself gives praise to Lord.

Psalm 63 teaches us the importance of seeking God for God Himself. There is nothing better than the steadfast love of God. We should meditate on who God is.

Psalm 62 is a psalm about waiting upon God in faith. God alone is our rock, our salvation, and our fortress. We are to trust in God and pour out our heart to him in prayer. 

There is an essential lesson in Psalm 61: We need God to lead us to Himself. We sometimes feel distant from God. We can pray for God to awaken the awareness of His presence in us.

Psalm 60 reminds us that there are still times of defeat and discouragement amid great victories. We need to remember that only God can give victory. Praying God's Word is a great way to strengthen our prayer lives. 

Psalm 59 teaches us that when facing adversity, we should make specific requests of God. We should also focus on who God is, rely on God's strength and steadfast love, and always conclude our prayer time with praise to God. 

Psalm 57 is one of 14 Psalms with a historical note in its heading.  It teaches us that we should come to God whenever we need mercy and acknowledge that God is the source of our strength. 

Psalm 56 was written during a very tough crisis in the life of King David. Yet, the psalm reminds us to pray, to trust,  and to give praise to God because of who He is and because of His great care for those who are His own.

Psalm 55:22 is a terrific verse to memorize. It is helpful in that it reminds us to cast our burdens on God. The New Testament teaches the same idea in 1 Peter 5:6-7. 

King David begins Psalm 54  by specifically asking God to save him. He puts his trust in God and gives thanksgiving to God. God is the One who upholds our lives. We should commit to worshipping God.

Psalm 51 is one of the greatest prayers of confession of sin in the Bible. It teaches us that when we are confessing our sins before the Lord we need to be completely open and honest. 

Verse 22 of Psalm 44 is quoted in the New Testament book of Romans. We should always turn from lament to trust in God because we who are in Christ, have been saved.

Scholars suggest that Psalms 42 and 43 were originally one composition. They express longing for God's presence. They teach us about praying when we are discouraged or depressed. During those times we should let the Word of God lead us. 

The writer of Hebrews takes the words of King David in Psalm 40 and applies them to Jesus Christ. This teaches us that God is not honored by sacrifices and burnt offerings, but instead, Christ came and gave his own life on the cross to take the judgment for our sins. 

Psalm 39 reflects on the brevity of life on earth. However, we can trust and hope in God despite that brevity. We should repent and turn from sin and place our hope fully in the Lord. 

Psalm 38 teaches us that it is OK to lament to God and be honest in our prayers. It also teaches us to search our hearts for any sin. In the midst of suffering, we should put our trust in God.

Psalm 35 teaches us that God wants us to trust him to fight our battles. We should recognize that God's answers to our prayers do not come immediately. Despite our circumstances, God delights in the welfare of his servants. 

King David pronounces the blessedness of being forgiven by God in Psalm 32. He also stresses the importance of being teachable and humble before God. The psalm teaches us that we should acknowledge our sins honestly before the Lord. 

Jesus quoted from the Psalms more than any other book of the Old Testament. Jesus prays Psalm 31:5 from the cross. This reminds us that we also should learn and pray the Psalms. We can pray in faith when we are facing adversity. 

Psalm 30 reminds us that there will be mourning and suffering for God's people. However, for the believer, all suffering is temporary. Even if it does not end in this life, it will end in eternity. 

Should we pray the way King David prays in Psalm 28 regarding his enemies? There is a better way in light of the teaching from Jesus in the New Testament to love your enemies and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you.  However, we can and should pray for God to defeat our spiritual enemy, Satan.