Psalms as Prayer

Last week we started our series by asking what are the Psalms.

They are songs that were sung during parts of temple worship

Some are connected to events in the life of David and in the Nation of Israel

We learned that the titles contain important information.

Today I want to consider the Psalms as prayer.

Lets read together Psalm 3 Chair Bible 363

Psalm 3 NASB 2020

A Psalm of David, when he fled from his son Absalom. Lord, how my enemies have increased! Many are rising up against me. Many are saying of my soul, “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah But You, Lord, are a shield around me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head. I was crying out to the Lord with my voice, And He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustains me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me all around. Arise, Lord; save me, my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheek; You have shattered the teeth of the wicked. Salvation belongs to the Lord; May Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah

Are you ready for the message God has for us today?

Cool let’s dig in

Prayer was another important purpose of the Psalms.

There are some who see them only as prayers

Bonhoeffer wrote: “Now there is in the Holy Scriptures a book which distinguished from all other books of the Bible by the fact it contains only prayers. The book is Psalms.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Psalms were used as prayers by the people of God through the generations.

Jesus Prayed the Psalms

Did you know that Jesus recited the Psalms from the cross?

Psalms 22:1 was quoted by Jesus in Matthew 27:46

Matthew 27:46 NASB 2020

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “eli, eli, lema sabaktanei?” that is, “my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Psalms 31:5 was prayed by Jesus in Luke 23:46

Luke 23:46 NASB 2020

And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit.” And having said this, He died.

It has been suggested by some scholars that Jesus was praying His way through the Psalms while on the cross.

These would be then parts that those around heard or recognized.

It is interesting with that thought in mind that many of the early Psalms are prayers of a good man suffering and crying out to God for help.

Consider whose words the Psalms are

Have you ever used the Psalms as a prayer to God?

I remember the disciples one time asking Jesus to teach them to pray.

Matthew 6:9–13 NASB 2020

“Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. ‘Give us this day our daily bread. ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’

You know the question asked by the disciples is a question that Christians ask today.

Well consider what better way to pray than to use God’s own words, like we do these words of Jesus in the Lord’s Prayer?

Bonhoeffer, “The child learns the speech of the father. So we learn to speak to God because God has spoken to us and speaks to us.”

The Psalms provide us a language we can use to pray to God in most any situation in life.

Through the Psalms we can praise God, we can lament, we can repent, we can express thanksgiving.

Praying Psalms in Praise

The Psalms teach us to praise God in our prayers.

The Hebrew word translated “praise” and the Psalms are filled with this word in fact 147 times

The Psalms praise God for creation - Psalms 104:24

Psalm 104:24 NASB 2020

Lord, how many are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all; The earth is full of Your possessions.

The Psalms praise God for Salvation - The exodus out of Egypt is seen as the supreme saving act.

The Psalms celebrate that event. Like 105, 106, 115, and 136.

Put with the New Testament Christ’s death on the cross is the supreme act of Salvation. So in praising God for Salvation we remember both.

Praise for answered prayer - the Psalms give us words to praise God when our prayers are answered.

The Psalms teach us how we ought to respond to God’s goodness - Psalms 30:1-5

Psalm 30:1–5 NASB 2020

I will exalt You, Lord, for You have lifted me up, And have not let my enemies rejoice over me. Lord my God, I cried to You for help, and You healed me. Lord, You have brought up my soul from Sheol; You have kept me alive, that I would not go down to the pit. Sing praise to the Lord, you His godly ones, And praise the mention of His holiness. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.

Praying Psalms in Lament

Lament are the most common Psalm in the book.

The lament is a Psalm in which the writer prays that God will deliver him from some crisis in life.

Ranging from enemies, battle, or life threatening illness.

In these situations the writer seems to think that God has deserted him.

Ever felt that way?

The best know of the lament Psalms is Psalm 22.

Jesus quoted from this Psalm on the cross - Psalms 22:1

Psalm 22:1 NASB 2020

My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Far from my help are the words of my groaning.

Jesus was lamenting!

There is a short lament Psalm 13

Psalm 13 NASB 2020

For the music director. A Psalm of David. How long, Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long am I to feel anxious in my soul, With grief in my heart all the day? How long will my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; Enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death, And my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” And my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken. But I have trusted in Your faithfulness; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, Because He has looked after me.

In this Psalm note that David is in real trouble, attacked by enemies and doubting whether God still cared for him.

David worried his enemies would realize his shaky faith and gloat over it

However, like most laments it changes suddenly and ends on a note of praise and confidence in God.

Not all laments end on a note of hope though.

Sometimes the Psalmist reverts to despair.

Psalms 88 for example contains no hope at all - Psalm 88:13-16

Psalm 88:13–16 NASB 2020

But I, Lord, have cried out to You for help, And in the morning my prayer comes before You. Lord, why do You reject my soul? Why do You hide Your face from me? I was miserable and about to die from my youth on; I suffer Your terrors; I grow weary. Your burning anger has passed over me; Your terrors have destroyed me.

Laments can also help us understand where some people are in life

Whether in the church or in the world.

Praying Psalms in Repentance

The Psalms can teach us to pray prayers of repentance to God

Such Psalms are - 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143

These Palms have traditionally been used for self-examination.

The one most people know is Psalm 51.

This Psalm was written after Nathan visited King David on the heals of sleeping with Bathsheba and the death of her husband Uriah the Hittite.

Psalm 51:1–4 NASB 2020

Be gracious to me, God, according to Your faithfulness; According to the greatness of Your compassion, wipe out my wrongdoings. Wash me thoroughly from my guilt And cleanse me from my sin. For I know my wrongdoings, And my sin is constantly before me. Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge.

Psalms of repentance also capture the teaching of the New Testament 1 John 1:9

1 John 1:9 NASB 2020

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

When you read a Psalm like Psalm 51 think of the emotion behind the words. How often we feel that way when we stumble and sin. Hear are words that reflect the guilt we feel in those times.

Conclusion

We use the Psalms as prayer, not just a songs sung or scripture read in worship.

The have a much deeper purpose in the lives of God’s people

They contain words for prayers offered to God in good times and in difficult times.

We need to consider the Psalms, all of them, not just the ones we like.

Isn’t it time for the church to recover the practice of praying the Psalms?

The altars are open now

Do the words of David speak to the sin your life? Why not come to the Altar. repent and give it to God, allow him to forgive you.

Maybe you are not sure what to do cause you have not allowed Jesus into your life yet.

Give your life to Him, allow the savior in and receive the forgiveness offered by God through His Son Jesus!