Psalm Prayer Guide

The Goal of this prayer guide is to help all of us begin to pray God’s Word on a regular basis. The Psalms are a great place to start learning this new spiritual discipline. The Psalms are these rich prayers, poems and songs about how God and humanity walk hand and hand. This is a 5 day prayer guide, that will start on Monday and go through Friday. The hope is that as we learn to pray God’s word in different ways it will help to deepen not only our prayer lives, but our entire faith journey. These prayer guides can be used in a personal setting, as a family, or a small group; but remember that prayer is intimate, it is a n opportunity for us to be honest and vulnerable with our Lord and Savior!

Each day you will start out by reading the entire Psalm out loud. I encourage you to do this differently each day. Maybe one day it will be a whisper that is barley audible. Maybe one day it will have dramatic pauses where you emphasize specific words. Maybe one day you will sing it! As you experiment with it I believe God will open different portions of the Psalm to you in different ways!

Psalm 1 NIV

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

Monday: After you read the Psalm out loud, reflect on what it means to be blessed? Is being happy and blessed the same thing? The word that David uses for blessed is Asher, which can mean happy as well! Can we see our blessings when we are not happy? Can we be happy when we are not feeling blessed?

Prayer: God you word says “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers.” Lord you know that I am not perfect. You know that I struggle; but I do love you! I really do want to make you happy. I am sorry for not always thanking you for the blessings you have given me; even when I struggle to see those blessings. I am sorry that I allow things to prevent me from being happy. I want to be the type of person who walks in your ways, and not the ways of the world. I pray that you will help me! God as I start this journey of prayer I pray that you will give me the strength I need to stay on track. I pray that you will help to carve out time for you; and help me know when I am making excuses for why I do not have time to pray! God I want you to be a priority in all aspects of my live. If there are things or people in my life that are causing me to walk in the ways of the wicked, or if I am sitting in the company of those who mock you and your great love I am sorry; please forgive me. God help me to build relationships with people who love you, and will help me draw closer to you in all things! In Jesus name; Amen!

Tuesday: Read Psalms 1 out loud, maybe try to read it in a dramatic fashion than yesterday.

What is the law of the Lord. Whenever we see the word Lord in the Old Testament, especially if it is in all capitals like it is in the Psalms transcripts that refers to the Holy name of God; or Yahweh. The Jewish people hardly ever used Yahweh when they referred to God because His name was so Holy; they would use other names like El Shaddai which means I am almighty God, or Elohim which simply meant God. This is so important because it reminds us that prayer is an intimate encounter with God.

As you prepare to pray reflect on your relationship with God; is it as intimate as you would like it to be? Do you fell comfortable calling Him Lord? Or do you have another name for Him? Daddy, Father, Lord and Savior, or simply God?

Pray: Dear (fill in the blank with your favorite name for God). Thank you! Thank for all you do, and for all you will do! Thank you for your Word and this opportunity to learn how to pray using your words and not mine. Your word says that I should “delight in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.” I want to do that, but sometimes I feel like I do not know how. I am so thankful that Jesus taught me that your law is really about loving you, and then allowing your Holy Sprit to work in my live so I can learn how to love others. But I have to admit that I still fail at that. So I want to be a person who thinks about you all the time! I want to be a person who allows my faith to shape who I am instead of allowing who I am to shape my faith. So God please hear my prayer, help me to meditate on you, and your word day and night! in Jesus name; Amen!

Wednesday:

Read Psalm 1 out out loud. Maybe this time listen to it instead of reading it yourself. You can use and app like the bible app, or Bible gateway. Or even ask someone to read it to you. As you listen to the words of the Psalm close your eyes, and picture yourself as that tree, the one that is being feed by God’s holy stream.

As you prepare yourself to pray go and read John 7: 37-38. Is Jesus your living water? Is God’s word, both written and the living Word of Jesus Christ what allows you to live, grow and bear fruit? If not what is stopping you from depending on God?

Our Heavenly Father as I heard the words of the Psalms today I was reminded just how much you love me! When your word says “That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.” I want to be that person. I want to be the person who walks in your ways, the person sees all of your blessings. I want to be the person who allows you to me by food and water! Teach me Lord! I submit to you, and ask you to teach me in whatever way you see fit, I put my trust and life in You! So if there is something in me that is stopping that I ask you to prune it! I know it might be painful, and I apologize in advance if I complain about it! But I want to be that strong healthy tree that bears fruit, not for me, but for You! In Jesus name; Amen!

Thursday:

Read Psalms 1 out loud: Try reading it as almost a whisper. Go one verse at a time, and pause; wait for 20-30 seconds between each line, this may feel uncomfortable, but see how God speaks to you in the uncomfortably.

As you listen for God ask yourself who are the wicked? The word that David uses for wicked can also mean guilty, or wrong, even mortal. So then are their any of us who are not wicked? It is only because of the love of God expressed to us through Jesus that we are able to be made whole and clean!

Prayer: God I have never really thought of myself as wicked. I feel like I am a good person, or at least I try to be! However I realize that its not about being good, or bad, but its about being forgiven. It is only through the gift of Jesus that I can even have the assurance that you are hearing my prayers! I thank you for your Holy Sprit, I thank you for your presence in my life. God when I read those words that said “Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.” I now understand that if it was not for your grace, your love and the sacrifice of Jesus we would all be condemned! Thank you for your forgiveness! In Jesus name, Amen!

Friday: Before you read Psalm 1; ask yourself did any of the different ways you experimented with reading impact you more than another? Did any of them make you uncomfortable or challenge you? Is it something you think you will continue to do?

Prayer: God I am not going to pretend that I understand how hard it is for you when I sin! You love us so much, and I cannot imagine how much it breaks your heart when I am not living into the full potential of who you have called me to be! I am so thankful for your Son, who has allowed me to experience your love and salvation! Without Him I would be lost! God I pray that you will burden my heart for people who are lost; those words at the end of the Psalm haunt me; “For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.” I do not want anyone to miss eternity with you! So right now God I submit myself to you, and say use me! Use me to help people experience your love and salvation! In Jesus name; Amen!