A Psalm of Joyful Praise

I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever;
    with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness

    to all generations.
I declare that your steadfast love is established forever;
    your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.

(Psalm 89:1-2)

Praise for you fills my heart, O God,

and I can't contain myself.

"Spring up, O well, within my soul!"

Even in this season of pandemic,

when troubles and trials abound,

nevertheless my heart is light with joy.

Of course, I grieve for the world,

my heart aches for the brokenness 

that your people are experiencing.

But still, a song of joy fills my heart,

because I know your love is better than life.

As high as the heavens are above the earth – 

that’s how great is your love toward us.

When I consider the problems and troubles 

that fill our world right now,

as great and numerous and burdensome as they are,

they are no match for you.

For your power and might are unsurpassed:

  you are Creator of heaven and earth, and all that is in them;

  you are Sovereign Lord over all the world;

  you govern all things by the unsearchable mystery

     of your Providence.

Great is your faithfulness, O Lord,

great is your faithfulness.

Indeed, we are deep in the midst of troubling days,

but then, so are you, right in the depths with us.

So as I see it, "If God is for us, who can stand against us?"

I am confident of this:

I shall see the goodness of the Lord

in the land of the living;

indeed I shall see the goodness of the Lord

every day.

While I have breath,

I will sing of your steadfast love forever, O Lord;

   with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness 

   to all generations.

My heart is light with joy;

praise for you fills my heart,

and I cannot keep it to myself.

Praise the Lord!

During the season of Lent, I am “Praying with David,” using prayers found in the psalms as inspiration for personal prayers.

A Prayer of a Restless Spirit

Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint; 

     heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony. 

My soul is in deep anguish. 

     How long, Lord, how long? 

Turn, Lord, and deliver me; 

     save me because of your unfailing love.

I am worn out from my groaning.

All night long I flood my bed with weeping
    and drench my couch with tears.

(Psalm 6:2-4, 6)

I can’t sleep Lord.

My mind is racing,

a million little things,

a few big things,

and probably too much caffeine

earlier in the day…

I toss and turn,

I can’t turn off my brain.

Questions and worries keep bubbling up:

  What if?

    What if my wife gets sick? 

    Or my children? 

    Or my parents? 

    Or my siblings?

    Or my friends?

  How long?

    How long will this go on? 

    How long will businesses be closed? 

    How long before I can worship with my flock?

  Why?

    Why is the world going through this pandemic? 

    Why couldn’t we have foreseen it? 

    Why does the COVID-19 become lethal for some, 

      but not for others? 

    Why… Why... Why...?

Worst case scenarios come to mind.

And they are frightening.

No wonder I can’t sleep tonight.

Then I remember, you have told me

that I should turn to you, 

and you will take the burden from me:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,

and I will give you rest.”

I think I’m going to take you up on that invitation, Lord.

Here – take my burdens, please.

Give me rest.

Have mercy, Lord.

Take my worries, my anxieties, my concerns, my burdens,

and replace them with your peace.

I know you are present with me – 

there is no darkness that can hide me from you –

and yet, I. need. to. feel. your. presence.

Come to me, I pray.

Give me your peace.

Give me rest.

Give me strength to face tomorrow.

Give me your peace.

And let me sleep.

Please.

During the season of Lent, I am “Praying with David,” using prayers from the psalms as inspiration for personal prayers.

Thank You, Lord, for Listening. And for Answering.

I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; 

     turn your ear to me and hear my prayer. 

Show me the wonders of your great love, 

     you who save by your right hand 

     those who take refuge in you from their foes. 

Keep me as the apple of your eye; 

     hide me in the shadow of your wings.

(Psalm 17:6-8)

O Lord, my God,

you are Sovereign Lord over all the world,

and yet you know me by name.

What joy fills my heart

at the knowledge that

I am precious to you!

I know that not a word I pray,

  not a thought I have,

    not even an un-uttered inner groaning

fails to capture your attention.

Whatever I pray,

however I pray,

you will always answer.

Sometimes your answer is, “Yes.”

Sometimes your answer is, “No.”

Sometimes your answer is, “Trust me.”

But always, you answer me

according to your infinite wisdom

and your steadfast love.

Because you hear my prayers

and answer them,

I continue to cry out to you:

Show me your steadfast love,

protect me from harm,

shelter me in your loving arms.

Thank you, O Lord, for loving me.

Thank you for listening to the cries of my heart.

Thank you.

That is all. No answer required this time.

But still, I know you will.

Because that’s who you are.

Amen.

During the season of Lent, I am "Praying with David," using prayers found in the psalms as inspiration for personal prayers.

I Love You, Lord

I love you, Lord, my strength.

(Psalm 18:1)

"I love you, Lord."

I speak those words from my heart, O God.

When I awaken, and when I sleep,

and every hour in between,

I love you.

I love you, Lord,

because you have first loved me.

You have loved me faithfully,

  and unconditionally,

  and lavishly,

  and graciously,

  and eternally.

You, Lord – 

  who have given me life, abundant life;

  who have walked with me through trials;

  who have delivered me from trouble;

  who have blessed me with family;

  who have provided for me;

  who have been with me always – 

you, Lord, I love.

I love you, Lord,

because you have first loved me.

You gave your Son

to me

and to the whole world.

In him you have given me

eternal life.

I love you, Lord,

and to you I give my life.

"Take my life, and let it be 

consecrated, Lord, to thee."

Take me, use me, I pray.

Make me an instrument of your

  healing,

    grace,

      mercy,

        justice,

          steadfast love,

        compassion,

      comfort,

    hope,

  peace.

I love you, Lord, my strength.

Amen.

During the season of Lent, I am "Praying with David," using prayer from the psalms as inspiration for personal prayers.

Praise Is Always Appropriate

We praise you, God, 

     we praise you, for your Name is near; 

     people tell of your wonderful deeds.

(Psalm 75:1)

It is good and right, O Lord,

that praise should flow from our hearts

and over our lips

every day.

For you are good beyond measure,

your blessings falling upon us faster than we can count.

Praise is not reserved

only for those times when life is good;

for even in times of trouble,

your goodness far exceeds our trials.

We awoke this day with the rising of the sun – 

   which, by the way, is amazing to witness,

   a gift you paint for us every day on the horizon.

And you have breathed into us the breath of life,

and given us this day – 

   also, as a beautiful gift.

Indeed, there is beauty everywhere;

open our eyes, that we may behold your goodness.

We praise you, O God,

     we praise you, for your Name is near.

There may be fearful things in our lives:

    sickness

            economic cHaos

      jobs put on p-a-u-s-e

  more sickness (it is a pandemic, after all)

     social ------ distancing

isolation

loneliness

But your love casts out fear.

In our distancing, our isolation, our loneliness,

you have come near,

to dwell with us.

In your Presence there is peace.

We praise you, O God,

     we praise you, for your Name is near;

     people tell of your wonderful deeds.

Let it be said of us, O God,

that we are among those 

who tell of your wonderful deeds.

For our world can use good news today.

As we experience your goodness,

open our mouths to sing your praise;

and inspire us in the depths of our hearts

to show your grace and compassion and mercy,

so that even more people

will tell of your wonderful deeds.

We praise you, O God, we praise you.

Amen.

During the season of Lent, I am "Praying with David," using prayers found in the psalms as inspiration for personal prayers.