Psalm 21 ~ Praying God's Word

Please read Psalm 21.

Meditate on verse 7.

For the king trusts in the LORD,

 and through the lovingkindness of the Most High,

 he will not be shaken.

Read Psalm 20:9 with Psalm 21:1 to understand the relationship King David had with his LORD THE KING.

Save, O LORD;

may the King answer us in the day we call.

Oh LORD, in Your strength the king will be glad,

and in Your salvation, how greatly he will rejoice.

Even though David was king of Israel, he knew who the real King was.  He humbly acknowledged his dependence on that King’s strength and salvation instead of his own.  Notice the results of a king trusting in the LORD.  David listed them in Psalm 21:2-6.  See if you can find all of them; a few are:

1.     The LORD gave him his heart’s desire.

2.     The LORD did not withhold the request of his lips.

3.     The LORD met him with the blessings of good things.

4.     The LORD gave him life and length of days forever and ever.

5.     The LORD made him most blessed forever.

Verse 7 tells why David experienced such blessing from the LORD: because he trusted in the LORD.  How simple is that?! 

Examine your own life.  Is it that simple?  Do you simply trust the LORD with every aspect of your life, with every aspect of the lives of your loved ones?  David trusted and exalted in the strength of the LORD; he knew his power paled in comparison.  Trust God and exalt in Him today.

Pray Psalm 21:1, 7, and 13 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“O LORD, in Your strength, __________ and I will be glad,

and in Your salvation, we will greatly rejoice!

LORD, we trust in You, and through Your lovingkindness, Most High,

we will not be shaken.  Be exalted, O LORD, in Your strength;

we will sing and praise Your power.

In Your name, King Jesus~”

Find other verses in this Psalm that you can pray over your loved ones.

Psalm 20 ~ Praying God's Word

Please read Psalm 20.

Meditate on verse 9.

Save, O LORD;

may the King answer us in the day we call.

This is an interesting prayer Psalm.   In the first five verses, the prayer requests are told to the person for whom prayer is being said.  These are fervent prayers asking the LORD for help.  Some of the requests are:

1.     May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble.

2.     May the name of God set you securely on high.

3.     May the LORD send you help.

4.     May God grant you your heart’s desire.

5.     May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.

The one offering the prayer on behalf of another then confidently states truths about God:

1.     I know the LORD saves His anointed.

2.     The LORD will answer with the saving strength of His right hand.

Based on knowing those facts, the pray-er says what they will do: “We will boast in the name of the LORD our God” (Psalm 20:7).   And, what they are already doing: “We have risen and stood upright” (Psalm 20:8).

The Psalm ends with a simple prayer of faith.  Pray the prayer (Psalm 20:9) over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“Save ________ and me, O LORD!

May You, King Jesus, answer us in the day we call.”

Use this pattern for prayer and share it with someone you love.

 

Psalm 19 ~ Praying God's Word

Please read Psalm 19.

Meditate on verses 1 and 14a.

The heavens are telling of the glory of God,

and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. 

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable in Your sight…

David began this Psalm acknowledging that the heavens are telling about God’s glory and revealing His knowledge day and night (Psalm 19:1-2).  He ended the Psalm by asking God to make his thoughts and words pleasing to the LORD (Psalm 19:14).  It is convicting to think that a star constantly speaks about the glory of God; how much more should one who has been made in His image?

Sandwiched between the heavens declaring the work of God’s hands and the request for humans to do the same is a list about God’s Word (Psalm 19:7-11).  The Testimony of the LORD is:

1.     perfect

2.     sure

3.     right

4.     pure

5.     clean

6.     true

7.     altogether righteous

8.     more desirable than gold

9.     sweeter than honey

The results of keeping God’s Law are:

1.     restoring the soul

2.     making wise the simple

3.     rejoicing the heart

4.     enlightening the eyes

5.     enduring forever

6.     being warned

7.     receiving great reward

Meditate on these truths and pray Psalm 19:12-14 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, help ______ and me discern our errors.  Acquit us of hidden faults.

Keep us from presumptuous sins; do not let them rule over us.

Make us blameless and acquitted of great transgression.

Let the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts

be acceptable in Your sight. 

O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer,

Jesus Christ, in whose name I pray~

Psalm 18 ~ Praying God's Word

Please read Psalm 18.

Meditate on verse 6.

In my distress I called upon the LORD

 and cried to my God for help;

 He heard my voice out of His temple,

 and my cry for help before Him came into His ears.

David had a personal, intimate relationship with the LORD.  Notice the list in Psalm 18:1-2 of who God was to David:

1.     My strength

2.     My rock

3.     My fortress

4.     My deliverer

5.     My God

6.     My rock of refuge

7.     My shield

8.     My salvation

9.     My stronghold

David knew these truths about God, so he cried out to the LORD in his distress.  God heard him and came to his rescue.

He delivered me from my strong enemy

 and from those who hated me,

 for they were too mighty for me. 

They confronted me in the day of my calamity,

 but the LORD was my stay.

—Psalm 18:17-18

David’s list about God can be your list.  Is the LORD your God and your salvation?  Reread this Psalm and cry out to God to uphold and save you (Psalm 18:35).

Pray Psalm 18:1 and 30-32 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“I love You, O LORD, my strength!

God, Your way is blameless; Your Word is tried. 

Be a shield to ________ and me; we take refuge in You.

 There is no God but You, LORD!  You are our Rock! 

Gird us with strength and make our way blameless.

Because of You, Jesus~”

Psalm 17 ~ Praying God's Word

Please read Psalm 17.

Meditate on verse 3b, 4b, and 5.

I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.

I have kept from the paths of the violent.

My steps have held fast to Your paths. 

My feet have not slipped.

David made decisions based on facts he knew about God.  Because the LORD visited, tried, and tested him, David planned not to sin by things he said.  Because David knew words from God’s lips like, “the soul of the LORD hates the one who loves violence” (Psalm 11:5b), he chose to keep away from the ways of violent people.  By choosing to stay on God’s paths, David’s feet did not slip.

What about you?  What is the basis for your decisions?  Is it God and His Word, or is it wisdom from the world and fleshly desires?

This entire Psalm is a prayer that David said to God.  You can reread it and actually say it to the LORD like David did 3000 years ago. 

Pray Psalm 17:6-8 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“I have called upon You, for You will answer me, O God.

Please incline Your ear to me; hear my speech.

Wondrously show Your lovingkindness to _________ and me.

O Savior, we take refuge at Your right hand from those who rise up against us.

 Keep us as the apple of Your eye; hide us in the shadow of Your wings.

For the sake of Your name, Jesus~”

*The apple of the eye refers to the pupil, the part of the eye that focuses on an object.  You are the apple of God’s eye; He is focused on you because He loves you.  Meditate on that truth for the rest of eternity.

Psalm 16 ~ Praying God's Word

Please read Psalm 16.

Meditate on verse 8.

I have set the LORD continually before me;

because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

David took refuge in God and asked the LORD to preserve him.  The reason David asked God to guard and watch over him instead of a human was because David intimately knew the truth about God.  Some of those facts are recorded in this Psalm.

Reread Psalm 16 and find actions and attributes of your LORD.  As you discover them, your confidence will increase in your faithful God.  Also observe David’s actions. 

David set the LORD continually before him in order not to be shaken.  Is God continually before you; is He foremost in your thoughts, plans, and decision-making processes?  David had the kind of relationship with God which brought not only stability to his life but joy and gladness.  Ask the LORD to reveal Himself to you in those ways.

Pray Psalm 16:1-2, 5-9, and 11 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“O God, preserve __________ and me,

 for we have taken refuge in You.

You are our LORD;

we have no good besides You!

LORD, You are the portion of our inheritance and our cup;

 You support our lot.

The lines have fallen to us in pleasant places;

indeed our heritage is beautiful to us.

We bless you, LORD!

 Continue to counsel us;

instruct our minds in the night.

We set You, LORD, continually before us;

 because You are at our right hand, we will not be shaken. 

Therefore, our hearts are glad, and our glory rejoices;

 our flesh will dwell securely.

 Make known to us the path of life.

 In Your presence is fullness of joy;

 in Your right hand are pleasures forever.

Thank You, Jesus~”

*Paul used Psalm 16:10 in a sermon he preached about Jesus.  Read Acts 13:32-39 to learn about that verse.

Psalm 15 ~ Praying God's Word

Please read Psalm 15.

Meditate on verse 5b.

He who does these things will never be shaken.

The LORD loves to teach with lists.  As you read the Bible, notice lists and observe what God wants you to know. 

There is a list in Psalm 15 of the characteristics of a person who abides with God and as a result of dwelling with the LORD, will never be shaken.  Does this list describe you?

1.     Walks with integrity

2.     Works righteousness

3.     Speaks truth in their heart

4.     Does not slander with their tongue

5.     Does no evil to their neighbor

6.     Does not take up a reproach against their friend

7.     Despises a reprobate

8.     Honors those who fear the LORD

9.     Keeps their promise even if it hurts

10. Does not change their mind

11. Lends money without charging interest

12. Does not take a bribe against the innocent

Pray Psalm 15 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, ________ and I want to abide in Your tent and dwell on Your holy hill.

Help us walk with integrity and work righteousness.

 Let us speak truth in our hearts and not slander with our tongues. 

Do not let us do evil to our neighbors or take up a reproach against our friends.

 In our eyes, may a reprobate be despised, but let us honor those who fear You, LORD.  May we swear to our won hurt and not change. 

May we not put out our money at interest,

 and let us not take a bribe against the innocent.

LORD, let us never be shaken.

Because of You, Jesus~”

Psalm 14 ~ Praying God's Word

Please read Psalm 14.

Meditate on verse 1a.

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”

Psalm 14 contains a list of actions and attributes of fools.  They:

            *say there is no God.

            *are corrupt.

            *commit abominable deeds.

            *turn aside from God’s way.

            *have become corrupt with other fools.

            *are workers of wickedness.

            *devour others.

            *do not call upon the LORD.

            *are in great dread because:

God is with the righteous generation. 

God is the refuge for the afflicted. 

God restores His captive people.

The LORD is looking for people who understand these truths and seek after Him (Psalm 14:2).   Are you an “understander” and seeker of God, or are you a fool?

If you are one the righteous who desires to know the LORD, be encouraged that He is with you to restore you and be your refuge.

Pray Psalm 14:2 and 5-7 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, as You look down from heaven, see ______ and me!

We understand; we seek after You.

God, we want to be Your righteous generation.

Be our refuge when we are afflicted.

Restore us, LORD.

We will rejoice and be glad in You.

Because of Your name, Jesus~”