Praying the Psalms
The psalms are excellent expressions of the attributes and nature of God. The psalms are not often used in preaching or even in teaching; we tend to focus on the other books of the Bible for that. However, that doesn’t diminish the importance of the psalms. Perhaps one of the psalms greatest strengths is the ability to use them as prayers of worship back to God. In Psalm 18 we read this in the beginning: I will love You, O Lord, my strength. 2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.
Yesterday I wrote about how God’s words are pure and valuable and endure forever. So, if God is our rock, fortress, deliverer and strength, in whom we can trust, then we should remind ourselves of that on a fairly regular basis. We can trust in Him to take care of us, even in the midst of very difficult circumstances. But if we don’t pray and if we don’t put these words in the forefront of our minds, we will more than likely not think of God this way. We will more than likely make poor decisions out of fear or insecurity. Take time to read the psalms and then pray them back to God.
Eccles. 7:15
Everything have I seen in my days of mere breath:the righteous perishing in his righteousness, and the wicked living a long life in his evil.
Eccles. 8:14
There are righteous to whom it befalls as though they did wickedly, and there are wicked to whom it befalls as though they did righteously
Job 21:7-9, 12-13
“Why do the wicked still live,
Continue on, also become very powerful?
“Their descendants are established with them in their sight,
And their offspring before their eyes,
Their houses are safe from fear,
And the rod of God is not on them.
“They sing to the timbrel and harp
And rejoice at the sound of the flute.
“They spend their days in prosperity,
And suddenly they go down to Sheol.
Man cannot count on earthly safety or care from His heavenly father.
Mark Hofmann