WEEK 2 |
psalms this week |
"Even the humblest prayer is to be prayed with confidence that God will answer. Be sure you will succeed. There is no contradiction between humility and confidence. They are in perfect harmony with each other, like repentance and faith." |
Psalms 4, 5, and 6
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introduction to the Series
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Most of what we learn how to do, we learn from other people. Sometimes it is the learning that comes from specific and deliberate instruction. At other times it is the learning that comes by way of example and imitation. During 2023, our endeavor is to learn how to pray from the Psalmist.*
The Book of Psalms is the longest book in the Bible, and it is mostly a book of prayers. We will spend the year going through the book, beginning to end, and letting the Psalmist teach us by example how to pray. |
In this endeavor, we cannot benefit from his deliberate instruction, of course. What we can do, however, is take full advantage of his example. We will observe how he prays, and we will learn to imitate him.
Our approach will be week by week. The recommended practices and exercises are not daily, but rather suggestions for an individual to implement throughout the whole week. |
Exercises for this week
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Psalm 4
Read Psalm 4. We observe that part of the Psalm is addressed to God and part of it is addressed to other human beings. Focus just now on the verses 1, 7, and 8 -- the ones addressed to God. Rewrite those verses in your own words. Pray them as your own personalized prayer to the Lord this day.
A subtle theme that is woven throughout Scripture is the necessity of speaking the truth. That goes deeper than just being factually correct or forthcoming with other human beings. It is the essential tool in our spiritual combat against the one who is "the father of lies" (John 8:44) and who has been endeavoring to deceive human beings from the very beginning. Accordingly, identify what truths about God the Psalmist expresses and affirms in Psalm 4. Are you able to affirm these, too? What other truths about Him should you speak in prayer or in testimony today? As noted earlier, the central section of Psalm 4 is not addressed to God but to other human beings. Taking one verse at a time, what appears to be wrong with the human beings who are being addressed? What change or correction do they need? To what extent do you see the same need for change or correction today? It is not clear from the text itself how the Psalmist is toggling between addressing God and addressing human beings. What we do know, however, was that he was expressing what he understood some people needed to hear. Have you done that in prayer? Have you, in the midst of speaking to the Lord, expressed what you feel other people need to hear? Let the Psalmist give you that sense of permission in your prayer life. |
Psalm 5
Read Psalm 5. The Psalmist begins by expressing some desires in verses 1 and 2 that we may think go without saying. What is the benefit of saying these things in prayer? Rewrite those verses and personalize them according to your feelings and circumstances this day. Begin your prayer time with that rewritten section.
In Psalm 5, it appears that the Psalmist is in the midst of some trouble or need or distress. He is in trouble, yet he does not seem to be troubled. What do you see in the Psalm that helps to explain that happy discrepancy? Can what you find in the Psalm help you not to be troubled even when you are in trouble? We recognize that, in Psalm 5, the Psalmist's circumstances are negative, yet not all of what he says or expresses is negative. Read the Psalm and make two side-by-side lists: a list of the negative things and a list of the positive things. It seems that the Psalmist's trouble in Psalm 5 are being caused by other people. What seems to be the Psalmist's attitude toward those people? How does he talk about them to the Lord? How do you talk to the Lord about the people who cause you trouble? Reflecting more on people who cause (or have caused) you trouble, what differences do you detect between how you talk about those people to the Lord and how you talk about them to other people? If there are differences, how do you account for them? Most of Psalm 5 is addressed to the Lord, but not all of it. Find what the Psalmist says not to the Lord but to you. Talk to the Lord about the Psalmist's word to you. |
Psalm 6
Read Psalm 6. The Psalmist refers to himself or his condition (in the NASB) in terms like "frail," "weary," "wasted away," and "old." We infer, too, that he is frightened and sorrowful. When you have felt similarly to how the Psalmist is feeling, have you prayed? What else do you tend to do when feeling those ways?
We might evaluate the Psalmist's words in this Psalm and conclude that he is weary physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Which of these is familiar to you? In which is it most difficult for you to pray? In Psalm 6, we hear the Psalmist ask the Lord, "How long?" (This is the first of numerous times in the Book of Psalms when we will hear the Psalmist ask that question of God.) Have you asked that question of the Lord in the past? If so, how was your question answered and when? Is there a situation in the present about which you want to ask the Lord, "How long?" Name that situation, and follow the Psalmist's lead in praying about it. Once again in Psalm 6, we see that the Psalmist addresses both God and others. To whom else does the Psalmist speak in this Psalm? What is the content of his message to them? What is the purpose of his message to them? In 6 of the 10 verses of Psalm 6, the Psalmist addresses himself to "the LORD." In each instance, however, the underlying Hebrew is not the title "lord" but the name of God ("Jehovah" or "Yahweh"). How do you typically address God when you pray? Is there a favorite title? Do you call Him by name? In verse 4 (NASB), the Psalmist prays, "Save me because of Your mercy." His basis for asking in that moment is nothing about himself or about his circumstances but about the Lord. Make your requests this day on the same basis. |
* We will refer to the author as “the Psalmist,” though of course not all of the Psalms were written by the same person. A significant number are attributed to David. Others are associated with Asaph, the sons of Korah, and an assortment of other individuals. Also, several dozen Psalms have no name attached to them. For the sake of ease and uniformity, we will simply refer to “the Psalmist.”