I started praying the psalms in 2020 when life turned upside down. Perhaps the desire for structure prompted the new practice of reading a psalm and a proverb every morning, but it continues today because of the blessings they bring to daily life.
Praying the psalms is not a simple read-through that’s mentally checked off when done. It is a powerful act of worship that lingers long after we close our Bible.
What Does Praying the Psalms Mean?
Praying the psalms means we take the words inspired by God and penned by David (and others), and pray the words back to God. In doing so, we know that we’re praying according to God’s will, which according to 1 John 5:14, means that we can pray confidently.
Because we pray God’s living and active words, the psalms help to deepen our walk with God and to better relate to the author’s experiences. For example, when we read of David’s shame and sorrow over his sin against Bathsheba in Psalm 51, we may be unable to relate to that. Still, our own sin convicts us, hopefully moving us to seek repentance and restoration, as David did all those years ago.
How Do We Pray the Psalms?
There is no limit to how we can pray the psalms, but here are some ways I’ve found beneficial.
1. Pray the psalms in order. There is something extraordinary about reading the psalms consistently and in order. Patterns begin to emerge, metaphors build, and there’s a personal investment as we slow down to savor these lyrical bites of the largest book in the Bible.
2. Pray the psalms topically. There are times when we need a psalm for a specific situation. To prepare for those times, jot down specific verses as you go. Consider writing them on a blank bookmark kept in your Bible.
3. Read the psalm aloud. In doing so, the reading process slows, helping us to focus on the words as we both read and hear them.
4. Apply pauses and reflection. Lectio Divina, which literally means “divine reading,” was once used as a monastic practice, but it’s simply a different way of meditating on the Word.
5. Meditate. There is no right or wrong way to meditate on God’s Word, but one method that works for me is to begin by silently reading through the psalm. Then, I read it aloud, staying alert to any word or phrase that pops off the page. I ask God to show me how to receive it and invite the word(s) to marinate in my mind until it reaches the soul.
6. Memorize. I once knew an older woman who began going blind late in life. In response to her diagnosis, she memorized whole passages of scripture, especially the psalms. She hid them in her heart, and they were her greatest treasure.
7. Sing them! Psalms are ancient songs, so to sing them with our own melodies is to make a joyful noise unto the Lord. How it must delight Him to hear His words being sung back to Him with our whole hearts.
8. Journal the psalms. When passages speak to you, jot them down in one spot. Often, the Lord directs me back to a passage journaled weeks earlier for a specific reason.
9. Draw or doodle. Capture the beauty of the metaphorical language through sketching, calligraphy, or other art forms.
10. Share the psalms. As I pray through the psalms, God sometimes brings a specific person to mind. When this happens, I send that person a text or card with the psalm, or specific verse included.
Praying through New Year Psalms in a Week
Here is a great way to start your new year, by reading and praying through seven inspiring psalms.
Sunday: Praying Psalm 1 – Be Still
“Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)
God, in a world that hustles and hums all hours of the day, show me what it means to still both my heart and body in Your presence. As I enter this new year, help me to embrace stillness as a friend, not a foe, refusing to be intimidated by its silence or the fear of not knowing what to do or say. I yearn to be still, knowing You are there waiting for me, longing to reveal Yourself in ways I might miss otherwise. Amen.
Monday: Praying Psalm 51 – Create in Me A Pure Heart
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)
O God, I pray for a pure heart. In Christ, You fulfilled David’s plea and gave me a clean heart, a wonder only You could accomplish. Though perfection is not within my reach on this side of heaven, I rejoice in knowing that I am no longer a slave to sin. Through Your Holy Spirit, I can say no to ungodliness and yes to righteousness. What a glorious exchange! Help me remain firm in my desire for a pure heart by renewing a steadfast spirit within me regardless of circumstances this coming year. Amen.
Tuesday: Praying through Psalm 86 – Belief in the Power of Prayer
“You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you. Hear my prayer, O LORD; listen to my cry for mercy. In the day of trouble, I will call to you, for you will answer me.” (Psalm 86:5-7)
O Lord, I rejoice, for You are forgiving and good! You abound in love for those who call on You, for those who trust that You will not only listen but also answer. Bolster my faith when I struggle to believe that You hear my prayer, especially when my words fall flat. Thank You that the power of prayer doesn’t depend on my words but Yours. I will call to you, O Lord, on the good days and the days of trouble, for I am confident You will answer me. Amen.
Wednesday: Praying through Psalm 66 – Proclaim God’s Goodness
“Come, and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me.” (Psalm 66:16)
Father, I pray that my choices reflect Your Spirit’s working in my life but also give me the courage to tell others what You have done, and are doing, in my soul, especially to my brothers and sisters in Christ. Only You know how the testimonies of Your goodness benefit and spur others on to righteousness. Amen.
Thursday: Praying through Psalm 90 – Make the Most of Every Opportunity
“Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12)
Creator God, in Psalm 139, You say that all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. I don’t want to squander the time You’ve graciously given me, so teach me to number my days wisely so that I may gain a heart of wisdom, making the most of every opportunity you give me. Thank You, Lord, for the gift of time, whether it’s days, months, or years. Amen.
Friday: Praying through Psalm 119 – Stewarding Your Resources Wisely
“Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain.” (Psalm 119:36)
Giver of all good and perfect gifts, I pray that You will turn my heart toward truth and not toward selfish gain. You know my heart, Lord. It leans towards selfishness and fleshly desires, so give me wisdom and discernment as I steward every resource, including money, time, energy, creativity, and health. Everything I have is Yours and for Your glory. I pray my choices will show a world bent on self-reliance that it is wise to trust in One who makes all things possible. Amen.
Saturday: Praying through Psalm 1 – Keep God as my Delight
“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked…his delight is in the law of the LORD and on his law he meditates day and night.” (Psalm 1:1-2)
Lord, I pray for discernment. Reveal any way I am unknowingly walking in the counsel of the wicked, resulting in ungodly choices. Search my heart and see if there is any offensive way in me. I don’t want my decisions to be swayed or determined by popularity or fear but by Your Word, prayer, and godly counsel. You are my delight, Lord. May my thoughts and actions reflect this desire as I meditate on scripture day and night. Amen.
A Final New Year's Prayer
“You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1)
God, You are my God. As I walk through this new year, may You find me earnestly seeking You. Create in me a thirst that can only be quenched in You, for my whole being longs for you. Amen.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Marinela Malcheva
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