Gleanings from Psalms 1 to 5
We know that prayer is conversing with God. People communicate in diverse manners with God. As Christians, Christ Jesus taught us how we should pray. When you meaningfully recite, ‘Our Father prayer…’ we in a good mind set for praying to our father God. Yet when we seek to explore the prayer life of Jesus, we see a wide range of types of prayers.
For now, let us glean facets about prayer from Psalms 1 to 5. Psalms, a collection of poems are often used for worshipful prayers. After reading these psalms recently I was amazed at how certain phrases and verses stood out – reminding me about a wide range of prayers.
1. Meditating day and night
The Bible is the Word of God. It has precepts, instructions and the instructions from God. Blessed is the person who meditates on his Word day and night. Blessed is the person who delights in the Word of God. (Ref. Psalm 1, verse 2) (Additional reference II Timothy 3:16)
Note 1
2. Declaring the decree of the Lord
As sons of God, as children of God, we can say what the father states once is enough reason for children to remember it and claim it. In the natural we know this is true. We cite what our Dad has told and cite the statement to claim what we desire.
Similarly, in prayer, we can declare the decree of our Father God.
I will proclaim Father God’s decree:
He said to me, “You are my son;
today I have become your father.
Ask me,
and I will make the nations your inheritance,
the ends of the earth, your possession. (Ref. Psalm 2, verse 7, 8)
This is a very powerful key. Find the right decree and start declaring it. As a child of God, Abba Father will provide us inheritance and possessions based on what we decree.
Needless to say, all what we desire and ask should be to express God’s love, to bring glory and honour to HIM.
3. Crying to the Lord, and He hears
When storms and droughts surround us we feel that we are passing through the deepest trenches. Without HIM we cannot face tomorrow, without HIM life just doesn’t look possible. Whatever the dire circumstances we go through, HE remains our ever present help, to whom we can cry for help. And we can be certain that He always hears our cry!
I cried aloud to the Lord,
and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah
I lay down and slept;
I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.
I will not be afraid of many thousands of people
who have set themselves against me all around.
Arise, O Lord!
Save me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you break the teeth of the wicked.
But you, Lord, are a shield around me,
my glory, the One who lifts my head high. (Ref psalms 3: verses 4 to 7, verse 3)
5. Commune with your own hearts, upon your beds, be silent
We can be in prayer, even when we neither speak nor whisper. When speaking to our hearts we are in prayer.
Psalms 4 goes like this. Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!
You have given me relief when I was in distress.
Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!
But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself;
the Lord hears when I call to him.
Be angry, and do not sin;
ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah
Offer right sacrifices,
and put your trust in the Lord.
The prayer in the psalm goes further asking the Lord to Lift the light of HIS face upon us, O Lord!” As a result of which we receive such a great measure of joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.
I will both lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. (Ref psalms 4: verses 1, 3 to 8)
5. O Lord; consider my groaning, to you do I pray
Psalm 5 speaks about signing, groaning & crying to our God.
Give attention to the sound of my cry,
my King and my God,
for to you do I pray.
In the morning I watch and wait for you to speak to my heart.
through the abundance of your steadfast love,
will enter your house.
I will bow down toward your holy temple
in the fear of you.
Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness
because of my enemies;
make your way straight before me.
For there is no truth in their mouth;
their inmost self is destruction;
their throat is an open grave;
they flatter with their tongue.
Make them bear their guilt, O God;
let them fall by their own counsels;
because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out,
for they have rebelled against you.
But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may exult in you.
For you bless the righteous, O Lord;
you cover him with favor as with a shield. (Ref psalms 5: verses 1 to 3, 7 to 12)
Just as I was to conclude, I was reading from the beginning of this post and the thought came, if there was a good match or if there was a bad match between the different facets of Jesus prayers and those mentioned in Psalms 1 to 5. That’s for you to ponder on..
Note 1: Perhaps you may ask why I say meditating is praying. Well meditating on God and what God says is praying. We have from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Since the earlier verse in Psalm 1:2 says about meditating day and night and this says about praying without ceasing, this implies that praying includes meditating.
