Love Story

March 2008

When the Bible was new to me, I was afraid of it because it was a Holy Book. Besides, it was completely unfamiliar. So, I dipped into a Gospel here and an Old Testament book of history there. But when mature Christians said that Psalms was their favorite, I paid attention. .

I was delighted and shocked to find that it expressed every mindset and mood I’d ever experienced. In Psalm 5 David was groaning; in Psalm 6 he was languishing; in Psalm 7 he was asking for vindication; in Psalm 8 he was praising God.

Eventually, I figured out that I could turn many of those poems into prayers of my own. Some were more suitable than others and I soon made a mental note of which ones they were. Eventually, I had favorites for most everyday occasions.

Imagine that you are feeling overwhelmed and remember that David felt just that way in Psalm 3. So you read his words as a prayer. “O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me.” (1) When you think that God has forgotten you, Psalm 13:1 contain just the words you need. “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?“ Those times when you need to confess your sin but feel tongue-tied, you remember that David had to do the same thing in Psalm 51. “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.“ (1)

Pray the appropriate psalm meditatively; that is: do so slowly and reflectively, using a modern English translation of the Bible. Select the portions of the psalm that express what you want to say. Insert the personal pronoun whenever necessary. Put the text in your own words.

Practice God’s love. Put the words that you’ve prayed to work. Choose to trust God to defeat your enemies. Count on His promise never to forget you. Accept His forgiveness. Each time, expect Him to give you victory and He will.

Scripture references in English Standard Version

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