Praying the Word (Chris Barnes)

TEXT: Psalm 108

OBSERVE: This psalm is entitled “A Song - A Psalm of David”. It is a compilation of two other psalms (57 and 60). Verses 1 to 5 of this psalm is very similar to Psalm 57: 7-11, and verses 6 to 13 is almost identical to Psalm 60: 5-12. While Psalm 57 is an individual lament and Psalm 60 is a corporate lament, Psalm 108 is a psalm of assurance that reapplies the previous psalms to produce a prayer for God’s final, eschatological day of vengeance when He establishes His Lordship among the nations.
 
INTERPRET: These are David’s words, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, taken and applied to a present challenge he is facing. The enemies specified are Moab, Edom, and Philistia (with an emphasis on Edom). It may be that this old foe, defeated earlier in David’s day, rose again and Israel must defeat it again.
 
When it comes to prayer, a primary stumbling block for many Christians today is the idea that when speaking to God we should always be original and creative. However, Psalm 108 shows that we can and often should use words of scripture as present prayers and praises, suitable to our present situation. The psalms (the prayer book of the Bible), provides a lot of material for us today.
 
APPLICATION: When we look at the Bible, we find Christians praying the psalms. A good example is in Acts 4: 24-26, where the believers pray Psalm 2. Even Jesus himself prayed using the psalms: His dying prayer on the cross was a quotation of Psalm 22:1.
 
One common approach to praying the psalms, is the “Three R’s” method: Rejoice, Repent, Request. This method would include asking the following three questions:

1. What about this passage gives you reason to rejoice – to give thanks and praise?
2. Is there something about this passage that reveals sin in my own life that should lead me to repentance?
3. Does the passage lead me to make a request of God for myself or others?

 
Praying through scripture can be a very helpful way to ensure our prayers are shaped by God’s Word. Let's try this together now - with a prayer of praise taken from today’s psalm.
 
PRAYER: My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul. For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth. AMEN.
 
SONG: Thy Word (Amy Grant)
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