Learning to Pray Through the PsalmsWeariness. Wonder. Joy. Longing. Anger. These are the feelings of the Psalms: honest expressions of pain and joy penned by real people in the midst of real life circumstances. Though they were written centuries ago, the Psalms still resonate deeply with us today, giving voice to our thoughts and longings: "Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD." (Psalm 130:1) "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1) "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God." (Psalm 84:2) In Learning to Pray Through the Psalms, James W. Sire teaches us to take our appreciation for this rich book of Scripture a step further. Choosing ten specific psalms, Sire offers background information that helps us read each one with deeper insight and then lays out a meditative, step-by-step approach to using the psalmists' words as a guide for our own personal conversation with God. A group study is also included in each chapter, along with a guide for praying through the psalm in community. The Lord loves when his people pray. And his Word is a powerful tool for framing honest, intimate prayers. Sire's innovative approach will enrich our minds and our souls as we read more perceptively and pray with all of our emotions. |
From inside the book
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Page 11
... God . ” From their origin in ancient Israel thousands of years ago , the psalms have indeed been the an- swering speech of God's people . It is my primary goal in the present book to make more explicit this answering character of the ...
... God . ” From their origin in ancient Israel thousands of years ago , the psalms have indeed been the an- swering speech of God's people . It is my primary goal in the present book to make more explicit this answering character of the ...
Page 14
... God's vengeance on his enemies. I have chosen to face this difficulty head on in chapter eight, dealing with Psalm ... God uses to grow and intensify our relationship with him. Moreover, prayer is closely related to other spiritual ...
... God's vengeance on his enemies. I have chosen to face this difficulty head on in chapter eight, dealing with Psalm ... God uses to grow and intensify our relationship with him. Moreover, prayer is closely related to other spiritual ...
Page 15
... God and to what he may send into our mind . This is not a normal habit for most of us in the Western world . We are a wordy ... God's presence . Spiritual fruit will come only if you actually pray through the psalms . And so to Psalm 32 ...
... God and to what he may send into our mind . This is not a normal habit for most of us in the Western world . We are a wordy ... God's presence . Spiritual fruit will come only if you actually pray through the psalms . And so to Psalm 32 ...
Page 21
... God's heavy hand on us, our strength being dried up by the heat of summer. There's also a vivid image of nature in ... God reaches down with his marvelous forgiving grace, his absolutely unmerited favor toward us, we are surely more than ...
... God's heavy hand on us, our strength being dried up by the heat of summer. There's also a vivid image of nature in ... God reaches down with his marvelous forgiving grace, his absolutely unmerited favor toward us, we are surely more than ...
Page 23
... God's world — the happiness of the forgiven and unhappiness of the unforgiven — and proceeds to the solution for the un- forgiven and on through an affirmation of the protection of God , his counsel to all people and a concluding moral ...
... God's world — the happiness of the forgiven and unhappiness of the unforgiven — and proceeds to the solution for the un- forgiven and on through an affirmation of the protection of God , his counsel to all people and a concluding moral ...
Contents
9 | |
11 | |
17 | |
WAITING FOR THE LORDPsalm 130 | 36 |
NIGHT THOUGHTSPsalm 4 | 54 |
A MORNING MEDITATIONPsalm 5 | 68 |
THIRSTING FOR GODPsalms 4243 | 84 |
A PLEA FOR DELIVERANCE FROM SLANDERPsalm 7 | 112 |
PRAYING OUR ANGERPsalm 137 | 146 |
THE GOD WHO KNOWS MEPsalm 139 | 177 |
OUR MIGHTY FORTRESSPsalm 46 | 196 |
TEACH US TO PRAY | 209 |
Guide for Small Group Leaders | 216 |
Notes | 219 |
Annotated Bibliography | 224 |
A BLAZING SONG OF JOYPsalm 84 | 128 |
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Common terms and phrases
2My soul answering speech Babylon biblical blessed C. H. Spurgeon C. S. Lewis Charles Spurgeon Christ Craigie curse Dallas Willard deceit deliverance depths despair DIRECTED PRAYER downcast Downers Grove earth Emotional Structure enemies Eugene Peterson evil experience feel forgiveness Gittith glad go about mourning God’s God's presence Happy Hebrew holy Israel Jerusalem Jesus John Stott judgment Kidner Korahites Leader LEARNING TO PRAY lex talionis lines living LORD of hosts meditation mind Mizar morning night Pause person read Psalm praise pray the psalm PRAYING PSALM Psalm 32 Psalm 46 Psalm 84 psalmist Put your hope Rational Structure READING OF PSALM reflect refuge and strength remember righteous Savior scholars Sheol shield silence sins slander Small Group Study songs of Zion soul waits spiritual Spurgeon Stanley Jaki Study of Psalm temple Thank Treasury of David trouble Václav Havel vengeance verse watchmen wait wicked wickedness words worship Zion