The Psalms can help our prayers

Dear friend

The Psalms are a treasure trove of exemplary communications with God. If in our own prayers we sometimes struggle with knowing the right things to say or the best way of saying them, the Psalms can inspire us with their simple pleadings and humble praises. The language is beautiful and at times quite exquisite.

As we prepare to pray by reveringly contemplating and comparing our standing before God - the vast differences in our respective wisdom and worthiness - we can draw instructional insight from such passages as found in the Old Testament, Psalm 73:22-26.

22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.
24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

The Psalmist acknowledges how crude and rudimentary is our knowledge. We are like an animal in contrast to God's omniscience. Yet, despite that gulf in relative glory, we are caused to recognise His willing presence in our lives. He is, or can be if we let Him be, continually beside us as if walking hand-in-hand. As we obediently follow His counsel we can see more and more how it is designed to lead us back to Him. But we must place Him first in our lives, beyond our personal preferences or pleasures.

As mortals we are often subject to our "flesh and our heart failing". These are the very matters we can take to the Lord to seek a blessing at His hand; either to remove our weaknesses or help us endure and learn from them. Can you picture yourself borrowing the sentiments and maybe even some of the words from these verses as you compose your communing with the Almighty? I think that is one reason they are included in the holy writ.

I hope that the scriptures can ever help us to commune competently with God. I pray we too can say that He is "the strength of my heart".

Samuel.