In a crisis, we often don’t know how to pray for what we think God wants to hear us say. We can learn how to pray powerful psalms of distress by meditating on them. Finding time by yourself can help.
We will be looking at these questions in this lesson:
- How do you pray powerful Psalms of Distress?
- What is a Psalm that cries out in distress to God?
- What are 3 points of praying powerful Psalms of distress?
- What are some other Psalms for help in trouble?
How Do You Pray Powerful Psalms of Distress?
Working from the Lord’s Prayer:
Matthew 6.9–13
“This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.“
- Acknowledge who God is.
- Praise Him for His works.
- Let Him know you want to do His will.
- Give Him thanks for what He has done for you in the past.
- Confess any sins.
- Make sure you have forgiven others.
- Ask Him to deliver you from evil and protect you from temptation
- Let Him know your pain and that you need His help
- Remember to pray in Jesus Name.
What is a Psalm That Cries Out in Distress to God?
Psalm 22:1-3
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish?
My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, but I find no rest.
Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the one Israel praises. In you our ancestors put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
To you they cried out and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame.“
This is a Psalm of David, the exact the situation is unknown. The first verse is prophecy of Christ’s words on the cross.
“Descriptions in this psalm indicate a painful execution—something David did not suffer. This implies that the terminology used here is symbolic of David’s feelings. At the same time, it serves as a prophetic explanation of what would happen to the Promised One. These events would be fulfilled in the crucifixion of Jesus, who will reference this text from the cross (Matthew 27:46).” Bible Ref.com
In verses 1-2 David is describing his pain and feels deserted by God. In verses 3-4, David is thinking about how God has helped others and yet he seems to be out of touch with God.
David’s lament continues until verse 19, where he cries out to the Lord for deliverance. The Lord answers and saves him.
Psalm 22: 19-24
“But you, Lord, do not be far from me.
You are my strength; come quickly to help me.
Deliver me from the sword,
my precious life from the power of the dogs.
Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;
save me from the horns of the wild oxen.
I will declare your name to my people;
in the assembly I will praise you.
You who fear the Lord, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
For he has not despised or scorned
the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
but has listened to his cry for help.“
David, like us so many times, is lost in his suffering and forgets what God has done for him in the past. We need to rely on what we know about God instead of our feelings.
What are 3 Points of Praying Powerful Psalms of Distress?
- We need to humble ourselves and realize we can’t do it without the Lord.
- We need to meditate on the examples of sufferings to allow God to speak.
- The answer we are looking for is transformation. Moving from our suffering to God’s peace.
Other Powerful Psalms of Distress
Psalm 94:16-19 NIV
“Who will rise up for me against the wicked?
Who will take a stand for me against evildoers?
Unless the Lord had given me help,
I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death.
When I said, “My foot is slipping,”
your unfailing love, Lord, supported me.
When anxiety was great within me,
your consolation brought me joy.“
Only the Lord was able to help save the Psalmist against the wicked who were seeking his life. The unfailing love of the Lord kept his foot from slipping.
The Lord took care of his anxiety and brought him great joy. We too can receive this joy even in a crisis.
Psalm 16:8 NIV
“I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”
It always helps to keep your eyes on the Lord. Realizing this when we on under pressure can be harder but it is possible. Take a deep breath and go back to what you know. He will help you overcome the crisis and give you peace no matter the circumstances. This will also give you clarity to contribute more to the solution.
Psalm 119:143 NIV
“Trouble and distress have come upon me,
but your commands give me delight.”
This is a good verse for us to know where to go when we are in trouble. The writer knows to go to God’s Word and get relief from trouble and the distress it brings.
Psalm 23:4 NIV
“Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.“
David’s faith was so strong in the Lord that He could make this statement. He knew the Lord would take care of him in any circumstances.
Psalm 4:8 NIV
“In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, Lord,
make me dwell in safety.“
When I was young, I had trouble going to sleep. My anxiety was keeping me awake. I memorized this verse and prayed it each night before going to sleep. It transformed my life.
Psalm 121:1-8 NIV
I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
Where does our help come? The Lord is the only one who can truly help us. He never sleeps so He is aware of everything that goes on in our life. Who else can do that?
Conclusion
We can pray powerful psalms of distress to understand better the relationship of the psalmist to God. It can open up a new dialogue with the Lord.
In truth, God hears our words even when they are a mess. We have the Holy Spirit who takes our words and gives beautiful music to our Lord.
Let God’s Word transform your life. Take those moments of panic and turn them into moments of God’s peace.
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