Prayers in the Psalms


Throughout the Psalms, David and the other writers poured out their hearts to God in prayer, expressing honest feelings of anguish and desperate pleas for protection. They grieved painful confessions of sin, confidently expressed their hope and trust inGod, and joyfully lifted praises to Him. Many times we find ourselves in situations, especially in the many ups and downs and crises of recovery, where we don't know how to pray or express our feelings to God. Our fears of Him sometimes keep us from saying what we really feel. It is our hope that these prayers will help you get to know God better -- to see him through the psalmist's eyes; to genuinely cry out to Him, freely expressing your anguish and fears and uncertainties; to know Him as theGod who loves you just as you are.


Prayers of Praise | Prayers of Confession
Prayers for Help and Protection | Prayers of Hope and Trust


PRAYERS OF PRAISE

I will exalt you, O LORD, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me. (Psalm 30:1-2)
But I will sing of your strength, inthe morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. O my Strength, I sing praise to you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God. (Psalm 59:16-17)
Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no onecan recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them they wouldbe too many to declare. (Psalm 40:5)
I will praise you with the harp foryour faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre, OHoly One of Israel. My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you-- I, whom you have redeemed. My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long, for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion. (Psalm 71:22-24)
My heart is steadfast, O God; I willsing and make music with all my soul. Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations; Iwill sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let your glory be over all the earth. (Psalm 108:1-5)
Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness. (Psalm 115:1)
Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds. Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen. (Psalm 72:18-19)
I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, OGod, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth. (Psalm 57:9-11)
I will exalt you, my God the King; Iwill praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. (Psalm 145:1-3)
I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; before the "gods" I will sing your praise. I will bow downtoward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things yourname and your word. When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted. (Psalm 138:1-3)
Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I love, and in your name I will lift up my hands. (Psalm 63:3-4)
Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me! (Psalm 66:20)
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PRAYERS OF CONFESSION
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all myiniquity and cleanse me from my sin. (Psalm 51:1-2)
Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my lifeaccording to your word. Fulfill your promise to your servant so that you may be [reverenced] . (Psalm 119:36-37)
Do not withhold your mercy fromme, O LORD; may your love and your truth always protect me. For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me. (Psalm 40:11-12)
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are [reverenced]. (Psalm 130:1-4)
Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name's sake. (Psalm 79:9)
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PRAYERS FOR HELP AND PROTECTION
Save us and help us with your right hand, that those you love my be delivered. (Psalm 60:5)
O LORD, you will keep us safe andprotect us from [our enemies] forever. (Psalm 12:7)

Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For youhave been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings. (Psalm 61:1-4)
Hear, O LORD, and answer me, forI am poor and needy. (Psalm 86:1)
Save me, O LORD, from lying lips and deceitful tongues. (Psalm 120:2)
Have mercy on us, O LORD, have mercy on us, for we have endured much contempt. We have endured much ridicule fromthe proud, much contempt from the arrogant. (Psalm 123:3-4)
In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. Since you aremy rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. Free me from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O LORD, theGod of truth. (Psalm 31:1-5)
O my Strength, I watch for you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God... (Psalm 59:9-10)
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed. (Psalm 57:1)
Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in anguish. How long, O LORD, how long? Turn, O LORD, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love. (Psalm 6:2-4)
Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. (Psalm 51:6)
My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death assail me. Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me.I said, "Oh that I had the wings ofa dove! I would fly away and stay in the desert. I would hurry to myplace of shelter, far from the tempest and storm." But you, O God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of corruption; bloodthirsty and deceitful men will not live out half their days. But as for me, I trust in you. (Psalm 55:4-8, 23)
When I am afraid, I will trust in you... Record my lament; list my tears on your scroll-- are they not in your record? Then my enemieswill turn back when I call for help.By this I will know that God is for me... For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling that I may walk before you in the light of life. (Psalm 56:3, 8-9, 13)
Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless... You, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless... You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more. (Psalm10:12, 14, 17-18)
I am in pain and distress; may your salvation, O God, protect me.(Psalm 69:29)
Save us and help us with your right hand, that those you love may be delivered. (Psalm 108:6)
Arise, O LORD! Deliver me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked. (Psalm 3:7)
Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in the miry depths, where there isno foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me. I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God. Those who hate me without reason outnumber the hairs of my head; many are my enemies without cause, those who seek todestroy me. I am forced to restore what I did not s#863A63.(Psalm 69:1-4)
Rescue me, O LORD, from evil men; protect me from men of violence, who devise evil plans in their hearts and stir up war everyday. They make their tongues as sharp as a serpent's; the poison of vipers is on their lips. Keep me,O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; protect me from men of violence who plan to trip my feet. (Psalm 140:1-4)
How long, O LORD? Will you forgetme forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or Iwill sleep in death; my enemy will say, "I have overcome him," and my foes will rejoice when I fall. But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me. (Psalm 13)
Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge. (Psalm 16:1)
Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish. Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away allmy sins. See how my enemies have increased and how fiercely they hate me! Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you. (Psalm 25:16-21)