signaling to Him that you are ready to be real with Him. And if
you use the psalms as your template for praising God, you
continue the legacy of recording your conversations with God
for others to read.
Written prayer is not a new idea—but it is a good one!
There are 150 psalms from which to choose. There are
numerous long ones and many shorter ones to show you how
to praise God. Over time, you will acquire favorite psalms, ones
that most resonate with you. And no matter how often you
read (or pray) them, you will be amazed at how fresh they seem,
how deeply they touch you, or how powerfully they guide you
on any given day.
Here’s a sampling of a few of my favorite psalms of praise:
Psalm 40:1–3: “I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to
me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of
the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm
place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of
praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in
the Lord.” I can’t help but think I could have written every
word of this psalm, as it so perfectly describes the life of an
addict who has been given not only a new life, but an
opportunity to help others as well.
Psalm 45:1, 11: “My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I
recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful
writer.... The king is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for
he is your lord.” I’ve memorized many of the verses in the
forty-fifth psalm. As both an author and God’s follower, I often
see myself as a spokesperson for the Lord. The psalms, this
one in particular, continually challenge me to love God with all
of my life and all of my words.