Going asleep
In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4 ESV
Morning
One thing have I asked of the Lord,
that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
and to enquire in his temple.
Psalm 27 ESV
In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait expectantly.
Psalm 5 NIV
Mid-day
May the favour and beauty of the Lord our God rest on us;
establish the work of our hands for us –
yes, establish the work of our hands.
Psalm 90 NIV
Evening
If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with you,
so that you may be revered.
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch for the morning.
O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is great power to redeem.
Psalm 130 NRSV
Some will have time to pray the selected Psalms in full, but these excerpts are offered so that even amid the busiest working day they can be used.
The Psalms and Praying
Jesus used them.
- On the cross he used a Psalm to cry out to his Father. (Matthew 27:46/Psalm 22:1)
- Commentators have noted how the sections of the Lord’s prayer echo the types of prayers found in the Psalms.
They come highly recommended:
- “whatever may serve to encourage us when we are about to pray to God is taught us in this book” (John Calvin)
- “the prayerbook of the Bible” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)
- “We only pray well if we are immersed In Scripture” (Eugene Petersen)
Tips for the Distracted and Time-Pressed
