Since the first human being was called to work and keep God’s creation, we have created tools to empower fruitful work. The same is true in our spiritual pursuit of prayer. The Psalms have been the refined tools of prayer for God’s people for millennia.

Therefore, we would be remiss to not take time each week in our journey to deepen the discipline of prayer by praying with the ancient people of God by means of the God-inspired earthy prayers of the Psalter.

As we engage these ancient prayers we learn that the primary purpose of prayer is not to express “my truth” but to answer by means of Scripture the Triune God who has spoken. This is true especially when that answer is raw, beautiful, and vulnerable, recognizing God does indeed hear us.

Let’s pray with the ancients.

PSALM 3

Today’s prayer is Psalm 3. As we dive in together, here is a little context to frame out the psalm.

OUTLINE

Contrast #1 –
Worrying about what threatens me produces fearful anxiety, (Verses 1 & 2)
but focusing on God’s protection produces prayerful trust. (Verses 3 & 4)

Contrast #2 –
I can rest in perfect peace (Verses 5 & 6)
if I trust that God will rise up to deliver me from all my troubles. (Verses 7 & 8)

The Psalm in a Sentence

Trusting in God’s protection in the face of life’s threats frees us from fear and furnishes us with peace and rest.

• LISTEN – Read Psalm 3 first to hear what God is saying.
• WRITE – Reflect on what God is saying through this prayer to you. Write it in your journal.
• SAY ALOUD – Read Psalm 3 now as a response to Him.

If you are interested in more resources on engaging the Psalms daily, Downtown Campus congregant, Jim Kutnow, provides a great resource at thisyearthepsalms.com.