---
title: Practicing Scripture Prayers | Week 2
description: Explore Psalm 78 as a guide for prayer and reflection, focusing on God's mighty acts and the importance of leading with integrity and faithfulness.
---

[the Formed.life Blog ](https://theformed.life/blog)

# [Practicing Scripture Prayers | Week 2](https://theformed.life/blog/practicing-scripture-prayers-week-2)

 Written by [Christ Community KC](https://theformed.life/blog/author/christ-community-kc) | Thursday, May 28, 2026

## Read | Psalm 78:1–8, 65–72

> *A *Maskil* of Asaph.*
> 
> *My people, hear my instruction;*  
> *listen to the words from my mouth.*  
> *I will declare wise sayings;*  
> *I will speak mysteries from the past—*  
> *things we have heard and known*  
> *and that our ancestors have passed down to us.*  
> *We will not hide them from their children,*  
> *but will tell a future generation*  
> *the praiseworthy acts of the LORD,*  
> *his might, and the wondrous works*  
> *he has performed.*  
> *He established a testimony in Jacob*  
> *and set up a law in Israel,*  
> *which he commanded our ancestors*  
> *to teach to their children*  
> *so that a future generation—*  
> *children yet to be born—might know.*  
> *They were to rise and tell their children*  
> *so that they might put their confidence in God*  
> *and not forget God’s works,*  
> *but keep his commands.*  
> *Then they would not be like their ancestors,*  
> *a stubborn and rebellious generation,*  
> *a generation whose heart was not loyal*  
> *and whose spirit was not faithful to God...*
> 
> *The LORD awoke as if from sleep,*  
> *like a warrior from the effects of wine.*  
> *He beat back his foes;*  
> *he gave them lasting disgrace.*  
> *He rejected the tent of Joseph*  
> *and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim.*  
> *He chose instead the tribe of Judah,*  
> *Mount Zion, which he loved.*  
> *He built his sanctuary like the heights,*  
> *like the earth that he established forever.*  
> *He chose David his servant*  
> *and took him from the sheep pens;*  
> *he brought him from tending ewes*  
> *to be shepherd over his people Jacob—*  
> *over Israel, his inheritance.*  
> *He shepherded them with a pure heart*  
> *and guided them with his skillful hands.*

[Click here to listen to the Scripture in ESV. ](https://www.esv.org/audio-player/Psalm+78%3A1%E2%80%938%2C+65%E2%80%9372)

How does the beginning of the psalm, retelling Israel’s time in the Exodus, compare and contrast with the end of the psalm about how David led God’s people?

## Focus

[Watch this video from BibleProject (The Art of Biblical Poetry)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9yp1ZXbsEg)* *explaining the genre of this book of Scripture. What is one thing you learned from the video?

## Pray

Use today’s Scripture as a model for your prayer. Follow along using the prayer points below and reference the Scripture passages to inspire your own prayer today.

- Take a deep and slow breath, and prepare yourself to have a conversation with God (Psalm 78:1).
- Take some time praising God for who he is, remembering and naming specifically what he has done for you, especially when you didn’t deserve it (Psalm 78:4–8).
- Reflect on instances when you haven’t led in your spheres of influence with “a pure heart” and “skillful hands” (Psalm 78:72). Ask God to reveal to you where you’ve fallen short.
- Praise God that he has given us Jesus, an even better shepherd than David, to guide and protect us, and lead us into God’s inner sanctuary presence (Psalm 78:68–72).

## Going Deeper

If you are also following the BibleProject’s [One Story That Leads to Jesus reading plan](https://d1bsmz3sdihplr.cloudfront.net/media/reading-plans/BibleProject_Reading_Plan_2025.pdf), complete today’s reading.

[View full post](https://theformed.life/blog/practicing-scripture-prayers-week-2)

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