Practicing Scripture Prayers | Week 2

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.

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) 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, complete today’s reading.