The reports from Israel have been horrific. On Oct. 7, 2023, invaders from the Hamas organization had penetrated the state of the art defenses of Israel. They had attacked some military targets, but much of […]
Category: Prayer
Reason to pray #40: To stop moving in our constantly moving world
Stop. Be still. Let this sink in: “I am God. I will take my place Over all nations. I will be known And honored From pole to pole.” (Everyday Psalms, Psalm 46, page 112) Caffeine […]
Reason to pray #38: To deal with disappointment
My words are prayers, Even as I complain, my God. (Everyday Psalms, Psalm 64, page 145) “I can’t get no satisfaction, I can’t get no satisfaction. ‘Cause I try and I try and I try […]
Reason to pray #37: To be silent in our noisy world
In the empty time between laying down and sleeping, Let the silence go deep, Sounding out and searching your heart. (Everyday Psalms, Psalm 4, page 11) In an old black and white episode of the […]
Reason to pray #36: To honor and care for civic leaders
Make the king wise, Thoughtful, Discerning. Make our ruler righteous, Deciding what’s best for the people, Providing for your poor, God. Let peace and freedom ring From every mountainside And justice From every hill and […]
Reason to pray #35: To voice creation’s praise
The heavens shout God’s glory! The skies never stop talking About his creativity. All day, Every day, They just keep on speaking. All night, Every night, They share what they know. They can’t actually talk, […]
Reason to pray #34: To resist evil
To love Yahweh is to hate evil. (Everyday Psalms, Psalm 97, page 223) My kids were too little to read and take in the Harry Potter books when they were being written and released. But […]
Reason to pray #33: To answer God, which completes our Bible reading
He speaks. The same Voice comes to Jacob, Bringing wise laws and decrees to Israel. No other nation has been so fortunate. They don’t know these words of life. So shout your Hallelujah! (Everyday Psalms, […]
Reason to pray #32: Because we need something and God is a generous Giver
The trail you guide me down Is life and life and more life. When I’m with you, My joy is complete. I don’t need to pursue happiness, Because you have everything I’d ever want, And […]
Reason to pray #31: Because we’ve been hurt and we need to forgive
It’s hard not to strike back At those that hurt us, But turn your back On that way of living. Be an agent of wholeness In this broken world. Chase that kind of life With […]
Reason to pray #30: To remember that God is the greatest reality of our lives
You’re our home, Lord. You always have been. Before there were mountains, Before you’d shaped any part of earth, Before the beginning and after the end of everything else, There is one solid reality — […]
Reason to pray #29: To articulate our hopes and dreams
We were like giddy dreamers Whose dreams had actually come true. (Everyday Psalms, Psalm 126, page 297) OK, let’s be honest here. Most of our hopes and dreams tend to be pretty small and self-centered. […]
Reason to pray #28: To discover what it is we really want, separating it from what we crave
But even more than that, I desire this: To see your face. When I wake up from this nightmare, It’s your face I will see. I will be so completely satisfied, Every other desire will […]
Reason to pray #27: To do the one thing helpful for other people whom I’m not able to help in other ways
I will thank you,Yahweh, But I won’t do it by myself. I want others to get in on it with me. (Everyday Psalms, Psalm 108, page 251) The daughter of dear friends is hospitalized because […]
Reason to pray #26: To join God in the work he is doing in the world
Unless it’s Yahweh building the house, The work is pointless. Unless it’s Yahweh protecting the city, The security guards might as well go home. What’s the point of getting up early Or staying up late, […]
Reason to pray #25: To say, “I love you,” to the one who has loved us so well
I love you,Yahweh! With you, I’m strong. (Everyday Psalms, Psalm 18, page 33) To be human is to be loved. This is our starting point. Most of us started our lives with parents who had […]
Reason to pray #24: Because God answers and acts in the world
Prayer changes everything. Yahweh hears. He answers. He acts Out of his great love. (Everyday Psalms, Psalm 27, page 56) The primary reason most people pray is to get God to do stuff. It’s also […]
Reason to pray #23: To fill the emptiness inside of us
Give me your full attention, Yahweh. Answer me. I am so weak and empty right now, So insecure. Secure my life, I live it for you. Lean toward me. I’m leaning on you. (Everyday Psalms, […]
Reason to pray #22: To vent the violence of betrayal inside of us
I could handle enemy insults. I could run from a bully. But it’s you, My soul friend, My lifelong companion. My most cherished memories include you And me together in prayer, Hearts united in worship […]
Reason to pray #21: To move from consumerism to contentment
Yes, this is how the me-first live: Carefree consumerists, Treating the world like it’s their oyster. (Everyday Psalms, Psalm 73, page 168) I have a mouth. I eat stuff. I consume. Even so, I am […]
Reason to pray #20: To pay attention to the people and things God wants us to pay attention to
And yet, he pays attention to the poor and needy, Pulling them out of the dumpster Society has tossed them into, Dressing them up in the finest clothes And seating them among princes and princesses, […]
Reason to pray #19: To stop being dazzled by celebrities and politicians and those we’re told to pay attention to
I know this to be true: God takes care of his people, Those who live simply, Innocently, Kindly. But I got so distracted looking the other way, I didn’t watch where I was going, Wandering […]
Reason to pray #18: To pull back the curtain and see things as they really are
But something changed everything, Gave me new clarity. I stepped into your sanctuary And gained some new perspective. (Everyday Psalms, Psalm 73, page 169) Not always, but prayer often brings clarity. It helps me see. […]
Reason to pray #17: To rest from all our striving
When my soul craves rest, I find it in God. He puts together The pieces of my life. He’s a sound foundation And steel girder construction. No earthquake can take me down. (Everyday Psalms, Psalm […]
Reason to pray #16: To love my friends by praying for them, remembering them before God
How have your best friends Become my best friends? We’re companions on the same journey, Headed in the same direction, Marked by your signs. That’s how. (Everyday Psalms, Psalm 119, page 278) I miss my […]
Reason to pray #15: To make sense of the senselessness of life
We’re gone with a gasp. Add them all up and we may last Seventy or eighty years. We’re so proud of what we do, But it’s really just one struggle after another. So quickly spent. […]
Reason to pray #6: To offer ourselves to God
When I can’t sleep, My thoughts turn to you. Sometimes, I think of you Through many dark night hours. I remember how you’ve helped me. And there on my bed, I start to sing, Enfolded […]
Reason to pray #12: Because details matter
If I sit or stand, you know it. I can’t hide my thoughts from you. If I run an errand or take a nap, You know my routines And every break from them. You hear […]
Reason to pray #14: To enjoy God
Israel, let loose and enjoy your Maker. Zion, simply enjoy your King. Move your bodies, Dancing your praise. Play your piano and guitar, Singing your praise. Yahweh is delighted, Thrilled with his people. He hangs […]
Reason to pray #13: To bow before the King
Give it up for Yahweh, folks. Give it up, Applauding his graceful beauty, Applauding his athletic strength. Give it up for Yahweh! He deserves every bit of glory we can heap on him. Don’t show […]
Reason to pray #11: In order to believe
To know you is to trust you,Yahweh. You don’t walk away from those who run to you. (Everyday Psalms, Psalm 9, page20) I pray myself into belief. Everyone who prays does. Prayer creates faith where […]
Reason to pray #10: Because we believe
Yahweh’s faithful character Can be seen in all he does. It makes his words believable — Always true, Always making things right. For Yahweh loves when relationships Are made right, Loving it when justice prevails. He […]
Reason to pray #9: To find a friend in God
Oh lovely Yahweh: My firm foundation. My master at arms, Schooling me in warfare, Training me to fight. My faithful friend. My fort. My castle. My champion. My impenetrable wall. My safe house. My bodyguard. […]
Reason to pray #8: To articulate our sorrows and losses and move toward gratitude
I need some kindness now, Yahweh. I’m in a dark, dark place. I can hardly see, My eyes blurry from crying. My body aches from stress. … Sorrow devours me. (Everyday Psalms, Psalm 31, page […]
Reason to pray #7: To articulate our fears and move toward trust
My nightlight for my night terrors. My body guard in a dark alley. That’s Yahweh, Canceling my fear. My life’s safe house, That’s Yahweh. Remind me again Why I should fear anyone. (Everyday Psalms, Psalm […]
Reason to pray #5: To say thank you for all that is true & good & beautiful around us
Loose your lungs! Get loud for Yahweh, all earth. Give yourself to Yahweh without holding back. As you sing, You’ll find yourself In his Presence. … Every day is Thanksgiving for us. Every day we […]
Reason to pray #4: To express our emotions
Feelings black and bleak Weigh me down like a ton of bricks. From dawn to dusk I wallow in self-pity. Getting out of bed is impossible. I can barely move Without searing pain shooting through […]
Reason to pray #3: To reorient ourselves toward others
Quit the me-first life. A good life is the best life, A forever life. It’s a caring-for-others kind of life That makesYahweh smile, That he never Rejects, That he establishes forever. Me-first families are a […]
Reason to pray #2: To reorient ourselves toward God
Listening toYahweh leads to the best kind of life. Even at night, he speaks to my heart. I orient myself straight toward Yahweh. I don’t need to look anywhere else for support, He’s right there. […]
Reason to pray #1: To rediscover ourselves when we get lost
My own heart Is a mystery to me, But you know me inside and out, Yahweh. Nothing is hidden from your eyes. (Everyday Psalms, Psalm 139, page 313) I get lost. Often. I’ll be listening […]
Why pray?
A friend asked the question, “Why do we pray?” I’m not sure what was behind the question, but I decided to take it seriously. If I’m honest, there are times when praying feels like a […]
Time for the moon & time for God
My daughter and I were having a conversation about solar and lunar calendars. Yes, I know. It’s an odd topic for conversation. But don’t most of our best conversations have their odd elements and strange […]
Among fake friends
How do we pray when faced with fake friends who betray us?
Widening the circle of prayer
When life crushes us, many turn to prayer. But not everyone. Even among the seemingly religious, prayer isn’t the first resort. The overall secularizing of our culture over the past few hundred years since the […]
The Naughty List meets Psalm 87
Some people rub us the wrong way. And in some cases, they’ve been rubbing us the wrong way for a long time. That history pulls us into negative patterns like ruts in dirt road. It’s […]
Praying for personal revival
Revival. The word inspires images of tent meetings and manipulative preachers for some. For others, it’s an image of God’s people waking up and coming fully alive while drawing others into the kingdom of God. […]
The Horns & the Cup
I used to check the news daily and often times throughout the day. I had an urge to know what was going on in the world around me. I’m not exactly sure why, but I […]
Praying for a good leader for the nation
During an election year, there’s no psalm that’s more relevant than Psalm 72, a prayer for a good leader for the nation. In every place around the world and in every era, there has been […]
The prayer of a maturing faith (Ps 71)
I’m actually enjoying getting older. Sure, there are some new creases on my face and I’m not the athlete I was before. Sure, I get tired earlier and forget things easier. But I’m less anxious, […]
Why pray? 33 reasons why I pray
A friend recently asked the question, “Why do we pray?” I’m not sure what was behind the question, but I decided to take it seriously. If we’re honest, there are times when praying feels […]
Praying when life goes to hell
There are times when life falls to pieces that can’t be put back together. It’s happened to me and I’ve watched it happen to others who are close to me. The doctor believes the cancer […]
The place where you live
As a kid, going to church meant getting dressed up in uncomfortable clothing. Wool pants. Shirts buttoned up to the collar. Clip on ties. Dress shoes. My Sunday best was my Sunday torture. I didn’t […]
Among haters
She defined her life by her enemies. And I watched her move from one to the next and the next. As her pastor, I had a front row seat to it all. First, there were […]
I blew it again! (or, Psalm 85 and the restored life)
There are times when I get down on myself, having blow it yet again, doing the same stupid thing one more time. I forgot to pick up my son from school for the tenth time. […]
Even here — Psalm 57 and the unexpected presence of God
Some corners of culture, some places, some people seem both godless and god-forsaken. Some parts of our lives feel either fenced-off from God or ignored by our Maker. A quick look at the news or […]
Deepen your prayer life
Doing the work on Everyday Psalms: Ancient Prayers in Everyday Language was one of the greatest prayer experiences of my life. I’m excited to share it with you that it might be a good companion […]
The most basic prayer we ever pray
Opening prayer Here I am, Lord. I want to be fully present to you — all of me faced toward you, oriented toward you — so that I might fully engage with you. Be fully […]
Psalm 119 (E is for He)
A rendering of Psalm 119:33-40 (each verse starting with the Hebrew letter He), which continues an immersion into a life lived in response to the Voice of God.
Psalm 123
A rendering of Psalm 123, which looks to God for favor in a culture where we experience so much contempt.
Psalm 77
(Worship leader: This Asaph psalm is a kind and needed companion during depression.) I prayed my voice hoarse. With tears, I called to God, Needing him to hear, Needing him to help. My soul was […]
Psalm 63
A rendering of Psalm 63, a prayer when the soul feels like a desert, empty and thirsty for God.
Psalm 59
A rendering of Psalm 59, a desperate plea for help from God while being slandered and threatened.
Pinned under a truck
“Help! Help! Please, help!” she cried as she ran through the snow toward our car. I had seen the headlights of a vehicle tipped on its side about 20 feet from the small highway road […]
Psalm 88
A rendering of Psalm 88, a desperate prayer that spirals into darkness because of a feeling that not only has God rejected, but God is the source of personal suffering.
Psalm 38
(A David psalm, a desperate prayer.) Anger isn’t what I need right now, Yahweh. A hard word and a frowning face Just might push me over the edge, My covenant-keeping God. Blood seeps from arrow […]
Psalm 56
A rendering of Psalm 56, a David poem when God got him out of an impossible situation.
Psalm 22
A rendering of Psalm 22, a prayer in the middle of feeling abandoned by God and yet looking forward to when God comes through and personal praise spills out on everyone else.
Psalm 43
Get me off the hook, my God. Show how true I am To this false nation. Pull me from the jaws Of these sharp-tongued liars. You’re supposed to be on my side, God. So, why […]
Psalm 35
A rendering of Psalm 35, which begs God to be the defense attorney who will vindicate from the poison accusations of haters.
Psalm 41
Aiding the hurting, The helpless, The homeless Is the best kind of living. And Yahweh takes care Of care givers When they need it most. Yahweh takes of the side Of people who live this way. […]
Psalm 42
Like a dog At an empty water dish, Parched, That’s me, So terribly thirsty For God. My soul is dehydrated, Chapped and cracked, Empty of God — The bubbling, Refreshing, Life-giving God. Where can I go […]
Psalm 40
A rendering of Psalm 40, where David remembers God’s faithfulness in the past and asks for it again in his current problem.
Psalm 32
A rendering of Psalm 32, a David psalm, combining prayer and earned wisdom, stemming from confessed sin after a time of foolishly hiding it.
Psalm 27
A rendering of Psalm 27, a prayer in the darkness, resetting the imagination from fear to God.
Psalm 26
A rendering of Psalm 26, a prayer for vindication when falsely accused.
Psalm 10
A rendering of Psalm 10, which calls on God to deal with the bullies and abusers who think he won’t hold them to account.
Psalm 16
A rendering of Psalm 16, which rejects attempts at hedging our bets by relying on other sources of happiness than God.
Psalm 17
(A David prayer.) I need your attention, Yahweh. I need some justice. I need you to take my agony seriously. I need you to hear my prayer. I’m not lying. I need you to vindicate […]
Psalm 9
A rendering of Psalm 9, a call for God to sit on his throne as Judge in order to bring justice to an unjust world.
Psalm 7
(A song David sang to Yahweh when he was dealing with Cush the Benjamite.) Here, I am, knocking at your door, Yahweh my God. Let me in! I need a safe place. I need rescuing. […]
Psalm 5
(Worship leader: Use a soulful sax on this one. A David psalm.) I need you to hear me, Yahweh. I need you to hear me out. You’re my King, So hear my plea for help. […]
The alliance
My family loves to play games together. And we can be fiercely competitive in our game-playing. With a fairly strategic mind, I do well much of the time. In fact, my kids have concluded that […]
When fear makes me feel like a failure
Sometimes, I give up too easily, too quickly. Life is difficult and filled with obstacles, and sometimes I feel overwhelmed before I’ve even given things a real effort. I have a book project I’ve been […]
Bad leaders & deaf cobras
When Saddam Hussein was driven from power, the people of Iraq danced in the streets. They tore down his statues. They celebrated the end of his tyranny. Having grown up in a country with strong […]
The answer to envy
The world’s oldest profession isn’t prostitution. It’s advertising. Genesis 3 is the story of a snakish advertiser who creates a desire for something that was really nothing at the cost of everything. And we’ve been […]
Psalm 121
A rendering of Psalm 121, which finds comfort in God as the one who watches and keeps us.
Avril Lavigne & the Psalms
I remember first listening to punk-pop Avril Lavigne with her heavily mascaraed eyes singing about her skater boy and giving the finger to anyone who got in her way. There was a true passion in her, […]
Psalm 146
A rendering of Psalm 146, which considers human sources of hope before considering God’s long resumé of real hope-inspiring help.
Psalm 119 (B is for Beth)
A rendering of Psalm 119:9-16, where each verse begins with the Hebrew letter beth and delights in God’s life-giving words.
The only way to experience more of God
“Lord, we want more of you in our lives.” It’s a prayer I’ve heard many times and have uttered more than a few times myself. It usually precedes a time of gathered worship as a […]
5 questions to ask when our prayers get wonky
The question isn’t if my perspective is skewed or not. The question is: How bad is it? No two of us experience the world the same way. The uniquenesses in my eyes cause me to […]
Does God break his promises?
Sometimes life comes crashing down around our ears and the very things we were sure God wanted for our lives and for the world lay in rubbled ruin around us. A mission trip long prayed […]
All my fountains are in you
A surprising hymn about Israel’s ancient enemies being born in Zion.
Psalm 12
A rendering of Psalm 12, a prayer for help in the surrounding culture’s war of words.
Psalm 51
A rendering of Psalm 51, a prayer of confession that moves from a self-focus to a God-focus and a desire to see other lives repaired as well.
Psalm 62
A rendering of Psalm 62, a wisdom psalm for when the soul is weary and cutting corners has its lure.
