What does it mean to pray the Psalms?

We love connecting with God’s spirit in prayer, pouring our hearts out, and reaching out to the Lord. It is a profound experience filled with God’s blessings and power, and our faith is renewed and recharged. Prayers are answered. Spiritual battles against the powers of darkness are won.

But sometimes, in prayer, we feel like we are talking to the ceiling. Our faith is low, our words are few, and our prayer is, let’s face it, boring. It is tempting to skip it and try again another day.

Whenever we are not praying well on our own, David can help us. Praying the Psalms means taking words inspired by God and penned by David (and others) and praying them back to God. God’s Word is alive. I promise this will help bring new life into your prayer and energize your walk with God.

The Psalms were originally written as songs and prayers. Many are easy to turn into prayers, but some don’t work so well. You will figure out which ones work. David, who wrote many of the Psalms, was a very emotional man. He often talked about being overwhelmed, cast down, crying night and day, covered in darkness, and surrounded by troubles. When you feel overwhelmed, cast down, crying day and night, covered by darkness, and surrounded by troubles, David’s words can help you overcome the same in prayer.

His enemies were people with spears. Our enemies may be toxic people in our lives, bills, past abuse, or stressors in our lives.

How do you pray the Psalms?

When David says “enemies” or “reproach,” I change the words to the things that bother me, like “bills” or “that toxic person.” Then, I change the pronouns to “I” and “You.” “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart” changes to “You are nigh unto me when I have a broken heart.”

It’s a little cumbersome at first, but in time, it becomes easy. It gives you words to pray. It leads you in directions you wouldn’t have thought to go. It helps you spend more time in prayer, which you need. Also, if you are praying His Word, you know you are praying in God’s will.

Note: Some verses are from the KJV, and others are from the NKJV.

(Scriptures are in italics. My words are in regular font.)

Psalm 13 – the words to change are underlined.

Substitute the underlined words with whatever is troubling you.

1 How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? 2. How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me? 3. Consider and hear me, O Lord my God; enlighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death. 4. Lest my enemy says, “I have prevailed against him.” Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved. 5. But I have trusted in Your mercy. My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. 6. I will sing to the Lord because He has dealt bountifully with me.

How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will (put your trouble here – bills, mean person, sickness, anxiety, depression) be exalted over me? Consider and hear me, O Lord, my God, enlighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death. Lest my (bills, mean person, sickness, anxiety) say, “I have prevailed against him.” Lest (those people or problems) who trouble me rejoice when I am moved. But I have trusted in Your mercy. My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord because You have dealt bountifully with me. You can add some details. You have dealt bountifully with me by helping me pay my bills, providing food, giving me health, etc. Listing your blessings also enables you to be thankful and decrease depression.

Psalm 27- the words to change are underlined.

Substitute – sometimes you have to change the pronouns, too

1. The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid? 2. When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. 3. Though war may rise against me, in this, I will be confident. 4. One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple. 5. For in the time of trouble, He shall hide me in His pavilion. In the secret place of His tabernacle, He shall hide me. He shall set me high upon a rock. 6. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me. Therefore, I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

You are my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? You are the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid? When (substitute your trouble here – my family issue, my boss) came against me to eat up my flesh, my (problem, family issue), they stumbled and fell. Though an army of trouble may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. Though (depression or anxiety) may rise against me, in this, I will be confident. One thing I have desired of You, Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in Your house all the days of my life, to behold Your beauty, and to inquire in (your church). For in the time of trouble, You shall hide me in Your pavilion. In the secret place of Your Tabernacle, You shall hide me. You shall set me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted above my enemies all around me. Therefore, I will offer sacrifices of joy in the Holy Spirit. I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to You.

When you pray a Psalm that touches you, you can pray it over and over, substituting your friends’ or family members’ names. Then, your prayer turns into intercession. Psalm 27:4 “…that Joe may dwell in the house of the Lord…” “…that Mary may dwell in the house of the Lord…”

When David talks of “Abraham” or “Israel,” I might substitute the word “church.” When he talks about “the land of Canaan,” I might substitute “the Holy Spirit.”

Praying Psalms also gives you more variety in your prayer. On my own, if someone named Sally was bullying me, I might pray, “God, help Sally to quit bullying me.” Using David’s words in Psalm 71:13, I can pray, “Let mine adversaries Sally be clothed with shame, and let them her cover themselves herself with their her own confusion as with a mantle.”

Sometimes, even though I am sincere, my prayer might sound a bit boring: “I love You. I praise You.” 

Using David’s words in Psalm 101, I can pray, “I will sing of mercy and justice; to You, O Lord, I will sing praises. I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.  I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness.”

I’m not saying you should always pray the Psalms, but do it when you have trouble praying with your own words or need to add variety and depth to your prayers. In those times when you pray for two minutes and are tempted to quit because you just don’t feel like praying, pull out the book of Psalms and pray two chapters. Or five. Or ten.

Even if you start the prayer not wanting to pray or not feeling God at all, you will feel better by the end. God’s Word is alive.

What about when David wants to KILL his enemies?

David lived under the law that said, “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” He often prayed for the death of his enemies. However, Jesus said to love your enemies; pray for them that despitefully use you. We want to follow Jesus as we live under grace.

There was a woman I highly respected who hurt me very deeply, causing much grief and anxiety in my life. I prayed Psalm 55, “…my heart was sore pained within me…Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me…it was not an enemy that reproached me…but it was thou, a (wo)man mine equal, my guide…” Those were words that fit my situation to a tee.

However, then it said, “Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell; for wickedness is in their dwellings…” No, I honestly didn’t want her to die and go to hell for what she said. In praying that verse, I prayed, “Let death seize upon her words that hurt me. Let death seize upon my grief and anxiety that she caused me, and let them go down quick into hell.”

When David prays for the death of his enemies, you can pray for the death of your enemy’s actions or attitudes or pray for the death of your hurt or your PTSD that their actions caused. If it fits, you could pray, “Let repentance seize upon them so they can change their actions and not go down to hell.”

Then what do you do? How do you heal from their hurt? Pray the next verse, “As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord will save me. Evening, morning, and at noon will I pray and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice. He has delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me…Cast your burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee. He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”

After someone hurts you, it’s best to try to talk to them, and they can make it right. However, realistically, that doesn’t always happen. Sometimes, the offense was too long ago. Sometimes they don’t care. Whether they repent or apologize is not your responsibility. You’re responsible for your attitude and your relationship with God. Praying the Psalms can help with that.

Which Psalms can be turned into prayers?

Different Psalms were written with different purposes. Some were written directly as prayers and can be prayed as written. Others can easily be turned into prayers by changing a few words. But many chapters are reiterations of history, exhortations, or descriptions and are not made to be prayed. I went through and attempted to pray them all and marked the ones that worked well as prayers.

Here is a list of Psalms that lend themselves to prayer. Some are easy to pray. Others take a bit of work to change the words to fit the situation. Psalms 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 15, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 34, 36, 37, 38, 40, 42, 43, 46, 47, 48, 51, 52, 54, 56, 61, 63, 69, 70, 71, 73, 75, 77, 84, 86, 91, 92, 94, 95, 96, 100, 103, 104, 116, 119, 120, 121, 123, 130, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146.

Psalm 119 is the longest book in the Bible, with 176 verses. When you are down and miserable, lift your spirit by praising your way through the chapter. Verses 1 and 2 say, “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies and that seek him with the whole heart.” Pray this, “Praise God that I am undefiled in the way because I walk in the law of the Lord. Thank You that I know how to keep your testimonies and how to seek You with my whole heart.” If you can make it clear to the end, there is no way you will still be sad. This idea of praising your way through Psalm 119 came from Teri Spears and Nona Freeman, two great women of God.

Next are Some More Examples of Praying Psalms

The Psalms were originally written as prayers and songs. Most were written by King David, who was called “a man after God’s own heart.” By using his words, we can, in a sense, stand on his shoulders in prayer.

This is not a substitute for your own personal, heartfelt, original prayers. It’s an addition that can add some depth and life to your prayers. It’s especially great to do if your prayer life is anemic or short. Pray the Psalms to bring new energy and excitement to your prayer life.

Psalm 46	Praying this Psalm for someone else, for example, my friend	Praying this Psalm for myself
1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling.	God, You are my friend’s refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. He is having trouble with… (describe his trouble) You are his refuge and strength. Therefore, he will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. You will help him not be afraid when his world is shaking and falling apart. You will give him the strength he needs for….	You are my refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. I am having trouble with… (describe the trouble) Therefore I will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. You are my refuge when I need to hide from my trouble. You are my strength when everything is going wrong in my life. When I am afraid of troubled waters and worried about shaking mountains, I won’t fear. I will trust You and not fear the future.
4 There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved. God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.	There is a river of Living Water, the Holy Spirit, whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the church, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. You are in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn. My friend has Your Spirit, and You will make him glad and keep him safe in Your church, close to You.	There is a river, the Living Water, the Holy Spirit, whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the church, in which I belong, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the middle of the church; she shall not be moved, and I will stay in His church, so I will not be moved. God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.
6 The nations raged. The kingdoms were moved. He uttered His voice, and the earth melted.	The nations of this earth are raging; people are angry and make me scared; the world is constantly changing. In their eyes, right and wrong are constantly changing. But, God, when You utter Your voice, his struggle with the earth melts away, and my friend can rest in Your control. Help him, Lord, to hear Your voice.	The nations of this earth are raging; people are angry and make me scared; the world is constantly changing. In their eyes, right and wrong are constantly changing. But, God, when You utter Your voice, my struggle with the earth melts away, and I can rest in Your control. God, help me to hear Your voice.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;.The God of Jacob is our refuge.	You are the Lord of hosts, and You are with my friend. You are the God of Jacob, and You are with my friend. You are his refuge and hiding place when he is stressed and worried.	You are the Lord of hosts, and You are with me. You are the God of Jacob, my refuge and hiding place when I am stressed and worried about all that is happening.
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord, Who has made desolations in the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth. He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two. He burns the chariot in the fire.	I pray that he will behold Your works and consider all you have done. You have made desolations in the earth and made wars (in his life) cease to the end of the earth and have broken the bow, cut the spear in two, and burned the chariot in the fire. You can do all these things for my friend. If he feels desolate or has wars in his mind or his life, You can take care of him. Break this problem… in his life. Cut up that struggle… in his life. Burn up this trouble… in his life.	I will look at Your works, Lord, and think about all You have done. You have made desolations in the earth and made wars cease, and when my thoughts and anxieties are making war in my mind, You make them cease. You break the bow and cut the spear in two – when Satan aims a bow at me or cuts my heart like a spear, You break them up and help me to heal. You burn up my troubles and stressors in Your fire. You break this money problem and cut this work problem in two.
10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations I will be exalted in the earth! 11 The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge.	Help him be still, quiet his busy mind, and know that You are God. When is worried and troubled, help him be still, think on You, and trust You. You are exalted among the nations, and You are exalted in the earth and in my friend’s life! You are the Lord of hosts, and You are with my friend. You are the God of Jacob and the God of my friend, and You are his refuge.	When I am still, I know that You are God. I will calm my anxiety and meditate on You. Then I can feel You and know You. You will be exalted among the nations, and You will be exalted in the earth! You are the Lord of hosts, and You are with me; You are the God of Jacob and my refuge.

Psalm 61:1-4	Praying this Psalm for someone else, for example, my friend	Praying this Psalm for myself
61 Hear my cry, O God. Attend to my prayer. 2 From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 3 For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy. 4 I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings.	Hear my friend’s cry, O God; attend to her prayer. From the end of the earth, she will cry to You. When her heart is overwhelmed, lead her to the rock that is higher than her, for You have been a shelter for her, a strong tower from the enemy. Her enemies right now are… (List her troubles that you know about here.) She will abide in Your church forever and trust in the shelter of Your wings.	Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth, I will cry to You. Right now, my heart is overwhelmed. Right now, lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy. My enemies right now are… (List all your personal troubles here.) I will abide in Your church forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings.

Remember, this is not a substitute for your personal, heartfelt, original prayers. It’s an addition that can add some depth and life to your prayers. It’s especially great to do if your prayer life is anemic or short. Pray the Psalms to bring new energy and excitement to your prayer life.

Psalm 91 – A Prayer for Protection

Praying Psalm 91 for myself

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress. My God, in Him I will trust.” 3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. 4 He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings, you shall take refuge. His truth shall be your shield and buckler. 5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not come near you. 8 Only with your eyes shall you look and see the reward of the wicked. 9 Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, 10 no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling. 11 For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. 12 In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. 13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra. The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. 14 “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. 15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. 16 With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.”

Today, I dwell in the secret place of the most High, and so I abide in the shadow of the Almighty.   Today, I say of the LORD, You are my refuge and fortress: my God; I trust in You.   Surely, you deliver me from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence.   You cover me with Your feathers, and under Your wings, I trust: Your truth is my shield and buckler.   And so, I am not afraid for the terror by night, the arrow that flies by day, the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor for the destruction that lays waste at noonday.   A thousand may fall at my side, and ten thousand at my right hand, but it shall not come near me. Only with my eyes do I look and see the reward of the wicked. Because I have made You, Lord, my refuge, my habitation; no evil befalls me that I can’t handle with Your help, nor does any plague come nigh my dwelling.   For You give your angels charge over me, to keep me in all my ways. They bear me up in their hands lest I dash my foot against a stone.   I tread upon the lion and the cobra, the evils of this world: the young lion and the serpent I trample underfoot. I overcome all that tries to hurt me.   Because I have set my love upon You; therefore, you will deliver me: You set me on high because I have known Your name.   I call upon You, and You answer me: You are with me in trouble; You deliver me and honor me. With a long life, You satisfy me and show me Your salvation.   In Jesus’s Name, Amen.