Truthful Speech as Common Prayer

The Psalms are at the core of our common prayer life, even though they emerged from a world so different from our own. The more shocking psalms confound us with their raw emotion. By learning to understand and pray the entire Psalter, we will grow not only in our prayer lives, but also as human beings made fully alive, formed more and more into Christ’s likeness.

The psalms of wisdom provide teaching about the way of righteousness set in contrast to the way of wickedness. How can we pray them? Because prayer is formative, not just expressive, the psalms of wisdom can shape our response to God.

Everyone desires wisdom. Each of us wants to find the “good life,” a life of flourishing and blessedness. The wisdom psalms speak to this desire, but take into consideration the realities of lived existence, especially the fact that sometimes the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer.

Living in a broken world, pain is not something we can avoid. Betrayal, loss, and injustice enter our lives as unwelcomed guests, just as they did for King David and the other psalmists. Learning to pray the psalms of lament can teach us that healing for our grief and sorrow always happens in God’s presence.

Is it possible to experience God’s presence in a time of suffering and loss? In the throes of grief, sorrow, and anxiety, the psalms of lament, especially those composed by King David, can open our eyes to notice God’s nearness.