Praying the Blues - Praying the Scriptures

Our praying can be enhanced when we pray using words from Scripture. When we find laments in the Bible, they often follow (closely or roughly) the following pattern:

1. Addressing God

2. Laying out the complaint or pain

3. Making a request of God for action

4. Responding (or promising) thanks and praise.

May these passages help guide us in prayer.

***

You are God my stronghold. Why have you rejected me?

Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?

Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me;

let them bring me to your holy mountain,

to the place where you dwell.

Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight.

I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God.  (Psalm 43)

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

My tears have been my food day and night,

while people say to me all day long,

“Where is your God?”

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. (Psalm 42)

Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;

Lord, hear my voice.

Let your ears be attentive

to my cry for mercy.

If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,

Lord, who could stand?

But with you there is forgiveness,

so that we can, with reverence, serve you. (Psalm 130)

I remember my affliction and my wandering,

and my soul is downcast within me.

 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:

Because of your great love we are not consumed,

for your compassions never fail.

They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

You are good to those whose hope is in you,

to the one who seeks him;

For no one is cast off by you forever.

Though you bring grief, you will show compassion,

so great is your unfailing love, for you do not willingly bring affliction

or grief to anyone. (Lamentations 3:19-33)

Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger

or discipline me in your wrath.

Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint;

heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.

My soul is in deep anguish.

How long, Lord, how long?

Turn, Lord, and deliver me;

save me because of your unfailing love.

I am worn out from my groaning.

All night long I flood my bed with weeping

and drench my couch with tears.

You, Lord, have heard my cry for mercy;

you accept my prayer. (Psalm 6)

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,

and naked I will depart. 

The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;

may the name of the Lord be praised.” (Job 1:21)