Psalm 23 Prayer Guide

Try entering into prayer with this three-part rhythm: Part 1 Become present to the presence of God: Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (Psalm 91:1-2 ESV). Pause in silence before God. Practice breathing slowly and deeply. As you inhale, invite the Holy Spirit to fill every part of your being- your body, mind, imagination, affections and emotions. As you exhale, release any burdens you are carrying into this time of prayer. Repeat this breathing prayer until you have brought your whole self -‘as is’ -before the presence of God. Reflect on the joys and challenges of the day. What are you thankful for? Where did you see God at work? What do you lament? What do you need to confess? Part 2 Slowly read from Psalm 23 (ESV) out loud: (for an audio version click here) 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Part 3 Using your own words, pray Psalm 23 back to God: Begin by personalizing the pronouns in the psalm, turning the words about God into a prayer directly to God. For example, v. 1 (‘The Lord is my shepherd…‘) becomes ‘YOU Lord are my shepherd...’ Pray your way through the psalm in this way. Then gather these thoughts into your own psalm of trust: “Lord, you are my… “I depend on you to… “Without you, I am… “Even when…, I trust you. “I am confident that you will… The psalms were originally written as lyrics, as prayers set to music. Throughout the history of Israel and the church, the people of God have sung the psalms. Song invites us to internalize the Word of God with the whole self- body, mind, imagination, emotions and affections. Take time to listen to a version of Psalm 23 set to music. Try taking the psalm song with you into your day. From the album Show Me What It Means (2021) by Land of Color. landofcolormusic.com