Praying Psalm 119 to Love the Lord and His Word More

Praying Psalm 119 to Love the Lord and His Word More - Handout

Suggested helps for the wandering (v. 10, 176): - pray out loud instead of silently in your mind (v. 13, 169) - pray with something in front of you (ex: requests, prayer cards, esp. praying with Scripture in front of me –v. 171) - have godly companions who you pray for and with (v. 63)

Principles of Prayer from Psalm 119 1. Prayer should permeate our day as well as be planned (v. 147-148, 164)

2. Prayer should be multi-faceted Petitions – requests Negative / prevent (v. 8, 10, 19, 31, 43, 121-22, 133, etc.) Positive / provide (v. 17, 41, 49, 76, 116-17, etc.) Thanksgiving (v. 7) – “I shall give thanks to You” Speaking Scripture - to God (v. 13), our heart (v. 11), others (v. 43, 46) Meditation (v. 27) Commitment (v. 32 – by God’s grace) Intercession – prayer on behalf of others (v. 74, 79, 136) Adoration (v. 103) Awe (v. 161b) Supplication – plea for grace / favor (v. 170, 169) Praise (v. 171) Singing (v. 172) - it’s prayer if speaking to God in song Confession (v. 176) I have gone astray like a lost sheep

3. Prayer should be largely for spiritual needs

He prays for his own spiritual life (v. 25, 37, 40 -> 93)

He prays for practical insight of Scripture Teaching (v. 12, 26, 33, etc.) Discernment and knowledge (v. 66) Understanding to obey (34), learn (73), know (125) and live it (144) Illumination (v. 130, 18)

He prays and obeys Obedience and love is a choice and effort (v. 16, 47, 48) It’s not dependent on how others treat us (v. 69, 95, 106) It is dependent on God’s heart-enabling grace (v. 32)

He Prays for his own heart and Love for God and His Word (v. 18) Below is adapted from Praying for Sunday: You, Your Pastor, and the Next Sermon, by Mike Fabarez (Focal Point Radio Ministries, 2008)

Pray for the Preparation of God’s Message

1. Pray that the message your pastor is preparing to preach would be an evident part of his own life [Ezra 7:10]

2. Pray for the protection of your pastor’s preparation time – Eph. 6:12

3. Pray that your pastor will be given grace and illumination to rightly divide God’s Word – 2 Tim. 2:15, Psalm 119:18

4. Pray that the words your pastor chooses would be effective and powerful tools for the Holy Spirit to employ

Pray for the Delivery of God’s Message

1. Pray that people will attend and arrive in the right frame of mind

2. Pray that God would guard against preaching distractions

3. Pray for clarity and power in the pastor’s words, that he would be God’s mouthpiece - Exodus 4:11-12

4. Pray that God will give understanding to you and all who hear, and that the message will be one of the most effective and fruitful ever

Pray for the Response to God’s Message

1. Pray that all, including yourself, will put the message into practice - James 1:22, 25; Matt. 7:24-27

2. Pray that the message will not be compartmentalized

3. Pray that the application of the message would be contagious – 2 Tim. 2:2, 1 Thess. 1:8-9

4. Pray that the message itself will be repeatedly delivered