Bible Prayers: COVID-19

Showing posts with label COVID-19. Show all posts

July 17, 2020

Praying Psalm 70 in turbulent times

During his lifetime, King David often found himself surrounded by hate and ill will. In physical, mental, and spiritual danger – as we are today – this beloved man of faith turned to God, seeking protection, deliverance, and peace.

In the midst of his own troubles, however, David prayed for others who sought God’s help. Like Christ, King David prayed for us.

Psalm 70 – prayer of David

from King James Version

Make haste, O God,

to deliver me;

make haste to help me,

O Lord.

Let them be ashamed

and confounded that

seek after my soul:

let them be turned

backward, and put

to confusion, that

desire my hurt. Let

them be turned back

for a reward of their

shame that say,

Aha, aha.

Let all those that seek thee

rejoice and be glad in thee:

and let such as love

thy salvation say continually,

Let God be magnified.

But I am poor and needy:

make haste unto me, O God:

thou art my help and my deliverer;

O Lord, make no tarrying.

…

Psalm 70 – prayer of David paraphrased

Deliver me, God!

Lord, hurry to help me!

Let anyone who seeks my life

be disgraced and confounded.

Let those who wish me harm

be driven away in embarrassment.

Let everyone who seeks You

rejoice and be happy in You.

Let those who love

Your deliverance

keep saying, “God is great!”

But, God, I am in distress

and in need!

You are my help.

You are my deliverer.

Oh please, Lord, do not delay.

From the Book of Bible Prayers – actual prayers from God's Word collected from a variety of translations found on Bible Gateway and paraphrased into everyday English by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019

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June 15, 2020

Praying for God’s protection

In this prayer-psalm, King David asks God to protect him – not from the enemy, whoever or whatever that might be – but from fear. He also prays, in essence, to be kept untouched by the ills and ill-will around him.

Psalm 64:1-2 – a prayer of David

from the King James Version of the Bible

Hear my voice,

O God, in my prayer:

preserve my life

from fear of the enemy.

Hide me

from the secret counsel

of the wicked;

from the insurrection

of the workers of iniquity:

Psalm 64:1-2 – a prayer of David

paraphrased into contemporary English

Hear my voice, O God,

even when I complain!

Protect my life from fear

and dread of terror.

Hide me from hateful plots

and hate-filled people,
from trouble-making mobs.

Praise You, Lord God, for heeding our prayers and keeping us safely tucked into Your Holy Spirit.

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April 14, 2020

Praying for God to redeem

This Bible prayer of Moses speaks for us, too, as we seek God’s protection and redemption from all ills, including COVID-19.

Deuteronomy 9:26-29 – a prayer of Moses

as translated in the King James Version

I prayed therefore unto the Lord, and said,

O Lord God, destroy not thy people

and thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed

through thy greatness, which thou hast brought forth

out of Egypt with a mighty hand.

Remember thy servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob;

look not unto the stubbornness of this people,

nor to their wickedness, nor to their sin:

Lest the land whence thou broughtest us out say,

Because the Lord was not able to bring them

into the land which he promised them,

and because he hated them, he hath brought them out

to slay them in the wilderness.

Yet they are thy people and thine inheritance,

which thou broughtest out by thy mighty power

and by thy stretched out arm.

Deuteronomy 9:26-29 – a prayer of Moses

paraphrased into everyday English

O Lord God, You have redeemed Your people.

Your mighty hand has released us from all that

enslaved us, so please don’t do away with us now!

Think about Your faithful servants who came before us

and forget about the stubbornness – the wickedness

so obvious at this moment. Otherwise, people will say

You weren’t able to help or give us what You promised.

They’ll say You hate us and brought us to this place

to die. But, Lord, we are Your people, Your family –

the ones You rescued with Your enormous power

and open arms.

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