A Prayer of Comfort

 

In times of need, the prayer of God’s people in Psalm 94 reminds us to seek and confess the comfort God brings. We, the people of now, can find consolation in this same prayer for our nation. Pray for yourself, of course! Then change “my” to “our” and “I” to “we.” Pray, too, for other nations (“their” and “they”) who need God’s comfort.

 

Psalm 94:17-19 – a prayer of God’s people

Unless the Lord had been my help,
my soul had almost dwelt in silence.

When I said, My foot slippeth;
thy mercy, O Lord, held me up.

In the multitude of my thoughts
within me thy comforts delight my soul.

From the Book of KJV Prayers - actual prayers from KJV (the King James Version of the Bible) collected by Mary Sayler

 

Psalm 94:17-19 – a prayer of God’s people
in contemporary language

Unless You had been my help, Lord,
my soul would have lived in silence.

When I thought my foot slipped….
When I thought I was falling,
Your steady love,
Your unswerving mercy
held me up.

When I get anxious or
worried or upset,
You comfort my heart.
You console my soul.

From the Book of Bible Prayers – actual prayers of the Bible collected from a variety of translations researched on Bible Gateway then paraphrased into everyday English by Mary Sayler

 

 

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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:

From the Book of KJV Prayers - actual prayers from the King James Version of the Bible (KJV) collected by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019 

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.

From the Book of BiblePrayers – actual prayers of the Bible collected from a variety of translations and paraphrased into everyday English by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019

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

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The conflicting prayers of Moses

Have you ever responded eagerly to a call by God only to have fear or apprehension enter the equation? Moses did.

At first, the Burning Bush consumed his curiosity – but, amazingly, not the bush! As he turned aside to better see, he immediately heard God’s call.

Moses answered like a school kid at roll call! But when he realized God wanted him to do something big, trepidations set in, and he begged God to send someone else.

You know the rest of the story. Despite his hesitation, Moses obeyed God’s will and did the job he’d been asked to do – leading God’s people out of slavery.

Exodus 3:4 – a prayer of Moses

And when the Lord saw that he (Moses)

turned aside to see,

God called unto him

out of the midst of the bush, and said,

Moses, Moses.

And he (Moses) said,

Here am I.

Exodus 4:13

And he (Moses) said,

O my Lord, send, I pray thee,

by the hand of him

whom thou wilt send.

From the Book of KJV Prayers – actual prayers from God’s Word collected by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019, from the King James Version of the Bible

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Exodus 3:4 – a prayer of Moses

Here I am, Lord.

Exodus 4:13

O Lord, send someone else!

From the Book of Bible Prayers – actual prayers of the Bible collected from a variety of translations and paraphrased by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019

May God help us to discern the tasks we’ve been given to do, trusting that the Lord will also give us everything we need to carry out the job.

Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2020

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