7 Psalms to pray when you feel grateful
There are days when I wake up and feel overwhelming gratitude in my heart for all that God has done and is doing in my life. Then there are days when it is difficult to see the hand of God. I want to be grateful, but it is a little more difficult to track down exactly what he is doing.
Regardless of what we go through, there is a key to living a happy life. He lives with a grateful heart, regardless of circumstances. Sometimes it is difficult to thank God in difficult times. We have more desire to ask him for relief and answers.
I am learning if I can turn my heart's cry into thanksgiving prayers, I can walk through difficult days with a heart that receives comfort and eyes that seek the goodness of God in pain. There are seven psalms I love to go to that remind me to thank God anyway. Everyone gives me words to pray that transform my heart towards gratitude even when I don't feel so grateful.
1. Psalm 1 - Grateful for wisdom in making decisions
"Blessed is he who does not walk in step with the wicked or opposes the way in which sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose joy is in the law of the Eternal and who meditates on his law day and night" (Psalm 1: 1-2).
It may not seem like a psalm to warn the blessed and ungodly man about their decisions. It is a good psalm to pray when you want to praise the Lord. This psalm can easily be turned into a prayer of decision when seeking the wisdom of God. Your prayer may look like this:
Dear God, I have chosen to walk your way. I rejoice in your words day and night. Thanks for giving me deep roots and constant encouragement along the way. I don't want to make bad decisions. I know your way is the best. And I praise you and thank you for guiding me every step of the way.
2. Psalm 3 - Grateful when I feel discouraged
“I invoke the Lord and he answers me from his holy mountain. I lie down and sleep; I wake up again, because the Lord supports me. I will not fear if tens of thousands assault me from all sides ”(Psalm 3: 4-6).
Do you ever feel discouraged? It doesn't take many days to get me off the track and take me down to landfills. I want to be optimistic and positive, but sometimes life is definitely difficult. The psalm I turn to when I feel discouraged is Psalm 3. My favorite line to pray is Psalm 3: 3, "But you, O Lord, are a shield over me, my glory and the lifter of my head." When I read this verse, I imagine the Lord taking my face in my hands and literally lifting my face to meet his eyes face to face. This kindles gratitude in my heart, no matter how hard life is.
3. Psalm 8 - Grateful when life goes well
“Lord, our Lord, how majestic your name is in all the earth! You have placed your glory in the heavens "(Psalm 8: 1).
Oh how I love the good seasons of life. But sometimes those are the seasons when I turn away from God. When I don't need to run upright, sometimes I don't. Even if I want to live close to God through good and evil, it is easy to go in my direction. Psalm 8 takes me back to my origins and reminds me that God created all things and is in control of all things. When life goes well, I turn here and thank God for the power of his name, the beauty of his creation, the gift of Jesus and the freedom to praise his holy name!
4. Psalm 19 - Grateful for the glory and the word of God
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the heavens proclaim the work of his hands. They give speeches day after day; night after night they reveal knowledge ”(Psalm 19: 1-2).
Don't you like it when you can clearly see God's hand at work? It could be through an answered prayer or a word you receive from Him. But the hand of God is always at work. His glory is unmatched and his word is alive and powerful. When I remember praying and thanking him for his glory and his word, I experience the presence of God in a new way. Psalm 19 gives me words of gratitude to pray that speaks directly of the glory of God and the power of His word. When was the last time you experienced the glory of God? If some time has passed, or if you have never done so, try praying Psalm 19.
5. Psalm 20 - Grateful in prayer
“Now I know this: the Lord gives victory to his anointed one. He replies to him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God ”(Psalm 20: 6-7).
Sincere and focused prayer can be difficult. There are so many distractions everywhere. Even though we only took our technology into consideration, it is enough to keep up with true attention to God in prayer. It takes a buzz on the phone and I bend over to check who commented on my post or sent a message. Psalm 20 is a cry to the Lord. This is a reminder for the psalm to invoke the Lord with sincerity and zeal. Although it was written as a psalm in times of difficulty, it can be prayed at any time. Simply change the pronouns to personal pronouns and let your voice raise a prayer to the Lord for everything he has done and is doing.
6. Psalm 40 - Grateful when I walk through pain
“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my tears. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mud; he put my feet on a rock and gave me a safe place to stay "(Psalm 40: 1-2).
Have you ever seen someone who seems to go through pain in a spirit of peace? That peace is a heart that is grateful despite the loss. Psalm 40 gives us words to pray in these moments. Talk about a pit in verse 2. I consider it a pit of pain, despair, slavery or any other situation that captures the heart and makes it feel weak. But the psalmist does not wallow in the pit, the psalmist is praising God for lifting him up into the pit and putting his feet on a rock (Psalm 40: 2). This gives us the hope we need in the seasons of anguish and pain. When we go through devastating losses, it can be difficult to find our support. Joy seems far away. Hope feels lost. But this psalm gives us hope! If you feel like you're in a pit, pick up this psalm and let it be your battle cry until you feel the dark clouds begin to roll away.
7. Psalm 34 - Grateful at all times
“I will exult the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. I will glorify in the Eternal; let the afflicted listen and rejoice "(Psalm 34: 1-2).
I will never forget the time when God gave me this psalm as a gift of mercy. I was sitting in the hospital with my son and I felt deeply discouraged. I couldn't understand why God would allow suffering. Then I opened my Bible and read the words: “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise will be continually in my mouth "(Psalm 34: 1). God spoke to me so clearly. I was reminded to pray with gratitude, no matter what. When I do it, God does something in my heart. We may not always feel grateful, but God can help us become grateful. Simply choosing a psalm to pray may be just what your heart has been waiting for.