“The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein…” Psalm 24:1 (ESV)
Prayers of the Bible (Numbers 10:35-36; Psalms 22-24) - By Don Newcomer
Rejoicing In The Lord's Strength - By Jared Synan
O LORD, in your strength the king rejoices, and in your salvation how greatly he exults! - Psalm 21:1 (ESV)
Exodus 33; Psalms 16, 17, & 18 - By David Williamson
“I have set the LORD always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.” - Psalm 16:8 (ESV)
Wrestling With God - By Grady Huggins
The account of Jacob wrestling with God is one of the more confusing stories in the book of Genesis, yet it is clearly a pivotal moment in Jacob’s life. On this occasion, he is given the name Israel, meaning “he who strives or wrestles with God.” This name would commemorate Jacob’s wrestling match with God for generations to come. What is so significant about this story and what lessons is it intended to teach us?
God's Righteous Attentiveness - By Ben Palmer
Praise of God's righteous judgement weaves a common thread between Psalms 7 and 9. God saves the righteous, and those who champion His cause find comfort in this (Psalm 9:9-10). In Psalm 7, David leans heavily on this characteristic of God in a request to be delivered from his enemies. David comes to God in this psalm with a clear conscience even going so far as to call judgement upon himself “if I have repaid my friend with evil or plundered my enemy without cause” (Psalm 7:4, ESV). Let us ask ourselves if we also could so confidently extol the righteous judgement of God. I believe David prayed so powerfully partly because he continually repented and kept his conduct honorable before God and people. As a result, he could genuinely appeal to the righteous judgement of God. If we also live for the Lord, then we can more genuinely and effectively “give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness” and “sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High” (Psalm 7:17, ESV).
O Lord, In The Morning You Hear My Voice And Every Night I Flood My Bed With Tears: Psalms 4, 5, And 6 - By Carl Ballard
“Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!” - Psalm 4:1 (ESV)
Bonus Article - Week 1 Reading From Psalms 1-3 And Genesis 18:22-33 - By David Lauer
Praying For The Oppressed And The Oppressors? - Genesis 18:22-33 - By Cameron Piner
Gen. 18:22-33 is one of the first recorded “prayers” in the Bible. However, it is not what we’d typically refer to as a “prayer.” It is really more of a dialogue between God (through angels) & Abraham. Nevertheless, Abraham is talking to God and is interceding, much like is done in many of the prayers in scripture. Abraham intercedes for his nephew Lot, but also for the rest of the people in Sodom.