Prayers for all Occasions



The psalms in the bible are ancient prayers of the Israelites who experienced the gamut of human emotions. Their words are still relevant today.
Is your spirit flagging and discouraged? Try praying Psalm 142: "With a loud voice I cry out to the Lord;/ with a loud voice I beseech the Lord./ My complaint I pour out before him;/ before him I lay bare my distress.
Are you grateful for God's help in need? You might use Psalm 116: "I love the Lord because he has heard my voice in supplication./ Because he has inclined his ear to me the day I called."
Do you feel like God has abandoned you? Turn to Psalm 130: "Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord;/ Lord, hear my voice!/ Let your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication."
Do you want to thank God for his many gifts? Pray Psalm 147: "Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;/ sing praise with the harp to our God, /Who covers the heavens with clouds, /who provides rain for the earth;"
Do you want to express praise to God? Psalm 148 provides words: "Praise the Lord, O my soul;/ I will praise the Lord all my life;/ I will sing praise to my God while I live."
Are you fearful or in danger? Try praying Psalm 54: "O God, by your name save me,/ and by your might defend my cause./ O God hear my prayer;/hearken to the words of my mouth."
Sister Irene Nowell, OSB, provides a wonderful guide to praying with the psalms in her book, Pleading, Cursing, Praising. Yes, even the cursing psalms are appropriate at times!







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