...following SPU's Lectio Guides
October 14-20
First.
Read the assigned Psalms (or plan out a reading schedule for the week)
- Psalm 18
- Psalm 19
- Psalm 20
Second.
Read or Listen to Dr. Frank Spina's Presentation
Third.
Take a Deep Breath...make the words of the Psalm your very own prayer.
Follow this guide for praying Psalm 18
Introduction: Pray like King David as you face your battles
Psalm 18:50 gives a summary of what this Psalm is all about - "He gives his king great victories.” It's about how God strengthened King David for victory as the commander of Israel's military. We find some aggressive language in this Psalm, and we need to treat it carefully. As you read, always keep in mind David's unique situation: As the King of Israel and
the commander of its army, David had warrant (permission) from God to use
military force to protect the interests of Israel in a hostile international
environment. The basic point for us is this: if we’re not the King of Israel with an army under our command, God isn’t using this psalm to give us a command or permission to crush or destroy anybody.
But like King David, we do have enemies, and the challenges we face are real, threatening, and formidable. And like King David, we need God's strength to meet the challenge. So “like David,” we can call to God for help in facing our enemies and challenges, and expect God to be strong in responding to our need.
Special Note for Christians in the Military: One thing that Psalms like this remind us of is
that God is no stranger to the battlefield. If you're a Christian who has faced or will be facing combat in the military, this Psalm reminds you that God understands and encourages you to bring your experience to God in prayer. David
was a man with combat experience, who no doubt experienced the horrors of war
and pondered the deep ethical questions that come with it. Perhaps he was in danger of having his heart hardened by his battlefield experience, but his heart was kept alive (soft, humble, grateful) and filled with love for God through his prayers, his ongoing conversation with God. That same heart transformation can happen to us.
Praying Psalm 18
*I love you, Lord, my strength.
- Literal Repetition. Pray this verse slowly 10 times. "I love you, Lord, my strength."
- Breath Prayer. Now that you’ve memorized it, plan on praying it silently during your day today. At the end of the day take some time to remember where you were when you prayed it. Did it heighten your sense of God’s presence? Did it enhance your love for God?
Verse 2
*The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my
rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and
the horn (strength) of my salvation, my stronghold.- Acknowledge. Simply praise God by saying the phrase “you are” before all the “my ____” phrases. Example: Lord, you are my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; in you I take refuge. You are my shield and my salvation, my stronghold. Repeat.
- Ask. Simply ask God to be there for you by saying the word “be” before all the “my _____” phrases. Example: Lord, be my rock. Lord, be my fortress. Lord, be my deliverer (or Lord, deliver me.) Lord, give me refuge. Lord, be my shield. Lord, be my stronghold. Repeat.
Verses 3-6
* I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I have been
saved from my enemies. *The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of
destruction overwhelmed me. *The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of
death confronted me. *In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my
God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came
before him, into his ears.- Give Thanks for Rescue. Customize the words of the Psalm to fit your situation and thank God for answered prayer. Example: I called to you, Lord, after I had that argument with my best friend. In my distress I called to you and from your temple you heard my voice. Thank you for saving me, for saving our friendship.
- Cry Out for Rescue. Use the imagery from these verses to describe the seriousness of how you feel about your challenges as you ask the Lord for help. Example: Lord, the situation I’m facing in my life right now makes me feel like the cords of death entangle me. I’m overwhelmed by a torrent of destruction. I am in distress. Help me, Lord! I know you hear my voice, and that my cry has found its way into your ears. I await your response.
Verses 16-19
*He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. *He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. *They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. *He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.
- Give Thanks for Rescue. Try using the words of the psalm the way you did with verses 3-6 above. A slight variation is to pray the words of this psalm in thanking God for what God has done in another person’s life. Example: Lord, you rescued my friend from the powerful addiction that was ruining her life. It was too strong for her to handle, but you had the power to break the chains of the addiction. You were her support. You rescued her because she delights in you. Thank you.
- Cry Out for Rescue. Try using the words of the psalm the way you did with verses 3-6 above. A slight variation is to cry out on behalf of another person. Example: Lord, my friend is drowning in deep waters. The challenge she’s facing is too powerful for her to handle on her own. Please use your power to rescue her. Bring her out from this situation into a spacious place. Be her support. May she know that you delight in her.
Verses 27-29
*You save the humble but bring low
those whose eyes are haughty. You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my
darkness into light. *With your help I can advance against a troop [or “run
through a barricade”]; with my God I
can scale a wall.- Personalize. Example: Lord, I’m having trouble seeing the right way to go, the right decisions to make. I feel lost in darkness. Lord, keep my lamp burning in the midst of this darkness. Turn my darkness into light. I know that with your help I can make progress in facing what I’m afraid of and break through what’s holding me back. Help me climb the wall that is keeping me from experiencing your joy and hope.
- Note: Eugene Peterson’s book on the life of David takes its title from Psalm 118:29 (same verse as 2 Samuel 22:30) Leap Over a Wall: Earthy Spirituality for Everyday Christians (HarperCollins, 1997). What walls do you need help leaping over? Pray for God to give you the strength.
Verses 30-36
*As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him. *For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God? *It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. *He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights. *He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. *You make your saving help my shield, and your right hand sustains me; your help has made me great. *You provide a broad path for my feet, so that my ankles do not give way.
- Pray a prayer from your battlefield. Think of a challenge that you’re facing – a conflict, a problem, a situation that has you down and dejected – and pray for God’s strength for the battle. Example: God, arm me with strength to face this challenge. I have no strength left to fight it on my own. I need your saving help. I need your strength to keep me secure so I won’t slip and fall. Train my hands for battle – show me specific actions I can take.
Closing Words of Blessing
May the Lord be with you in the battles you face. May he rescue you from all that seeks to harm you. May he give you strength to overcome obstacles and give you a firm place to stand.
Pastor Kurt
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