Recently on Wifey Wednesdays, I did an episode where I laid out my prayer schedule. It is a very helpful tool for me – someone who’s always struggled with maintaining a regular prayer life. One of the reasons for my lack of regularity has been the monotony of my prayers. It seemed it was always the same: I need this, I need that, forgive me please. And yes, all of those are valid thoughts (especially the forgiveness!), but that’s not all I need to be praying when I talk to my God.

So, if you’re in a prayer rut, this post is for you. Here are some psalms that you can pray that will help you concentrate a little more on Who you’re talking to, how blessed and humbled you are to be His, and for help in navigating through this sin-filled life.

Prayers of Praise:

•  “For You are great, and do wondrous things; You alone are God.” (Psalm 86:10)
•  “But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.” (Psalm 86:15)
•  “I will love You, O Lord, my strength.” (Psalm 18:1)
•  “I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in You. I will sing to Your name, O Most High.” (Psalm 9:1-2)
•  “O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is  Your name in all the earth. Who have set Your glory above the heavens!..What is man that You are mindful of him, and son of man that You visit him?” (Psalm 8:1,4)
•  “For You formed my inward parts. You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.” (Psalm 139:13-14)
•  “I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name. For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.” (Psalm 138:2)
•  “Blessed be the Lord my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle— My lovingkindness and my fortress, My high tower and my deliverer, My shield and the One in whom I take refuge, Who subdues my people under me.” (Psalm 144:1-2)
•  “I will extol You, my God, O King; And I will bless Your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You, And I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; And His greatness is unsearchable.” (Psalm 145:1-3) 
•  “For You, Lord, have made me glad through Your work; I will triumph in the works of Your hands.” (Psalm 92:4)
•  “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.” (Psalm 30:11-12)

Prayers of Need:

• “Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust.” (Psalm 16:1)
• “Give ear to my words, O Lord, Consider my meditation. Give heed to the voice of my cry, My King and my God, For to You I will pray. My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up….Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; Make Your way straight before my face.” (Psalm 5:1-3,8)
• “Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked. Preserve me from the violent men, who have purposed to make my steps stumble.” (Psalm 140:4)
• “Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name.” (Psalm 86:11)
• “Restore us, O God of our salvation, And cause Your anger toward us to cease…Show us Your mercy, Lord, And grant us Your salvation.” (Psalm 84:4, 7)
• “Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin…Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence. And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation. And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.” (Psalm 51:1-2, 10-12)
• “I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin.” (Psalm 32:5)

May we all commit ourselves to being a people of prayer. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us that we are to always be in a state where we can pray to our Father; always having the lines of communication open to Him. Open those lines with words of praise! He is such a great and mighty God, and worthy of more words of admiration than we could ever express. But let’s not let that keep us from trying. Great is our God. May those words always be on our lips.