The Power of Praying the Psalms

It is a Jewish custom to pray the Psalms in times of trouble. I have heard Rabbis say that they don't quite know why they have so much power, but they do. I have three answers to that:

1. The Psalms Are The Living Word of God Which He Will Honour. (Isaiah 55:11-13)

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

12 “For you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills Shall break forth into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; And it shall be to the Lord for a name, For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” Isaiah 55:11-13 (New King James Version)

God honours His Word and makes His Word “prosper in the thing for which He sent it”, so as we pray the Psalms it accomplishes what it is “sent” out for.

Another reason why praying the Psalms is so powerful is because the Angels of God heed the voice of God’s Word and go out to perform it. Here is what the scripture says in Psalm 103 verse 20:

Bless the Lord, you His angels, Who excel in strength, who do His word, Heeding the voice of His word. (New King James Version)

When a person prays the Psalms, the Angels of God “heed the voice of His Word”, this means they listen to the spoken Word of God and perform it.

2. We Overcome Evil With The Blood of the Lamb and the Word of Our Testimony.

The Psalms are King David's own personal testimony, thus they overcome evil. (Revelation 12:11)

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. – Revelation 12:11(New King James Version)

Secondly, as we pray the Psalms we are declaring and proclaiming it and so it becomes our testimony which makes us overcome evil.

3. When We pray David's Words, We Are, in a Way, Standing in Agreement With Him. Thus God Will Honour the Words. (Matthew 18:19)

“Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven”. – Matthew 18:19 (New King James Version)

So when life hits you hard, and as David has said here, "my problems go from bad to worse," pray the Psalms and let the power of the Holy Spirit enter your heart and life.

Psalm 25: A psalm of David. To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. 2 O my God, I trust in You; Let me not be ashamed; Let not my enemies triumph over me. 3 Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed; Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.

4 Show me Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths. 5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day.

6 Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses, For they are from of old. 7 Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; According to Your mercy remember me, For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.

8 Good and upright is the Lord; Therefore He teaches sinners in the way. 9 The humble He guides in justice, And the humble He teaches His way. 10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies. 11 For Your name’s sake, O Lord, Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

12 Who is the man that fears the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses. 13 He himself shall dwell in prosperity, And his descendants shall inherit the earth. 14 The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant. 15 My eyes are ever toward the Lord, For He shall pluck my feet out of the net.

16 Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me, For I am desolate and afflicted. 17 The troubles of my heart have enlarged; Bring me out of my distresses! 18 Look on my affliction and my pain, And forgive all my sins. 19 Consider my enemies, for they are many; And they hate me with cruel hatred. 20 Keep my soul, and deliver me; Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You. 21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For I wait for You.

22 Redeem Israel, O God, Out of all their troubles!

This psalm is a Hebrew acrostic poem; each verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

About the Author

Cate Russell-Cole has been a Christian since 1981 and is a qualified Creativity Coach, Author, Editor and Social Worker. She has been actively involved in church life since her teenage years and has served the Lord as a youth leader, desktop publisher, administrative assistant, writer, church reporter, magazine editor ("YOU" and "Echo" Lifehouse Christian Church, Coffs Harbour), intercessor, Sunday School teacher, ISCF leader and youth prayer coordinator. You can find Cate via her web site: http://cateartios.net

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