P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
We end the week reminding ourselves of Psalm 23 and the God we serve.
Together we will pray (P.R.A.Y.) each day – ‘P’: Pausing to be still as we come into the presence of the Lord. ‘R’: Rejoicing as we remember who our God is and what He has done, and Reflecting on His word. ‘A’: Asking God to help us and others. And ‘Y’: yielding to His will in accordance with His word.
As I come before you to pray, I still my thoughts and quiet my mind. I seek to make you the center of my focus.
Prayer of Approach
Lord, as I approach my time with you today, would you draw near to me? I want to experience all you have for me. Show me that all I need is found in you.
I choose to rejoice, with all God’s people, in the powerful promise that God gives us in Psalm 4…
There are many who say, “Who will show us some good?
Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!”
You have put more joy in my heart
than they have when their grain and wine abound.
Psalm 4:6-7
As you read the passages below, ask the Lord to cause a word or phrase to stand out to you.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.
Psalm 23
As I reread the passage, I reflect on the questions, “How is my life touched by this word?” and “How does this passage connect with my life?”
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.
Psalm 23
Psalm 23 paints a picture of deep, steady contentment that flows from belonging to the Lord. David does not say that life is free from valleys or enemies; instead, he declares that the Shepherd’s presence changes everything. “I shall not want” is not a promise of endless comfort but a confession that God himself is enough. The Shepherd leads, restores, provides, and remains near even in the darkest moments. Contentment grows when we stop striving to lead our own lives and learn to rest under his care. Green pastures and quiet waters remind us that God knows what truly nourishes our souls, while the valley reminds us that contentment is sustained not by circumstances but by his faithful presence. When the Lord is our Shepherd, we can live with a quiet confidence that his goodness will follow us all our days.
Lord, you are my Good Shepherd let me trust in you more and more each day.
Father in heaven, I come before you asking for true revival — not just excitement or emotion, but a deep awakening of hearts that return fully to you. Search me and cleanse me where I have grown distracted, weary, or cold. Restore a holy hunger for your Word, a fresh love for Jesus, and a renewed sensitivity to your Spirit. Revive what feels dry within me and within your people; breathe life into our worship, our obedience, and our daily walk with you. Teach us to repent quickly, forgive freely, and live with humble dependence on your grace. Let your presence be our greatest desire and your glory our greatest aim. Begin the revival in my own heart, Lord, and let it overflow into my home, my church, and every place you send me.
As I read the passage for the final time, I listen to how the Lord is inviting me to respond to him. Where in my life do I need to yield in obedience to what he has for me?
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.
Psalm 23
Yielding Prayer
Lord, my Shepherd, teach my heart to rest in you. I confess that I often chase after my own understanding instead of trusting your leading. Quiet my restless desires and form in me a spirit of contentment that believes you are enough. Lead me to the places that restore my soul, and give me courage to walk through valleys without fear, knowing you are with me. I surrender my need to control my path and choose to follow where you guide. Let your goodness and mercy shape my life, and help me live each day satisfied in your presence alone.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in Lamentations 3…
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him.”
Lamentations 3:22-24
Closing Prayer
Lord, enable me, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to love you today with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength; and to serve you today, by loving and caring for others as I do my own self; and, to exalt you today, by telling the people in my world about the abundant and eternal life found only through faith in Jesus