P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
We look at the back half of Psalm 34.
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
Merciful God, I come to you in this Lenten season aware of my need and grateful for your grace. You know my weakness, my distractions, and the places where I resist surrender, yet you invite me near. As I open your Word, quiet my heart and clear away pride and hurry; show me what needs repentance and give me courage to turn from it. Lord Jesus, you walked the path of fasting, temptation, and suffering on the way to the cross—teach me to follow you in humility and trust. Holy Spirit, open my eyes to see truth, soften my heart to receive it, and shape my life in obedience. Let this time be more than routine; let it draw me closer to you and prepare me for the joy that comes through the cross. Here I am—ready to listen.
I choose to rejoice, with all God’s people, in the powerful promise that God gives us in Hebrews 6…
We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 6:19-20
As you read the passages below, ask the Lord to cause a word or phrase to stand out to you.
Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
and his ears toward their cry.
The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
Psalm 34:11-22
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?”
Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
and his ears toward their cry.
The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
Psalm 34:11-22
David shifts from testimony to teaching. He speaks like a shepherd, inviting those who listen to learn the way of life that honors God. Obedience is no longer abstract—it is practical and costly. Guarding words, turning from evil, pursuing peace, and doing good are daily, deliberate choices. These commands are not given in a world free from trouble; they are given in a world where affliction is expected.
David is honest: the righteous suffer. Obedience does not spare God’s people from hardship, rejection, or pain. Yet it does anchor them in God’s attentive care. God sees, hears, and remains near to the brokenhearted. He does not promise immediate rescue from every wound, but he promises ultimate deliverance and faithful presence. To obey in suffering is to trust that God is still at work, even when circumstances suggest otherwise.
Lord, let me accept David’s invitation to trust you today. Let that trust turn to an obedience that is seen and felt in this life.
Lord, I have heard of your deeds, and I stand in awe of your works. Renew them in my day and in my life. In wrath remember mercy, and let your power be known again through humility and faith. (Adapted from Habakkuk 3:2)
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?
Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
and his ears toward their cry.
The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
Psalm 34:11-22
Yielding Prayer
God, teach me your ways and shape my heart toward obedience. Help me guard my words, turn from evil, and pursue peace with faithfulness. When suffering comes, remind me that you are near and attentive. I yield my expectations of ease and choose to trust your care. Sustain me as I walk in obedience, believing that you will deliver and redeem according to your perfect will.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in 2 Thessalonians 3…
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.
2 Thessalonians 3:16
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