Prayers of the Bibleनमुना

What happens when we cry out to God in prayer?

In Exodus 2:23-25, God’s people cried out to Him:

“During that long period, the king of Egypt died, and the Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant with Abraham…”

In response to their prayer, God sent Moses, brought the 10 plagues, and performed the miracle of parting the Red Sea to destroy the Egyptians and save the Israelites.

After this victory, Moses created a song of praise (Exodus 15)—today’s passage.

Having witnessed the LORD’s power, Moses and Israel couldn’t help but sing and praise God for who He is:

“The LORD is my strength and my song…

The LORD is a man of war…”

Worship is prayer with a melody. As Saint Augustine once said, “He who sings prays twice.”

After reading today’s passage, write your own song of praise. If it helps, start with “The LORD is…” and let your thoughts flow.

If you’re struggling to praise God today because of a season of difficulty, I encourage you to cry out instead. Cry out—constantly and persistently—like the Israelites when enslaved or the persistent widow in the New Testament. Don’t lose heart.

Today, ponder this: What do you need to cry out to God about? How might your prayers turn into praise as you trust Him to act?