Real Hope: PsalmsSample

Honest Prayers

I love praying together in church. There’s something very special about coming together to speak with God. Yet one thing that bothers me is how frequently our language is so sanitised. To be fair, we need to choose appropriate wording for a corporate gathering. However, unfortunately, this can stifle us in the moments we need to be completely real with God.

The Psalms gave the Israelites an incredibly honest and often visceral language for prayer. Psalm 22 is just one example of this. Imagine we had the courage to pray this way when we gathered together. And how that might transform our own prayers, especially in our most desperate moments. After all, this is the prayer of Jesus on the cross, and the theology behind what it meant can be very complex. But one thing is certain: these were not simply recited words. The psalm gave Jesus the language He needed to express the pain of carrying the sins of the world.

Whatever life looks like for you today, you can let the words of the psalms guide your prayers. If you need it, don’t be afraid to pray Psalm 22 – you’ll be in good company. Perhaps starting with these words can help you turn a corner with the psalmist: ‘For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help’ (Psalm 22:24 NIV).

Written by CHRIS GRESHAM-BRITT