Have you ever prayed Scripture before?

Wow, today (week 1 day 5) is the first day in the study where Jen does NOT ask us to read a chapter in the book. Instead, on page 165, she says to “turn to Psalm 119. Except for verses 1-3 and 115, this psalm is addressed to God. As you skim through the psalm…, compile two lists in your journal. While there are many options, look for seven to ten verses for each list (see questions 1 and 2) that uniquely represent your desires.

1. “First, copy verses or even just phrases that demonstrate your fresh commitment to the Word. Pick verses that specifically match your feelings as they are or what you want them to be. Copy just your favorite few.”

I decided to look in all three of the Bibles I’ve been using and choose that way.

Psalm 119

NIV¹5: Oh, that my ways [are] steadfast in obeying Your decrees.
50: My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.
52: I remember Your ancient laws, O Lord, and I find comfort in them.

ICB²11: I have taken Your words to heart.
*32: I will obey Your commands because You have made me happy.
45: I want to follow Your orders.
71: It was good for me to suffer so I would learn Your demands.

The Voice³4: You have given us Your precepts so we would be careful about keeping them.
6: Then I would feel no shame when I fix my eyes upon Your commands.
7: With a pure heart, I will give thanks to You.
14: I have celebrated Your testimonies as though rejoicing over an immeasurable fortune.
15: I will fix my mind on Your instructions and my eyes on Your path.
16: I will find joy in Your ordinances; I will remember Your word forever.
20: My soul aches from craving Your wise rulings day and night.
24: Your testimonies are my joy; they are like the friends I seek for counsel.
30: I have decided to take the path of faith.
*32: I will chase after Your commandments because You will expand my understanding.
40: I long for Your guidance; restore me in Your righteousness.
48: I will raise my hands to Your commands… I will fix my mind on what You require.
51: I keep to the steady path of Your teachings.
54: As I journey through this life, Your statutes are my songs.
62: In the middle of the night, I wake to thank you.

2. “Second, write down phrases that ask for God’s help within His Word. Choose a few that are meaningful to you.”

I did the same here as I did for (1) above.

NIV¹43: Do not snatch the word of truth from my mouth, for I have put my hope in Your laws.
86: Help me, for men persecute me without cause.

ICB²8: I will meet Your demands. So please don’t ever leave me.
10: Don’t let me break Your commands.
18: Open my eyes to see the wonderful things in Your teachings.
22: Don’t let me be insulted and hated because I obey Your rules.
29: Don’t let me be dishonest. Be kind to me by helping me obey Your teachings.
31: Lord, do not let me be disgraced.
34: Help me understand, so I can obey Your teachings.
35: Help me obey Your commands because that makes me happy.
36: Help me want to obey Your rules instead of selfishly wanting riches.
37: Keep me from looking at worthless things. Let me live by Your word.
66: Teach me wisdom and knowledge because I trust Your commands.
73: Give me understanding so I can learn Your commands.
76: Comfort me with Your love.

The Voice³12: Instruct me in what You require.
25: Preserve my life.
26: Help me learn what You require.
27: Compel me to grasp the way of Your statutes so I will fix my mind on Your wonderful works.
28: My soul weeps, and trouble weighs me down; give me strength so I can stand according to Your word.
33: O Eternal One, show me how to live according to Your statutes, and I will keep them always.

3. “Take your first list and pray it back to God in praise. Even if you don’t have the attitudes yet, pray for them to develop in your spirit. You may say, “I have treasured many of Your words in my heart. I want Your Word to be my delight and my counselor.”

4. “Take your second list and pray it to the Holy Spirit. Claim His promises and ask for His supernatural leadership as you encounter the World.”

I did both 3 and 4 the day I did this, however, I didn’t write them down at the time (although, I wish I hadL). When I went through chapter 119 I didn’t go to the end as there are 176 verses in this one chapter, which most of us already know it’s the longest chapter in the entire Bible. However, I thought I’d write it out as a prayer on here to show you, to the best of my recollection, how I did it. Also, this is the last day of the first week. What I learned in this first week alone has been more than I could’ve imagined. My sincerest hope is by me sharing what I’ve been learning has been interesting or beneficial in some way to those of you who have been reading them.

Here is my prayer using the verses I listed above.

Dear Lord,

I life these verses up to You today, Lord. Please help me that my ways are and will continue to be steadfast, strong, in obeying Your decrees. My comfort through all the suffering I’ve ever been through or will continue to have is in Your promises as they preserve my life.

I try to remember all Your laws to the best of my ability and will always try to find comfort in them. I pray that when I can’t You will help me Lord by having Your Holy Spirit give me the needed strength to do so.

I have and will always continue to take Your words to heart. Obeying Your commands may not always be simple, but they will always make me happy. It’s through You, Lord, that I find true happiness. With all my heart I want to follow Your orders. As I go through hard times in my life, I know You’re right there beside me giving me the strength to get through, and it’s through this suffering that in the it is always and will continue to be good for me when I have suffering in my life because it helps me to learn Your demands, Your will for my life.

You have given all of us Your precepts, Your commands, so that we all can and will be careful about keeping them. I have NO shame when I fix my eyes upon Your commands and I must always remember to realize You have them there for a reason. Not to harm but for good.

With a pure heart, Lord, I will, and will continue to always do so, to give thanks to You. I have celebrated Your testimonies as through rejoicing over an immeasurable fortune. I will continue to fix my mind on Your instructions for my life and my eyes on Your path, the one You’ve laid out before me.

I will find joy in Your ordinances and I will remember Your Word forever because forever never ends. Your Word is the food for my very soul and it aches from craving Your wise rules day and night.

Your testimonies are my joy and they are like the friends I seek for counsel to help me in my life at all times. Not only have I decided, but I will always take the path of faith, even when at the most difficult times in my life, because I know it’s through faith that You will ALWAYS give me the strength to get through anything that may happen in my life, whether to me or to those around me. You will always be there.

My smile is for You, O Lord, because I will always continue to chase after Your commandments because they will always help me to expand my understanding of You and who You are. I long for Your guidance. Please always restore me to Your righteousness. Help me to always follow you, Lord.

I will raise my hands to Your commands and fix my mind on what You require of me, especially when I really don’t want to do something. I know through You that I can do anything. In the end by doing everything for You, it will always give You the glory. I know I don’t always succeed, Lord, but please help me to always keep to the very steady path of Your teachings as they will always guide me in the right direction, Your direction, for my life.

As I continue the journey in my life, Your statutes are my song. They bring harmony to my life. In the middle of the night, I wake to You.

Lord, I ask that the truth of Your Word never be snatched from me or my mouth as I have put my hope in Your laws. Help me as I live my life because I know I will always come across those who will persecute me with a single reason because of the enemy, satan. I know through You, Lord, that You will always be able to give me the strength to beat him.

My sincerest desire is to always meet Your demands, Your will, for my life. Please don’t ever leave me. Help me to never break Your commands. Continue helping me open my eyes to see the wonderful things in Your teachings.

No matter what I say or do in this life there will be those who don’t like me because I have chosen to follow You. However, please do not let me be insulted or hated because I have chosen to follow and obey Your rules.

Please don’t let me dishonest and be kind to me by helping me to obey Your teachings, especially when they are the most difficult to follow.

Lord, please do not let me be disgraced. Help me to understand You, Lord, so that I can and will always continue to obey Your teachings. Help me to obey Your commands because that makes me happy and brings joy into my life. Help me to want to always obey Your rules instead of selfishly wanting things like riches because the riches will never bring me true joy or happiness. It’s only through you that I know I can find these.

Please keep me from looking at worthless things. Let me always live by Your Word, Lord. Help it to always be a guide for my life. Teach me wisdom and knowledge because I trust all Your commands. Give me the understanding I need so I can learn Your commands and how to keep them.

Lord, I ask you to comfort me with Your unconditional love, a love that I’ll seek to give others as you’ve given me.

Please continue to instruct me in what You require. Preserve my life and help me learn what You require of me. Compel me to grasp the way of Your statutes so I can and will fix my mind on Your wonderful works.

O Lord, show me how to live according to Your statutes so that I can and will continue to keep them always.

My soul weeps and trouble weighs me down. Please give me the strength to get through this so I can stand according to Your Word and that others will see You in me.

Thank you Lord for all You’ve done in my life and that I know You will continue to do. I love You, Lord.

In Your precious and holy Name,

Amen

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