Prayer Guide: Psalm 55

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David.

 Give ear to my prayer, O God,
    and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy!
Attend to me, and answer me;
    I am restless in my complaint and I moan,
because of the noise of the enemy,
    because of the oppression of the wicked.
For they drop trouble upon me,
    and in anger they bear a grudge against me.

My heart is in anguish within me;
    the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
Fear and trembling come upon me,
    and horror overwhelms me.
And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
    I would fly away and be at rest;
yes, I would wander far away;
    I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah
I would hurry to find a shelter
    from the raging wind and tempest.”

Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongues;
    for I see violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go around it
    on its walls,
and iniquity and trouble are within it;
11     ruin is in its midst;
oppression and fraud
    do not depart from its marketplace.

12 For it is not an enemy who taunts me—
    then I could bear it;
it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me—
    then I could hide from him.
13 But it is you, a man, my equal,
    my companion, my familiar friend.
14 We used to take sweet counsel together;
    within God’s house we walked in the throng.
15 Let death steal over them;
    let them go down to Sheol alive;
    for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart.

16 But I call to God,
    and the Lord will save me.
17 Evening and morning and at noon
    I utter my complaint and moan,
    and he hears my voice.
18 He redeems my soul in safety
    from the battle that I wage,
    for many are arrayed against me.
19 God will give ear and humble them,
    he who is enthroned from of old, Selah
because they do not change
    and do not fear God.

20 My companion stretched out his hand against his friends;
    he violated his covenant.
21 His speech was smooth as butter,
    yet war was in his heart;
his words were softer than oil,
    yet they were drawn swords.

22 Cast your burden on the Lord,
    and he will sustain you;
he will never permit
    the righteous to be moved.

23 But you, O God, will cast them down
    into the pit of destruction;
men of blood and treachery
    shall not live out half their days.
But I will trust in you.

 

REVERENCE

Praiseworthy attributes of God:

  • He hears, attends to, and answers our prayer – vv. 1,2, 17
  • He is merciful – v. 1
  • He confronts and humbles the wicked – vv. 9, 19, 23
  • He saves us – v. 16
  • He redeems and protects us in the midst of battle – v. 18
  • He is enthroned – v. 19
  • He bears our burdens, sustains, and secures us – v. 22
  • He is trustworthy – v. 23

Possible Prayer Prompters:

  • Thank You that You faithfully answered my prayers for…
  • I praise You because I know you can and will save me from…
  • I praise You because You are enthroned over…
  • Because You will never let the righteous to be moved, I can trust You for…

RESPONSE

  • Lord, I surrender my restlessness and anguish over…
  • I confess that because of _________, I feel like I want to fly away from this situation. 
  • Lord, I confess that I have been in turmoil because I have been betrayed by… (name)

REQUESTS

  • Lord, I need your mercy today, because I am struggling with…
  • Lord, I surrender my burden over _________. Please sustain me. 
  • Lord, I am trusting You to render Your divine justice over the anguish I feel because of…

READINESS

  • Lord, as I navigate all of the attacks of the evil one and evil men, I will trust you to save me from…
  • Lord, be my security and let me not be moved even in the midst of …