Praying the Psalms

What follows is one way to pray the psalms. It can also be used to meditate on any passage of Scripture.

 Pick a time of day to pray when you are usually alert – if you don’t, slowing down to pray may put you to sleep! Right after waking up is often a good time. Find a place that is quiet and comfortable, free of interruptions. Start with ten to fifteen minutes of prayer; later you can extend the time, if you wish. Tell yourself that for the next fifteen minutes you are going to pray, so there’s no point in trying to think about anything else. If thoughts about work or your to-do list surface, simply say “no” to them. Don’t fight them and don’t indulge them. Just say no and move on. Over time they will lessen but they will never go away, so get in the habit of saying “no.” Focusing on the words of the psalm will help.

Before you begin, pray that God will open your heart and your mind to the presence of God, who is already there in the psalm, waiting for you. Then take a deep breath and start reading the psalm slowly, savoring each word. It may help to read out loud. If you find yourself rushing ahead, let yourself read through it once. Then tell yourself that the second reading will be slower. If a word or image jumps out at you, stop and reflect on that word or image. Close your eyes, if necessary, so that you don’t automatically keep reading. When that reflection has passed into silence, or if the cares of the day start to intrude, open your eyes and continue with the next phrase until you pause again. You may only get through a few verses, or you may find that you’re reading the entire psalm more than once. There is no “right” way to do or feel this. You are intentionally putting yourself in the presence of God, and God comes to us in a variety of ways.

Over time as you practice this discipline, you may find that disturbing thoughts or memories emerge from deep within you. Do not be frightened by this. The light of God is penetrating you, illuminating feelings and memories that need the reconciling power of Jesus Christ. If these thoughts continue to disturb you throughout the day, it may be an indication that you need to talk with a priest or professional counselor in order to address them more fully. Anyone who deeply pursues the spiritual life should have a guide, traditionally called a spiritual director, one who knows the ways and pitfalls of the spiritual path. You will know when you need one. But to simply pray the psalms, to rest in the presence of God, you need only time and the willingness to seek the One who has been seeking you since before you were born.

A note on translations: The Psalter (Book of Psalms) in The Book of Common Prayer originated in the 1539 Great Bible of Miles Coverdale, who was one of the original translators of the Bible into English. Much of Coverdale’s beautiful language was later incorporated in the King James Bible. The prayer book psalms were modernized and corrected by a committee that included the poet W. H. Auden, so they still retain the beauty and poetic feel of Coverdale. If you desire a translation that most closely resembles the original Hebrew, read the Revised Standard Version. However, the best translation is the one that speaks to you in your prayers.