10 Powerful Prayers from the Psalms

10 Powerful Prayers from the Psalms

Did you know that every single one of your needs can be found in the Book of Psalms? Everything from needing mercy, grace and answered prayer to hymns of praise, worship and gratitude.

Whenever you feel your spirit is heavy, like you are in need of a spiritual boost, prayerfully read over these 10 Powerful Prayers of the Psalms. Pay attention to the one(s) that speak loudest to you, and spend some extra time prayerfully meditating on them. Whatever your individual need is today, may these prayers assist you in your precious time with God as well as your important petitions before Him.

---

10 Powerful Prayers from the Psalms

You are My Protection, Lord!
A Prayer of Protection
Psalm 91

“You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,
    who abide in the shade of the Almighty,
Say to the Lord, “My refuge and fortress,
    my God in whom I trust.”
He will rescue you from the fowler’s snare,
    from the destroying plague,
He will shelter you with His pinions,
    and under His wings you may take refuge;
    His faithfulness is a protecting shield.
You shall not fear the terror of the night
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
Nor the pestilence that roams in darkness,
    nor the plague that ravages at noon.
Though a thousand fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    near you it shall not come.
You need simply watch;
    the punishment of the wicked you will see.
Because you have the Lord for your refuge
    and have made the Most High your stronghold,
No evil shall befall you,
    no affliction come near your tent.
For He commands His angels with regard to you,
    to guard you wherever you go.
With their hands they shall support you,
    lest you strike your foot against a stone.
You can tread upon the asp and the viper,
    trample the lion and the dragon.

Because he clings to Me I will deliver him;
    because he knows My Name I will set him on high.
He will call upon Me and I will answer;
    I will be with him in distress;
    I will deliver him and give him honor.
With length of days I will satisfy him,
    and fill him with My saving power.”

I am Threatened, but I Trust You!
Psalm 3:1-7

“How many are my foes, Lord!
    How many rise against me!
How many say of me,
    ‘There is no salvation for him in God.’
But You, Lord, are a shield around me;
    my glory, You keep my head high.

With my own voice I will call out to the Lord,
    and He will answer me from His Holy mountain.
I lie down and I fall asleep,
    [and] I will wake up, for the Lord sustains me.
I do not fear, then, thousands of people
    arrayed against me on every side.
[Amen].”

I Will Never be Shaken!
Psalm 30:6-12

“For His anger lasts but a moment;
    His favor a lifetime.
At dusk weeping comes for the night;
    but at dawn there is rejoicing.

Complacent, I once said,
    ‘I shall never be shaken.’
Lord, You showed me favor,
    established for me mountains of virtue.
But when You hid Your face
    I was struck with terror.
To You, Lord, I cried out;
    with the Lord I pleaded for mercy:
‘What gain is there from my lifeblood,
    from my going down to the grave?
Does dust give you thanks
    or declare your faithfulness?
Hear, O Lord, have mercy on me;
    Lord, be my helper.’

You changed my mourning into dancing;
    You took off my sackcloth
    and clothed me with gladness.
[Thanks Be to God.
Amen].”

Bestow Unto Me Favor and Honor, Lord!
Psalm 84:10-12

“Better is one day in your courts
    than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the House of my God
    than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
    the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does He withhold
    from those whose walk is blameless.

Lord Almighty,
    blessed is the one who trusts in You.
[Amen].”

Your Love is Better Than Life!
Psalm 63

“O God, You are my God—
    it is You I seek!
For You my body yearns;
    for You my soul thirsts,
In a land parched, lifeless,
    and without water.
I look to You in the sanctuary
    to see Your power and glory.
For Your love is better than life;
    my lips shall ever praise You!

I will bless You as long as I live;
    I will lift up my hands, calling on Your Name.
My soul shall be sated as with choice food,
    with joyous lips my mouth shall praise You!
I think of You upon my bed,
    I remember You through the watches of the night
You indeed are my Savior,
    and in the shadow of Your wings I shout for joy.
My soul clings fast to You;
    Your right hand upholds me.

But those who seek my life will come to ruin;
    they shall go down to the depths of the netherworld!
     Those who would hand over my life to the sword shall
    become the prey of jackals!
But the king shall rejoice in God;
    all who swear by the Lord shall exult,
    but the mouths of liars will be shut.
[Amen].”

Thank You for Knowing Me, Lord!
Psalm 139

“Lord, You have probed me, You know me:
You know when I sit and stand;
    You understand my thoughts from afar.
You sift through my travels and my rest;
    with all my ways You are familiar.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
    Lord, You know it all.
Behind and before You encircle me
    and rest Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    far too lofty for me to reach.

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
    From Your presence, where can I flee?
If I ascend to the Heavens, You are there;
    if I lie down in Sheol, there You are.
If I take the wings of dawn
    and dwell beyond the sea,
Even there Your hand guides me,
    Your right hand holds me fast.
If I say, ‘Surely darkness shall hide me,
    and night shall be my light’—
Darkness is not dark for You,
    and night shines as the day.
    Darkness and light are but one.

You formed my inmost being;
    You knit me in my mother’s womb.
I praise You, because I am wonderfully made;
    wonderful are Your works!
    My very self You know.
My bones are not hidden from You,
When I was being made in secret,
    fashioned in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw me unformed;
    in Your Book all are written down;
    my days were shaped, before one came to be.

How precious to me are Your designs, O God;
    how vast the sum of them!
Were I to count them, they would outnumber the sands;
    when I complete them, still You are with me.
When You would destroy the wicked, O God,
    the bloodthirsty depart from me!
Your foes who conspire a plot against You
    are exalted in vain.

Do I not hate, Lord, those who hate You?
    Those who rise against You, do I not loathe?
With fierce hatred I hate them,
    enemies I count as my own.

Probe me, God, know my heart;
    try me, know my thoughts.
See if there is a wicked path in me;
    lead me along an ancient path.
[Amen].”

Hear My Confession, Lord!
A Prayer of Repentance
Psalm 51:1-12

“Have mercy on me, God, in accord with Your merciful love;
    in Your abundant compassion blot out my transgressions.
Thoroughly wash away my guilt;
    and from my sin cleanse me.
For I know my transgressions;
    my sin is always before me.
Against You, You alone have I sinned;
    I have done what is evil in Your eyes
So that You are just in Your Word,
    and without reproach in Your judgment.
Behold, I was born in guilt,
    in sin my mother conceived me.
Behold, You desire true sincerity;
    and secretly You teach me Wisdom.
Cleanse me with hyssop, that I may be pure;
    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
You will let me hear gladness and joy;
    the bones You have crushed will rejoice.

Turn away Your face from my sins;
    blot out all my iniquities.
A clean heart create for me, God;
    renew within me a steadfast spirit.
[Amen].”

You Lord, Slow To Anger, How Great You Are!
Psalm 145:1-16

“I will extol You, my God and King;
    I will bless Your Name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless You;
    I will praise Your Name forever and ever.
Great is the Lord and worthy of much praise,
    whose grandeur is beyond understanding.
One generation praises Your deeds to the next
    and proclaims Your mighty works.
They speak of the splendor of Your majestic glory,
    tell of Your wonderful deeds.
They speak of the power of Your awesome acts
    and recount Your great deeds.
They celebrate Your abounding goodness
    and joyfully sing of Your justice.

The Lord is gracious and merciful,
    slow to anger and abounding in mercy.
The Lord is good to all,
    compassionate toward all your works.
All Your works give You thanks, Lord
    and Your faithful bless You.
They speak of the glory of Your reign
    and tell of Your mighty works,
Making known to the sons of men Your mighty acts,
    the majestic glory of Your rule.
Your reign is a reign for all ages,
    Your dominion for all generations.
The Lord is trustworthy in all His words,
    and loving in all His works.
The Lord supports all who are falling
    and raises up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look hopefully to You;
    You give them their food in due season.
You open wide Your hand
    and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
[Amen]!”

My Hope Is In You, Lord!
Psalm 42:1, 5

“As the deer pants for streams of water,
    so my soul pants for You, my God.

Why, my soul, are You downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise Him,
    my Savior and my God.
[Amen].”

The Lord Is My Shepherd, I Lack Nothing!
Psalm 23

“The Lord is my Shepherd;
    there is nothing I lack.
In green pastures He makes me lie down;
    to still waters He leads me;
    He restores my soul.
He guides me along right paths
    for the sake of His Name.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil, for You are with me;
    Your rod and Your staff comfort me.

You set a table before me
    in front of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
Indeed, goodness and mercy will pursue me
    all the days of my life;
I will dwell in the House of the Lord
    for endless days.
[Amen].”

---

See also: 7 Most Powerful Prayers Throughout History