A Month of Praying with David

DAVID, KING IN ISRAEL, one time shepherd, Psalmist, Prophet, a man after God’s heart, discovered so much about praying that it will serve us well to spend a month praying with him. He is the one with whom the Lord God made Covenant, promising a Kingdom that will fill all the earth. As we spend time praying with him, we will discover some of the depths of this Covenant and find our hearts prepared to know the Kingdom promised. This promised Kingdom reaches us in the New Covenant.

WEEK ONE— The Discipline of Dealing with Personal Sin 

DAY 1—Opening up to God’s Judgments
Ps 139:23,24 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
· FATHER of mercies, I lay my life open for the searching of Your Spirit. Find in me every root of sin that grieves You. Bring conviction upon me and upon these I hold before You. Put in us the desire for Your righteous judgments. Bring hidden sin to light.
We ask God for His judgment—Ps 19:9-14; 26:1-3

DAY 2—Admitting How Great Our Sin Is
Ps 25:11 For thy name’s sake. O LORD, pardon mine iniquity: for it is great.
· FATHER, I’m beginning to see that sin I’ve held on to has brought confusion to others. Maybe I’ve been blind to some of it. Please make the conviction of Your Spirit heavy on my heart this month. I want to be clean—inwardly pure—for Your Kingdom's sake.
We discover God’s mercy—Ps 25:4-7; 109:21,22

DAY 3—Receiving the Hope of God’s Mercy
Ps 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
· GRACIOUS LORD, since my only hope is in Your tender mercy, please let it come over on me. Reveal to me its cleansing power, and its healing power. Do this for these I hold before You today.
We receive the light of God’s mercy—Ps 35:6-9

DAY 4—Receiving the Cleansing God Offers
Ps 51:2 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Ps 19:12b . . .cleanse thou me from secret faults.
· FATHER, as I wait before You, cleanse my inner parts. Send Your Spirit through the veins of my soul and find the roots of sin. Wash out even the thoughts of sin. Place in every part of me—and in these I hold before You—the desire for what is right in Your eyes.
We learn how cleansing comes—Ps 119:9-11; Heb9:13,14; I Jn 1:7-10

DAY 5—Receiving the Miracle of a New Heart
Ps 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Ps 86:11 Teach me Thy way, O LORD; I will walk in Thy Truth: unite my heart to fear Thy Name.
· O GOD, today I see my inner man needs more than a cleansing. It needs a complete makeover. According to Your power, do this in me. And Lord, please release in these I hold before You a desire for a clean and new heart also. Draw them tenderly.
God will work in our hidden parts—Ps 51:5-8; Rom 2:29; Eph 3:14-16

DAY 6—Finding the Joy of Sins Forgiven
Ps 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation: and uphold me with Thy free spirit.
· LOVING FATHER, in the past my joy has been hindered because of sin. But now, since I am open to Your merciful judgment and cleansing, I can receive Your joy. Let it flood my heart, and these I hold before You.
We behold the joy that comes—Ps 13:5,6; 35:9,10

DAY 7—Giving a Testimony of Deliverance
Ps 51:14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God. Thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of Thy righteousness. Ps 34:11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
· LORD, I rejoice in Your mercy. Now help me share with others what You have done in my life. Help me walk in a way that others can believe what I say.
We bear testimony to God’s grace—Ps 51:12-15

WEEK TWO—The Discipline of Dealing with Human Failure

DAY 8—Opening Ourselves to God’s Help in Trouble
Ps 31:9 Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.
· FATHER, long enough my life has been prone to trouble. Now I repent that I’ve walked in wrong paths. Out of Your mercy, deliver me from the pitfalls into which I’ve stumbled. Open my eyes to behold right paths. Set up Your Government over my life— and over these I hold before You.
Even in our trouble we see the Lord—Ps 25:16-19

DAY 9—Crying to God When Troubles Increase
Ps 86:7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.
· LORD, today I hold before You some loved ones. Trouble has compounded in their lives. May the weakness of each one become a platform for Your grace to do its powerful work, O dear and faithful Lord, please bring Your healing to them!
We watch as trouble loses its power—Ps 59:16,17

DAY 10—Admitting to Our Weakness
Ps 6:2 Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me: for my bones are vexed.
· GRACIOUS LORD, I have no trouble seeing my weakness. My trouble is that too often I let my weakness rule me. Today I trust in Your enabling grace. Oh, let Your Spirit work inside to overcome the way I give in to weakness!
God’s mercy will overcome our weakness—Ps 103:13-18

DAY 11—Finding the Mercy of Deliverance
Ps 69:13,14 But as for me, my prayer is unto Thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of Thy mercy hear me in the truth of Thy salvation. Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.
· MERCIFUL LORD, I no longer welcome trouble in my life. I now trust in Your mercy to deliver me and to keep me from its grip. Let the fullness of Your salvation come over me. Show a great deliverance — even today. And LORD, please extend Your merciful hand to these I hold before You.
We can receive God’s mercy even when we are in our trouble—Ps 69:15-18

DAY 12—Crying for Mercy When Sick in One’s Soul
Ps 41:4 I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul for I have sinned against Thee. Ps 51:4a Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned...
· FATHER, although I know I don’t deserve it, I stand in need of Your healing grace. The wrong things I have said and done to others have damaged my mind, my emotions, and my ability to love others. Out of Your mercy, heal me. Now, I hold before You these that I have hurt. They need healing also.
Healing comes when we confess our sin—Ps 38:3-5,18; Ps 40:2

DAY 13—Opening Ourselves to God’s Mercy when Misfortune Comes
Ps 57:1 Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in Thee: yea, in the shadow of Thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.
· LORD, even in this trouble, I see Your hand. I can see gain instead of pain. I can see success instead of failure. Even after failing, I can see new life coming. Where my faith has failed, I now let Yours take over.
Even in crisis we find God’s faithfulness—Ps 62:1-8

DAY 14—Finding God’s Help when the Help of Others Fails
Ps 60:11 Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. Ps 39:7 And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in Thee.
· LORD, too often I’ve trusted in the arm of flesh only to have it fail. With a new heart of trust, I turn now to You. Draw these ones I love into this same trust.
We learn to wait on God for our help—Ps 37:34-40

WEEK THREE—The Discipline of Dealing with Spiritual Enemies

DAY 15—Trusting God when Enemies Assail
Ps 25:20 my God, I trust in Thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.
· LORD, since I’ve trusted You, my enemies have increased. Their wrath against me is greater than when I walked with them. Strengthen me to withstand their attacks. Show me the way of continual deliverance from the traps they have set for me.
We have no shame before our enemies—Ps 25:3-5; Ps 27:6-11

DAY 16—Asking God for Instruction on Withstanding Our Enemies
Ps 27: 12,13 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
· LORD, help me discern my enemies are not flesh and blood. My warfare is with spiritual forces that oppose Your work in me. Therefore, teach me to rely on the resources of Your Kingdom to withstand them.
We are learning that the battle is the Lord’s—I Sam 17:47-50

DAY 17—Overcoming the Enemy when He Returns to Make a Second Claim
Ps 9:3 When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at Thy presence.
· LORD, teach me to recognize the subtle ways the enemy will return to trap me again. Make me aware of his devices. Help me, and these I hold before You, know our defense comes from Your presence.
God’s deliverance brings His People into a bountiful place— Ps 68:1-10

DAY 18—Keeping Ourselves Free from Traps Set by the Enemy
Ps 64:1,2 Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy. Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked: from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity.
· FATHER, put in me—and in these I hold before You—a Spirit of Revelation. Help us discern counsel and wisdom that is devilish. Let Your Spirit work in us to keep us free from every trap of the enemy.
We are learning to withstand the hatred of the enemy—Ps 3:1-5; Ps 25:19-21

DAY 19—Turning the Work of the Enemy to Our Advantage
Ps 31:7,8 I will be glad and rejoice in Thy mercy: for Thou hast considered my trouble; Thou hast known my soul in adversities: and hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: Thou hast set my feet in a large room.
· FATHER, I bless Your Name! I confess that what the enemy meant for destruction, You are turning to good. Sanctify the trouble. Put me in advantage because of it. Show me new dimensions of grace. And now—please work in these I hold before You.
We can trust the Lord even when under attack from the enemy—Ps 31:9-17

DAY 20—Discovering God’s Keeping Power
Ps 17:8,9 Keep me as the apple of the eve hide me under the shadow of Thy wings, from the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.
· MERCIFUL LORD, I have no sure source of hope other than You. I trust You to bring to pass what You ordained for my life—and for these I hold before You. Please work in us the perfection of Your will.
We are learning to rest in God’s tender care in the face of our enemies— Ps 23:1-6

DAY 21—Growing While Under Enemy Attack
Ps 18:35,36 Thou hast also given me the shield of Thy salvation: and Thy right hand hath holden me up; and Thy gentleness hath made me great. Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.
· LORD, now I see what the enemy meant for my destruction You have taken and sanctified. Through his attacks, I am growing in relationship with You. Reach through the darkness around these I hold before You. Help them grow in the adversity on them.
As we trust the Lord, we can see adversity turned to our good— Ps 18:16-19

WEEK FOUR—The Discipline of Trusting in God’s Merciful Kindness

DAY 22—Finding God’s Loving Kindness When Under Enemy Attack
Ps 17:7 Show Thy marvelous loving kindness. O Thou that savest by Thy right hand them which put their trust in Thee from those that rise up against them.
· LORD we trust in Your grace to see us through the days of this attack. Even though it is fierce, release in us an awareness of the power of Your grace. Because we know Your grace and power, we will not submit to the work of Satan that has come against us.
We can find the strength of God’s goodness even while we’re under attack—Ps 31:19-24

DAY 23—Opening Ourselves to the Abundance of God’s Mercy
Ps 4:1 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress: have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. Ps 109:26 Help me, O LORD my God: O save me according to Thy mercy.
· FATHER OF MERCIES, as Your Spirit moves upon me, I see my sinfulness. It’s greater than I thought when first I believed. Oh, reveal the abundance of Your mercy to me! Let me rest in its cleansing power and be free from the downward pull of my own sin.
Deep conviction for sin will lead us into the rest God offers—Ps 32:1-5; Heb 4:13-16

DAY 24—Maintaining Our Standing in God’s Mercy by Praising Him
Ps 59:16,17 But I will sing of Thy power; yea. I will sing aloud of Thy mercy in the morning: for Thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble. Unto Thee, O my Strength, will I sing: for God is my Defence, and the God of my mercy.
· DEAR LORD, I praise You for the standing I have before You in mercy. You have given it to me in Christ Jesus. Thank You for receiving me, even when I was obnoxious and not lovable. You changed me, and I praise You. Oh, I praise You!
We rejoice in our salvation—Ps 13:3-6; Ps 20:6-8

DAY 25—Rejoicing in God’s Kindness
Ps 63:3,4 Because Thy loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise Thee. Thus will I bless Thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in Thy name.
· FATHER, no gain this world offers can compare with the wonder of You love to me. I rejoice in it and find my rest in it. Oh, let my life magnify its splendor so others can see it, and desire it. Move upon these I hold before You that they too can know Your love.
Our confession will help keep us free—Ps 17:4-7

DAY 26—Living Out of His Mercy in Time of Need
Ps 33:21,22 For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy Name. Let Thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in Thee.
· LORD, You are my resource for living. I trust Your mercy. To me it is amazing, healing, powerful, and full of provision. Now, I hold these before You. Draw them to know Your grace. Show them Your love.
We find hope in God’s mercy—Ps 33:16-22

DAY 27—Knowing God’s Mercy Day After Day
Ps 86:2,3 Preserve my soul: for I am holy: O Thou my God, save Thy servant that trusteth in Thee. Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto Thee daily.
· FATHER, I lift my soul unto You to receive the abundance of grace You are offering me. Make strong in me the ability to trust You—at all times.
The Lord will never forsake His saints—Ps 37:25-28

DAY 28—Lifting Our Souls unto the Lord
Ps 143:8 Cause me to hear Thy loving kindness in the morning: for in Thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk: for I lift up my soul unto Thee.
· LOVING FATHER, I cannot direct my own steps. I look to You for guidance and grace to walk in the way that is right for me. Become the Lord of my daily walk. Lead us—oh, govern us—by Your Spirit.
The Lord girds us with strength for the way He has ordained for us—Ps 18:30-36

DAY 29—Making Known the Wonders of God’s Kingdom
Ps 145:10,11 All Thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and Thy saints shall bless Thee. They shall speak of the glory of Thy Kingdom and talk of Thy power.
· LORD, gracious and powerful, show me the glory of Your Kingdom. Let me speak of it and tell of Your power. Reign in my life so what I speak will be confirmed by the way I live. Let Your healing grace flow on through me to touch these others.
God’s saints are discovering the glory of His Kingdom—Ps 145:8-15

DAY 30—Honoring Jesus as the Son of David
Ps 72:17 His Name shall endure for ever: His Name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in Him: all nations shall call Him blessed.
· FATHER, I honor Your Son Who came into earth as the Covenant Son of David. He is our Lord. May the grace and power of His Kingdom come over upon my family, these friends, these neighbors, this nation.
We can know the Covenant Son— I Chron 17:11-14; Ac 2:29-32

DAY 31—Joining David in His Highest Prayer
Ps 72:18,19 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.
· HEAVENLY FATHER, let the power and excellency of Your Kingdom come in all the earth. Let it be known in my life, and in these I hold before You.
The Church can know the glory of God’s Kingdom—Ps 2:6-12; Ac 4:23-31

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Berean Ministries
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Elk Park, NC 28622-0038

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