Thank you for your survey responses and comments so far!

““The Psalms make it possible to say things that are The Psalms make it possible to say things that are otherwise unsayable. In the church they have the otherwise unsayable. In the church they have the

capacity to free us to talk about things capacity to free us to talk about things that we cannot talk about anywhere else!” that we cannot talk about anywhere else!”

““Most of scripture speaks TO us; Most of scripture speaks TO us; the Psalms speak FOR us.” the Psalms speak FOR us.”

"In expressing all the complexities and contradictions of human experience, the Psalms … defeat our tendency to try to

be holy without being human first."

Kathleen Norris

Thirsty for God Psalm 63

(Psalm 63)

“The most common and beloved of the morning Psalms… Nowhere else is the earnest yearning for God and insight into communion with Him,

put more beautifully.”

John Chrysostom

Seek God!

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;

my soul thirsts for you;my flesh faints for you,

as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

O God, You are my God;I seek You.

My soul thirsts for You.I will long for Your touch

Like a dry and weary land.I will lift up my hands

And call upon Your name....

Jesus! Jesus! You satisfy my soul.Jesus! Jesus! You satisfy my soul.

You have said, "Seek my face. You have said, "Seek my face. "My heart says to you, "My heart says to you,

"Your face, LORD, do I seek." "Your face, LORD, do I seek." (Psalm 27:8)

Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!

(Psalm 105:4)

Worship God!

v2. So I have looked (gazed) upon you in the sanctuary,

beholding your power and glory.Because your steadfast love

is better than life, my lips will praise you.

So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.

(2) O God, I worship You.I see Your power;

my lips sing Your praise.I will bless You as long As You give me breath;

I will lift up my handsAnd call upon Your name....

Jesus! Jesus! Your love is more than life.Jesus! Jesus! Your love is more than life.

Meditate on God!

V5. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,

and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,when I remember you upon my bed,

and meditate on you in the watches of the night;

for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings

I will sing for joy.My soul clings to you;

your right hand upholds me.

(3) I ponder You in the night.You’re my help.

Your hand holds me tight.I will always dwell secure

In the shadow of Your wings.I will lift up my hands

And call upon Your name....

Jesus! Jesus! Your presence is my joy.Jesus! Jesus! Your presence is my joy.

Hope in God!

v9. But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth;

they shall be given over to the power of the sword;

they shall be a portion for jackals.But the king shall rejoice in God;

all who swear by him shall exult, for the mouths of liars will be stopped.

(4) O God, my hope is in You.The Enemy

Will not prevail.I will rejoice in You;

My Lord in whom I trust.I will lift up my hands

And call upon Your name....

Jesus! Jesus! The victory is won!Jesus! Jesus! The victory is won!

There is communion with God that asks for nothing, yet asks for everything… He who seeks the Father more than anything He can give is likely to have what he asks... For

he is not likely to ask amissGeorge MacDonald

Suggestions for Praying the Psalms

::Pray the words

::Read systematically

::Read/sing out loud

::Memorize select Psalms

:: Write out in your own words, songs, poems