®

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 Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references are taken from the New American Standard Bible®,
© 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by per-
mission. (www.Lockman.org)

Verses marked kjv are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Cover by Koechel Peterson & Associates, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota

PRAISING GOD THROUGH PRAYER AND WORSHIP

Copyright © 2008 by Precept Ministries International
Published by Harvest House Publishers
Eugene, Oregon 97402
www.harvesthousepublishers.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Arthur, Kay, 1933-
Praising God through prayer and worship / Kay Arthur and Pete De Lacy.
p. cm.—(The new inductive study series)
ISBN-13: 978-0-7369-2304-0 (pbk.)
ISBN-10: 0-7369-2304-7
1. Bible. O.T. Psalms—Devotional use. 2. God—Worship and love. 3. Worship. 4. Prayer—
Christianity. I. De Lacy, Pete. II. Title.
BS1430.54.A78 2008
223'.20071—dc22
2008002134

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any
other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Printed in the United States of America

08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 / BP-SK / 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

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 Contents


How to Get Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Introduction to Psalms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Week One
What Would David Do? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Week Two
Hear a Just Cause . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Week Three
Some Boast in Horses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Week Four
The Lord Is My Shepherd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Week Five
His Favor Is for a Lifetime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Week Six
What Is Your Desire?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Week Seven
What Pleases God? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Week Eight
Great Is the Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Week Nine
How’s Your Heart? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Week Ten
Taking Refuge in God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Week Eleven
Lovingkindness Is Better than Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

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 Week Twelve
When My Heart Was Embittered . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Week Thirteen
I Remember . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Week Fourteen
Listen to Me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Week Fifteen
Does God Perform Wonders for the Dead? . . . . . . . . . . 125
Week Sixteen
Sing to the Lord a New Song . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Week Seventeen
Bless the Lord, O My Soul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Week Eighteen
Oh Give Thanks to the Lord, for He Is Good . . . . . . . . . 145
Week Nineteen
Be Exalted, O God, Above the Heavens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Week Twenty
This Is the Lord’s Doing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Week Twenty-One
Thy Word Is a Lamp to My Feet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Week Twenty-Two
From Where Shall My Help Come? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Week Twenty-Three
Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart. . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Week Twenty-Four
What Is Man, That You Take Knowledge of Him?. . . . . 187

Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199

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 Psalms

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 WEEK ONE

What Would David Do?



Remember the popular question, what would Jesus do?

If you study the Gospels, the answer is clear—He would pray
early, late, and often. He would cry out to God, confident that
God would hear and answer. Was Jesus’ prayer life special
because He was the Son of God, God made flesh? Yes! Did
His pattern reflect the Old Testament, God’s Word to man-
kind in writing? Yes again! The psalms show us how David
and others prayed in the millennium before Jesus was born.

DAY ONE
As you read any book of the Bible, you’ll see the author
emphasize subjects by repeating key words and phrases.
Since you’ll be marking many of these words and phrases
throughout Psalms, a good technique is to record them and
how you plan to mark them on a 3 x 5 card and use this as
a bookmark. Doing this from psalm to psalm will help you
mark consistently and save time.
Read through Psalm 1 (it’s only six verses) to see what the
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 18 Psalms

psalm is about. Now read it again, and mark every reference

to the Lord, including pronouns. To help you get started, we
suggest you mark Lord with a purple triangle shaded yellow,
and mark blessed with a purple cloud around it shaded pink.
You’ll see this second key word over and over in the psalms
in other forms (bless, blessing, and blesses).
Perhaps you noticed the contrast between two kinds of
men. Contrasts are usually introduced by the word but, so
watch for this indicator as you read. You can mark them with
a little “lightning bolt” like this: but or a simple slant like
this: but.
but
Read the psalm again, marking wicked 1 and its synonyms
and also the contrasting righteous. You may want to circle
wicked with a black cloud and write an R through righteous.
What is the righteous man like? What does he do and not
do? What is he compared to?
What is the wicked man like, and what is he compared to?
How does this contrast help you understand how God views
the two kinds of people? What are the righteous promised?
Which would you rather be? Why?
Determine a theme for this psalm and record it on
PSALMS AT A GLANCE, on page 193.
Now let’s look at Psalm 2. Mark nations and its synonyms,
Lord (watch for pronouns too), Son (read carefully so you
catch all the synonyms), and Zion. Consider marking nations
green and underlining it brown. Mark Lord as you did in
Psalm 1. Before you choose a way to mark Son, identify Him.
(If you’re unsure, read Acts 13:32-33 for a little help.)
Add nations, Zion, and Son to your bookmark.
What attitude toward God do the nations (the peoples,
kings, and rulers) have?
What is God’s attitude toward the nations? What evi-
dence does the text give to help you understand why God has
this attitude?

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 Week One 19

Read Micah 4:1-3 to see how the message of Psalm 2:1-4

applies to a prophet in “the last days.”
If the nations believed this psalm’s truth about the King,
what would their attitude be, and how would they act? What
does God tell them?
Some classify this as a coronation psalm, written to cel-
ebrate the anointing and installation of David or one of his
descendants as king. How does Psalm 2 help you see that its
powerful truth has a future fulfillment? How does it promise
hope for you and me today?
How does this psalm help you pray and worship more
intimately?
Finally, determine a theme for this psalm and record it
on PSALMS AT A GLANCE.

DAY T WO
Today read Psalm 3 and mark references to the Lord and
to the psalmist (identified by pronouns such as I, me, and
my). Simply underline or color references to the psalmist. The
superscription identifies the author and what his occasion for
writing was. For us the issue is not so much what David felt
on a specific occasion, but generally how we relate in our cir-
cumstances to the cry of the psalmist’s heart.
How do you relate to the psalmist’s cry? Mark save and
add it to your bookmark.
What truths about God help you cling to Him in times
of distress?
The psalmist cried out for God’s blessing on His people
(verse 8). During Old Testament times this would probably
refer to whom? To whom today? Is there hope for blessing for
those who belong to God today?

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 20 Psalms

What time of day does this prayer seem to refer to?

Think on these things and then record a theme for Psalm
3 on PSALMS AT A GLANCE.
Now read Psalm 4 and mark references to the Lord. This
is a pattern for all the psalms, but we’ll keep reminding so you
won’t forget. Just remember, Beloved of God: Habits are devel-
oped by repetition. We hope that by the end of your study of
Psalms, this will become your habit for studying the Word.
As in Psalm 3, the psalmist refers to his own condition—
things going on around him. Mark references to the psalmist
as you did before and take note of his circumstances. Also
note the time of day as you did in Psalm 3.
Note the contrast between two kinds of people. Mark
sin in verse 4 and add it to your bookmark. Throughout the
Bible, sin and righteousness are major determinants of man’s
relationship with God.
Which category does the psalmist put himself in? Do you
identify with him? Can you turn this psalm into your own
prayer before you go to bed tonight?
Finally, record a theme for Psalm 4 on PSALMS AT A
GLANCE.

DAY THREE
Read Psalm 5 and note the psalmist’s purpose for writing
and the timing. Now read it again and mark references to the
Lord, the psalmist, and his enemies. Add sing 2 and loving-
kindness3 to your bookmark and mark them in this psalm.
Lovingkindness describes covenant love, steadfast and mer-
ciful. Also mark iniquity 4 and transgression,5 synonyms
for sin. Although there are sometimes slight distinctions
in meaning in the Hebrew, they’re minor and infrequent

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 Week One 21

enough for us to mark these words the same way for now.
Add these to your bookmark because you’ll see them over
and over in Psalms.
What characteristics of the Lord do you see in this psalm?
How do they compare with what you learned in the first four
psalms? The psalms are so rich in describing God and His
works, you might enjoy journaling what you learn about Him
from psalm to psalm. It’s early enough in the study so if you
want to do this, go back to day 1 and compile into one list
what you’ve seen so far. Add what you learn from each of the
remaining 145 psalms.
What is God’s attitude toward wickedness in all its forms?
What contrast do you see between sinful behavior and what
God is like? Notice that the contrast is not between David’s
enemies and himself, but between his enemies and God.
What does this tell you about David?
How does David’s example contrast with the way people
relate to God today? How do you relate to Him?
Determine a theme for Psalm 5 on PSALMS AT A
GLANCE.

DAY F OUR
Read Psalm 6 without stopping to mark anything. What
kind of psalm is this? What does the psalmist ask for? Verse
2 says his “bones are dismayed,”6 and he asks to be healed.
What seems to be his problem? How does verse 2 relate to
verse 1?
Again, read and mark references to the Lord and the
psalmist, and add to your journal about God.
When David asks for healing, does he appeal to his char-
acter or God’s? What characteristics does David appeal to?

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 22 Psalms

Lovingkindness (verse 4) is a characteristic of God we

see throughout the Bible. The word is translated from the
Hebrew chesed, a covenant term.
Observe the verb tenses in verses 8 and 9. “Has heard”
in English implies action already completed. What does this
tell you about David’s confidence in prayer? Do you have this
confidence? If not, our prayer for you is that by the end of
this study of psalms you will gain this intimacy and confi-
dence in prayer and worship that David had toward God.
Don’t forget to record a theme for Psalm 6 on PSALMS
AT A GLANCE.

DAY F IV E
Read Psalm 7 today, marking Lord, sing, praise, righteous-
ness,7 wicked, and judgment. Add the new key words to your
bookmark. You’ll find sing, praise, and thanks throughout the
psalms.
Now, what did you see regarding justice for the righteous
and his enemies? What conditions bring judgment? What
brings vindication? What characteristic of God is the basis
for just judgment?
What did you learn about God to take to heart today, to
trust in as David the psalmist did?
Finally, determine a theme for Psalm 7 and record it on
PSALMS AT A GLANCE.

DAY S IX
Get ready to sing today, Beloved. Read the first and last

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 Week One 23

verses of Psalm 8 and mark repeated phrases that remind you

of praise choruses or songs.
Now read the whole psalm, marking references to God
and man. Then list everything you learn about God and man
in these nine verses.
What do you see about yourself in relation to God? How
will you respond to God today in worship in light of this
truth?
Finally, determine a theme for Psalm 8 and record it on
PSALMS AT A GLANCE.

DAY S EV E N

Store in your heart: Psalm 5:3

Read and discuss: Psalms 1–8

Questions for Discussion or Individual Study

 What situations in the psalmist’s life caused him to
cry out to God?
 What did you learn about God’s character and ways
in these psalms?
 What did you learn about the relationship between
God and the nations—those who do not obey Him?
 Do these psalms give you patterns for prayer—
when to pray, why to pray, and how to pray?
 Summarize the message of these psalms—share
what you put on PSALMS AT A GLANCE.
 What message of hope do these psalms give?

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 24 Psalms

 What applications can you make to your own life?

 How does this week’s study motivate you to pray?

Thought for the Week

Psalm 5:3 says, “In the morning, O Lord, You will hear
my voice; in the morning I will order my prayer to You and
eagerly watch.” Oh, that we would eagerly watch for God’s
answer. What a great example! Think about this: Every
morning when you wake up, lift your voice to God in prayer
for that day. Then eagerly watch through the day to see His
answers. Wow! Wouldn’t you like to have that reliance on
God? Maybe you already do.
Cultivating this intimacy with God takes time and prac-
tice. It’s developed over a lifetime of various circumstances.
Wherever you are in your walk with God, whatever He has
taken you through, He is always there. His lovingkindness and
mercies are new every morning. He never abandons you.
The superscriptions of Psalms 3 through 8 tell us David
wrote them. Even if you haven’t studied 2 Samuel and
1 Chronicles to learn about David, you can learn volumes about
his life from the way he prays and the things he prays for.
How about you? If people overheard you praying, would
they know about your life, about what’s going on? Would they
learn about your daily needs, wants, and fears, as well as the
reasons for your confidence?
What would your prayer life reveal about your relation-
ship to God? If you made a list of what you asked Him for,
what you said to Him, and how you praised Him for what He
has done and will do, would people know you worship God?
And if people wrote down your prayers for a day, would
they get the idea that you truly rely on God? After all, in these

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 Week One 25

first eight psalms we’ve already seen prayer in the morning

and evening, on arising and retiring. When do you pray?
We’ve asked these questions to cause you to take stock, to
start to measure your own intimacy with God in prayer and
worship. The Word of God will do its work as you continue
through the psalms. It will lay bare things that need healing,
but it will also give you encouragement and hope.
As we spend a lifetime praying, we gain more and more
confidence and more and more intimacy with God from our
eager watchfulness for His answers. Often we think of prayer
as communicating to God, talking to or with Him, and our
Bible reading and study as hearing from God. Both are true.
If we don’t apprehend these two functions properly, our inti-
macy with God won’t grow as deep as it should.
Prayer is indeed talking to God and answers are God
speaking back to us. Answers may come right away or be
delayed. We may need a season of prayer before we receive
an answer, and Scripture emphasizes persevering prayer. But
God does speak back to us.
Bible reading and study is clearly hearing from God, but
we must come before Him in prayer before we begin because
spiritual things are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:13-
15). We ask our resident Teacher, the Holy Spirit, to open the
eyes of our understanding. The insight into Scripture that He
gives is the answer to prayer.
Psalm 1:2 points to this twofold approach to God. It
describes the man who is blessed: “But his delight is in the
law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.”
Prayer and Bible reading and study go hand in hand in our
communication with God—a growing intimacy that helps us
worship Him in all we do.

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