The Prayers of David and Other Psalmists
Considering David’s devotion after considering that of Saul’s is like coming into the daylight from a dark dungeon. David was a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22); Saul was a man away from God’s own heart, rebellious and disobedient. Therein we see an indispensable key to effective praying, for Saul’s life seemed void of answers and David’s life seemed full of answers.
David apparently realized that prayer is appropriate in all of life’s circumstances. Consequently, his prayers—found both in the narrative accounts of his life and in the Psalms—contain petition, confession, praise, and testimony. Whether circumstances were good or bad, whether trouble loomed or the days were filled with blessing, David prayed.
Warfare became David’s lot early in life (beginning with Goliath), and though he had learned war well, he maintained complete reliance on the Lord. He dared not permit success on the field to breed neglect. David’s first recorded prayer, other than those of the Psalms, is a striking contrast to Saul’s: “He [David] inquired of the LORD, saying, ‘Shall I go and attack these Philistines?’ The LORD answered him, ‘Go, attack the Philistines’ ” (1 Sam. 23:2). Saul asked the same question of God and got no answer. David prayed and received an immediate answer. Receiving an answer was not as dependent on the content of the request as upon the content of the heart. The Bible draws particular attention to the fact that God recognized David as a true servant of His, a man after His own heart, who would do all of His will (see Ps. 89:19–20; 1 Sam. 13:14; Acts 13:22). The desire and intent to do God’s will are essential as we approach God in prayer.
David wanted to be sure he had heard from the Lord. “Once again David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him, ‘Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand’ ” (1 Sam. 23:4). David was no self-assured, overly confident man. He was unlike those who today tell us that praying more than once over a matter evidences a lack of faith. The lives of others were in his hands, and it was an act of prudence to check out the certainty of his previous direction.
David said, “O LORD, God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account of me. Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? O LORD, God of Israel, tell your servant.” And the LORD said, “He will.” Again David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?” And the LORD said, “They will” (1 Sam. 23:10–12).
God imparts necessary knowledge to those who seek Him, but He then expects them to act on it. In the light of the information God shared, David determined his own course of action. He did not become fickle in his praying—as people sometimes do—and become unwilling to take the action obviously required by God’s revelation.
Another time “David inquired of the LORD, ‘Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them’ ‘Pursue them,’ he answered. ‘You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue’ ” (1 Sam. 30:8).
David’s approach to God was by way of Abiathar, a priest, who in turn employed the God-ordained Urim and Thummim to determine the will of the Lord. Today we need no intermediary priests, other than Christ, and no mysterious device, for we have the Holy Spirit to relay to our hearts the divine will.
Elevation from soldier to king did not alter David’s practice of praying: “In the course of time, David inquired of the LORD. ‘Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?’ he asked. The LORD said, ‘Go up.’ David asked, ‘Where shall I go?’ ‘To Hebron,’ the LORD answered” (2 Sam. 2:1). It is to one’s credit that one’s prayer life is so ingrained and established that it is not disturbed by life’s vicissitudes. When exaltation comes, some people tend to lessen the very practice that takes them there. But not David. His rank had no bearing on his practice of prayer, except perhaps to intensify it.
David’s sensitivity to his need for divine direction is most exemplary. He had no doubts about God’s having ordained the destruction of the Philistines. Yet the timing of that destruction and the particular means were always left open. Therefore, he regularly asked for—and got—God’s faithful and explicit guidance.
David inquired of the LORD, and he answered, “Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees. As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move quickly, because that will mean the LORD has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army” (2 Sam. 5:23–24).
Prayer at a Time of Great Blessing
Nathan the prophet conveyed to King David what has been labeled the Davidic Covenant (see 2 Sam. 7), with its abundant promises and assurance. Yet David did not gloat over the overwhelming revelation; instead, he went to prayer:
King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: “Who am I O Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And as if this were not enough in your sight, O Sovereign LORD, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant.… What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Sovereign LORD. For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant. How great you are, O Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.…
“Now, LORD God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, so that your name will be great forever. Then men will say, “The LORD Almighty is God over Israel!’ And the house of your servant David will be established before you. LORD Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you.’ So your servant has found courage to offer you this prayer. O Sovereign LORD, you are God! Your words are trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant. Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, O Sovereign LORD, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever” (2 Sam. 7:18–22, 25–29; cf. 1 Chron. 17:16–27).
Although the physical posture in prayer may at times have some significance, the spiritual, or heart, posture is of primary concern to the Lord. In this case, David went in and “sat before the LORD” (7:18). (Sitting before the Lord in those days was the privilege of the king; ordinary persons would stand or kneel.)
’Tis not to those who stand erect,
Or those who bend the knee,
It is to those who bow the heart
The Lord will gracious be;
It is the posture of the soul
That pleases or offends;
If it be not in God’s sight right
Naught else can make amends.1
Among the many lessons to be derived from this prayer of David, these should be noted:
1. The heart attitude of the person praying should be one of deep humility (vv. 18–19).
2. The praying person should recognize that God has total knowledge of His servants and should approach God accordingly (v. 20).
3. God makes his plans and intentions known to His servants according to His own heart. In other words, the degree and extent of His revelation is His own province (v. 21).
4. It is to the praying person’s advantage, being among other things a most meaningful stimulus to faith, to contemplate and declare the greatness of God (v. 22).
5. Recognition of and appreciation for the redeemed people of God (the family of God), who are forever His, is of paramount importance (vv. 23–24).
6. Our prayers should encompass both the household of God and the household of God’s servants (vv. 25–29).
Foolishness and foolhardiness are the common lot of humans. Few, if any, are exempt, not even the devout and mighty King David. David’s heart being after “[God’s] own heart” (Acts 13:33) was his greatest spiritual asset. Let come anything into his life—failure, faulty judgment, sin, foolishness—his heart, like a compass, always pointed the way out, because deep in his heart he really wanted to do God’s will. This always led him to make confession, demonstrate repentance, and receive forgiveness.
Yet it should not be thought that his heart was simply an escape mechanism by which he could avoid the consequences of his folly. The account of the aftermath of David’s illicit relationship with Bathsheba bears this out. The baby born of their adultery was very sick, sending David to prayer: He “pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the night lying on the ground” (2 Sam. 12:16).
Even in the face of utter and devastating failure, the godly pray. David had been literally “at ease in Zion” (cf. 2 Sam. 11:1) while his armies were at war, and it may well be that his vast conquests had for a season caused neglect of his otherwise vital relationship with God. Or if that was not the case, the lesson is that though people do pray, they remain susceptible to their passions and must always be on guard against the unexpected moment of temptation.
Before David prayed, he had mended his spiritual fences. He had confessed his terrible deeds (12:13) and been assured of God’s mercy and grace. Without that contrition, his prayer would itself have been presumptuous sin. But even with David’s confession, and despite days of fasting and intercession, God refused the request. His will was that the child should die (12:14). Prayer could not blot out the damage done; certain consequences had to follow, complete forgiveness notwithstanding.
Another time, after David foolishly (perhaps proudly) numbered the people of Israel and Judah (see 2 Sam. 24:1–15), bringing God’s wrath upon himself, he quickly confessed his sin: “When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he said to the LORD, ‘I am the one who has sinned and done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? Let your hand fall upon me and my family’ ” (2 Sam. 24:17).
One rarely sins and affects only oneself. The higher the visibility and the greater the responsibility one has, the greater, the more far-reaching, the impact of the sin. There is anguish over recognizing one’s own sin, but that hardly compares with the anguish after realizing its effect upon others. It was that kind of anguish which caused David to pray as he did, and then led him to a measure of relief. The chronicler (probably Ezra) records the restored communion:
David built an altar to the LORD there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He called on the LORD, and the LORD answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering (1 Chron. 21:26).
God’s fire consuming the offerings became David’s assurance and evidence of divine approval and acceptance.2 Although literal fire is no longer God’s means of showing His acceptance and imparting assurance to the one bringing the offering, He yet has a holy fire of confirmation and assurance for those who offer themselves upon His altar (Acts 2:1–4).
Prayer in the Midst of Adversity
“During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the LORD. The LORD said, ‘It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death’ ” (2 Sam. 21:1). Adverse conditions—whether they be physical and earthly (drought, famine, suffering, sickness) or spiritual (the backsliding of God’s people) or the absence of a keen sense of God’s presence—ought to lead to an earnest inquiring of the Lord, a sincere seeking of His face. Such seeking may well uncover the cause of the existing and persistent condition.
David learned that Israel’s present problem had its roots in the previous administration, and that the present reaping was the fruit of past sowing. Saul, in his rashness and recklessness, had directed an attack on the Gibeonites with whom Israel had a covenant (see Josh. 9:15–27); divine justice would not rest the case, though the perpetrator was dead. Armed with God’s view of the problem, David set out to effect a remedy (2 Sam. 21:3–6). “After that, God answered prayer in behalf of the land” (21:14).
Prayer as Expression of Praise
Praise is an essential part of praying, in fact, the highest form of praying, and in this David was expert. “David sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul” (2 Sam. 21:1). All of 2 Samuel 22 is a psalm of praise, David was giving recognition and highest praise to God for His well-perceived role in David’s daily walk. David recognized the power of God and praised Him for deliverance, especially deliverance from the most life-threatening circumstances. He honored God for the guidance, the empowering, and the victories He gives. Truly He is a faithful God who is worthy of all praise! (This aspect of David’s prayer life will be amplified in the treatment of individual psalms.)
The Public Prayer of a Godly Leader
First Chronicles 29 records a magnificent prayer of David as he stood before the congregation of Israel:
David praised the LORD in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, “Praise be to you, O LORD, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.…
“We are aliens and strangers in your sight, as were all our forefathers. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. O LORD our God, as for all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name, it comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you. I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things have I given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you. O LORD, … keep this desire in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you. And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, requirements and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided” (1 Chron. 29:10–13, 15–19).
This great prayer, a model for any servant who prays in public, divides readily into five earnest expressions of the heart of a burdened leader:
1. David models confident entry into God’s presence (vv. 10–13). What a delightful and inspiring example for the leaders of congregations! Acknowledging God’s greatness and power, hallowing His heavenly majesty, and giving praise to His glorious name are always appropriate ways to begin public prayer.
2. David recognizes divine enablement (vv. 14–16). Apart from God’s supply, none would have anything to give: “It comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you.” There is no room for any of us to glory in our own giving; like David, we can glory only in God’s enablement (2 Cor. 9:8). To recognize this truth before God is to court ever larger enablement to share what God has given.
3. David confesses that God takes pleasure in the righteous heart (1 Chron. 29:17). Any leader of people might well linger long over David’s understanding that God sees the thoughts and intents of every heart. God draws special pleasure from hearts that willingly offer themselves, their abilities, and their possessions for His service.
4. David petitions for a continuing spirit of liberality among God’s people (v. 18). Liberality is godlike. Little wonder that it should generate such joy—in God and in the giver. David’s plea and ours might well be: May this quality prevail perpetually.
5. David prays for other leadership (v. 19). He prayed that his son might be, like himself, a man after God’s own heart and carry out the vision of the father. Let every parent kneel beside this godly giant and offer a similar petition.
To give full attention to each of the prayers of David and others in the Book of Psalms would require, by itself, a sizable volume. Therefore, we will look at only selected prayers for the drawing out of major lessons from David’s practice. However, this should not be a theoretical study. “Poetry, like music, may be analyzed and dissected, yet ultimately it must be appreciated and experienced, and to divorce the element of subjectivity from the understanding of poetry is to divest it of its power.”3
Sincere prayer is an accurate measurement of one’s true self, a revelation of the heart. Consequently, the Psalms provide an accurate picture of David (2 Sam. 23:2), the prince of praying people, and other psalmists, as the Spirit spoke through them (1 Chron. 25:1). For all were used by the same Holy Spirit to bless us.
Prayer is hardly prayer at all apart from an appropriate recognition of the God to whom it is addressed. Prayer in the Psalms is most exemplary in this regard.
For command of appropriate language, the standard of excellence of the prayer expression of the Psalms cannot be super-ceded. Within them we have “the very thesaurus of devotional terms.” Their grace and elegance of expression provide us with a rich vocabulary for use as we draw nigh to God.4
Notice how David and the other psalmists repeatedly honor God for His majestic power and glory, for His faithfulness, justice, and unfailing love. He is the Creator and Sustainer of all things. He is a good God, full of mercy and ready to forgive. Because He is eternal, He is always present, always available. We can always approach Him with confidence, for He cares for us (see Nah. 1:7; Eph. 5:29; Heb. 4:16; 1 Pet. 5:7). Praise brings us into His presence as we recognize who He is and what He has done and can do.
O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens (8:1).
Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep.… How priceless is your unfailing love! (36:5–7).
Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain (48:1).
[God,] the hope of all the ends of the earth, … who formed the mountains by your power, having armed yourself with strength, who stilled the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations (65:5–7).
Proclaim the power of God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose power is in the skies. You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God! (68:34–35).
You are forgiving and good, O LORD, abounding in love to all who call to you.… You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness (86:5, 15).
The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed in majesty and is armed with strength. The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved. Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity (93:1–2).
The LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land (95:3–5).
Praise the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind. He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants. He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved (104:1–5).
Our perceptions of God bear heavily upon our praying. And even though David seemed to recognize God for the exhalted One He truly is; at the same time, he had a gift for making God relevant to the circumstances of life. The wealth of descriptive terms used for God is impressive:
A shield, bestower of glory, the lifter of my head [that is, in victory over enemies] (3:3)
My strength, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my shield, my stronghold (18:1–2)
My shepherd (23:1)
My help (54:4)
My hope (71:5)
My King from of old (74:12)
My God, a sun and shield (84:11)
My father (89:26)
Our dwelling place (90:1)
My song (118:14)
Your shade at your right hand [that is, right there to protect you], your keeper (121:5, 7)
My loving God (144:2)
Praise and worship are essential ingredients in prayer. David was the pacesetter of all time for this high and holy exercise; other psalmists followed his example.
I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High (9:1–2).
I love you, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies (18:1–3).
It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp. For you make me glad by your deeds, O LORD; I sing for joy at the works of your hands. How great are your works, O LORD, how profound your thoughts! (92:1–5).
Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s (103:1–5).
I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name forever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom (145:1–3).
Again we see how David and the other psalmists praised the Lord in all things and with all means, especially including instrumental music and song. Their praise was no formal repetition of a few set phrases. Though the psalms were often composed for congregational worship, or to celebrate specific occasions, the psalms came from hearts moved and inspired by the Holy Spirit. They encouraged the worshipers to put the whole heart and soul into their worship and to honor God for His provision for every aspect of life.
Besides practicing praise and worship, David and the other psalmists made supplication. Even though their praying is marked by balance (unlike that of many people), the psalms are loaded with petition. And characteristically they encompass a great variety of situations and circumstances. They practiced the admonition of Jesus long before the words of our Savior were recorded: “Disciples … should always pray” (Luke 18:1). At all times and in all circumstances, prayer is the divine instruction for God’s children.
For Guidance: Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies—make straight your way before me (5:8).
For Mercy: Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in anguish. How long, O LORD, how long? (6:2–3).
For Understanding: Why, O LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? (10:1).
For Consolation: How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? (13:1–2).
For Deliverance from Evil Men: Rise up, O LORD, … rescue me from the wicked by your sword. O LORD, by your hand save me from such men, from men of this world whose reward is in this life (17:13–14).
For God’s Help in Time of Distress: In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears (18:6).
For Cleansing from Hidden and Willful Sin: Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression (19:12–13).
For Right Words and Thoughts: May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer (19:14).
For Forgiveness: Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins (25:18).
For Help from the Lord: Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me; O Lord, be my help (30:10).
For God’s Blessing: Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love (31:16).
For God’s Perpetual Presence: O LORD, do not forsake me; be not far from me, O my God. Come quickly to help me, O Lord my Savior (38:21–22).
For Deliverance from God’s Judgment: Save me from all my transgressions; do not make me the scorn of fools.… Remove your scourge from me; I am overcome by the blow of your hand. You rebuke and discipline men for their sin; you consume their wealth like a moth.… Hear my prayer, O LORD, listen to my cry for help; be not deaf to my weeping. For I dwell with you as an alien, a stranger.… Look away from me, that I may rejoice again before I depart and am no more (39:8, 10–13).
For Light and Truth: Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell (43:3).
For a Pure Heart and a Steadfast Spirit: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me (51:10).
To Retain God’s Presence and the Holy Spirit: Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me (51:11).
For Restoration of the Joy of Salvation: Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me (51:12).
For God’s Favor to Return Toward His People: You have rejected us, O God, and burst forth upon us; you have been angry—now restore us! (60:1).
To See God’s Power and Glory: O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory (63:1–2).
For God’s Help When Overwhelmed: Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me. I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God (69:1–3).
For Help in Old Age: Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come (71:18).
For God’s Attentive Response When One Is in Trouble: Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry for help come to you. Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly (102:1–2).
For God’s Examination and Correction: Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (139:23–24).
Confession is an essential ingredient in prayer, for it unlocks mercy’s door and unleashes God’s forgiveness (see 2 Sam. 12:13). The prayers in the Psalms incorporate significant occurrences of confession.
I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”—and you forgave the guilt of my sin (32:5).
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me (51:1–5).
Thanksgiving played a major role in the prayers of the Psalms, just as it should in ours. Thanklessness is a subtle enemy of the soul, ever leading deeper into darkness (Rom. 1:21).
You … clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever (30:11–12).
I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving (69:30).
I will sacrifice a thank offering … and call on the name of the LORD (116:17).
A final note before ending our overview of the prayers recorded in the Psalms: David had learned the demanding discipline of habitual prayer, recording his practice on at least two occasions.
In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation (5:3).
Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears (55:17).
Doubtless such practice began during his youthful years. It is reasonable to believe that before David ever ended his shepherding days he had already become a person of prayer. For surely there is no substitute for solitude when learning and practicing the holy art of prayer.
1. Why was David called a man after God’s own heart?
2. When is it a lack of faith to repeat a prayer and when is it an expression of faith?
3. What do David’s prayers show about the importance of the attitude of the heart?
4. Can you summarize what you have learned about public prayer from David’s example?
5. What does David’s example show us about how we should approach God in prayer?
6. What are some of the other lessons that can be learned from the prayers in the Book of Psalms?