Five Psalms App
The Five Psalms App has been my favorite thing to recommend to friends for the last few years. It has been the greatest refreshment to my daily time in the Word and one of the best tools for prayer.
We often say in our house that goals are great, but systems are even better. I aim to read my Bible daily and spend time in prayer. I know my soul needs it, and it’s what my heart longs to do, but falling off the train is so easy. When time is short, when my day is thrown off, when I’m between Bible studies, or if I’ve fallen behind on my reading plan, I can easily end up aimlessly flipping through my Bible or neglecting my time in the Word altogether. I need a system that helps me stay in a rhythm of breathing in and praying out the Word of God.
The app isn’t flashy or novel, but it’s a system that works. It presents a group of Psalms on rotation each day. Most days, it’s just what I need to keep myself reading and praying God’s words, whether I have 20 or 2 minutes to spare.
Each day there are 5 Psalms to choose from, and I pick one that resonates with me that day. I read through the entire Psalm and pray through it line by line, talking with God about whatever I find there and praising Him as I’m reminded of who He is, all He has done, and all He has promised.
Five Psalms was created by Donald S. Whitney, an author, and professor of Biblical spirituality at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, for people who struggle to pray, which is pretty much all of us!
In Dr. Whitney’s book “Praying the Bible,” he begins with this quote from John Piper:
“If I try to pray for people or events without having the word in front of me guiding my prayers, then several negative things happen. One is that I tend to be very repetitive… I just pray the same things all the time. Another negative thing is that my mind tends to wander.””
I find so much comfort in knowing I’m not alone in the struggle to pray. Thankfully, there is a tangible solution to this problem. We can pray God’s Word.
Dr. Whitney reminds readers in the book that God has given us the Psalms to help us worship and pray by putting His words in our mouth. No matter what feelings or circumstances you might be facing, you’re likely to find company and help in the Psalms. Most of all, you’re sure to find a reminder of who your God is in each and every season.
With the Psalms before me, I discover new things to pray for and fresh reminders of who God is for me and the people on my heart.
I have loved this system because it gets me praying and meditating on God’s Word at the same time. And after a couple of years of this, I’m finding God’s words are easier to remember and more readily on my lips when I need them most.
