There are many ways to pray. There are many ways to pray that are good, appropriate, helpful, and honoring to God. Christians have often found it a blessing to pray words that others have written. Perhaps you have benefitted from praying the words of The Book of Common Prayer or The Valley of Vision. But I ask: Have you ever tried praying poetically?
In years past, Christians often wrote and prayed poetic prayers. My new book Pilgrim Prayers: Devotional Poems That Awaken Your Heart to the Goodness, Greatness, and Glory of God provides a selection of them—prayers you can integrate into your own times of devotion. And to prove to you how helpful such poems can be, I thought I would provide a few examples I have drawn from my archives.
Pre-order it at Amazon or Westminster Books
Here is a prayer a person might pray when he is considering his words and actions and wishes to ensure he is living for the good of others.
If any little word of mine
May make a life the brighter,
If any little song of mine
May make a heart the lighter,
God help me speak the little word,
And take my bit of singing,
And drop it in some lonely vale
To set the echoes ringing.If any little love of mine
May make a life the sweeter,
If any little care of mine
May make a friend’s the fleeter,
If any lift of mine may ease
The burden of another,
God give me love and care and strength
To help my toiling brother.
Here is a prayer a person might pray when enduring a time of chastening—when suffering the consequences of his own sinful actions.
LORD, dost Thou give the painful wound?
And shall we turn away?
Nay, rather for the sorest stroke
The trusting heart would stay.For faithful are Thy kindly wounds,
Though ‘neath the bruise we bend;
Sweet is the secret of Thy love,
Unfolded in the end.They deepen in our fickle hearts
The knowledge of Thy ways;
They put new songs within our lips,
And give new themes of praise.And when Thy chastening is past,
More gladness far is ours,
Than when the sweets of earthly joy
Increased on us in showers.Then do for us, O blessed Lord,
Whate’er Thou thinkest well;
Let sorrow sound upon our souls
Its deep, its dismal knell,If but the music of Thy love
With soft, yet deeper tone,
Awakes the soul to find in Thee
Delights before unknown.
Here is a prayer a pastor or congregant might pray on a Sunday morning:
Lord, give Thy people hearing ears
Who worship here today;
Obedient, may they follow Thee
Along the narrow way.May they be strengthened by Thy might,
Built up in faith and love,
To fit them for life’s service here
And for their Home above.Should sorrow be their portion, Lord,
Oh, bring Thy comfort nigh.
In storm of trials, calm their fear
And all their need supply.And as they, Lord, receive from Thee
Thy blessings, rich and free,
May they with glad and thankful hearts
In all things yield to Thee.
Pilgrim Prayers includes a selection of poems like these—poems that are written as prayers to the Lord. Each one is accompanied by a brief devotional and a question for reflection. I’ve also included guides on reading poetry and praying it. I trust you will find, as I have, that these poetic prayers can become a precious and meaningful part of your devotional life.
Pilgrim Prayers will be released on September 10 and is now available for pre-order at Amazon, Westminster Books, and other booksellers.
Note: the first poem is anonymous, the second by A.M. Hull, and the third by Grace E. Troy. Though these particular poems are not in Pilgrim Prayers (I can’t give too many of them away!), they are representative of the kind of poems that are.
