The Psalms: Prayer, Lament, Confession, Trust, and Praise

In this final episode of Walking Through the Psalms, Dave Jenkins looks back over the whole Book of Psalms and considers what this inspired book teaches God’s people about worship, prayer, lament, confession, trust, hope, and praise.The Psalms are not merely ancient songs. They are the prayer book of God’s people. They teach us to bring the whole of life before the Lord: our joy, sorrow, fear, grief, sin, questions, and praise. Above all, the Psalms lead us to Jesus Christ, the true King, the righteous sufferer, the perfect worshiper, the good Shepherd, and the risen Lord who reigns forever.

Episode Summary

The Book of Psalms reveals the Lord as Creator, King, Shepherd, Judge, Redeemer, Rock, Fortress, Deliverer, and covenant-keeping God. Throughout the Psalms, God teaches His people to worship Him as He has revealed Himself in His Word, not according to human imagination.In this episode, Dave explains how the Psalms teach Christians to pray honestly and faithfully, lament with hope, confess sin and receive mercy, trust the steadfast love of the Lord, and praise God because He alone is worthy. The Psalms do not teach fake spirituality. They teach faith-filled honesty before the God who sees, hears, reigns, cares, and keeps His promises.The Psalms also expose our need for Jesus Christ. We do not pray, worship, trust, confess, or praise as we ought. That is why we need Christ, the perfect worshiper, faithful Son, true King, righteous sufferer, good Shepherd, final refuge, crucified Savior, risen Lord, and reigning King.

Listen and Watch

Key Scriptures

• Psalm 1:1–2
• Psalm 42:5
• Psalm 51:1–4
• Psalm 150:6
• 2 Corinthians 1:20
• 1 Peter 5:7

Episode Highlights

• The Psalms teach us to worship the God who has revealed Himself in His Word.
• The Psalms teach us to bring the whole of life before God.
• The Psalms give words to God’s people when we do not know what to pray.
• Biblical lament teaches us to grieve honestly while hoping in God faithfully.
• The Psalms teach us to confess sin and receive mercy.
• The Psalms steady our hearts on the steadfast love of the Lord.
• The Psalms lead us to Christ, the true King and righteous sufferer.
• The Psalms teach us that praise gets the final word for the people of God.

Why This Matters

Every part of life belongs before the Lord. The Psalms teach Christians to bring joy, sorrow, sin, fear, hope, and praise before God with reverence and honesty. They remind us that the Lord is near to His people, faithful to His promises, merciful to repentant sinners, and sovereign over all things.Because of Christ, the final word for the people of God will be praise. The Psalms teach us to pray, lament, confess, trust, hope, and praise the Lord until faith becomes sight and the people of God enter into everlasting worship.

Continue Studying the Psalms

If this episode encouraged you, we invite you to continue exploring our full collection of sermons and teaching through the Psalms. These resources are designed to help you grow in worship, prayer, trust, and hope in the Lord through His Word.Browse More Sermons on the Psalms

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