Psalm 119

I once heard Charles Stanley say that, when we kneel down to pray and we don't know what to say, that's a good sign that we need to stay on our knees and keep praying!

In similar spirit, when I find myself struggling to pray, I often turn to Psalm 119. Clocking in at 176 verses, Psalm 119 is well-known as the longest chapter in the Bible. (For example, in the audio Bible that I have loaded on my MP3 player, Psalm 119 is almost 18 minutes long.)

Now, regarding Psalm 119, I find that its length, itself, is an attribute, because it forces me to focus on spiritual matters for longer than I otherwise might. But length, along, is not what makes Psalm 119 so special. Rather, Psalm 119, from beginning to end, is one of the most beautiful prayers in the entire Bible. A constant theme throughout the psalm is the joy that comes from complete trust in God, and the overwhelming delight in obeying his commandments.

As a small example, verse 10 (ESV) reads,

With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!

What a beautiful, one-line prayer. And Psalm 119 is full of such verses!

So as a useful prayer tool, spend time with Psalm 119. Whether reading it or listening to it, Psalm 119 forces us to remain focused in prayer for 15-20 minutes. And afterward, you'll feel spiritually renewed!