WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE THE WORDS

Praying the Psalms

Reed S. Dunn

When You Don’t Have the Words: Praying the Psalms

Copyright 2025 Reed S. Dunn

Lexham Press, 1313 Commercial St., Bellingham, WA 98225

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Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission.

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Print ISBN 9781683598060

Digital ISBN 9781683598077

Library of Congress Control Number 2024947109

Lexham Editorial: Rachel Joy Welcher, Jonathan Gardner, Katrina Smith

Cover Design: Sarah Brossow

For my wife Lee Ann and daughters,

Jennalee, Adeline, and Tarikwa

Contents

A Prayer

Part 1: A Psalmic Orientation

1 The Ancient Path

2 The Psalter as Spiritual Formation

3 How to Pray the Psalms

Part 2: The Psalmic Experience

4 Choosing to Believe

5 The Rock of Our Refuge

6 Prayers of Righteousness

7 Praying Against Evil

8 The Silence of God

9 Relating to God

10 Meeting God

Acknowledgments

Works Cited

A Prayer

O Lord, I am continually with you;

you hold my right hand.

You guide me with your counsel,

and afterward you will receive me to glory.

Whom have I in heaven but you?

And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail,

but you, O Lord, are the strength of my heart and

my portion forever.

For behold, those who are far from you shall perish;

you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.

But for me it is good to be near you;

I have made the Lord God my refuge,

that I may tell of all your works.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Part 1

A Psalmic Orientation

Chapter 1

The Ancient Path

Thus says the Lord: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.” Jeremiah 6:16

Throughout Scripture, we are encouraged to prioritize the presence of God. We are told to seek the Lord’s presence continually and be constant in prayer (Psalm 105:4; Romans 12:12). The access we have to God is truly staggering. When we pray, our words mix and mingle with the chorus of creatures that surround the Lord’s throne. Day and night those beings never cease to cry, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty!” (Revelation 4:8). And our prayers are included among theirs. Our words rise like incense into a realm we can scarcely imagine (Isaiah 6:3; Psalm 141:2; Revelation 8:3–4).

The presence of God is a place of mystery and awe. It may be a place of dread for some, but for Christians, it is the source of our greatest comfort, joy, and security. We can speak directly to him whose very presence burned like fire in the wilderness. Yet we are welcomed in and nourished for being there. As Psalm 16:11 says, “In your presence ...