Psalm 23 Prayer Points With Scriptures
We all face times when we need the assurance that God is with us in the valley of the shadow of death. We need his assurance, comfort, and guidance. Today, we’ll explore six Psalm 23 prayer points with Scriptures to guide our prayers.
Then, I’ll invite you to apply these prayers to your difficult situations.
Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you find comfort in the Lord.
Let’s begin with our Psalm 23 prayer points.
Psalm 23 Prayer Points With Scriptures
Psalm 23 is an excellent model for prayer when life is difficult. Let’s use God’s Word to guide our prayers today.
Psalm 23 Prayer Points
Prayer Point #1: Thank God for his care.
Scripture: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1 ESV).
As a shepherd cares for and even lays down his life for his sheep, God cares for us. He promises to withhold nothing good from those who walk with him (Psalm 84:11). Thank God for caring for you and providing for you.
Prayer Point #2: Thank God for being your source of restoration and refreshment.
Scripture: “He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters” (verse 2).
At times, God restores us by physically calling us to lie down and rest. At other times, he leads us through life gently, as if we are walking along still waters.
God wants you to learn to turn to him for replenishment and restoration.
Learn to lie in his green pastures by spending time resting in his presence. Learn to walk beside still waters by seeking his face and finding peace in his presence.
Prayer Point #3: Thank God for leading you in the paths of righteousness.
Scripture: “He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” (verse 3).
Those who have received Jesus as Savior and Leader of their lives are made righteous by his sacrifice on the cross. Christ took the punishment we deserve when he died on the cross.
As we follow him, he leads us in the paths of righteousness.
Prayer Point #4: Thank God that his presence goes with you and drives out all fear.
Scripture: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (verse 4).
Even when life is difficult, we don’t need to fear because God is with us.
He promises never to leave us.
He protects us and comforts us.
Prayer Point #5: Thank God for filling you with his Spirit.
Scripture: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows” (verse 5).
If you are a follower of Jesus, the Holy Spirit dwells within you.
No matter what you face, no matter how great your enemies seem to be, the Spirit within you is greater.
God wants you to live in such a way that his living water flows through you. Thank him for his power and his presence.
Prayer Point #6: Thank God for pursuing you with goodness and mercy.
Scripture: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (verse 6).
God is pursuing you, and he has gifts in his hands.
He wants to reveal his goodness to you, and he wants to shower you with unmerited kindness and compassion.
These gifts are yours to receive as you respond to God’s pursuit.
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Let’s now take some time to apply these Psalm 23 prayer points to our most hopeless situations.
I invite you to join me as I walked through the winter forest and sought God for hope and restoration.
Applications of These Psalm 23 Prayer Points
The wind that ripped and tore all day finally calms, and I slip into the valley to walk in the silence. I’m here because I need to remind myself to put my hope in Jesus instead of putting my hope in climbing out of the valley of discomfort.
Have you ever faced a valley so deep you wondered how you would possibly climb out of the darkness?
Maybe the death of a precious loved one left you reeling with pain. Perhaps your marriage fell apart, your dream died, or you faced a devastating diagnosis.
If you’re anything like me, you wanted to put your hope in Jesus, but, mostly, you put your hope in climbing out of the grief.
There’s nothing wrong with hoping for our circumstances to improve, but God is inviting us to embrace his peace while we’re in the middle of our pain as well.
A few years ago, our family endured a heartbreaking loss. My knee-jerk reaction was to sprint through the valley of despair and emerge from our grief-stricken season as quickly as possible. I wanted to close the painful chapter and be done with the pain.
How to Put Your Hope in Jesus
As I hurriedly aimed to push myself through the pain, God offered me a different invitation.
I realized he was asking me to stop putting my hope in getting to the other side of the pain.
He invited me to claim his hope by resting in his arms, the arms of the Shepherd. He reminded me of his promise to walk with me through every valley. I didn’t have to wait to climb out of the valley to claim hope—Living Hope walked with me through the valley.
I remind myself of these lessons as I walk beneath the dusky sky.
My hope is not found in an improved situation. My hope is found in Jesus.
Your hope is not found in improved circumstances. Jesus is your hope. #HopeinJesus #Jesus #Hope Share on XThe Shepherd Has Not Left You
We live in a broken world, and we will all experience pain.
The next time your heart is broken, your soul is grieving, or your body is paralyzed with physical pain, remember this: The Shepherd has not left you to navigate this valley on your own.
He is beside you, and he will carry you when you are too weak to walk.
He is your Comforter, your Constant Companion, and your Living Hope.
Cling to this reminder from Psalm 23:4: “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.”
He has promised never to leave you, and he assures you that nothing can ever take his love away from you. Claim these promises as you let him fill you with his hope in the middle of your most painful valleys.
Your Invitation to Put Your Hope in Jesus
Jesus wants to be your Living Hope.
I encourage you to take a few minutes to read and meditate on today’s Psalm 23 prayer points.
Where have you been placing your hope? Have you been tempted to find hope by imagining how life will improve when your pain finally subsides?
What does God want to show you about his sufficiency as you make him your source of hope in the middle of your pain?
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If these Psalm 23 prayer points and reflections blessed you, I invite you to explore our devotional books and library of free eBooks below. May the Shepherd’s presence bring you peace.
Calling All Parents and Grandparents!
As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 15, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or older relatives to read with the children and teens they love. You can find all three books here or read more below.
Attention All Boy Moms (and Dads)!
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength helps young boys, ages 5-13, learn what it means to trust God and become strong warriors for his kingdom. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to boldly carry God’s love into the world. I wrote this boys’ devotional book with our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven! You’ll enjoy their honesty as we teach boys how to be strong warriors for the Lord. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
Mother-Daughter Devotionals by a Mom and Daughter
Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.
Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.
Find Our Family Devotionals Here
Find all three books right here. They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial! These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them. Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.
A Free Devotional Book to Help You Find Hope in Jesus:
Lastly, I have a gift for you today. Glimpses of Hope for When Life Lets You Down is my free online devotional to help lift your head. You will find daily readings to help you heal in God’s presence. Click here and I’ll send it to your email inbox today! I also offer a library of free online devotional eBooks for free. I invite you to explore the collection right here!
