by Pastor Paul Dugan
Try this three-part rhythm for praying God’s Story into your own…
Part I: Pause for silence in the presence of God, who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Slowly inhale, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Slowly exhale, and be cleansed of any distractions. Repeat this breathing prayer until you have brought your whole self (“as-is”) into the presence of God.
Reflect on the joys and challenges of the day. What are you thankful for? Where did you see God at work? What do you lament? What do you need to confess?
Part II: Today we explore a Psalm of Sacred History: Psalm 136
History matters. “The way we understand human life depends on what conception we have of the human story. What is the real story of which my life story is a part?” (Leslie Newbigin)
Your life is a story. Like a good story, it has a beginning, middle, and end. It includes elements of tension, conflict, surprise, and resolution along the way. I cannot know you apart from knowing your story. And your story has been shaped by a larger story. That narrative began with your family of origin, It has been further formed by your generation’s story, your cultural and ethnic story, and so on. Whether we like it or not, whether we are conscious of it or not, for good or for bad, we are all being shaped by larger stories.
But sooner or later these stories betray us. Their promises of the “good life” come crashing down, leading to cynicism and despair. But the crash of stories can also be a gift, a birth of a new story. Great spiritual awakenings have taken place in the ruins of cultural stories, as generations have rediscovered a better narrative- the Story of God.
The Story of God is the only story that is true enough, honest enough, and large enough to make sense of all our messy stories. The Bible is best read as a single unfolding Story leading to Jesus.
The psalms of sacred history help re-connect us with that Story.
The psalms of sacred history rehearse the Story of the mighty acts of God in the midst of human folly and weakness. They are psalms of “His-story” and “our story.” They tend to be longer than other psalms, recounting in chronological order many of the saving acts of God in the forming and delivering his people.
These psalms, like the whole Bible, invite us to enter into God’s Story and to discover our part in it. But, just a warning: it’s a messy story. “Nothing is glossed over. God works patiently and deeply, but often in hidden ways, in the mess of our humanity and history…” (Eugene Peterson).
The psalms of sacred history not only invite us into the messiness of God’s Story. They invite us to pass on that Story to the next generation.
Part III: Slowly read from Psalm 136…
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods.
His faithful love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords.
His faithful love endures forever.
4 Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles.
His faithful love endures forever.
5 Give thanks to him who made the heavens so skillfully.
His faithful love endures forever.
6 Give thanks to him who placed the earth among the waters.
His faithful love endures forever.
7 Give thanks to him who made the heavenly lights—
His faithful love endures forever.
8 the sun to rule the day,
His faithful love endures forever.
9 and the moon and stars to rule the night.
His faithful love endures forever.
10 Give thanks to him who killed the firstborn of Egypt.
His faithful love endures forever.
11 He brought Israel out of Egypt.
His faithful love endures forever.
12 He acted with a strong hand and powerful arm.
His faithful love endures forever.
13 Give thanks to him who parted the Red Sea.
His faithful love endures forever.
14 He led Israel safely through,
His faithful love endures forever.
15 but he hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea.
His faithful love endures forever.
16 Give thanks to him who led his people through the wilderness.
His faithful love endures forever.
17 Give thanks to him who struck down mighty kings.
His faithful love endures forever.
18 He killed powerful kings—
His faithful love endures forever.
19 Sihon king of the Amorites,
His faithful love endures forever.
20 and Og king of Bashan.
His faithful love endures forever.
21 God gave the land of these kings as an inheritance—
His faithful love endures forever.
22 a special possession to his servant Israel.
His faithful love endures forever.
23 He remembered us in our weakness.
His faithful love endures forever.
24 He saved us from our enemies.
His faithful love endures forever.
25 He gives food to every living thing.
His faithful love endures forever.
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His faithful love endures forever.
Part VI: Pray your own sacred history psalm.
So, how do we tell our story? I have found it helpful to frame stories through the four great movements of the biblical narrative: Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration.
Here are some suggestions on how to pray your own “sacred history psalm” from your life this week:
Creation: What have been some influences that gave you a sense of value and worth this week? What simple gifts of creation are you most grateful for? Give him thanks now.
Fall: What were some of the ways you experienced the pain and brokenness of sin this week? (your own and other's sin). Lament the pain. Confess your failures.
Redemption: How did you sense the Holy Spirit tugging you to put your trust in Christ? Who/what did God use in this process? Give praise and thanks to God for his tugs in your life.
Restoration: (looking to God’s future Story) What do you want him to change in you / in your world? (be specific) What aspect of the new heavens and new earth are you most looking forward to? Tell him your longings.
The psalms were originally written as lyrics, sung by the people of God. Take time to listen to a version of Psalm 136 set to music…
From the album, Autumn Sessions (2020) by Peter Crockett Music
From the album, My Bluegrass Heart (2021) by Chris Thile and Bela Fleck.
For links to individual guides for more than one hundred different psalms click here.
For more on the Psalms:
Here is an introduction to the Book of Psalms.
For a list of psalms by literary style (genre) click here.
For an introduction to the narrative arc of the psalms, see Spirituality of the Psalms, by Walter Brueggemann.