“But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.” (Ps 39:7)

My spiritual discipline for 2020 is prayer, and what a year of prayer it has been! From global issues like COVID-19 to national issues such as racial disparities and the election to personal issues like community, I’m learning to “pray continually” (1 Thess 5:17). But sometimes, situations are overwhelming, and words are hard to find. When that happens, I use prayer prompts I find online or in a Bible study plan. Often those prompts are from the Psalms.

Have you ever prayed Scripture? When we don’t know what to pray, we can pray Scripture, inserting our name to personalize it or just reading it back to God. He hears, and he knows our hearts.

In this year of chaos, anxiety, and disunity, I have found the Psalms to be a source of comfort. Here are five Psalms to pray when you feel discouraged.

• Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. (Ps 25:5)
• The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. (Ps 28:7)
• Rise up and help us; rescue us because of your unfailing love. (Ps 44:26)
• For what you have done I will always praise you in the presence of your faithful people. And I will hope in your name, for your name is good. (Ps 59:9)
• I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word. (Ps 119:147)

Dear Jesus, as it says in Psalm 62:5, my soul finds rest in you. My hope comes from you alone. Amen.