Worship is a daunting task. For that reason, God gave us the Psalms – a praisebook for God’s people. The Psalms could be titled God’s Book of Common Prayer. This collection of hymns and petitions are strung together by one thread – a heart hungry for God.
Some are defiant. Others are reverent. Some are to be sung. Others are to be prayed. Some are intensely personal. Others are written as though the whole world would use them. Some were penned in caves, others in temples.
But all have one purpose – to give us words to say when we stand before God. The very variety should remind us that worship is personal. No secret formula exists. What moves you may stymie another. Each worships differently. But each should worship. The book (the Psalms) will help you do just that.
Here is a hint. Don’t just read the prayers of these saints, pray them. Experience their energy. Imitate their honesty. Enjoy their creativity. Let these souls lead you to worship. And let’s remember. The language of worship is not polished, perfect, or advanced. It’s just honest.
–Max Lucado, The Inspirational Study Bible, “The Introduction to the Book of Psalms”