I Will Not Be Silent: Praying the Psalms

By Sharon D. Dexter

This Christian devotional book is designed to help people re-connect with God in a prayerful manner. It uses the format of quoting a short segment of a selected Psalm, followed by a brief discussion, followed by a short prayer.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rustik Haws LLC
• Release date: Apr 2, 2020
• ISBN: 9781952244933

Sharon D. Dexter

Sharon Dexter is a retired elementary school teacher with over thirty years of experience ranging from grades two through six. She and her husband, Gerry, live in a small town in southern Wisconsin. Ms. Dexter wrote the devotional Fifty-Two Favorite Verses (Old Testament) and offered it to her congregation at Chapel on the Hill, a nondenominational church. She has also written short stories and poetry for Sunday school take-home papers for young children, teens, and adults. Her work has appeared in Purpose, Discovery Trails, Beginner’s Friend, Story Friends, Secret Place, Story Mates, Partners, Evangelizing Today’s Child, Our Little Friend, and Devo’Zine.

Book preview

Preface

Lives are not lived on the mountaintop. All pathways wind around boulder- sized problems, past treacherous crevasses of decisions, through dark valleys of sin, and across arid desert times of turning away, as well as over lush hills of obedience. But through it all, our Lord walks with us. God offers Holy support, whether we choose to accept it or not. He yearns to hear our prayers.

In the good times, we find it easy to sing our praises and to thank the Lord. But let us not be silent during the difficult times. Remember to praise with the promises, and thank our God, in all circumstances. Fill your prayers with thanksgiving for blessings.

Who am I, to have written this book? I am a child of God.

In my youth, I attended church and Sunday school classes. After this strong foundation, I willfully turned my back. Motherhood found me dabbling with the church, but not attending faithfully until my son left home.

Returning to God and faithful church and Sunday school attendance, I joined various workgroups (including Missions, Christian Education and Nurture, and Evangelism), led the church Food Pantry for sixteen years, served as Church Elder for seventeen years, and as Elder Clerk for the past ten. I now also co-teach Beginner and Spiritual Maturity classes.

God held me together through my father’s trip to ICU, followed by the six months in the nursing home. He blessed me with comfort and promises through the cancer and death of both my sisters. He walked with me through my mother‘s last years. The pathway through boulder-strewn hills eventually wended down into greener pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters (Psalm 23:2). Indeed, He guides me through all daily difficulties. I pray and sing God’s praises, and I will not be silent!

Table of Contents

Preface

Beginnings

Psalm 30:12 (TEV)

Psalm 81:5b (TM)

God’s Power

Psalm 93:2 (TEV)

Psalm 8:3-4 (RSV)

Psalm 89:11 (NCV)

Apart From You

Psalm 14:1 (CEV)

Psalm 16:2 (NIV)

Psalm 139:13 (TEV)

Psalm 44:21b (RSV)

Psalm 5:7 (TEV)

Your Glory

Psalm 66:16 (CEV)

Psalm 31:21a (NLT)

Psalm 100:1-2 (RSV)

Psalm 19:1 (TEV)

Psalm 122:1 (KJV)

Your Word

Psalm 1:1-2 (NRSV)

Psalm 18:28 (CEV)

Psalm 4:6a-7b (NIV)

Psalm 42:2 (RSV)

Psalm 33:4 (TEV)

Your Guidance

Psalm 5:8b (NCV)

Psalm 23:2b (NLT)

Psalm 23:4 (KJV)

Psalm 63:1 (NCV)

Psalm 73:23-24 (NLT)

Direction

Psalm 34:14 (NRSV)

Psalm 40:8 (NIV)

Psalm 69:6 (NRSV)

Psalm 118:24 (NCV)

Conversations

Psalm 5:3 (NIV)

Psalm 139:4 (NRSV)

Psalm 17:6 (NRSV)

Psalm 66:19 (NLT)

Psalm 69:13 (NASB)

Troubles

Psalm 94:19 (RSV)

Psalm 86:6-7 (RSV)

Psalm 18:6 (NIV)

Psalm 55:22 (KJV)

Psalm 46:1 (NLT)

Psalm 3:4-5 (NIV)

Psalm 94:18 (NCV)

Refuge & Safety

Psalm 46:10 (NRSV)

Psalm 56:10-11 (NASB)

Psalm 61:4 (NASB)

Forgiveness

Psalm 32:5 (CEV)

Psalm 19:12-13a (CEV)

Psalm 49:7-8 (TEV)

Psalm. 51:10-11 (KJV)

Psalm 103:11-12 (NASB)

Love and Mercy

Psalm 33:22 (NCV)

Psalm 51:1 (NRSV)

Psalm 89:2 (TEV)

Psalm 27:13 (RSV)

Trust

Psalm 84:12 (KJV)

Psalm 13:5 (NIV)

Psalm 37:5 (RSV)

Psalm 28:7 (NRSV)

Psalm 20:7 (NIV)

Sing for Joy

Psalm 33:3 (NIV)

Psalm 66:1 (RSV)

Psalm 92:1-2 (TEV)

Closing

Psalm 5:11 (NIV)

Bibliography

About the Author

Beginnings

Beginnings

Psalm 30:12 (TEV)

I will not be silent; I will sing praise to you.

Lord, you are my God; I will give you thanks forever.

Lord, this is a fervent prayer. All too often, we are silent. How often do we mention Your name in public? When do we speak of Your mercy and love? What should we say? Speak the word evangelize and most of us run scared.

Yet, inside, we sing Your praise in our hearts. We feel Your glow within. Do our faces reflect it? We give you thanks again and again, as You give, and give, and give.

You bless us with family, friends, and with opportunities for service. You give glorious sunshine and healing rain in all corners of existence. You are life itself! How could we not praise You? How can we not give You thanks forever?

Lord, I love you. I pray your Psalm, I praise Your name, and I thank You for my forever. I go from I will to I must tell others of