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RETURN TO YOUR REST, MY SOUL, FOR THE LORD HAS BEEN GOOD TO YOU. -PSLAM 116:7 

Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.” ‭‭Psalm‬ ‭116:7 

Today we’re gonna roll up our sleeves with Psalm 116.  

Ordinarily, I write a devo, you read it, and hopefully it gets your gears going about how you might apply our verse to your life. But this morning, as I was meditating on Psalm 116, I was firmly convinced that I needed to stray from our normal in order to bless you with the same words that blessed me. Today, instead of reading my words, I want you to pray God’s words in Psalm 116 back to him. It’s super easy, and I promise it will refresh your soul. First, I’ll show you how. Then, I’ve included the whole Psalm for you to read and pray through.

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​Here’s what you do: 

1.  Familiarize yourself with the text. Just read through Psalm 116. Essentially, the psalmist recalls how God rescued him from a really bleak time, and this song is his response of praise and thanksgiving. If you have time, you can do all sorts of other extra-credit type stuff. You can print it out on some paper to doodle on, or you can write out each verse in your journal. Highlight it. Underline it. Draw arrows to show how one verse is dependent on another. Write out your favorite verse and put it somewhere you’ll see it. Just interact with those words as much as you want, however you do, I’m sure you have your ways…  

2.  Apply the words to your own life. What verses stick out to you? What convicts you, consoles you, encourages you? How have you seen God work in your life in similar ways? Our Psalm starts out with “I love the LORD because…” How would you finish that sentence? Recall a specific time when God showed up in a powerful way.  

3.  Talk to God about it. Verse 3 and 4 say, “I was overcome by distress and sorrow. THEN I called on the name of the Lord…” You do the same. Call on the name of the Lord, or in modern language: talk to God about what’s going on in your life. Ask him for strength, wisdom, and direction. Confess your shortcomings, and ask him to help you overcome them. Ask him to give you rest for your soul. Whatever is going on with you, however you feel, talk to God about it, just like you would a friend. He hears your voice and cares (verses 1 &2). 

4.  Praise God. The psalmist sings this beautiful song about God, because he’s personally experienced God’s tender care. Express your own praises to God in response to his goodness in your life.  

Okay. So that’s it. Easy-peasy, right? Here’s the whole Psalm for you to read and pray through. I hope it blesses you like it did me.  

1 I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. 2 Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. 3 The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me; I was overcome by distress and sorrow. 4 Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Lord, save me!” 5 The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. 6 The Lord protects the unwary; when I was brought low, he saved me. 7 Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. 8 For you, Lord, have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, 9 that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living. 10 I trusted in the Lord when I said, “I am greatly afflicted”; 11 in my alarm I said, “Everyone is a liar.” 12 What shall I return to the Lord for all his goodness to me? 13 I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. 14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people. 15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants. 16 Truly I am your servant, Lord; I serve you just as my mother did; you have freed me from my chains. 17 I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the Lord. 18 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people, 19 in the courts of the house of the Lord— in your midst, Jerusalem. Praise the Lord.

Thanks for reading,