Ideas for writing your own psalm of praise

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

If you are writing your own psalm this week, here are some ideas about what you might include. 

I.  Call to Worship

Praise the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song. . . .Psalm‬ ‭149:1‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. ‭Psalm‬ ‭150:1‬ ‭NIV‬‬

. . .Take up your timbrels and go out to dance with the joyful.
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭31:4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. ‭‭Psalm‬ ‭95:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. ‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭16:28‬ ‭NIV

Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day. ‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭16:23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

II. Identify the Audience (who)

All you Israelites, praise the Lord; 
house of Aaron, praise the Lord; 
house of Levi, praise the Lord; 
you who fear him, praise the Lord.  Psalm‬ ‭135:19-20 ‭NIV‬‬

Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the peoples extol him. ‭‭Romans‬ ‭15:11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. ‭‭Psalm‬ ‭150:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and all that move in them. ‭‭Psalm‬ ‭69:34‬ ‭NIV‬

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter‬ ‭2:9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

You might want to use these to start your creative juices flowing. Don't worry about sounding like the old verses -- make your psalm sound like you. 

Incorporate the way you like to worship. 

Address the people you might be writing to today. Or perhaps future generations who might stumble across your writings. 

Give it a shot. Let's see what happens. 

Lord, give us the inspiration to write our own psalm of praise to You. Help us to be creative for Your glory.