"Let me hear you sing, let me hear you pray, and I will write your theology."

-Gordon Fee

1 I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up

    and have not let my foes rejoice over me.

2 O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,

    and you have healed me.

3 O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;

    you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.

4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,

    and give thanks to his holy name.

5 For his anger is but for a moment,

    and his favor is for a lifetime.

Weeping may stay for the night,

    but joy comes with the morning.

“[Prayer] enables us to bring into our conversations with God feelings and thoughts most of us think we need to get rid of before God will be interested in hearing from us.”

-Ellen Davis

11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;

    you have loosed my sackcloth

    and clothed me with gladness,

12 that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.

    O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

You did it: you changed wild lament

    into whirling dance;

You ripped off my black mourning band

    and decked me with wildflowers.

I’m about to burst with song;

    I can’t keep quiet about you.

God, my God,

    I can’t thank you enough.