Table of Contents
PRAYER
Our main goal in this time together is to build relationships and learn how to walk alongside one another in all that God has called us to be and do. With that in mind, let’s start by praying for each other.
Does anyone have prayer requests or personal stories of how God has been moving in your life that we can celebrate together?
A PRAYER FOR THE PSALMS AND HOPE
Self
THIS WEEK
Today, we’re kicking off a new series called A Prayer For The Psalms and Hope, where we’ll dive into the book of Psalms to learn not just what to pray, but how to pray. The Psalms reveal a raw, authentic, and passionate love for God’s presence while expressing His heart for the brokenness in the world around us.
Over the next six weeks, we’ll journey together, growing in a life of prayer and seeking God’s Kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
In A Prayer for the Thirsty Soul, we explore Psalm 143—a raw and honest cry from David in a season of spiritual dryness and desperation for God. Like David, we all experience moments of deep longing. This message reveals how prayer realigns our identity, renews our weary souls, and draws us back to the One who gives us life.
To start our time together, let’s begin with the following questions:
Share a time you felt spiritually dry or distant from God. What helped or hindered you in reconnecting with Him?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
SCRIPTURE
Have someone read Psalm 143 aloud. As you listen, notice any words or phrases that stand out, and ask the Holy Spirit to highlight something for you.
Psalm 143
1 Hear my prayer, O Lord;
give ear to my pleas for mercy!
In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!
2 Enter not into judgment with your servant,
for no one living is righteous before you.
3 For the enemy has pursued my soul;
he has crushed my life to the ground;
he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.
4 Therefore my spirit faints within me;
my heart within me is appalled.
5 I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all that you have done;
I ponder the work of your hands.
6 I stretch out my hands to you;
my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah
7 Answer me quickly, O Lord!
My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me,
lest I be like those who go down to the pit.
8 Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,
for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.
9 Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord!
I have fled to you for refuge.
10 Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me
on level ground!
11 For your name's sake, O Lord, preserve my life!
In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!
12 And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies,
and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul,
for I am your servant.
Corrie Ten Boom: “Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?”
The Psalms not only teach us what to pray but also how to pray. Psalm 143 offers a raw and heartfelt expression of longing and desperation for God’s presence. David’s prayer in this Psalm speaks to a deep thirst for God’s guidance and mercy during a time of spiritual dryness. As we parallel this to our own lives, we are invited to consider our own relationship with God through prayer—how we approach Him in times of difficulty, what we seek in our conversations with Him, and how we can grow in authenticity and faithfulness when we pray. Let’s take a moment to reflect on these questions and explore what God might be revealing to us through this Psalm.
What part of Psalm 143 stands out to you? Why?
What does this Psalm reveal about ourselves?
What does this Psalm reveal about God?
What does this Psalm teach us about prayer and how to pray?
Have you ever experienced a moment where you felt spiritually or emotionally lost, dry, or thirsty? How did prayer play a role or not in helping you find direction again?
What are some things in life you find yourself thirsting for the most? How do those desires shape your identity and decisions?
Do you feel as comfortable and transparent as David is in this Psalm when you pray? Why or why not?
What keeps us from praying the way we ought to, or want to?
Of the actions David prays in Psalm 143—confessing, remembering, pondering, and stretching out our hands to God—which is most challenging for you? Which is least?
How has your understanding of, and experience with, prayer changed over the course of your life (if at all)?
How can reflecting on God’s past faithfulness strengthen your faith during difficult times?
What are some practical ways we can open our hearts to praying according to God’s will in our daily lives?
What changes (if any) can you make to develop a better rhythm of prayer in your life?
How have you incorporated Psalm 143 into your personal prayer life this past week? If you haven’t, how might you do so this week? W
How does praying Psalm 143—remembering David’s cries that foreshadow Jesus as the Righteous One, Deliverer, Light, Life-Giver, and Soul-Satisfier—help us continually seek God’s heart in prayer?
CLOSING THOUGHT
Prayer is more than a ritual—it’s an invitation to an intimate relationship with God. Psalm 143 reminds us that we are welcomed to bring our raw emotions, deep longings, and weary souls before Him, trusting that He hears, answers, and leads us according to His well.
As we learn to pray to and with God the Father—through Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit—with honesty and faith, may we remember that Jesus alone is our refuge, our guide, and the One who satisfies our deepest thirst. This week, may we renew our commitment to prayer—not just seeking God’s hand for what He provides, but pursuing His heart for who He is as our Father, knowing we are His beloved sons and daughters.
Closing prayer: Father, You are our refuge, our righteousness, and our guide. When our souls are dry and thirsty, refresh and quench us with Your spirit. When we feel lost, lead us in the way we should go. Teach us to pray with honesty and trust, knowing You are near to those who call on You. May our hearts be fully surrendered to You, and may our prayers reflect a deepening dependence on Your love and faithfulness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Alvin Brown, the Lead Pastor of Mosaic Church Fort Worth, brings over a decade of pastoral ministry experience and more than 20 years of operational and technical leadership expertise. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Telecommunications Management from DeVry University and an MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management. He enjoys spending quality time with his wife, Mallary, and their three children and contributing as a writer to various media outlets.
