Episode 83: Praying the Psalms

In this New Year’s Day episode, Derek kicks off 2026 by reflecting on the power of habits over resolutions. He describes a spiritual habit that has shaped his life for years: praying one psalm a day. This ancient practice formed Israel, Jesus, and the early church, and continues to form Christians today. Derek shares how he first learned to pray the Psalms during a season of frustration as a young youth pastor, discovering that David’s battles with enemies gave him language to fight the interior enemies of his soul. Praying the Psalms taught him emotional honesty, resilience, and trust. He then walks through five reasons to adopt this practice in 2026, emphasizing how the Psalms root us in an ancient community, embrace every human emotion, provide a language of prayer, and use powerful metaphors to connect the seen and unseen. Highlights Habits shape us more than resolutions. Praying one psalm a day is a simple and transformative spiritual practice. The Psalms root us in the ancient prayers of Israel—and of Jesus Himself. They give voice to every human emotion, including anger, lament, and hope. The Psalms teach us how to pray when we don’t know what to say. Their metaphors help us encounter God in ordinary life. Derek shares how praying Psalm 71 reshaped his early ministry by helping him confront inner enemies. Resources Psalm of the Day Chart: https://derekvreeland.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Psalm-for-the-day.pdf Book mentioned in this episode: Answering God by Eugene Peterson Scriptures mentioned in this episode Psalm 71, Psalm 23 Has Peaceable and Kind been meaningful to you? Support the show by: Leaving a review Giving us a 5-star rating on your podcast app Sharing this episode with a friend Order Derek's new book, Incarnation: 8 Lessons on How God Meets Us, here: https://amzn.to/42jSZAs Did you find this episode helpful on your spiritual journey? Consider helping us out! Leave a review Share it with your friends Give us a 5-Star rating on your podcast app of choice Learn more about Derek’s work as a pastor and author: https://derekvreeland.com Interact with Derek on Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky, or Facebook