Psalm 61 begins with these familiar words: 

Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy (Psalm 61:1-3).

What do you do when your heart is faint?  Where do you go? We all have a favorite refuge. A familiar place. A TV show. A cozy blanket. A best friend. As believers we are well aware that God is to be this refuge for us, but running to Him is not always a natural impulse. How will we learn? What will teach us to call on the Lord when our heart is faint?

In the spring of 2025, I was wrestling with how to lead our infant congregation through the Lenten wilderness. Life was happening. Hearts were faint. Emmanuel Lutheran had only met for weekly services for two months. As I considered the Lenten themes of prayer, fasting, and generosity, it became clear that we should focus on the theme of prayer. But how? What resource could we distribute to encourage the practice of prayer?

As pastor of a young congregation, I wanted a resource that would faithfully teach our people how to read and pray God’s Word. I prioritized faithful teaching, accessible language, and a beautiful design. 

My mind wandered back to my seminary years. Those years were filled with deep growth and learning, yet we had been warned from the beginning that learning must not replace spiritual growth. One of my classmates (I can’t recall who) discovered and introduced me to Reading the Psalms with Luther. Though I never used it extensively at the time, it was lodged in the back of my mind as an excellent little devotional gem.

Fast-forward to Lent 2025. I reviewed the format and content of the book. It became quickly apparent that this was the exact resource that would serve our people well. I placed an order through Ambassador Publications in order to have enough available for each household to take home with them at our Ash Wednesday Service. In addition, I printed a calendar and bookmark with a recommended Psalm for each day of Lent.

When we disperse a resource like this, we have little idea whether it is used at home. In this case, I heard back from our people. Many were reading the Psalm, the reading, and the prayer almost every day. At times, I would message a picture of the Psalm for the day or share the provided prayer. These were simply ways to remind our people of the valuable resource. It was a personal devotion resource that our church was engaging in together. That’s powerful!

Dr. Stephen J. Nichols writes:

Luther loved the Psalms, first lecturing on them in 1513–1516. His immersion in the Psalms certainly impacted the events of 1517. After the Ninety-Five Theses, Luther returned to the Psalms again and again. He started a practice of reading the Psalms through the day at seven designated times. This enabled him to read through the Psalter in two weeks. He kept disciplined at that practice throughout most of his life. He read the Psalms hundreds of times. He studied and lectured on the Psalms. He translated the Psalms into German. It is fair to say that Luther lived in the Psalms. (Nichols, September 2024)

Is your heart faint? Immerse yourself in the Psalms! Like Luther, live in them. They will lead you to the “rock that is higher”—Jesus Christ! You could buy a copy of Reading the Psalms with Luther to incorporate into your personal devotional time. You could also get a copy to share with a friend or spouse. Work through the Psalms together! You could get a copy for your church library. You could make it a practice to share one of the readings and prayers before regular meetings or prayer times.

Read and pray the Psalms with Luther! Based on experience, I’m confident that your faint heart will be fed, refreshed, and encouraged.

Pastor Matthew Pillman serves Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Ankeny, IA.