Psalm 116:8-9

International Standard Version (ISV): Indeed, you delivered my soul from death, my eyes from crying, and my feet from stumbling. I will walk in the LORD’s presence in the lands of the living.

Directions:  Choose a translation of the Bible that you easily understand, but that has depth of meaning.  I recommend that you keep a special journal just for praying the Psalms.  Try praying the Psalms for yourself before reading my version of these verses.  The point of this method is for the Spirit to speak with your heart and that you will commune with God about how your own experience relates to His word.  I only include my sample to help you understand what I mean in the steps and because it is always good for Christians to share their thoughts about God and experiences with Him.

Step 1:  Choose a verse or two from one of the Psalms and write it out in a notebook. 

Step 2: After reading a thought from the verse, begin writing your own version of that thought.  This is not exactly paraphrasing the Psalmist’s words although you can paraphrase if you wish.  This is taking the thought and applying it to your own life and changing the words to fit your own experience.  Continue writing about your experience with God until you no longer have anything more to say.

Step 3:  Go to the next thought in the verse and repeat Step 2. 

Step 4:  Continue this process until you feel satisfied that you are finished or until the verse’s thoughts are finished.

My version (verses 8-9): 

I had chosen a life away from You. It had become a prison of hopelessness. I was marking time on my way to death. I was trying to make the trip to desolation as cheerful as possible, but the reality was that I was heading towards death. I smiled while inside the tears flowed, and I lurched from one false solution to another. You held out Your hand constantly, and one day I finally saw it and gave You mine. You rescued me, and brought me back to life. I will never let Your hand go. Forever, I will walk with You. Whether we walk here in this land of desolation or in heaven, we are walking together in a life that death cannot conquer.