I was talking to my mom the other day and I mentioned that far too often I struggle along rather than going to God in prayer immediately. Paul tells us to “pray without ceasing” for a reason. If you are like me, then grab your favorite warm drink, get comfortable, and let’s study Psalms for strength and how to turn them into prayers.

One thing I’d like to point out before we embark on this journey is our attitude in seeking these verses out. As I mentioned before, I tend to be an independent woman and don’t always rely on God to help me through. Do you know what happens? I become fearful, full of anxiety, restless, frustrated, and I make a lot of mistakes.

Psalm 105 tells us to “Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore!”. I think this means we start with seeking His face and His strength, and His will in our lives BEFORE we reach the point of desperation.

In the day when I cried out, You answered me,
And made me bold with strength in my soul. (Psalm 138:3)

This proves my point. When does God make us bold with strength? When we cry out to Him!

David understood this and place his confidence in the Lord. Whether you are struggling because of lack of faith, looking for direction, or needing God to give you strength to make it through the difficult season you are in, know you are not alone.

From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me,
A strong tower from the enemy. (Psalm 61:2-3)

What Psalms are Good for Strength?

There are so many Psalms that are good for strength! David knew God as his deliverer and his safe place. God never let David down and He won’t you either!

I’ve divided the Psalms into three categories:

• Psalms for strength and encouragement
• Psalms for strength and guidance
• Psalms for deliverance

Psalms for Strength and Encouragement

If I say, “My foot slips,”
Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up.
 In the multitude of my anxieties within me,
Your comforts delight my soul. (Psalm 94:18-19)

I wanted to draw attention to this first Psalm because it goes along with what I was talking about at the beginning of this list of Psalms for strength. We need to cry out to God in faith believing, not simply expect Him to provide us with what we need.

God is right there to keep His promises which is why these Psalms are what we need to pray (more about how to do this later). It is we who fall short on our end of the agreement. We give it to God and take it back. We expect God to meet our needs in the way we want and yet His ways are so much higher than ours.

As you study these Psalms for strength, remember that this is not one-sided. Your faith has everything to do with where your strength comes from.

My flesh and my heart fail;
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:26)

The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1)

God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea. (Psalm 46:1-2)

Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart,
All you who hope in the Lord. (Psalm 31:24)

The Lord will give strength to His people;
The Lord will bless His people with peace. (Psalm 29:11)

The Lord is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,
And with my song I will praise Him. (Psalm 28:7)

He will not be afraid of evil tidings;
His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. (Psalm 112:7)

My soul melts from heaviness;
Strengthen me according to Your word. (Psalm 119:28)

For You have armed me with strength for the battle;
You have subdued under me those who rose up against me. (Psalm 18:39)

I just want to comment on this last one. David was a man of war and physically fighting enemies was a part of his life. This is not something most of us relate to BUT we are engaged in a spiritual battle. I can testify that satan is after my family and he’s after yours as well. If you need ammunition against spiritual attack, check out these two posts.

25 Spiritual Warfare Scriptures for Your Entire Family

Spiritual Warfare in the Bible: My Family is Under Attack and so is Yours

Psalms for Strength and Guidance

I have set the Lord always before me;
Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. (Psalm 16:8)

I want to begin with this Psalm because it makes a good point. Our strength comes when we put God first. Guidance comes when we put our own thoughts and “wants” aside. When we let go of our own control and allow God to lead, amazing things happen.

In You, O Lord, I put my trust;
Let me never be put to shame.
Deliver me in Your righteousness, and cause me to escape;
Incline Your ear to me, and save me.
Be my strong refuge,
To which I may resort continually;
You have given the commandment to save me,
For You are my rock and my fortress. (Psalm 71:1-3)

This one confirms my point. He says that he resorts to his strong tower continually. How often? Continually. If you want strength from God, you need to learn to lean into Him all the time, not just when you are desperately sinking.

This is where true peace begins.

Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!
Seek the Lord and His strength;
Seek His face evermore! (Psalm 105:3-4)

Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord! (Psalm 27:14)

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)

As for God, His way is perfect;
The word of the Lord is proven;
He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

For who is God, except the Lord?
And who is a rock, except our God?
It is God who arms me with strength,
And makes my way perfect.
He makes my feet like the feet of deer,
And sets me on my high places. (Psalm 18:30-33)

Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord! (Psalm 27:14)

Psalms for Deliverance

I will love You, O Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Psalm 18:1-2)

You pushed me violently, that I might fall,
But the Lord helped me.
The Lord is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation. (Psalm 118:13-14)

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:1-2)

But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;
He is their strength in the time of trouble. (Psalm 37:39)

In God is my salvation and my glory;
The rock of my strength,
And my refuge, is in God. (62:7)

What is a Good Prayer for Strength?

I have been learning about praying the Psalms.

But I will sing of Your power;
Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning;
For You have been my defense
And refuge in the day of my trouble. (Psalm 59:16)

David is on the right track here. He is singing God’s praises. He is claiming God’s strength and mercy over his life. In confidence, He is praising God knowing that God will provide him strength, a shelter from the storm, and be his safety from the craziness of the world.

When you are praying for strength, begin with a praise and an acknowledgment of who God is.

I have also learned to pray the Psalms and I have found that it has really grown my prayer life. When you pray scripture, you are confessing your faith in God and His word and allowing His truths to connect you with Him.

Using the last Psalm listed (59:16) I would pray “I praise you for your power and thank you for your mercy. I thank you that you are my defense and refuge and I trust you with this situation”.

You can do this with any scripture. For more on this check out these posts:

Why Praying the Psalms is a Blessing and How to Go About it

14 Powerful Bible Verses to Pray Over Your Son

20 Bible Verses to Pray Over Your Daughter

I sincerely hope these Psalms for strength have encouraged you. Share your thoughts in the comments below!