← Back to Blog
Free Sermon Planning Platform

Everything you need to plan, write, and present your sermon

SermonForge gives you outlines, a writing studio, biblical study tools, and presentation creation — all in one place, all free.

Open the Editor
  • 300+ sermon outlines
  • Editor that saves to your Google Drive
  • Greek & Hebrew tools
  • One-click slides

Building a Sermon Series Around the Psalms: Ancient Prayers for Modern Believers

by SermonForge
Psalmsworshipprayersermon series

When Psalm 13 was written, the psalmist was desperate. "How long, O Lord, will you forget me?" he cries. Not a polite, carefully worded prayer. A raw, honest cry of pain and confusion. And then, mysteriously, by the end of the psalm, he's singing: "But I have trusted in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation."

This is the genius of the Psalms. They don't hide human emotion. They don't pretend everything is okay. They express anger, despair, joy, gratitude, and confusion—often all in the same psalm. They teach us to pray honestly before God.

A sermon series on the Psalms is powerful because it speaks to the whole human experience in the presence of God. It legitimizes emotions many believers have been taught to suppress. It models what genuine prayer looks like. It connects ancient faith with modern struggles.

Why the Psalms Make a Great Series

The Psalms are shorter and more self-contained than longer books, making them ideal for sermon series. Each psalm is a complete thought or prayer. They're poetic and engaging in ways that technical instruction isn't. They address universal human experiences: loss, fear, joy, praise, lament, confidence.

They also give you flexibility in how you structure the series. You can organize around types of psalms (lament psalms, praise psalms, wisdom psalms). You can organize around themes (Psalms about trust, Psalms about God's faithfulness, Psalms about struggle). You can follow the arc of the psalter itself. Or you can simply choose psalms that address seasons your congregation is experiencing.

Choosing Your Psalms

You don't need to preach through all 150 psalms (that would take 3 years). Instead, choose 5-8 psalms that represent different types and address varied human experience.

Try this combination:

Psalm 23 (Trust and comfort) - everyone knows this one, and it comforts people in difficult seasons

Psalm 42 (Longing for God) - for those who feel spiritually dry

Psalm 73 (Struggle with injustice) - for those asking "Why do evil people prosper?"

Psalm 100 (Praise and thanksgiving) - for celebration and joy

Psalm 139 (God's knowledge and presence) - for those feeling unseen or misunderstood

Psalm 13 or 22 (Lament) - for those in despair

Psalm 145 (Declaring God's greatness) - for faith building

This mix gives you diversity of experience and emotion while remaining manageable.

Understanding Psalm Types

Different psalms serve different purposes in prayer. Understanding this helps you select psalms and preach them effectively.

Lament Psalms express pain, confusion, or anger. Examples: Psalms 13, 22, 42, 137. These teach us that it's okay to bring our pain to God. They normalize struggle as part of faith.

Praise Psalms celebrate God's character and deeds. Examples: Psalms 100, 145, 147, 150. These help us focus on God's greatness and goodness rather than our circumstances.

Wisdom Psalms teach about living well. Examples: Psalms 1, 37, 112. These provide guidance and perspective.

Trust Psalms express confidence in God despite difficulty. Examples: Psalms 23, 27, 62. These encourage faith in hard seasons.

Thanksgiving Psalms express gratitude for God's salvation. Examples: Psalms 30, 103, 107. These help us process God's goodness.

Imprecatory Psalms ask God to judge enemies. Examples: Psalms 35, 58, 137. These are difficult but important for honesty about justice.

Addressing the Lament Psalms

Many modern churches skip lament psalms because they're uncomfortable with anger or sadness directed at God. But lament is crucial for spiritual health. People in suffering need to know that faith doesn't mean pretending everything is fine. Faith means bringing real pain to God.

When you preach lament psalms, validate the emotion. "The psalmist is furious with God. He's confused. He can't understand why God isn't responding." Then show the arc: From complaint to confidence. From "God, where are you?" to "But I trust you anyway."

This teaches people that doubt and anger are part of the journey toward faith, not the opposite of faith. A person crying out to God is closer to faith than someone who's given up entirely.

Connecting Psalms to Jesus

Many psalms are quoted or referenced in the New Testament as pointing to Jesus. Psalm 22 is referenced in Jesus' crucifixion. Psalm 2 describes the Messiah King. Psalm 110 describes the Messiah priest.

You can point out these connections when preaching. "This is what David felt, and centuries later, Jesus experienced something similar." But don't force connections where they don't exist. It's okay to preach a psalm on its own merits without always jumping to Jesus.

Helping People Pray the Psalms

One powerful use of a Psalms series is teaching people to pray using the Psalms themselves. Distribute the psalm to your congregation and invite them to pray it aloud together. Let them experience what it's like to express their own feelings through the psalms.

You can also invite people to pray portions silently, personalizing the psalm for their situation. "Pray Psalm 23 about an area where you need God's guidance right now."

This practice changes how people experience the psalms. They move from studying the psalms to praying the psalms to living the psalms.

Using Parallelism and Poetic Language

The psalms use parallelism (repeating an idea in different ways) and vivid imagery. This poetic language is part of what makes the psalms so powerful. When you preach, draw attention to the language.

"The psalmist says God will be our 'shield and fortress.' Do you see the power of that image? A shield protects you from attack. A fortress is a strong place of safety. The psalmist is using different pictures to help us grasp how safe we are in God."

Encourage your congregation to notice the images and metaphors. How does "The Lord is my shepherd" shape your understanding differently than "The Lord is my king"?

Structure a Psalms Series

You could structure a 7-week series something like this:

Week 1: Introduction to the Psalms - What they are and why they matter

Week 2: Psalm 23 - God's comfort and provision

Week 3: Psalm 13 - Crying out in pain

Week 4: Psalm 42 - Longing for God

Week 5: Psalm 139 - Known and loved

Week 6: Psalm 100 - Celebration and praise

Week 7: Psalm 145 - The faithfulness of God

Or you could theme them: A series on "Prayers for Every Season." A series on "The Full Range of Faith." A series on "What the Psalms Teach Us About Prayer."

The Gift of the Psalms

The psalms give permission for authentic prayer. They show us that faith isn't about having it all together. It's about bringing who we really are—doubt and all—to God. They teach us that we can trust God while also struggling with hard questions. They connect us to thousands of years of believers praying in similar ways. They're achingly human and yet profoundly spiritual.

When you preach the Psalms, you're giving your congregation one of the greatest gifts faith offers: permission to be real with God.

Related Sermon Resources

Related Articles

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it okay to preach imprecatory psalms that ask God to judge enemies?
Yes, but carefully. Acknowledge the difficulty. Explain that the psalmists were asking God for justice, not taking justice into their own hands. Show how Jesus taught us a fuller understanding of loving enemies. But validate that these psalms address real human pain and anger. They teach us to bring even our darkest thoughts to God honestly.
How do I help people pray lament when we live in a culture that avoids sadness?
Model it yourself. Let your congregation see that faith includes seasons of lament. Normalize grief and struggle as part of the spiritual journey. Show that lament isn't the opposite of faith—it's actually a form of faith because we're bringing our pain to God, not suppressing it or giving up.
Should I have people pray the psalm aloud together in church?
Yes, this is powerful. It helps people experience the psalm rather than just hear about it. You can print the psalm, read it responsively, or pray it silently together. This practice makes the psalms feel alive and helps people discover how the ancient words speak to their modern lives.
How do I explain why some psalms seem vindictive or violent?
Place them in context. These psalms come from people facing real enemies and danger. They're expressing honest anger and asking God for justice. Show how they represent the full range of human emotion that can be brought before God. Later in Scripture, Jesus teaches us fuller expressions of God's character (love, forgiveness, mercy). Both are true, and we're on a journey toward Jesus' fuller understanding.
How long should a sermon on a single psalm be?
A single psalm can sustain a 25-35 minute sermon because the psalm itself is rich in content. Don't rush through it. Let the congregation sit with the language and images. You might spend half the sermon on what the psalm says and half on what it means for us.