“I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.” ~ Psalm 66:17 

Many people do not realize that the Book of Psalms is divided into five books within itself. I will not take the time or space to list the chapter divisions for these, but you can find them within your Bible. The second dividing Book runs from chapters 42-72, and they are referred to in Psalm 72:20 as “the prayers of David”. In these chapters we see David praying his way through the trials and troubles that dogged him through most of his life. Sometimes there will be a heading that tells exactly when in his life these prayers were written. 

 That David was a man of prayer is without question. He clearly knew the importance and power of prayer and he exercised it on a continual basis. “Evening and morning and at noon will I pray and cry aloud; and he shall hear my voice.” (55:17) There are no great Christians who are not people of much prayer! 

But in Psalm 66:17, David mingles his testimony of prayer with his testimony of praise. Not only did he cry unto God with his voice, he “extolled” him with his tongue. The word “extol” means “to exalt in praise; to magnify”. Psalm 100:4 teaches us to “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise”. How often do we begin our conversations with God with, “Lord, I need” or “Lord, I want”? The Scriptural approach is to begin with praise and then proceed with prayer. 

From David, I am challenged to take care that my Praises are as frequent, as loud, and as passionate as my Prayers! 

 Pastor Bish