The four simple movements of this prayer come from Psalm 4, 39, 42, and 43. The goal is not to fix a problem. The words provide a liturgy for walking with God through the frustration and conflict of life. It’s a liturgy derived directly from Scripture.

Focus

The first words focus our attention on the focal point of all life:

הוֹחִילִי לֵאלֹהִים
Hope in God. (Psalm 42:6)

We start here to orient our minds to our single hope in life and death. It’s good to say this line repeatedly.

How

In these words, we find a path to walk, a way to walk with God.

רִגְזוּ וְאַל תֶּחֱטָאוּ אִמְרוּ בִּלְבַבְכֶם עַל מִשְׁכַּבְכֶם וְדֹמּוּ
Be upset, and don’t sin. Speak words in your heart, on your couch, and be quiet. (Psalm 4:5/4)¹

Here, we recognize our frustration as reality. We hear permission from the LORD to be affected by the world we live in. We accept our frustration and turmoil as a reality we cannot fix by acting in our own strength. There is grace and release of control here, and it’s such good news.

Reflection & Confession

In the next words, we reflect with curiosity on our circumstances and our response.

לָמָּה קֹדֵר אֶתְהַלֵּךְ בְּלַחַץ אוֹיֵב
Why do you go about mourning because of the oppression of an enemy? (Psalm 43:2)

These are not words of self-condemnation; they are words of curiosity. We speak these in the presence of the LORD, who alone can help. We’re looking to him for help, but more to directly: with these words we are recognizing that our hope is not dependent upon people. We do not wait on any person to do what we think they should do and make amends. We wait for one:

וְעַתָּה מַה קִּוִּיתִי אֲדֹנָי תּוֹחַלְתִּי לְךָ הִיא
And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is you. (Psalm 39:8/7)

I like posing this question to the LORD himself: “For what do I wait?” We listen for his response in quiet, and then tell him what we know more certainly than we know that the chair we sit in is real: “My hope is you.”

Our hope is in our Father. We wait on him alone, regardless of who owes us what.

Request

Finally, we end where we began, focusing on the LORD’s presence and asking for his help.

שְׁלַח אוֹרְךָ וַאֲמִתְּךָ הֵמָּה יַנְחוּנִי
Send out your light and your truth; they will lead me! (Psalm 43:3)

We ask the LORD to help us with his unassailable presence. The words recall the Exodus, the way the LORD led Israel through circumstances that made no sense. His presence and power is not limited by the resources of this world, and this is such good news.

הוֹחִילִי לֵאלֹהִים
Hope in God. (Psalm 42:6)

Summary

Here’s the whole prayer together for memorization:

הוֹחִילִי לֵאלֹהִים
רִגְזוּ וְאַל תֶּחֱטָאוּ אִמְרוּ בִּלְבַבְכֶם עַל מִשׁכַבְכֶם וְדֹמּוּ
לָמָּה קֹדֵר אֶתְהַלֵּךְ בְּלַחַץ אוֹיֵב
וְעַתָּה מַה קִּוִּיתִי אֲדֹנָי תּוֹחַלְתִּי לְךָ הִיא
שְׁלַח אוֹרְךָ וַאֲמִתְּךָ הֵמָּה יַנְחוּנִי
הוֹחִילִי לֵאלֹהִים

Hope in God.
Be upset, and don’t sin. Speak words in your heart, on your couch, and be quiet.
Why do you go about mourning because of the oppression of an enemy?
And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is you.
Send out your light and your truth. They will lead me!
Hope in God.

1. The first word of the second line (רִגְזוּ) is typically translated “be angry,” but the original language refers to a broader idea. The Hebrew root (רגז) and the Greek word used the translate this verse in the LXX (ὀργίζω/ὀργίζομαι, used by Paul in reference to this Psalm in Ephesians 4:26) refers to experiences of frustration beyond that of anger. I think “upset” gets at the idea well. ↩