Prayer for Pastors: Psalm 134

Prayer for Pastors

Psalm 134

Authentic, biblical, Spirit-filled preaching happens when a preacher has been deeply impacted by a passage.
Brian Croft 

Psalm134 finishes the psalms of ascent. The psalmist calls on the servants of the Lord, those who stand by night in the house of the Lord, to lead the congregation in blessing the Lord. This invariably refers to the priests and Levites who would have served even at night in the temple. The priests and Levites led the people of God in the worship of God. We, too, have leaders in our local congregations who direct our gaze to worship and bless the Lord. 

God has placed weighty requirements on the men He has called into His service. Along with a commitment to godly character, pastors and elders bear the responsibility of shepherding the flock of God in their care (1 Peter 5:2). This shepherding is to be done willingly, eagerly, according to God’s will, not lording over their congregants, but being an example to them (1 Peter 5:2-3). These men need the help of the Lord to both live and shepherd in a way that honors God. 

An elder’s service and care for the church should be done willingly and not forced (1 Peter 5:2). The primary responsibility of a shepherd is to feed and nurture the flock in the Word of God. In order to faithfully fulfill this, he must drink deeply of the Scriptures as his own spiritual bread and water. Studying the Scriptures and preparing to teach his congregation should be done willingly, because he loves both the Word and the people in the flock God has entrusted to him. He has a strong desire to help his congregation to see our God as worthy of our praise. He wants to deepen their hunger for more of Him. But a pastor faces similar temptations and trials as we all do with our time, our energy, our resources. He needs the Spirit’s help to remain fervent in his care of the flock of God. 

He needs to also be willing to care for the other needs of his church. There are many times that counsel must be given, visits made, concerns listened to, contentions to help resolve, and requests prayed for. The care of the church of God takes commitment and not coercion. It takes selflessness and not selfishness. It takes energy and a reliance on the Lord for wisdom, refreshment, and endurance. And time. Pastoring done well requires much of a man. 

In all these things, he must be an example to his flock (1 Peter 5:3). Paul, in his letter to Timothy, exhorted him to be an example in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity (1 Timothy 4:12). In the way he talks, behaves, loves others, believes God and His Word, and keeps himself free from defilement, he should be one that can say, “Imitate me as I imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). Men who live faithfully as a shepherd of God’s people should be appreciated and esteemed very highly in love by those they serve and lead (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13). 

Let’s pray for the pastors in our lives.  

134:1-3 Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who stand by night in the house of the Lord! Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the Lord! May the Lord bless you from Zion, he who made heaven and earth!
Lord, we pray for Your servants, our pastors and elders:
▫️‭‭They would be constantly nourishing their own souls on the Word of God (1 Timothy 4:6). They would know God deeply and love and serve Him faithfully.
▫️They would discipline themselves for the purpose of godliness, knowing that godliness is profitable for all things (1 Timothy 4:7-8).
▫️They would labor diligently among the church God has entrusted to their care, preaching the Word, being ready in season and out of season, reproving, rebuking, and exhorting with great patience and instruction (1 Timothy 4:10; 2 Timothy 4:2). These efforts would result in leading the people to bless the Lord (Psalm 134:1-2).
▫️They would set an example to the believers in their speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity (1 Timothy 4:12).
▫️They would pay close attention to themselves and their teaching, not in a self-absorbed way, but in order to watch vigilantly that they are honoring the Lord (1 Timothy 4:16).
▫️They would pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness (1 Timothy 6:11). 
▫️They would not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition (2 Timothy 2:24-25). 
▫️The Lord would protect their families and watch over them.
▫️ The church would appreciate them and esteem them very highly in love for their faithful work (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13). 
▫️They would have willing hearts to care for the flock of God in whatever way is needed: counseling, comforting, exhorting, etc (1 Peter 5:2). 
▫️They would serve the church in sincerity of heart, not for any dishonest gain, but eagerly in order to see many come to the Lord and grow in deeper intimacy with Him (1 Peter 5:2). 
▫️ The Lord would bless their lives, their families, and their labor (Psalm 134:3).  

May the Lord do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, for His glory and our good. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Scripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Photo credit to mitchellleach

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