你今天讀到大衛所寫的詩篇，就會發現大衛認為他所服事的上帝有多層面的個性。上帝是「良善正直的」(詩25：8)，「我的亮光」(詩27：1)，「我的力量」(詩28：7)，「永遠的君王」(詩29：10)，更是「我的上帝」(詩30：2，12)。

        整卷詩篇中，詩篇二十五篇是第一首「按著字母排列的詩」，為什麼會有一個這麼特別的名稱？請在本頁空白處，從上到下寫出英文字母A、B、C……等等，然後找一本英文聖經，依次查出以這些字母為開頭的經節，比方說，A──「我們都如羊走迷」(賽53：6)；B－「虛心的人有福了」(太5：3)，看看二十六個英文字母中，你能找到幾個配合聖經經節？
        就像你用英文字母排列經文一樣，大衛用希伯來文字母寫詩篇二十五篇。除了一點點小的變動之外，大衛按照全部希伯來文字母順序表達他的思想，所以你可以把詩篇二十五篇當作一首大衛為「自己從A到Z的困境一一禱告」的詩。
        因為大衛把所有的禱告事項都「打包」起來，這個方法的好處是：這首詩完成後許久，還能記得內容，並能夠明白上帝如何信實的回答每一個懇求。你開始寫禱告日誌時，也可以仿此方式，把你的禱告事項、日期記下來，每一天有系統的禱告，然後觀看上帝怎樣動工！ (切記，上帝以三種方式回答禱告：「是」、「不」及「等候！」)你也可以和大衛一樣，將你的禱告變成一首首優美的詩。

詩篇中其它按照字母排列的詩
        希伯來文的字母共二十二個，有此了解你就能推測詩人是怎樣按著字母寫下詩篇三十四篇、一四五篇(這首詩省略一個字母)以及一一九篇(提示：全篇一七六節中以第八節為分界點)！

禱告是每一個人都能使用最有力的武器。

English

        As David penned the psalms you read today, he thought of the multifaceted character of the God he served. The Lord is "good and upright" (25:8), "my light" (27:1), "my strength" (28:7), "King for ever" (29:10), and "my God" (30:2, 12).

        Psalm 25 is the first "alphabetic psalm" in the Psalter. Here's why that is. an appropriate designation.
        Write out the letters of the English alphabet vertically in the margin; A, B, C, etc. Now, can you think of one Bible verse that begins with each of those letters? For example, A—"All we like sheep have gone astray" (Isaiah 53:6); B—"Blessed are the poor in spirit" (Matthew 5:3). See how many of the 26 letters you can match with a Bible verse.
        What you just attempted with the English alphabet, David does in Psalm 25 with the Hebrew alphabet. With only minor variations, David proceeds through the entire Hebrew alphabet, capturing his thoughts in alphabetical order. You might think of it as "praying through his problems from A to Z."
        Because of the way David "packaged" his prayer requests, he was able to remember them long after the psalm was written. In that way he could check up and sec how God had faithfully answered each request. You can do the same thing by beginning a prayer log. Write down your prayer requests, date them, pray daily and systematically for them, and watch God work! (And remember, God answers prayers three ways: "yes," "no," and "wait!") Then you, like David, can make your prayer time as memorable as A, B, C!

Other Alphabetic Psalms in the Psalter —
        The Hebrew alphabet has 22 letters. Knowing that fact, how do you suppose the psalmist has organized the following alphabetic psalms: Psalm 34? Psalm 145? (One letter is missing.) Psalm 119? (.Hint: Divide 176 by 8.)

Prayer is the mightiest of all weapons that created natures can wield.