Praying the Psalms

Two Sundays ago I commended Dove Mountaineer John Bailey for using so much scripture in his congregational prayer.  I have always beleived that it is important that we follow scriptural models in our prayer life.  Last fall I mentioned this when I was teaching the couples' group how to teach their chidlren to pray.  One of the moms asked at the time, "Where do I get examples of phrases of adoration my children can put into their prayers?"  I told it was a thoughtful question, with an easy answer: Psalms.   Dietirch Bonhoeffer wrote, in one of his last books, "The Psalter filled the life of early Chrisitanity.  But more important than all of this is tht Jesus died on the cross with words from the Psalms on his lips.  Whenever the Psalter is abandoned, an incomparable treasure is lost to the Chrisitan church.  With its recovery will come unexpected power."