8 Biblical Tips for Starting A Prayer of Adoration

The other day, I was praying to God and I realized that I praise God for the same things. While that’s not wrong, there is so much more to praise God for. So, I began to wonder how to start prayers of adoration in a way that leads to heartfelt variety and abundance.

From preparing our hearts to resting in God’s glory, the Bible offers several ways to start prayers of adoration. Acknowledging God’s sovereignty and focusing on a specific attribute is a great way to foster wonder and variety in starting prayers of adoration.

Did you know there are 42 psalms of adoration in the Bible? Needless to say, the psalms are a great place to turn to learn how to start prayers of adoration. Here are eight biblical tips from the psalms on how to do just that.

8 Biblical Tips for Starting Prayers of Adoration

Prayers of adoration focus on praising God for who He is–His holiness, love, greatness etc. The focus of prayers of adoration is on recognizing who God is and not asking requests of Him.

If you want to know more about adoration then check out this article where I go in-depth on what to focus on and compare prayers of adoration with five other types of prayer.

Now, let’s get to some biblical tips for starting prayers of adoration

Tip 1: Prepare Your Heart

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Psalm 139:23-24

One of the first things we can do when starting prayers of adoration is to prepare our heart. The great Psalmist, King David, wrote 42 psalms adoring God. He encourages us to take a moment of silence to reflect on what we are about to do. In prayers of adoration we are entering the presence of Creator and Sustainer of all living things. The King of the Universe.

Psalm 139:23-24 encourages us to not only take a moment of personal reflection, but also take a moment for divine inspection. The psalmist is calling God Himself to search him and prepare him.

Taking this time to prepare our hearts allows us to remove distractions, quiet our soul and approach God with humility and reverence.

Tip 2: Acknowledge God’s Sovereignty

“The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all.”

Psalm 103:19

The second thing we can do when starting prayers of adoration is to acknowledge God’s sovereignty. Sovereignty is God’s rule and reign over all. This idea is connected to the first one about being intentional and preparing our hearts to approach a sovereign God.

God is supreme. He has complete control, power, and authority, over all of creation. He is omnipresent (always present), omnipotent (all-powerful), and omniscient (all-knowing). Recognizing God’s sovereignty reminds us of His majesty and our complete dependence on Him. Everything in all of creation depends on Him. In Him we move and have our being (Acts 17:28).

Tip 3: Focus on a Specific Attribute or Title

“The Lord is my shepherd; I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul.”

Psalm 23:1-3

There is so much to God that we can worship and adore that it is easy to get overwhelmed. Choose a specific attribute or title of God to focus on. This will help you explore God’s character in-depth without getting overwhelmed. Some things that you can choose to focus on include

Names of God	-El Shaddai -Jehovah Jireh -Adoni -etc.
Attributes of God	Eternal Goodness Love Justice Grace All-knowing All-powerful etc.
Relational Metaphors of God	-Father-Child -Shepherd-Sheep -King-Slave -Shield -Rock -Fortress -etc.
Titles of God	-Creator -Savior -King -Defender -etc.

Tip 4: Remember the Gospel

He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him.”

Psalm 103:10-12

The fourth tip we can do when starting prayers of adoration is to remember the gospel. Even King David, recognized God does not treat us as our sins deserve. Instead, God shows us mercy and grace constantly. We should focus on this when adoring Him. It should always be at the forefront of our thoughts.

You can ask yourself how the specific attribute or title that you are focusing on is seen in the gospel story. For example, if you are focusing on God as Jehovah Jireh (“God who provides”), then you can reflect and praise God for providing a way of salvation.

Tip 5: Count Your Blessings

“What shall I return to the Lord for all His goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.”

Psalm 116:12-13

The fifth thing we can do to start prayers of adoration is by counting our blessings. God is good and God’s goodness fills our life more than we will ever know this side of eternity. He deserves our adoration for all his goodness. The Psalmists offers God praise and glory for the goodness bestowed on him by God. We should imitate that attitude.

Reflect on how God has displayed that attribute or title in your own life. Look back over the years and wonder at God’s goodness in your life. Even in the moments where God didn’t feel present then, looking back you will see He was. This practice of counting your blessings to start prayers of adoration helps your praise be personal and unique to you.

Tip 6: Ask Questions in Wonder

“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, what is mankind that You are mindful of them?”

Psalm 8:3-4

It’s okay to ask questions in wonder and amazement. Wonder deepens our adoration. God is both transcendent and immanent. So there is always more to wonder about God and His character.

When we approach God we don’t need all the answers. Instead, we can wonder at His greatness, power, majesty, love, etc. These questions don’t challenge God’s nature, they amplify it by acknowledging how far beyond us He is.

Tip 7: Call on Others to Join You

“Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the heights above. Praise Him, all His angels; praise Him, all His heavenly hosts. Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all you shining stars.”

Psalm 148:1-4

The seventh tip the psalms give us in starting prayers of adoration is to invite others and all creation to join us in adoring God. Numerous psalms are an invitation to corporate worship. God’s glory is magnified when our adoration is multiplied. By inviting others, even created things, to worship and adore God we recognize that God is Lord over all.

While the language in the psalms personifies creation, calling it to worship God, it serves as a reminder of God’s universal glory. God gets glorified whether we adore Him or not. God created all things good, and so all of creation serves to glorify and adore God.

Tip 8: Rest in God’s Glory

“Be still, and know that I am God.”

Psalm 46:10

The last tip the psalms offer us in starting our prayers of adoration is to simply rest in God’s glory. Psalm 46:10 reminds us to “be still, and know that I am God.” God’s sovereignty, grace, and mercy ensures nothing is outside of God’s understanding or will. Thus, we can rest assured that God is truly in control.

Sometimes, its easy to get overwhelmed in God’s presence especially when praying prayers of adoration. This verse reminds us that it is okay. We can simply rest in the knowledge and wonder of who God is. Let His presence overwhelm you and fill your heart with love, your life with peace that passes understanding, and your actions with unspeakable joy.

Hopefully these eight tips will help you get started praying prayers of adoration that let His word fill your life with wonder. If you are looking for more inspiration, then check out this post on examples of prayers of adoration. This article covers key Bible verses as well as biblical and historical examples of prayers of adoration.