Prayer Watch: Technology Needed for Bible Translation

I’m reading a book, yes, I’m always reading a book or two! This week I read a chapter about John Calvin’s prayer life. Like many of us, John Calvin loved to pray the Psalms. He would study and meditate on a Psalm then realize it needed to be his prayer for his own life. He often called the Psalms “An Anatomy of all the Parts of the Soul,” because it seemed to include all our troubles and emotions.

So, today I read Psalm 145 in my devotions. What a beautiful Psalm of praise to our God. Even as we praise the living God, let’s pray for the Bibleless people around the world who do not (yet) have praise for the Creator God. Why? Because they do not yet know Him nor have they even heard of Him. They do not have this beautiful Psalm in their language!

I will exalt you, my God the King;
    I will praise your name for ever and ever.
Every day I will praise you
    and extol your name for ever and ever.
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
    his greatness no one can fathom.

Yes, Lord, we exalt You and praise Your name, for You are great and worthy of our praise. No one can fathom Your greatness. Lord, there are people groups and language groups who have never heard the name of the creator of heaven and earth. So, Lord, help us to effectively reach those hundreds of thousands of people who need the Bible, in their heart languages, to learn of You, Father God. They will then be able to join their voice with ours in praise of You, Your greatness and together we will praise Your name. In the name of Jesus, the Son of God. Amen.

One generation commends your works to another;
    they tell of your mighty acts.
They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—
    and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
They tell of the power of your awesome works—
    and I will proclaim your great deeds.

Oh, Lord, God, daily You do great works and mighty acts for Your children. We cannot help but tell our children and grandchildren what You have done for us. How can we not tell everyone of Your great deeds? What about all those who do not know You? You do not call them Your children, because they have not ever heard of You. Oh, dear God, they do not know You at all. Please work in each of our lives to help bring Scripture to those who have none in their language. Lord, please give us opportunity to proclaim Your great deeds. Help us all to speak of the glorious splendor of Your majesty! Thank You, God, creator of heaven and earth. Amen.

They celebrate your abundant goodness
    and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
    slow to anger and rich in love.
The Lord is good to all;
    he has compassion on all he has made.

Lord, God, we celebrate Your goodness, and we sing of Your righteousness. You, our Father, have such love for Your children—a love that is gracious, compassionate, and slow to anger. You made everyone on this earth. You are good to everyone, and You are compassionate on everyone. You, Lord, want everyone to be saved. Lord, God, how can they be saved if they have not heard Your Word? We pray today for all the language groups who have reached out for training, for the technology, and for resources to translate Your Word into the languages of their own people. Even though You know and love everyone You made—they cannot know You without Your Word in their heart language. Make us Your servants and empower the local church with desire, willingness, and strength, trusting You to help them translate the whole Bible into the heart languages of their people. We praise you Lord God for Your goodness and compassion on all. Amen.

All your works praise you, Lord;
    your faithful people extol you.
They tell of the glory of your kingdom
    and speak of your might,
so that all people may know of your mighty acts
    and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
    and your dominion endures through all generations.

Your works, Lord, all Your works praise You. Your faithful people tell about You, about Your might, of the glorious splendor of Your kingdom, and of Your mighty acts. Lord, You reign over Your kingdom through all generations and forever. We pray Lord that we will be faithful in taking technology, resources, and training to all those who so desire to know You through Your Word in the heart languages. We look forward to joining the voices of new believers praising You, Lord, for giving Bible translators around the world the strength, protection, and understanding to translate Your Word for their own people and even taking assistance to neighbor language groups. Thank You, Lord. Amen.

The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises
    and faithful in all he does.
The Lord upholds all who fall
    and lifts up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you,
    and you give them their food at the proper time.
You open your hand
    and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

Thank You Lord for the promises in Your Word. You, Lord, are trustworthy and faithful to all Your children. You lift us up and go with us through difficult places. Lord, You meet our needs and even satisfy the desires of our hearts. Oh, that all the people of the world, longing for a good father, would know You as their Lord and Good Father. Help us to be faithful in prayer, in giving, and in support of Bible translation around the world. Oh, that we would give our all to You first, Lord, and to getting Your Word to all the nations of the world, to all whom You love. Amen.

The Lord is righteous in all his ways
    and faithful in all he does.
The Lord is near to all who call on him,
    to all who call on him in truth.
He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
    he hears their cry and saves them.
The Lord watches over all who love him,
    but all the wicked he will destroy.

Dear Father, we know You are righteous and faithful in all You do. We thank You that You stay with us, and You hear us whenever we call out to You trusting that You will hear and You will answer. We think of the countries where Your children are being persecuted for Your Name. Oh, God, we pray that You will continue to hear their cries and save them. We know Your heart even wants the wicked to hear Your voice and follow You and be saved. We know you will bring justice to the truly wicked. Please Father show us how we can help bring Your Word to the persecuted and the persecutors. We pray, with humble hearts, for the terrorized, the suffering, the starving, all whose needs are so overwhelming. Thank you, Lord, for your promise to watch over all who love You. Amen.

My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord.
    Let every creature praise his holy name
    for ever and ever.

Psalm 145 (NIV)

My dear prayer partner, may we continue to speak praise of the Lord and all He is doing around the world. Thank you for taking the time to pray with me for the ministry of Bible translation and for all those who are being transformed by reading and hearing God’s Word in their heart language.