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Prayers Inspired by the Psalms

Endless Grace: Prayers Inspired by the Psalms

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Endless Grace helps us rediscover the rich treasures of the Psalms--through free-verse prayer renderings of their poems and hymns--as a guide to personal devotion and meditation.

The church has always used the Psalms as part of its prayer life, and they have inspired countless other prayers. This book contains seventy-five prayers drawn from Psalms 76-150, providing lyrical sketches of what authors Ryan Whitaker Smith and Dan Wilt have seen, heard, and felt while sojourning in the Psalms. While each prayer corresponds to a particular psalm and touches on its themes and ideas, it is not a new translation of the Psalms or an attempt to modernize or contextualize their content or language. Rather, the prayers are responses to the Psalms written in harmony with Scripture. These prayers help us quiet our hearts before God and remember the Lord's daily mercies.

This artful, poetic, and classic devotional book features compelling custom illustrations and beautiful hardcover binding, offering a fresh way to reflect on and pray the Psalms.

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2023

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1952 people want to read

About the author

Ryan Whitaker Smith

5 books26 followers
RYAN WHITAKER SMITH is an author and filmmaker from Nashville, Tennessee. His film projects include the romantic drama Surprised by Oxford, based on the award winning memoir by Carolyn Weber, the Lionsgate documentary The Jesus Music, and a forthcoming adaptation of G. K. Chesterton's comic adventure The Ball and the Cross. He is coauthor, with Dan Wilt, of Sheltering Mercy and Endless Grace, two collections of prayers inspired by the Psalms.

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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
Profile Image for Quirkyreader.
1,629 reviews10 followers
September 7, 2023
For this book you should have a good background of both the Old and New Testaments. The authors draw from both to create many different types of prayers using The Psalms as a template to build on.

They also draw from other important writers, Saints, prayer books, and so forth to draw the prayers together.

So crack open your favourite translation. You will be referencing it frequently.
Profile Image for Leah.
224 reviews7 followers
March 24, 2023
This book was a balm to me. I don’t generally go for devotional-style books but frequently found myself reaching for this one when I was having trouble sleeping.

I appreciate that the authors up front state that this book is not the same as reading the Bible itself and should not be read as such. Because I’ve read the Psalms many times I was able to really enjoy the paraphrase and the way the authors read the New Testament back into the Old Testament Psalms.

As someone who’s frequently struggled with sleeping and also who has an interest in praying the Psalms, I’d buy this as a bedside book. Five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for an Advance Reader Copy for my honest review.
Profile Image for Samuel Kassing.
541 reviews13 followers
August 30, 2024
These poems that were inspired by the psalms were a joy to pray this month. I think what I enjoyed most about them was the author’s Christo-centric theologizing.

If you’re looking to read more poetry this is a great collection.
Profile Image for Beauty in the Binding.
626 reviews54 followers
April 22, 2023
Endless Grace by Ryan Whitaker Smith and Dan Wilt “approaches the Psalms as literature designed for prayerful meditation (p. 14).” Each free verse prayer of Endless Grace responds to a Psalm with emotion and praise/supplication to God. New Testament phrases and teachings pepper the prayers, and I enjoyed the connections between the Psalms and teachings of Jesus.

Personally, I like to read one Psalm and the correlating selection from Endless Grace per sitting. These entries invite unhurried meditation and offer concepts that merit consideration. Often, the entries present historic ideas in fresh, lyrical wording that hooks my attention and renews my appreciation for such tenets. An example from the first prayer (Psalm 76 response): “Your peace is stronger than violence; / Your mercy fiercer than judgment.”

With its sturdy hardcover and lovely illustrations, Endless Grace: Prayers Inspired by the Psalms by Ryan Whitaker Smith and Dan Wilt can be a gift. It’s appropriate for any Christian desiring meditative readings with a strong prayer emphasis.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.
Profile Image for Tiffany.
63 reviews20 followers
February 3, 2023
Psalm 96:1- “Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth! “

Endless Grace is a sweet reminder of the power and comfort of the book of psalms. Pulling from Psalm 76- 150, each prayer in this book reflects the essence of those Psalms. The prayers are not a summary of re-write of the original psalms, but instead inspired prayers from the biblical ones. Many readers will probably be reminded of The Valley of Vision.

The prayer entitled “The Word, The Wisdom, Of God” which is inspired by Psalm 119, particularly resonated with my heart.

“Your Living Word is my joy, my prize, Your abiding truth my. Emory, my meditation.”

While the writings are very poetic and alluring, I believe this book is best read as a devotion along with the corresponding Psalm. These prayers are meant to be prayed and read slowly, taking time with each word and concept. This is a fitting companion when you feel at a lost for words during times of grief, joy, or contentment.

Thank you to Brazos Press for gifting me a copy in exact for an honest review.
Profile Image for Michele Morin.
712 reviews45 followers
October 29, 2023
If your prayer life needs an infusion of fresh language; if you’ve realized that your prayers seem cramped and claustrophobic, centered around your brittle little world, maybe it’s time to start praying through the psalms. I’ve found it to be a rejuvenating experience, and Endless Grace by Ryan Smith and Dan Wilt comes alongside the reader to bridge the centuries. They lead us in the practice of contemplative reading, a lost art in this world of internet skimming.

The psalms were designed for prayerful meditation, and the authors’ combined efforts have yielded an impressionistic poem for each one with Psalms 1-75 covered in volume one (Sheltering Mercy) and this latest volume covering Psalms 76-150.

I began by reading the entries for the psalms I know best. Connecting those much-loved words with Wilt and Smith’s renderings revealed each psalm anew in its refreshing honesty.

Viewed through a New Testament lens, the psalms clearly magnify Christ. Received as an invitation to personal prayer, they open a window to praise and offer a gritty script to the desperate. Praying scripture may be the strong medicine needed by 21st-century believers who have become perfunctory in our prayer life.

The psalms provide words for exulting in the presence of the Divine Author behind all the psalms’ human authors. God gives joy for the heart and strength for the soul. Praying the psalms reminds our hearts that God’s relentless presence is every bit as real today.

Many thanks to Brazos Press and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which, of course, is offered freely and with honesty.
Profile Image for Bob.
2,464 reviews727 followers
April 6, 2023
Summary: Prayers in free verse inspired, psalm by psalm, from Psalm 76 to Psalm 150, responding with ideas from the whole of scripture as well as literature.

Endless Grace, covering Psalm 76 to Psalm 150 is the companion volume to Sheltering Mercy, prayerful responses to Psalm 1 to Psalm 75. This is a gem of devotional literature! What the writers have done is to render prayers of response for each of the psalms. These are not paraphrases. Rather, what the writers have done in free verse is to write prayers drawing upon the whole of scripture as well as references from literature and The Book of Common Prayer that connect to the themes of the psalm. Where they do so, they provide footnotes citing the relevant biblical or other text.

One of my favorite psalms is Psalm 127. Here is Psalm 127 in The New International Version:

Psalm 127

A song of ascents. Of Solomon.
1 Unless the Lord builds the house,
the builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the guards stand watch in vain.
2 In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to[a] those he loves.

3 Children are a heritage from the Lord,
offspring a reward from him.
4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are children born in one’s youth.
5 Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their opponents in court.

Here is the rendering of Psalm 127 by the authors:

PSALM 127

LORD OF THIS HOUSE

------------
Who is our head and host?

Christ,
Lord of the Feast.

Who watches over us?

Christ,
our stronghold and refuge.

Who grants us peace?

Christ,
our Eternal Sabbath.

Who is the giver of life?

Christ,
in whom all the families of the earth are blessed.

Who is King over this house?

Christ,
who loved us
and gave Himself up for us--
who call us His own.

The center justification of the verse (not possible in this review format) reflects the format used throughout these psalms and, for this reader allowed meditative reflection on each phrase.

As evident in Psalm 127, the writers draw upon the full redemptive arc of the biblical material, praying these psalms through the eyes of Christ, or a Christ-centered perspective. Custom artwork throughout complements the text and the book is hardbound, allowing for many seasons of devotional use. I found this not only a way to read the Psalms with fresh eyes but to pray with fresh words.

____________________

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers Program.Thing’s Early Reviewers Program.
Profile Image for Jeff.
874 reviews21 followers
October 1, 2025
This book, just like its counterpart, Sheltering Mercy, is amazing! If ever there was a book that deserved a five-star "amazing" mark, this is definitely one. The reason it appears to have taken so long to read is that I read one poem/prayer a day, from beginning to end. There are some that brought me great joy. There are some that drove me to tears. There are some that gave me emotions and feelings that are indescribable. One of those is the one inspired by Psalm 139, called "Known By You." I actually skipped ahead and read that one first, because my pastor got the book at the same time, and advised me to go read that one right away.

This book of prayer-poems encompasses the second half of the Psalms, the first half being covered in Sheltering Mercy. And I love how the authors bring it all together when they get to Psalm 150, which is titled, "Sheltering Mercy, Endless Grace." The last lines of that prayer are "Be praised, Lord - for Your sheltering mercy. Your endless grace. Amen and amen."

Both of these books will stay on my shelf and I will probably be reading one of them every day for the rest of my days, since I have started reading one Psalm a day during my Jesus Times. I can say with no doubt whatsoever that I have never had a devotional book, before, that has hit me quite like these two. I would give everyone I know a copy if I could. I absolutely love these books and wish that I could figure out how to communicate their value to the authors.

The thing to know is that these are not revisions or paraphrases of the Psalms. They are original poetic prayers that were inspired by the Psalms. And they are, every single one of them, so very beautiful and moving.

I almost forgot to mention the one on Psalm 119. As I read through, this time, I didn't compare the sections, but I figure they line up with the different sections of the psalm, of which there are 22, each one based off of a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. I just now looked at the psalm in Endless Grace and, sure enough, there are 22 sections, but each one has a name such as "Path," "Abundance," "Guide," "Freedom," and so on. And it goes for 22 pages.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves the Psalms (my favorite book in the Bible), and who loves prayer. I love both. Get these books!! Both of them! And now, I'm going to start reading through the one that they just released on Proverbs, called Abiding Wisdom.
Profile Image for Will Norrid.
135 reviews3 followers
January 17, 2023
I was grateful for the opportunity to preview Endless Grace: Prayers Inspired by the Psalms, releasing next Tuesday (January 24, 2023) from @brazospress.
Following their opening volume [Sheltering Mercy (Brazos, 2022) which offered reflective prayers based on Psalms 1-75], authors @itsryanwhitaker and @danwiltwrites have returned to the psalter to bring forth modern, prayerful responses to the ancient texts of Israel’s praise found in Psalms 76-150.
Endless Grace serves as a gateway to engaging these timeless passages in a fresh way that ties to our experience as modern believers. Each prayer is accompanied by subtle footnotes that point to verses that interact with similar concepts in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament.
These prayers do not seek to paraphrase the Psalms- rather they seek to respond to each psalm in a contemporary voice speaking in harmony with Scripture. This approach creates a book that can be both read reflectively for private devotion and used in community to generate thoughtful, fresh conversations on familiar texts.
In addition to its devotional quality, the book itself is aesthetically pleasing as well as sturdy- both a visual pleasure and a practical devotional resource to carry and read throughout the day to receive encouragement.
I plan to return to this book again and again in my own devotional practice.
More information on this title, as well as Sheltering Mercy, can be found at PrayWithThePsalms.com.
.
I appreciate the folks at Brazos Press for the opportunity to receive an advanced copy.
Profile Image for Carolyn Jackson.
Author 3 books48 followers
January 17, 2023
What a powerful title as well as gentle reminder, the book, Endless Grace. This book, or biblical reference was written specifically to engage with Psalms 75 to 150. Each Psalm was captured by its companioning prayer to help guide me through the holy Scriptures. Whether from the Old Testament or the New Testament, each entry had footnotes for my researching pleasure.

This book, poetic in nature also included illustrations for those who worship creatively as well. I found this to be a peaceful place to reflect on portions of the Psalms. Thank you Nathan Swann for these additions.

Should you enjoy reading a Psalm a day or searching for a new devotional, Endless Grace is a delightful book for every reader to add to their library.

Whether you may fall short for prayers, are learning to pray, or need boost of confidence while praying, this is a beautifully written book full of lyrical entries, one I will use from this day forward when reading through the Psalms.




A special thank you to Brazos Press for the opportunity to share my honest review.
Profile Image for Ian.
Author 4 books50 followers
January 24, 2023
I'm always reading the Psalms. They've become an intimate companion to me over the past few years and I use many varied sources to gain fresh insights.

I hadn't read the first book in this duopoly, "Sheltering Mercy", and was fortunate to discover "Endless Grace" in NetGalley and so picked it up to review. Thank you Brazos Press for your kindness.

These are the authors reflections of each Psalm (76-150) in prayer form. They are not an alternative version of the Psalms. And they're beautiful. Drawing on other Scriptures which I think is brilliant, these prayers have become an invaluable addition to my daily devotions and are a fresh tonic to the wonder and beauty of the Psalms.

I will be acquiring the first in the series and may indeed purchase Endless Grace as the ebook ARC misses some of the beauty of the completed version.

Having benefited from the gift of the early ARC in no way influenced my review of this wonderful book.
Profile Image for Meagan | The Chapter House.
2,041 reviews49 followers
February 14, 2023
I really enjoyed this collection of poems written in response to Psalms 76-150 (and a sequel-ish to the first book, _Sheltering Mercy_, which covers Psalms 1-75). They were thought-provoking and encouraging, often prompting me to look at the corresponding psalms in a different way than I had before.

I've been enjoying Keith and Kristen Getty's _ESV Psalms, Photography Edition_ lately, and think this would be a wonderful complement to that. The combination of Scripture, photography, and free-verse response--wow!

Inspiring and well done. I'm particularly excited to see the artwork in the published version; the eARC I read unfortunately didn't have any, and I think it would really add to the experience.

5/5 stars.

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Hayli Netterlund.
52 reviews2 followers
January 16, 2023
This book is beautiful inside and out. The Authors have shared intimate and beautiful prayers inspired by the psalms. They are encouraging to read and encouraged me to be more creative in prayer to the Creator himself.

My only caution would be to read this as art and as the authors personal prayers and not as a devotion. Pour through the psalms yourself but use these beautiful prayers as inspiration for your own personal prayer. Otherwise, I enjoyed reading this!
600 reviews2 followers
June 30, 2023
This is the second half of this series, with the last 75 Psalms covered. I really enjoyed this, very helpful if you are doing a study of the Psalms to refer back to specific ones. They did an excellent job of reimagining the Psalms as more modern poetry and prayers. While not an interpretation, they stay very close to the language in other interpretations as well. Worth getting, and reading, both of these in the series.
Profile Image for Rr M.
97 reviews
February 19, 2023
ARC review: thanks for the copy! I won’t comment on the content since I’m not a religious person, but these prayers really expressed how much love and gratitude a devoted Christian shows to their God. Every prayer is beautifully written like a poem.
Profile Image for Kirsten.
163 reviews1 follower
February 28, 2023
Just as well written as the first book, I enjoyed the poetic imagery that can be prayed through or make you ponder each psalm in a new light. The word choice and scripture references all point to the Gospel King.
Profile Image for Megan Smith.
470 reviews2 followers
January 12, 2024
Great book that walks through the second half of the Psalms, kind of an accompanying prayer to each Psalm. When read not with each Psalm it is fun the see what each prayer has in common with the Psalm. The authors do a good job of bringing in Jesus and tying in the major themes and emotions.
Profile Image for Courtney Reynolds.
7 reviews1 follower
February 6, 2024
I woke up so excited to read this book of prayers. There is a volume one I will be getting next. Sooooo beautiful and rich in scriptural truths that my heart desperately needs to repeat over and over.
Profile Image for Joy.
323 reviews5 followers
Read
September 5, 2025
Sometimes I’m in seasons where I really need to be anchored in solid, written prayers. Wilt and Smith transform the Psalms, one by one, into poetical and gut-punching prayers which reminded me constantly of God’s love, sovereignty, and endless faithfulness to me. Amen.
Profile Image for Rachael.
Author 4 books35 followers
February 6, 2023
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC. This is a gorgeous collection of poem/prayers based on the psalms and the story of scripture. They give voice the voiceless emotions and unshakeable hope.
Profile Image for Sherri.
10 reviews
April 24, 2023
Beautiful gift to pray the Psalms alone, or with a few friends, or in a public service.
Profile Image for Amanda.
271 reviews9 followers
December 29, 2022
This is a nice resource or companion book (along with the first book, Sheltering Mercy, which covers Psalms 1-75) for someone planning to do a deep dive into the book of Psalms. It contains 75 prayers inspired by Psalms 76-150.

I think it’s probably most impactful when reading along with the Psalms each prayer is inspired by and, as mentioned by another reviewer, could encourage the reader to write out their own prayers. I plan to reference back to this book during my own reading of Psalms next year.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brazos Press for an opportunity to read this book in advance. All opinions are my own.
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