Do you ever feel like your prayer life is stuck on repeat? You sit down to pray, and within minutes, your mind is wandering toward your to-do list, what’s for dinner, or that awkward thing you said three years ago. When you do manage to focus, you find yourself saying the “same old things about the same old things.”
If this sounds familiar, you aren’t alone. In his transformative book, Praying the Bible, Donald S. Whitney addresses this universal struggle with a solution that is as ancient as it is refreshing. This isn’t just a book about prayer theory; it is a practical manual for revitalizing your conversation with God.
The Problem: Why Prayer Feels Boring
The core of our prayer struggle isn’t usually a lack of faith; it’s a lack of method. Whitney identifies the primary issue: boredom. Most Christians pray the same way every day, using the same vocabulary and focusing on the same five or six topics (family, health, work, etc.).
When we repeat the same phrases daily, our brains naturally switch to autopilot. We stop thinking about the words we are saying, and because we aren’t thinking, we aren’t feeling. This leads to the “wandering mind” syndrome. Whitney argues that the problem isn’t that we don’t love God, but that we are trying to talk to an infinite Being using a finite, repetitive script.
The Solution: Praying the Words of Scripture
Whitney’s solution is deceptively simple: Pray the Bible.
Instead of trying to conjure up new thoughts from your own mind, you use the words of God to guide your conversation back to Him. By looking at a passage of Scripture and turning those verses into prayer, you provide your mind with a track to run on. This prevents boredom because the Bible is inexhaustible. Every day, the text is different, which means every day, your prayer is different.
The Method: How to Do It
The method Whitney proposes is remarkably low-pressure. You don’t need a PhD in theology or a complex system of journals.
- Open the Bible.
- Read a verse.
- Talk to God about what you just read.
- If nothing comes to mind, move to the next verse.
The goal isn’t to “interpret” the Bible in a scholarly sense during this time, but to use it as a prompt. If a verse says, “The Lord is my shepherd,” you might pray, “Lord, thank You for leading me. Please show me the right path for my career decisions today.” If the next verse doesn’t spark a thought, you simply move on. There is no “right” way to phrase these prayers.
More About the Method: The “Sub-Point” of Prayer
Whitney emphasizes that praying the Bible isn’t about ignoring your needs. It’s about filtering your needs through God’s Word. You still pray for your sick aunt or your financial stress, but you do it through the lens of the text. This keeps your prayers “Bible-saturated” rather than “me-saturated.” It changes the quality of your petitions from complaining to trusting.
The Primary Resource: Praying the Psalms
While you can pray any part of the Bible, Whitney strongly suggests starting with the Psalms.
The Psalms were written to be sung and prayed. They cover every human emotion: joy, betrayal, fear, guilt, and celebration. Because the Psalms were written to God, they are naturally suited for us to speak back to God. Whitney notes that in the Psalms, God has provided us with a “divine vocabulary” for the soul.
Praying Other Parts of the Bible
Once you are comfortable with the Psalms, Whitney encourages moving into the New Testament epistles. The letters of Paul, for instance, are packed with prayers and theological truths that easily translate into personal intercession.
- Proverbs: Great for praying for wisdom.
- The Gospels: Perfect for praying about the character of Jesus and our desire to follow Him.
- The Epistles: Excellent for praying for the church and spiritual growth.
The Most Important Part of This Book
If there is one “golden nugget” in Whitney’s work, it is this: You don’t need more willpower; you need a better way.
Many people beat themselves up for “failing” at prayer, thinking they lack discipline. Whitney graciously removes that guilt. He argues that the spirit is willing, but the method is weak. By changing the how, the want-to often takes care of itself.
Evaluating the Experience: Does It Work?
Whitney addresses the skepticism some might feel. Does it feel “fake” to use someone else’s words? He argues the opposite. Using God’s Word actually makes prayer feel more authentic because it pulls us out of our shallow, repetitive rants and into a deeper communion with God’s heart.
Most people who try this method report that 20 minutes of prayer feels like 5 minutes, whereas before, 5 minutes of prayer felt like 20.
What Have We Learned?
Through this book, we learn that prayer is meant to be a conversation, not a monologue. By using the Bible, we allow God to start the conversation, and we simply respond. This keeps the relationship dynamic. We learn that:
- Boredom in prayer is a technical problem, not necessarily a spiritual one.
- The Bible is the best prayer book ever written.
- Concentration follows when the content is fresh.
Historical and Biblical Examples
The Example of George Müller
Whitney cites George Müller, the famous 19th-century orphan house founder known for his incredible prayer life. Müller admitted that for years, he struggled to focus in prayer. His breakthrough came when he began to “read and meditate” on the Word until his heart was happy in God before he began to petition. He would “eat” the Word, and the prayer would flow naturally from his satisfied soul.
Jesus on the Cross
Even Jesus prayed the Bible. While hanging on the cross in the most agonizing moments of His life, Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Psalm 22:1) and “Into your hands I commit my spirit” (Psalm 31:5). If the Son of God used the Psalms to express His deepest pains and trusts, how much more do we need them?
Christians in the Book of Acts
In Acts 4, when the early church faced persecution, they didn’t just scramble for words. They prayed the Bible. They quoted Psalm 2 back to God to acknowledge His sovereignty over the rulers of the earth. Their prayer resulted in the building shaking and them being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Appendix 1: “Psalms of the Day” Chart
Whitney provides a simple system to help you choose which Psalm to pray so you aren’t overwhelmed by choice. Since there are 150 Psalms and usually 30 days in a month, you can divide them easily.
The Formula: Today’s Date + (Multiple of 30) = Your 5 Psalms for the day.
- Example: It is the 24th of the month.
- Psalm 24
- Psalm 54 (24 + 30)
- Psalm 84 (54 + 30)
- Psalm 114 (84 + 30)
- Psalm 144 (114 + 30)
Scan these five quickly, pick the one that resonates most with your current heart-state, and pray through that one. If it’s the 31st, you pray Psalm 119.
Appendix 2: Praying the Bible with a Group
Praying the Bible isn’t just for the “prayer closet.” Whitney explains how this can transform small groups or church prayer meetings.
- A leader reads a passage aloud.
- Anyone in the group can pray a prayer prompted by that passage.
- The leader moves to the next section of the text. This prevents the “around the circle” dread and keeps the group focused on God rather than just a list of “organ recitals” (praying only for people’s physical organs/surgeries).
The Author’s Core Message
What does Donald S. Whitney want you to take away?
The message is hope. Whitney wants to convey that prayer does not have to be a duty you endure; it can be a delight you anticipate. He wants to bridge the gap between our desire to pray and our actual practice. By showing that the Bible is the “fuel” for the fire of prayer, he empowers believers to move from duty to desire.
The author’s heart is to see the church revived through a simple, accessible, and biblical return to conversational prayer with the Creator.
Summary and Review Conclusion
Praying the Bible is a rare book that provides an immediate solution to a lifelong problem. It is short, punchy, and incredibly practical. If you feel like your spiritual life is dry, this is the water you’ve been looking for. It takes the “work” out of prayer and replaces it with “word”—specifically, God’s Word.
Final Verdict: This is a “must-read” for any Christian, whether you are a new believer or have been walking with God for fifty years. It will change the way you open your Bible and the way you close your eyes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. What is the main idea of “Praying the Bible” by Donald S. Whitney?
The main idea is simple: use the words of Scripture to fuel your prayers. Instead of relying on your own thoughts, read a Bible verse and turn it into a personal prayer to God.
Q2. Is this book suitable for beginners who struggle with prayer?
Yes, absolutely. Whitney designed this method for anyone who finds prayer difficult or distracting. The step-by-step approach helps beginners focus and gives them God-honoring words to pray.
Q3. Do I need to pray through entire chapters at once?
No. Whitney emphasizes quality over quantity. You can spend your entire prayer time on just a few verses. The goal is meaningful communion with God, not checking off a reading plan.
Q4. Can I pray the Bible with my family or small group?
Yes! Appendix 2 of the book provides practical guidance for corporate prayer. Praying Scripture together keeps group prayer focused, biblical, and inclusive for all participants.
Q5. How quickly will I see results from praying the Bible?
Results vary, but many readers report increased focus and deeper intimacy with God within days. Whitney encourages patience—this is a lifelong discipline, not a quick fix, but the spiritual benefits are profound and lasting.