Yahweh Hears The Prayers Of The Righteous
4:1Answer
me when I call, Mighty One of my righteousness.
Give me relief from my distress.
Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.
4:2You
sons of men, how long shall my glory be turned into dishonor?
Will you love vanity, and seek after falsehood?
Selah.
4:3But
know that Yahweh has set apart for himself him who is righteous:
Yahweh will hear when I call to him.
Yahweh hears the prayers of the righteous.
David Laid His Requests Before Yahweh In The Morning
5:1Give
ear to my words, Yahweh.
Consider my meditation.
5:2Listen
to the voice of my cry, my King, and my Mighty One;
For to you do I pray.
5:3Yahweh,
in the morning shall you hear my voice.
In the morning I will lay my requests before you, and will watch expectantly.
5:3 shows that David prayed to Yahweh in the morning. In the morning he laid his requests before Yahweh.
Does this mean that Yahweh must be prayed to in the morning, following David's example?
It should be noted that in his morning prayers David was laying his requests before Yahweh, and then watching expectantly. In other words, when we have requests to lay before Yahweh, we should lay then before him in prayer.
It appears to me that the laying of requests before Yahweh is not limited only to morning prayers. Rather requests can be laid before Yahweh whenever there are requests to be laid before him, irrespective of the time of day that those requests are laid.
A Prayer by David.
17:1Hear,
Yahweh, my righteous plea;
Give ear to my prayer, that doesn't go out of deceitful lips.
17:2Let
my sentence come forth from your presence;
Let your eyes look on equity.
17:3You
have proved my heart; you have visited me in the night;
You have tried me, and found nothing;
I have resolved that my mouth shall not disobey.
17:4As
for the works of men, by the word of your lips
I have kept myself from the ways of the violent.
17:5My
steps have held fast to your paths,
My feet have not slipped.
17:6I
have called on you, for you will answer me, Mighty One:
Turn your ear to me. Hear my speech.
17:7Show
your marvelous lovingkindness,
You who save those who take refuge by your right hand from their enemies.
17:8Keep
me as the apple of your eye;
Hide me under the shadow of your wings,
17:9From
the wicked who oppress me,
My deadly enemies, who compass me about.
17:10They
close up their callous hearts.
With their mouth they speak proudly.
17:11They
have now surrounded us in our steps.
They set their eyes to cast us down to the earth.
17:12He
is like a lion that is greedy of his prey,
As it were a young lion lurking in secret places.
17:13Arise,
Yahweh,
Confront him, cast him down.
Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword;
17:14From men by your hand, Yahweh,
From men of the world, whose portion is in
this life,
Whose belly you fill with your treasure:
They are satisfied with children,
Leave the rest of their substance to their babes.
17:15As
for me, I shall see your face in righteousness;
I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with seeing your form.
17:1 shows the types of prayer that Yahweh hears: righteous pleas and prayers that do not go out of deceitful lips, but truthful ones.
Therefore, for Yahweh to hear our prayers, our pleas to him must indeed be righteous, and we ourselves must speak truth and not deceit.
To speak truth, and not deceit, we must indeed be aware of the true knowledge that comes from Yahweh, and speak that truth that emanates from Yahweh. We must also be truthful in our day to day affairs.
17:3 shows that we must indeed be obedient to Yahweh for him to hear our prayers.
17:4-5 shows that we must keep ourselves from the ways of violent men, and that we must keep faithfully to Yahweh's ways.
When Men Shall See Yahweh's Face
17:15 shows that the time for seeing Yahweh's face in righteousness, the time for seeing Yahweh's form, is when one has awakened. In other words, awaken from one's sleep in death. In other words, after one's resurrection!
Implying that prior to one's resurrection from the dead one indeed is not to see Yahweh's face or form.
32:1Blessed
is he whose disobedience is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.
32:2Blessed
is the man to whom Yahweh doesn't impute iniquity,
In whose spirit there is no deceit.
32:3When
I kept silence, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
32:4For
day and night your hand was heavy on me.
My strength was sapped in the heat of summer.
Selah.
32:5I
acknowledged my sin to you.
I didn't hide my iniquity.
I said, I will confess my transgressions to
Yahweh,
And you forgave the iniquity of my sin.
Selah.
32:6For
this, let everyone that is righteous pray to you in a time when you may be
found.
Surely when the great waters overflow, they shall not reach to him.
32:7You
are my hiding place. You will preserve me from trouble.
You will surround me with songs of deliverance.
Selah.
32:3-5 shows that it is to Yahweh that we ought to confess our sins and transgressions, that he may forgive our disobedience, and cover our sin.
32:5 shows that when we do indeed confess our sins to Yahweh, he forgives us the iniquity of our sin. In other words, the gracious and merciful Yahweh desires to forgive us our sins. But we must first acknowledge to him those sins, before he will forgive us those sins.
It is therefore imperative that we acknowledge our sins before Yahweh by confessing them to him.
Pray To Yahweh While He Can Be Found
32:6 admonishes us to pray to Yahweh at such a time when he can be found. In other words, when we have committed sin, Yahweh gives us due time to repent of it, and confess it before him. This is the time that he may be found. And this is the time that we ought to repent of that sin and confess to him.
But if we do not repent of our sin and confess it before him in the time that he has allotted to us for so doing, we may find ourselves on the wrong side of his judgement for having committed that sin, and having subsequently remained unrepentant!
It is therefore imperative that we acknowledge our sin to Yahweh by confessing it before him in prayer, and repenting of it, as soon as possible after having committed it. For Yahweh our Mighty One is indeed a merciful Mighty One.
Yahweh Delivers The Poor And Needy From Oppression
35:1Contend,
Yahweh, with those who contend with me.
Fight against those who fight against me.
35:2Take
hold of shield and buckler,
And stand up for my help.
35:3Draw
out also the spear, and stop the way against those who pursue me.
Tell my soul, "I am your salvation."
35:4Let
those who seek after my soul be put to shame and brought to dishonor.
Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded.
35:5Let
them be as chaff before the wind,
The angel of Yahweh driving them on.
35:6Let
their way be dark and slippery,
The angel of Yahweh pursuing them.
35:7For
without cause have they hid their net in a pit for me.
Without cause have they dug a pit for my soul.
35:8Let
destruction come on him unawares.
Let his net that he has hidden catch himself.
Into that destruction let him fall.
35:9My
soul shall be joyful in Yahweh.
It shall rejoice in his salvation.
35:10All
my bones shall say, "Yahweh, who is like you,
Who delivers the poor from him who is too strong for him,
Yes, the poor and the needy from him who robs him?"
35:11Unrighteous
witnesses rise up.
They ask me about things that I don't know about.
35:12They
reward me evil for good,
To the bereaving of my soul.
35:13But
as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth.
I afflicted my soul with fasting.
My prayer returned into my own bosom.
35:14I
behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother.
I bowed down mourning, as one who mourns his mother.
35:15But
in my adversity, they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together.
The attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I didn't know it.
They tore at me, and didn't cease.
35:16Like
the profane mockers in feasts,
They gnashed their teeth at me.
35:17Sovereign,
how long will you look on?
Rescue my soul from their destruction,
My precious life from the lions.
35:18I
will give you thanks in the great assembly.
I will praise you among many people.
35:19Don't
let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me;
Neither let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause.
35:20For
they don't speak shalom,
But they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.
35:21Yes,
they opened their mouth wide against me.
They said, "Aha! Aha! Our eye has seen it!"
35:22You
have seen it, Yahweh. Don't keep silent.
Sovereign, don't be far from me.
35:23Wake
up! Rise up to defend me, my Mighty One!
My Sovereign, contend for me!
35:24Vindicate
me, Yahweh my Mighty One, according to your righteousness;
Don't let them gloat over me.
35:25Don't
let them say in their heart, "Aha! That's the way we want it."
Don't let them say, "We have swallowed him up!"
35:26Let
them be put to shame and confounded together who rejoice at my calamity.
Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me.
35:27Let
them shout for joy and be glad, who favor my righteous cause.
Yes, let them say continually, "Yahweh be magnified,
Who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant!"
35:28My
tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long.
35:10 shows that Yahweh is indeed the Deliverer, delivering the poor and needy from their oppressors, from those who are too strong for them.
Fast And Pray For Your Enemies
35:13-14 shows that we ought to fast and pray for the welfare of our enemies, for those who hate us. This is Yahweh's righteousness, for he shows his kindness not just to the good, but also to the evil.
35:17-18 shows that we ought to thank Yahweh, our Deliverer, when we are in the great assembly of the faithful. We ought to praise Yahweh our Deliverer when we are among many people.
35:27-28 shows that servants of Yahweh should favour the righteous causes of their fellow servants. They should praise Yahweh and talk about his righteous deeds all day long.
Offer Your Supplications To Yahweh
55:1Listen
to my prayer, Mighty One.
Don't hide yourself from my supplication.
55:2Attend
to me, and answer me.
I am restless in my complaint, and moan,
55:3Because of the voice of the
enemy,
Because of the oppression of the wicked.
For they bring suffering on me.
In anger they hold a grudge against me.
55:4My
heart is severely pained within me.
The terrors of death have fallen on me.
55:5Fearfulness
and trembling have come on me.
Horror has overwhelmed me.
55:6I
said, "Oh that I had wings like a dove!
Then I would fly away, and be at rest.
55:7Behold,
then I would wander far off.
I would lodge in the wilderness."
Selah.
55:8"I
would hurry to a shelter from the stormy wind and tempest."
55:9Confuse
them, Sovereign, and confound their language,
For I have seen violence and strife in the city.
55:10Day
and night they prowl around on its walls.
Malice and abuse are also within her.
55:11Destructive
forces are within her.
Threats and lies don't depart from her streets.
55:12For
it was not an enemy who insulted me,
Then I could have endured it.
Neither was it he who hated me who raised
himself up against me,
Then I would have hid myself from him.
55:13But
it was you, a man like me,
My companion, and my familiar friend.
55:14We
took sweet fellowship together.
We walked in the Mighty One's house with the throng.
55:15Let
death come suddenly on them.
Let them go down alive into She'ol.
For wickedness is in their dwelling, in the midst of them.
55:16As
for me, I will call on the Mighty One.
Yahweh will save me.
55:17Evening,
morning, and at noon, I will cry out in distress.
He will hear my voice.
55:18He
has redeemed my soul in shalom from the battle that was against me,
Although there are many who oppose me.
55:19The
Mighty One, who is enthroned forever,
Will hear, and answer them.
Selah.
They never change,
Who don't fear the Mighty One.
55:20He
raises his hands against his friends.
He has violated his covenant.
55:21His
mouth was smooth as butter,
But his heart was war.
His words were softer than oil,
Yet they were drawn swords.
55:22Cast
your burden on Yahweh, and he will sustain you.
He will never allow the righteous to be moved.
55:23But
you, Mighty One, will bring them down into the pit of destruction.
Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days,
But I will trust in you.
David repeatedly, as is the case in 55:1, prayed prayers of supplication to Yahweh.
Why?
55:2-3 show that he was quite often on the run away from his oppressive and wicked enemies. He therefore repeatedly prayed to Yahweh for deliverance and salvation from the hands of his enemies.
Likewise, if and when we find ourselves being pursued by our enemies, and we are in the right, we should pray to Yahweh that he may deliver and save us from our errant enemies, even praying such prayers repeatedly, as David did.
Enemies Arise Among Those We Fellowship With
55:12-14 shows that it is not always the case that our enemies are those who have for long been known to be so. Sometimes our enemies arise from those we previously considered our brethren and fellow servants of Yahweh! The very ones we fellowshipped and walked with in the house of Yahweh the Mighty One!
The implication being that not all who associate themselves with the servants of Yahweh are truly Yahweh's servants! Some only appear to be so. But in the fullness of time their true traits emerge. And it then becomes evident where they truly stand - against the true servants of Yahweh.
True servants of Yahweh must therefore be aware that there are also false servants among those calling themselves of the household of Yahweh. By their fruits you will know them.
55:16-19 shows that Yahweh is indeed the Saviour, redeeming one from the depths of heavy opposition.
David Prayed To Yahweh Three Times A Day
55:17 shows that David cried out to Yahweh evening, morning and at noon.
Does this mean that Yahweh's servants ought to pray to him at evening, morning and at noon?
It should be noted that the context in which David made these cries to Yahweh were circumstances of despair! In his desperation, seeing the heavy and sustained opposition against him from his many enemies, he frequently cried out to Yahweh, doing so at evening, morning and at noon. It therefore appears that when there is cause, one should cry out to Yahweh as often as one feels is necessary. One can cry out three times a day, as David did. Or one can cry out even more frequently, if the circumstances merit such frequent pleas for Yahweh's help.
61:1Hear
my cry, Mighty One.
Listen to my prayer.
61:2From
the end of the earth, I will call to you, when my heart is overwhelmed.
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
61:3For
you have been a refuge for me,
A strong tower from the enemy.
61:4I
will dwell in your tent forever.
I will take refuge in the shelter of your wings.
Selah.
61:5For
you, Mighty One, have heard my vows.
You have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.
61:6You
will prolong the king's life;
His years shall be for generations.
61:7He
shall be enthroned in the Mighty One's presence forever.
Appoint your lovingkindness and truth, that they may preserve him.
61:8So
I will sing praise to your name forever,
That I may fulfill my vows daily.
61:5 shows that a key facilitating Yahweh hearing our prayers is our fearing his name. We should therefore fear Yahweh's name, that our prayers may not be hindered.
Do Not Cherish Sin In Your Heart
66:16Come,
and hear, all you who fear the Mighty One.
I will declare what he has done for my soul.
66:17I
cried to him with my mouth.
He was extolled with my tongue.
66:18If
I cherished sin in my heart,
The Sovereign wouldn't have listened.
66:19But
most assuredly, the Mighty One has listened.
He has heard the voice of my prayer.
66:20Blessed
be the Mighty One, who has not turned away my prayer,
Nor his lovingkindness from me.
66:18 shows that if we cherish sin in our hearts, Yahweh the Sovereign does not listen to our prayers. Therefore, to ensure that Yahweh listens to our prayers, our hearts must abhor sin, and love righteousness.
66:20 implies that the grounds that Yahweh the Mighty One refuses to listen to prayers are also the same grounds that he refrains from imparting his lovingkindness, his Spirit, to someone. Therefore, to ensure that Yahweh's lovingkindness, Yahweh Spirit, dwells in us, we need to abhor sin and love righteousness.
Ask Yahweh To Answer Speedily When In Distress
69:1Save
me, Mighty One,
For the waters have come up to my neck!
69:2I
sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold.
I have come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.
69:3I
am weary with my crying.
My throat is dry.
My eyes fail, looking for my Mighty One.
69:4Those
who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head.
Those who want to cut me off, being my enemies wrongfully, are mighty.
I have to restore what I didn't take away.
69:5Mighty
One, you know my foolishness.
My sins aren't hidden from you.
69:6Don't
let those who wait for you be put to shame through me, Sovereign
Yahweh-Tzva'ot.
Don't let those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me, Mighty One of
Yisra'el.
69:7Because
for your sake, I have borne reproach.
Shame has covered my face.
69:8I
have become a stranger to my brothers,
An alien to my mother's children.
69:9For
the zeal of your house consumes me.
The reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.
69:10When
I wept and I fasted,
That was to my reproach.
69:11When
I made sackcloth my clothing,
I became a byword to them.
69:12Those
who sit in the gate talk about me.
I am the song of the drunkards.
69:13But
as for me, my prayer is to you, Yahweh, in an acceptable time.
Mighty One, in the abundance of your lovingkindness, answer me in the truth of
your salvation.
69:14Deliver
me out of the mire, and don't let me sink.
Let me be delivered from those who hate me, and out of the deep waters.
69:15Don't
let the flood waters overwhelm me,
Neither let the deep swallow me up.
Don't let the pit shut its mouth on me.
69:16Answer
me, Yahweh, for your lovingkindness is good.
According to the multitude of your tender mercies, turn to me.
69:17Don't
hide your face from your servant,
For I am in distress. Answer me speedily!
69:18Draw
near to my soul, and redeem it.
Ransom me because of my enemies.
69:19You
know my reproach, my shame, and my dishonor.
My adversaries are all before you.
69:20Reproach
has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness.
I looked for some to take pity, but there was none;
For comforters, but I found none.
69:21They
also gave me gall for my food.
In my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink.
69:22Let
their table before them become a snare.
May it become a retribution and a trap.
69:23Let
their eyes be darkened, so that they can't see.
Make their loins continually to shake.
69:24Pour
out your indignation on them.
Let the fierceness of your anger overtake them.
69:25Let
their habitation be desolate.
Let no one dwell in their tents.
69:26For
they persecute him whom you have wounded.
They tell of the sorrow of those whom you have hurt.
69:27Charge
them with crime upon crime.
Don't let them come into your righteousness.
69:28Let
them be blotted out of the book of life,
And not be written with the righteous.
69:29But
I am in pain and distress.
Let your salvation, Mighty One, protect me.
69:30I
will praise the name of the Mighty One with a song,
And will magnify him with thanksgiving.
69:31It
will please Yahweh better than an ox,
Or a bull that has horns and hoofs.
69:32The
humble have seen it, and are glad.
You who seek after the Mighty One, let your heart live.
69:33For
Yahweh hears the needy,
And doesn't despise his captive people.
69:34Let
Heaven and earth praise him;
The seas, and everything that moves therein!
69:35For
the Mighty One will save Tzion, and build the cities of Yahudah.
They shall settle there, and own it.
69:36The
children also of his servants shall inherit it.
Those who love his name shall dwell therein.
69:17 shows that it is not inappropriate to sometimes ask Yahweh to act speedily in a particular matter, especially when we are in distress, as can be seen from this example of David's.
Nevertheless, we should always remember that Yahweh knows best, and even the timing of his deliverance is best left to him.
Praise And Thanksgiving Pleases Yahweh More Than
Animal Sacrifices
69:30-31 shows that praise to Yahweh with song, and thanksgiving prayers, are more pleasing to him than animal sacrifices to him. Not that animal sacrifices to him are not at all pleasing. No! Only that prayers of praise and thanksgiving give Yahweh greater pleasure than animal sacrifices.
We should therefore regularly offer to Yahweh prayers of praise and thanksgiving.
69:32-33 shows that Yahweh hears the prayers of the humble, those who seek him. Yahweh does not despise these needy ones, these who are held captive.
We should therefore seek Yahweh wholeheartedly, that he may indeed hear our prayers.
Trust In Yahweh And Walk Blamelessly
84:9Behold,
Mighty One our shield,
Look at the face of your anointed.
84:10For
a day in your courts is better than a thousand.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my Mighty One,
Than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
84:11For
Yahweh the Mighty One is a sun and a shield.
Yahweh will give grace and glory.
He withholds no good thing from those who walk blamelessly.
84:12Yahweh-Tzva'ot,
Blessed is the man who trusts in you.
84:11 shows that Yahweh withholds no good thing from those who walk blamelessly.
We should therefore strive to walk blamelessly before Yahweh, that our various good requests to him in prayer may be answered in the affirmative.
Some Reasons Why Yahweh Answers Prayers
A Prayer by David.
86:1Hear,
Yahweh, and answer me,
For I am poor and needy.
86:2Preserve
my soul, for I am righteous.
You, my Mighty One, save your servant who trusts in you.
86:3Be
merciful to me, Sovereign,
For I call to you all day long.
86:4Bring
joy to the soul of your servant,
For to you, Sovereign, do I lift up my soul.
86:5For
you, Sovereign, are good, and ready to forgive;
Abundant in lovingkindness to all those who call on you.
86:6Hear,
Yahweh, my prayer.
Listen to the voice of my petitions.
86:7In
the day of my trouble I will call on you,
For you will answer me.
86:8There
is no one like you among the mighty ones, Sovereign,
Nor any deeds like your deeds.
86:9All
nations you have made will come and worship before you, Sovereign.
They shall glorify your name.
86:10For
you are great, and do wondrous things.
You are Mighty One alone.
86:11Teach
me your way, Yahweh.
I will walk in your truth.
Make my heart undivided to fear your name.
86:12I
will praise you, Sovereign my Mighty One, with my whole heart.
I will glorify your name forevermore.
86:13For
your lovingkindness is great toward me.
You have delivered my soul from the lowest She'ol.
86:14Mighty
One, the proud have risen up against me.
A company of violent men have sought after my soul,
And they don't hold regard for you before them.
86:15But
you, Sovereign, are a merciful and gracious Mighty One,
Slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth.
86:16Turn
to me, and have mercy on me!
Give your strength to your servant.
Save the son of your handmaid.
86:17Show
me a sign of your goodness,
That those who hate me may see it, and be put to shame,
Because you, Yahweh, have helped me, and comforted me.
86:1 shows that the reason David expected Yahweh to both hear him and answer him was that he was poor and needy. Implying that it is those who are poor and needy in spirit whose prayers are heard by Yahweh.
We should likewise be poor and needy in spirit.
Be Righteous And Trust Wholly In Yahweh
86:2 shows that the reason David expected both preservation and salvation was because he was both righteous and trusted in Yahweh. Implying that it is those who are righteous and trust in Yahweh who Yahweh hears their supplications.
We should likewise be righteous and trust wholly in Yahweh.
86:3 shows that the reason David expected to receive mercy from Yahweh was because he called to Yahweh all day long. In other words, he did not just call to Yahweh once, twice or three times a day, but called to Yahweh all day long.
We should likewise be calling to Yahweh all day long, that he may show us his great mercy.
86:4 shows that the reason David expected to receive joy from Yahweh was because he lifted up his soul to Yahweh.
We should likewise lift up our souls to Yahweh, telling him all our innermost thoughts, that he may give us his gift of joy.
Ask Yahweh To Teach You His Way
86:11 shows us that we ought to ask Yahweh to teach us his way, that we may walk in his truth. We ought to ask Yahweh to make our heart undivided to fear his name.
A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is
overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before Yahweh.
102:1Hear
my prayer, Yahweh!
Let my cry come to you.
102:2Don't
hide your face from me in the day of my distress.
Turn your ear to me.
Answer me quickly in the day when I call.
102:3For
my days consume away like smoke.
My bones are burned as a firebrand.
102:4My
heart is blighted like grass, and withered,
For I forget to eat my bread.
102:5By
reason of the voice of my groaning,
My bones stick to my skin.
102:6I
am like a pelican of the wilderness.
I have become as an owl of the waste places.
102:7I
watch, and have become like a sparrow that is alone on the housetop.
102:8My
enemies reproach me all day.
Those who are mad at me use my name as a curse.
102:9For
I have eaten ashes like bread,
And mingled my drink with tears,
102:10Because
of your indignation and your wrath,
For you have taken me up, and thrown me away.
102:11My
days are like a long shadow.
I have withered like grass.
102:12But
you, Yahweh, will abide forever;
Your renown endures to all generations.
102:13You
will arise and have mercy on Tzion;
For it is time to have pity on her.
Yes, the set time has come.
102:14For
your servants take pleasure in her stones,
And have pity on her dust.
102:15So
the nations will fear the name of Yahweh;
All the kings of the earth your glory.
102:16For
Yahweh has built up Tzion.
He has appeared in his glory.
102:17He
has responded to the prayer of the destitute,
And has not despised their prayer.
102:18This
will be written for the generation to come.
A people who will be created will praise Yah.
102:19For
he has looked down from the height of his sanctuary.
From Heaven, Yahweh saw the earth;
102:20To
hear the groans of the prisoner;
To free those who are condemned to death;
102:21That
men may declare the name of Yahweh in Tzion,
And his praise in Yerushalayim;
102:22When
the peoples are gathered together,
The kingdoms, to serve Yahweh.
102:23He
weakened my strength along the course.
He shortened my days.
102:24I
said, "My Mighty One, don't take me away in the midst of my days.
Your years are throughout all generations.
102:25Of
old, you laid the foundation of the earth.
The heavens are the work of your hands.
102:26They
will perish, but you will endure.
Yes, all of them will wear out like a garment.
You will change them like a cloak, and they will be changed.
102:27But
you are the same.
Your years will have no end.
102:28The
children of your servants will continue.
Their seed will be established before you."
102:2 shows, as already seen earlier on, that when we are in distress and cry to Yahweh to deliver us, it is appropriate to ask him to act speedily.
Yahweh Has Appointed Times For Particular Actions
102:13 shows that Yahweh has set or appointed times for acting in particular manners with respect to particular situations.
We should therefore ascertain from Yahweh when his set time for acting in a given circumstance is, that when that time arrives, we may pray to him to take the appropriate action that he had set upon himself to undertake. For 102:17 shows that Yahweh responds to the prayer of the destitute in such circumstances, and does not despise their prayer.
Prepare Yourself To Pray For Tzion
Seeing that this has been spoken about in the context of the restoration of Tzion, and seeing that the time for this restoration is almost upon us, servants of Yahweh should prepare themselves to pray to Yahweh to restore the fortunes of Tzion. That Yahweh may act in its favour, and do it what he has prophesied for it.
Yahweh Shortens And Prolongs The Days Of Human Beings
102:23-24 shows that Yahweh does sometimes shorten the days of certain people, with these people not living out the fullness of days that Yahweh originally allotted to them.
Earlier on, in the case of Chizkiyahu the king, it was seen that Yahweh prolonged his days. Therefore, just as Yahweh does, on occasion, prolong the days of certain people, so also, on occasion, he shortens the days of other people.
109:1
Mighty One of my praise, don't remain silent,
109:2For they have opened the mouth
of the wicked and the mouth of deceit against me.
They have spoken to me with a lying tongue.
109:3They
have also surrounded me with words of hatred,
And fought against me without a cause.
109:4In
return for my love, they are my adversaries;
But I am in prayer.
109:5They
have rewarded me evil for good,
And hatred for my love.
109:6Set
a wicked man over him.
Let an adversary stand at his right hand.
109:7When
he is judged, let him come forth guilty.
Let his prayer be turned into sin.
109:8Let
his days be few.
Let another take his office.
109:9Let
his children be fatherless,
And his wife a widow.
109:10Let
his children be wandering beggars.
Let them be sought from their ruins.
109:11Let
the creditor seize all that he has.
Let strangers plunder the fruit of his labor.
109:12Let
there be none to extend kindness to him,
Neither let there be any to have pity on his fatherless children.
109:13Let
his posterity be cut off.
In the generation following let their name be blotted out.
109:14Let
the iniquity of his fathers be remembered by Yahweh.
Don't let the sin of his mother be blotted out.
109:15Let
them be before Yahweh continually,
That he may cut off the memory of them from the earth;
109:16Because
he didn't remember to show kindness,
But persecuted the poor and needy man,
The broken in heart, to kill them.
109:17Yes,
he loved cursing, and it came to him.
He didn't delight in blessing, and it was far from him.
109:18He
clothed himself also with cursing as with his garment.
It came into his inward parts like water,
Like oil into his bones.
109:19Let
it be to him as the clothing with which he covers himself,
For the belt that is always around him.
109:20This
is the reward of my adversaries from Yahweh,
Of those who speak evil against my soul.
109:21But
deal with me, Yahweh the Sovereign, for your name's sake,
Because your lovingkindness is good, deliver me;
109:22For I am poor and needy.
My heart is wounded within me.
109:23I
fade away like an evening shadow.
I am shaken off as the locust.
109:24My
knees are weak through fasting.
My body is thin and lacks fat.
109:25I
have also become a reproach to them.
When they see me, they shake their head.
109:26Help
me, Yahweh, my Mighty One.
Save me according to your lovingkindness;
109:27That
they may know that this is your hand;
That you, Yahweh, have done it.
109:28They
may curse, but you bless.
When they arise, they will be put to shame,
But your servant shall rejoice.
109:29Let
my adversaries be clothed with dishonor.
Let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe.
109:30I
will give great thanks to Yahweh with my mouth.
Yes, I will praise him among the multitude.
109:31For
he will stand at the right hand of the needy,
To save him from those who judge his soul.
109:24 shows that fasting was fundamental to David in his worship of Yahweh.
We should likewise worship Yahweh not just in prayers, but also in fasting.
Pray For The Peace Of Yerushalayim
122:1I
was glad when they said to me,
"Let's go to Yahweh's house!"
122:2Our
feet are standing
Within your gates, Yerushalayim;
122:3Yerushalayim,
that is built
As a city that is compact together;
122:4Where
the tribes go up, even Yah's tribes,
According to an ordinance for Yisra'el,
To give thanks to the name of Yahweh.
122:5For
there are set thrones for judgment,
The thrones of David's house.
122:6Pray
for the shalom of Yerushalayim.
They will prosper who love you.
122:7Shalom
be within your walls,
And prosperity within your palaces.
122:8For
my brothers' and companions' sakes,
I will now say, "Shalom be within you."
122:9For
the sake of the house of Yahweh our Mighty One,
I will seek your good.
122:6 shows that we should pray for the shalom or peace of Yerushalayim. It is the location of the house of Yahweh our Mighty One. We should also love Yerushalayim, for those who do so will prosper.
Prayers Are Similar To Incense And Sacrifices
141:1Yahweh,
I have called on you.
Come to me quickly!
Listen to my voice when I call to you.
141:2Let
my prayer be set before you like incense;
The lifting up of my hands like the evening sacrifice.
141:3Set
a watch, Yahweh, before my mouth.
Keep the door of my lips.
141:4Don't
incline my heart to any evil thing,
To practice deeds of wickedness with men who work iniquity.
Don't let me eat of their delicacies.
141:5Let
the righteous strike me, it is kindness;
Let him reprove me, it is like oil on the head;
Don't let my head refuse it;
Yet my prayer is always against evil deeds.
141:2 likens prayers to Yahweh to incense, and the lifting up of hands in prayer to the evening sacrifice.
Earlier on it was seen that Yahweh takes greater pleasure in prayers to him than in animal sacrifices to him, showing that though they are different, they have similarities, both being offerings to Yahweh.
141:5 shows that like David, we should always pray against evil deeds.
Seek Relief From Yahweh For His Own Name's Sake
143:1Hear
my prayer, Yahweh.
Listen to my petitions.
In your faithfulness and righteousness, relieve me.
143:2Don't
enter into judgment with your servant,
For in your sight no man living is righteous.
143:3For
the enemy pursues my soul.
He has struck my life down to the ground.
He has made me live in dark places, as those who have been long dead.
143:4Therefore
my spirit is overwhelmed within me.
My heart within me is desolate.
143:5I
remember the days of old.
I meditate on all your doings.
I contemplate the work of your hands.
143:6I
spread forth my hands to you.
My soul thirsts for you, like a parched land.
Selah.
143:7Hurry
to answer me, Yahweh.
My spirit fails.
Don't hide your face from me,
So that I don't become like those who go down into the pit.
143:8Cause
me to hear your lovingkindness in the morning,
For I trust in you.
Cause me to know the way in which I should
walk,
For I lift up my soul to you.
143:9Deliver
me, Yahweh, from my enemies.
I flee to you to hide me.
143:10Teach
me to do your will,
For you are my Mighty One.
Your Spirit is good.
Lead me in the land of uprightness.
143:11Revive
me, Yahweh, for your name's sake.
In your righteousness, bring my soul out of trouble.
143:12In
your lovingkindness, cut off my enemies,
And destroy all those who afflict my soul,
For I am your servant.
143:1-2 shows that when David prayed to Yahweh for relief, he did not base his prayer on his own righteousness. For he recognised that in Yahweh's sight no living man is righteous. In other words, living men have yet to attain to Yahweh's righteousness. David therefore sought relief based on Yahweh's faithfulness and righteousness. Implying that Yahweh had made a promise to David, and David was therefore asking for relief from the circumstances he then found himself in, that Yahweh's promises may be fulfilled, thus showing Yahweh's faithfulness.
Therefore, when we are faced with a difficult situation, a situation that our conduct does not justify our being relieved from, we can still obtain relief from that situation by appealing to Yahweh for his great name's sake. In other words, if our being relieved from that difficult situation would facilitate the glorification of Yahweh's name, we should appeal for Yahweh to take action on our behalf and thus glorify his name by so doing.
For example, Yahweh had promised David that he would indeed be king over Yisrael. Yet when king Shaul and all Yisrael were pursuing him as a fugitive, it seemed highly unlikely that David would succeed to the throne of Yisrael. David therefore prayed for salvation at Yahweh's hand that the promise that Yahweh had made to David may indeed be fulfilled. In other words, David was not praying for salvation based on his own good conduct. No! But based on Yahweh's faithfulness and righteousness. For Yahweh is faithful and righteous, and will always bring to fruition his promises. David therefore based his petition for relief on Yahweh's good and great name!
When In Danger Ask Yahweh For A Quick Answer
143:7-9 shows that when we are in dire straits, such as when our lives are in danger, it is indeed very appropriate to cry to Yahweh to hurry his response to our petition.
143:8-10 shows that it is to Yahweh that we should seek guidance for spiritual matters. We should pray to him to give us knowledge of spiritual matters. We should pray to him to teach us to do his will.
And seeing that we saw earlier on that Yahweh does not deny his upright servants their good requests, we can indeed be confident that Yahweh will indeed impart to us his spiritual knowledge, and teach us how to do his will, after having shown us what his will is.
143:11 reiterates the basis of David's petition for relief from a distressing situation. It was founded on Yahweh's name's sake, and not on David's righteousness. We should learn from David, and do likewise.
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