Prayer Enables God’s Story and Our Story to be One
Today, we take one final look at Psalm 86. We spent the last four weeks examining parts of this psalm. I shared various ways I look at this psalm as a catalyst for my daily prayer. We discussed being transparent, focusing on who God is, and bringing our pleas to Him.
In these final four verses we will explore how God’s Word can trigger concerns and fears that lead us to pray. In addition, we will consider several red flags to warn us in regard to how we react and treat others. Lastly, these final verses provide wonderful statements that can become prayers we offer on a continual basis.
I take more liberties in my use of these verses than I have any other verses. For example, I don’t have arrogant people attacking me, nor am I a son. God uses these phrases to prompt me to pray for other things. Plus, I quote more directly from these verses since the Psalmist brings my needs directly to the surface.
Dealing with God’s Word Appropriately
We must remember when we pray scripture we deal with God’s Word. In Hebrews 4:12 we read, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any doubled-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirt, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (NIV)
We gain wisdom from God’s Word. However, you probably noticed we don’t always find our particular circumstance in God’s Word with direct information on how to manage our struggles. Since the Bible is living, God can still provide what we need within its pages. We must search for the underlying truth in what we read and allow Holy Spirit to teach us how to apply those truths to our lives.
Psalm 86:14-17
The writer of Psalm 86 experienced circumstances we may never encounter. However, He does give us helpful wisdom.
“14The arrogant are attacking me, O God; a band of ruthless men seeks my life – men without regard for you. 15But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. 16Turn to me and have mercy on me; grant your strength to your servant and save the son of your maidservant. 17Give me a sign of your goodness, that my enemies my see it and be put to shame, for you O LORD, have helped me and comforted me.”
Psalm 86:14-17, NIV
Dealing with Pride
When I first read verse fourteen, I was unsure how to connect with it. I wondered what do I pray since I don’t have a band of arrogant ruthless people chasing me down? Holy Spirit led me to pray about my own arrogance. I recognized my own pride often led me to be unkind, even ruthless, and definitely not a good reflection of Jesus.
As I studied this verse, I learned praying about my pride leans into the wisdom this verse reveals. When someone is arrogant or prideful, she views herself as above others, better than others. She then treats others without regard for their ideas, opinions, or feelings. Holy Spirit led me to pray protection from selfish pride, and for God to increase my desire to always live in a way that honors Him.
In my studies, I discovered scripture that confirms this wisdom. Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Paul tells us in Romans 12:16, “Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.” In addition, Peter states, “… All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’” (1 Peter 5:5)
Red Flags to Warn Against Pride
The psalmist provides several red flags for us in this verse. We must watch for behavior that is based solely on our pride where we lose regard for others. We must be cautious of a critical or judgmental spirit which reveals our disregard for another. Along with this red flag, I also see the red flag of being impatient and/or without grace. We too easily become concerned with what affects us and what we want accomplished. In addition, I see one last red flag when we are not seeking God’s guidance and wisdom. We become too sure of ourselves and our abilities, and then we act in our own power and wisdom.
Claim God’s Declaration about Himself
I love that the psalmist followed verse fourteen with the very familiar words in verse fifteen. Psalm 86:15 is a link to Exodus 34:6 where God provides Moses with a description of Himself. Yahweh tells His servant Moses He is “a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth.”
These words are powerful and reassuring to Moses and us since this declaration by God follows Moses’ second climb up Mount Sinai to receive the LORD’s commandments. God reminds all of us, after Aaron and the Israelites worship the golden calf, that He is the God who offers forgiveness, second chances, and is continually faithful even when His followers are not.
Regardless of what goes on around us. Even if others in our life are arrogant and ruthless. In spite of the reality that our own pride often gets in our way and we think we can define good, better than God Himself. God Almighty is the same and He loves us more than we can fathom.
Mercy of God
We may deserve the treatment in verse fourteen, or judgement for our mistreatment of others. Yet because God is who He is in verse fifteen, we can claim verse sixteen, “Turn to me and have mercy on me…”
Many days I ask God to be compassionate toward me. I thank Him for His grace because I know my pride has gotten me into a mess. I express gratitude because He withheld anger even though I behaved selfishly. Then I plead with God to be merciful and allow me to feel afresh His deep love for me.
Rescue Me
Psalm 86:16 sends us back to earlier verses in the psalm. “Turn to me” parallels “Hear, O LORD and answer me” in verse one. The psalmist repeats his plea for mercy from verse three in verse sixteen. “Grant your strength to your servant” recalls all of God’s wonders the psalmist has already identified. Then the psalmist pleads for God to save him, the faith of the entire psalm rolled into one gigantic plea.
Holy Spirit has often led me to plead with God to rescue me. I know I need His mercy and His strength. In addition, every time I read the phrase “save the son of your maidservant,” I pray for my boy, and then I pray for my girl. The phrase reminds me God cares about my children, and so I ask for their rescue as well, His mercy and strength in their lives.
God’s Goodness
I’ve gained a new appreciation for the final verse of this psalm of lament and faith. For the past year I’ve asked God over and over to “give me a sign of His goodness.” I’ve prayed every day, be my help and comfort me. They are appropriate things to ask God for; I am not praying anything outside the scope of God’s Word.
However, in my study, I caught a connection in the verse I had not seen before. The psalmist is requesting God to reveal His goodness not so that he will feel better about things. The psalmist wants others to see how good God is so they will consider and evaluate their own behavior and perhaps turn their hearts also toward God.
God’s Story, Our Story
The writer of the psalm closes his lament and pleas with a declaration. He doesn’t ask God to help and comfort him. He states God has already helped and comforted him. The psalmist asserts God is already good, God has already rescued, and God is already enough.
Though the psalmist laments, his prayer is not all about me, me, me. Instead, he’s all about God, God, God. And isn’t that the point of prayer? We bring our joys, hopes, fears, needs, and concerns to Almighty God. We declare our faith in His sovereignty, wisdom, and righteousness. When we pray, we allow Holy Spirit to enable and empower us to align with God’s will. When we choose to pray scripture, we confirm the truth that God’s story is our story, and our story is God’s story.
Praying Scripture Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
