Does God listen to your prayer?

November 10, 2015

Personal prayer to Yahweh (Ps 86:1-86:7)

A Prayer of David

“Incline your ear!

Yahweh!

Answer me!

I am poor and needy.

Preserve my life!

I am devoted to you.

Save your servant who trusts in you!

You are my God!

Be gracious to me!

Yahweh!

I cry to you all day long.

Gladden the soul of your servant!

Yahweh!

I lift up my soul to you!

Yahweh!

You are good.

You are forgiving,

You abound in steadfast love

To all who call on you.

Give ear to my prayer!

Yahweh!

Listen to my cry of supplication!

In the day of my trouble,

I call on you.

You will answer me.”

Psalm 86 seems like a personal prayer of David. There is no other indication in the title. David wanted Yahweh to listen to him by giving him his ear. He wanted an answer since he was poor and needy. He wanted to preserve his life since he was devoted to Yahweh. He trusted in Yahweh as a servant. All day long he cried to Yahweh, his God. He wanted Yahweh to be gracious to him and gladden his soul. He knew that Yahweh was good and forgiving due to his steadfast love. David wanted Yahweh to hear him in the times of his trouble. He called and expected an answer.

November 5, 2015

Listen to our prayer (Ps 79:11-79:13)

“Let the groans of the prisoners come before you!

According to your great power

Preserve those doomed to die!

Return sevenfold into the bosom of our neighbors

The taunts with which they have taunted you!

Yahweh!

Then we your people,

The flock of your pasture,

Will give thanks to you forever.

From generation to generation

We will recount your praise.”

This psalm ends with the request to listen to their prayers. The Israelites considered themselves as prisoners who were doomed to die. Indeed the psalmist wanted God to preserve them. He wanted God to return sevenfold the taunts that had been delivered to them. They were his people, his flock. They would give thanks forever so that generation after generation would praise him.

October 18, 2015

God’s great deeds (Ps 66:16-66:19)

“Come and hear!

All you who fear God!

I will tell you

What he has done for me.

I cried aloud to him.

He was extolled with my tongue.

If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,

Yahweh would not have listened.

But truly God has listened.

He has given heed

To the words of my prayer.”

The psalmist asked everyone who feared God to come and listen to his words. He was going to tell them what Yahweh had done for him. He cried out to God. God listened and responded because he did not have iniquity in his heart. God had given a response to his prayer.

August 8, 2015

David asks Yahweh to listen to him (Ps 4:1-4:1)

“To the choirmaster leader, with stringed instruments, a psalm of David.

Answer me!

When I call,

O God of my right!

You gave me room

When I was in distress.

Be gracious to me,

Hear my prayer.”

This Psalm 4 has a leader or choirmaster in charge with stringed instruments used. This is also a psalm of David, but without any particular circumstances. It is a cry for help or a lament. David wanted God to answer him. God gave him room when he was upset. He wanted God to pity him or be gracious to him. The biggest thing is that he wanted God to hear his prayer.