David Prays (Psalm 17 & 18)

 



 (A Prayer of David.) Psalm 17:1-2

Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.

Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.

(To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD, who spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul: And he said,) Psalm 18:1-3

I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.

The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

King David is our example to follow when it comes to praying. David does not flee from his troubles but stands firm when facing is his life struggles.

Davis does flee into prayer though, each time he is oppressed insurmountably. He flees like a ship’s captain who sees raging storms approaching his vessel to find safety and shelter in safe harbours. That flight to safety means life and death to the ship’s captain. David is exactly like the ship’s captain, knows to flee to God in prayer when his life is troubled.

Do we flee from our troubles or do we flee to God in prayer just like David?

Psalm 17 and 18 are a before and after thoughts of David in Prayer. Psalm 17 is when he is praying when he is in trouble and psalm 18 he reflects his past deliverance from God. In Psalm 17 he calls on God for his protection from his enemies, while in Psalm 18 he reflects on his past deliverance from his persecution and affirms his faith in God who will deliver from all his troubles present and future.

Look at the opening of psalm 17. David pleads to God as if God is not capable of listening to his prayer. He is asking God to see him in equal terms. Why so? David understands that he is a sinful man who needs mercy. He knows that his hands are and will continue to do Satan’s work if he is not careful. He knows that sin stands against him in the presence of God. David set an example for us to prayer acknowledging our sinful estate in the presence of God, to humble our selves and approach the Throne of Grace with a contrite heart.

His plea to God made him an object of God’s attention. David understood how to approach God in prayer. His humility makes him an object of God’s attention which gives him the assurance of God answering his prayers. Do we make ourselves to be an object of God’s attention when we pray or do, we cry and beg for God’s attention like a spoilt child? Crying and begging like a spoilt child puts our attention to ourselves. Self is idolatry and sin against God. The difference is disparating. The contrast is whether we love God, or we love ourselves. Our hearts desire is reflected in the manner we pray to God. Do we pray loving God first? Or do we pray loving ourselves first?

The answer to this question is provided in Psalm 18. David loves God with all his strength. The captain of his heart is God. David flees to God when he is in trouble and flees to his one and only true love. And because his love for God is central and fixed in his life, when he prays God Listens. His prayers are templates for us to reflect on our we should prepare our hearts right with God and make us an object to God’s attention.

David acknowledged his sinfulness and with a sincere contrite heart he sought the presence of God in his prayers and begs for mercy for himself. He knew how to make himself become an object of God’s attention when he prays. Our attitude while praying cannot be self but God. Our love of God must be reflected in our prayers. We must with a contrite heart acknowledge that only God is our strength, our fortress, our deliverer, our salvation, and our high tower. And we must trust in God in our prayers to deliver us from all circumstances and situations.

 

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