WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
Psalm 86:1-17
Luke 18:1-8

“Watch and pray …”

DAVID’S PRAYER

David has penned two Psalms which he has called his very own. One is Psalm 86, also called “David’s Prayer,” though many other Psalms are also prayers. The other is Psalm 145, also called “David’s Praise.” In Hebrew there is a rhyme for these two compositions. One is a tephilla and the other is a tehilla.

In each of these he makes a solemn reference to Moses in Exodus 34:6-7: “… The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.”

David hopes in a merciful, gracious and longsuffering God, so he has assurance of his plea being heard. David prays for guidance. He is willing to be taught so he will walk in the truth. David’s prayer is full of praise. Praise is a part of prayer. Do you praise the Lord in your prayer and not some big man in the Church?

David is encouraged in his prayer that the proud who are against him, who spurn their God, will not prevail. So let us take care not to be on the side of the proud and mighty.  David asks for a token or sign that God is good to him that his enemy might be ashamed. This is a legitimate request. God will vindicate us before our enemies with some particular blessing, which you can readily recognise to be a timely token. Can you think of instances in David’s life when events that worked for his destruction were overturned with God’s help? Read 1 Samuel 26.

THOUGHT: “… thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive …” (Ps 86:5)
PRAYER: (Use Psalm 86:11.)