Earlier, in Psalm 119:145-148, we looked at David’s focus on prayer and our application – God’s listening to us and our response in obedience. We’ll continue looking at David’s heartfelt cries to God for His mercies as we look at verses 149-151.
Ps 119:149 Hear my voice according to Thy lovingkindness; revive me, O LORD, according to Thine ordinances.
Hear my voice. God hears us with perfect intelligence and complete attention.
First off, we see the word ‘hear’. This comes from <shama> in the Hebrew language. It would seem like something we could just easily skip over but as I read the definition, the first phrase said ‘to hear intelligently’, followed by the words attentively, carefully, certainly, diligently, to discern, and give ear among others.
I am quickly reminded how often I don’t even know what to pray for, or what I truly need. I might think I’ve got the answers but the reality is, if I did, I wouldn’t need God, and I certainly wouldn’t have cause to cry out to Him. So, God hears my incomplete thoughts and words with His perfect intelligence! Just this information alone is comforting, right?! This means, He knows what I truly am praying for even while I have still yet to understand what it is I need. And, God is attentive, He listens with ears open wide to my heart.
Consider. How often are we distracted while listening to someone? How often do we hear only a part of the sentence because our mind is elsewhere? And when we do listen carefully, are we able to hear with perfect understanding?
Of course, the answers are no to the questions above. If we were able to hear and fully understand all that was communicated to us, there would be no arguing because of misinterpretation of someone’s words. We wouldn’t have to wonder what someone truly meant by their words. I’ve personally tried to just take someone’s words for exactly what they say – it doesn’t work!! People seldom express what they are really thinking!
Consider these familiar phrases, “You should join us”, and “We wish you were here”. Is that what is truly meant? Are these sentiments a sincere invitation?
I’ve also tried to consider what others mean – you know, the hidden words that were not used – this doesn’t work either because I can’t read minds or motives. Both of these scenarios just get me in trouble! Perhaps you can relate. Or, perhaps you can share with me, what it is I’m doing wrong In any case, we are confusing creatures when it comes to communication.
God sees right through it all and looks into our heart. He knows how to hear our words intelligently, He is always attentive and perfectly able to ‘hear’ my true thoughts and then rearrange what I’m pleading to bestow His perfect blessings upon me.
As God hears our loud cries to Him, He not only responds with perfect intelligence but also with lovingkindness. He sees His children with favor. He is gracious and kind and merciful.
You know how sometimes you feel foolish for a request or need you have? Like someone will think you’re silly? This is not so with God! We can go to Him with all our concerns, our desires, our hurts, our rejoicing and anything else and receive His gentleness. There is nothing He doesn’t care about or that is too small or too big for His understanding. Crazy, right?! I pray these truths bring comfort to you as they do to me.
Ps 119:149a Hear my voice according to Thy lovingkindness;
Ps 5:2 Heed the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God, For to Thee do I pray.
Ps 55:2 Give heed to me, and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and am surely distracted,
Isa 38:14 "Like a swallow, [like] a crane, so I twitter; I moan like a dove; my eyes look wistfully to the heights; O Lord, I am oppressed, be my security.
Ps 69:16 Answer me, O LORD, for Thy lovingkindness is good; According to the greatness of Thy compassion, turn to me,
Do you go to God with the expectation that He will hear you and be gracious to be fully attentive to your cries? When we are the recipient of God’s mercy in our life, then we can look to Him to continue His kindness as we cry to Him.
Ps 51:1 (For the choir director. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him,) (after he had gone in to Bathsheba.) Be gracious to me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Thy compassion blot out my transgressions.
David pleads with God to hear his requests ‘according to God’s lovingkindness’. Not because he has earned some favor with God, not because he deserves for God to look upon him with mercy, but because of what God has done for Him. God hears our cries to Him through the perfection of His Son. We can only approach His throne because of what He has done for us and who we are in Him. Our prayers need to be for the desire of God’s will in our lives. He chooses – according to His lovingkindness – to bless us and give us all that we ask in abundance, in order that we might bring glory to His name.
Ps 119:149b Revive me, O LORD according to Thine ordinances.
In Psalm 119:146, the Psalmist cries to God “save me”. He then goes on in verse 149 with the request “hear me”. Now in this same verse we see the plea, “revive me”.
Often, when we’re in trouble or things look a bit dismal, our answer is to be delivered out of the problem. But here David is requesting that God gives him what is necessary to keep going through the difficulty. His faith is big because his God is big! It’s one thing to pray and hope your requests are heard and answered; it’s another thing altogether to cry to the living God and know He hears and will supply all that is needed! Revive me, quicken me, and preserve me through whatever difficulties You allow in my life – according to Your plan. This is our example of prayer.
Ps 119:132 Turn to me and be gracious to me, After Thy manner with those who love Thy name.
"Quicken me." This is often the very best way of delivering us from trouble, -- to give us more life that we may escape from death; and to add more strength to that life that we may not be overloaded with its burdens. Observe, that he asks to receive quickening according to God's judgment, that is, in such a way as it is consistent with infinite wisdom and prudence. God's methods of communicating greater vigor to our spiritual life are exceedingly wise; it would probably be in vain for us to attempt to understand them; and it will be our wisdom to wish to receive grace, not according to our notion of how it should come to us, but according to God's heavenly method of bestowing it. It is his prerogative to make alive as well as to kill, and that sovereign act is best left to his infallible judgment. Hath he not already given us to have life more and more abundantly? "Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence." Treasury of David
Do we depend on God’s goodness towards us in His answers to our prayers? What is our expectation when we cry to God?
We can follow the example we’ve been given. We can expect that God will hear us. We can expect that God will hear us because of His mercy towards us. We can expect that God will strengthen us. We can expect that God will answer us according to His perfect judgement. This is not ‘getting what we want’. Praying to God does not have our benefit at its core but rather, it has God’s glory as its intention.
As we continue to the next verse in Psalm 119, David is feeling even a bit more unsettled as he witnesses hostility closing in around him.
Ps 119:150 Those who follow after wickedness draw near; they are far from Thy law.
1Sa 23:26 And Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain; and David was hurrying to get away from Saul, for Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men to seize them.
There is quite a contrast here between desiring to obey and follow after God and being far from God. This is the age old story of good versus evil. David is holding fast to truth even as he sees the evil intent of those who are after him. Unlike David who is near to God and desiring to obey His law, those who are following after wickedness are far from God.
David is in trouble. What is his reaction? He continues to draw near to God and seek his protection from Him. God is faithful!
Ps 119:151 Thou art near, O LORD, and all Thy commandments are truth.
1Th 5:24 Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.
De 4:7 "For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as is the LORD our God whenever we call on Him?
The promise for us is not that we will avoid dangers and difficulties from those who are settled on causing trouble, but that God will bless us according to His word as we trust in His deliverance through tough times.
In these times, we have the opportunity to rely upon God’s lovingkindness and mercy and seek His comfort as we cry to Him in prayer. We can be assured that although danger seems to be encroaching upon us, God is nearer still to save us.
“Our spiritual enemies, like David's earthly persecutors are ever present and active. The devouring "lion," or the insinuating "serpent" is "nigh to follow after mischief"; and so much the more dangerous, as his approaches are invisible. Nigh also is a tempting, ensnaring world; and nearer still, a lurking world of sin within, separating us from communion with our God. But in turning habitually and immediately to our stronghold, we can enjoy the confidence-- "Thou art near, O Lord." Charles Bridges
Ge 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; your reward shall be very great."
Ps 145:18 The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.
God is powerful Na 1:3 The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, And the LORD will by no means leave [the guilty] unpunished. In whirlwind and storm is His way, and clouds are the dust beneath His feet.
God is just De 32:4 "The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He.
God is faithful 2Ti 2:13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself.
God is holy 1Sa 2:2 "There is no one holy like the LORD, Indeed, there is no one besides Thee, nor is there any rock like our God.
God is love 1Jo 4:8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
God hears His children, He is merciful, He will protect us and He will deliver us. We can hold on to these promises.
“If my dearest comforts droop and die, if friends are cool, if the bonds once the firmest, the closest, the tenderest, are torn asunder and dissevered, yet may I still remember, "Thou art near, O Lord," and not afar off. And when the solemn moment shall come, when heart and flesh shall fail, when all earthly things are seen with a dying eye, when I hear thee say, "Thou must die, and not live," then, oh then may I remember, with all the composedness of faith, and all the liveliness of hope, and all the ardour of love, "Thou art near, O Lord." --James Harington Evans, 1785-1849.
Our example is to pray to God in times of trouble, to trust that He will provide either a way out or a way through, and to expect His answers to our cries.
There is comfort in the truth of God’s promises. What is your persuasion …?
