Each of us feels needs that we wish to bring to before the Lord. At times, it is profitable to specify all that causes us to be concerned. It is not that the Lord does not already know what is bothering us, or that He needs us to tell Him how it should be resolved, but it makes God's knowledge and attention to our needs real in our own mind.
In many cases it is by noting a seemingly unfilled need, and bringing it before the Lord, that we can see Him working on our behalf to address the concern; although He does this according to His plan rather than according to your specification.
But our supplications for succor should not all be centered on our concerns, and particularly not on our prescriptions on how those concerns should be addressed
.
Consider Psalms 16:
Michtam of David
1 Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.
2 O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord,
Thou art my Lord:
my goodness extendeth not to thee;
3 But to the saints that are in the earth,
and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.
4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god:
their drink offerings of blood will I not offer,
nor take up their names into my lips.
5 The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup:
thou maintainest my lot.
6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places;
yea, I have a goodly heritage.
7 I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel:
my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.
8 I have set the Lord always before me:
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth:
my flesh also shall rest in hope.
10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell;
neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life:
in thy presence is fulness of joy;
at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
In many cases it is by noting a seemingly unfilled need, and bringing it before the Lord, that we can see Him working on our behalf to address the concern; although He does this according to His plan rather than according to your specification.
But our supplications for succor should not all be centered on our concerns, and particularly not on our prescriptions on how those concerns should be addressed
.
Consider Psalms 16:
Michtam of David
There is some speculation concerning what a Michtam is. The Septuagint rendering refers to an inscription in a tablet (something deserving to be written in stone).
Youngs Literal Translation includes it as the first part of Verse 1 and renders it “A Secret Treasure of David
Other suppositions include identifying the style, or 'voice' of the composition.
Youngs Literal Translation includes it as the first part of Verse 1 and renders it “A Secret Treasure of David
Other suppositions include identifying the style, or 'voice' of the composition.
1 Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.
Instead of concentrating on a list of concerns, David simply asks the Lord's protection in all areas of concern.
In the next 7 verses, the focus is God and His relationship to us, not David's concerns and represent worship of the Lord God:
In the next 7 verses, the focus is God and His relationship to us, not David's concerns and represent worship of the Lord God:
2 O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord,
Thou art my Lord:
The first Lord is YHWH in the original, sometimes rendered Jehovah
The Second Lord is Adoni in the original
So the meaning is that David (his soul) is recognizing God's dominion.
The Second Lord is Adoni in the original
So the meaning is that David (his soul) is recognizing God's dominion.
my goodness extendeth not to thee;
David recognizes that His merit is nothing compared to God's
3 But to the saints that are in the earth,
and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.
Still discussing David's own goodness, his merit does compare, the fellowship of them is David's delight.
4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god:
their drink offerings of blood will I not offer,
nor take up their names into my lips.
For contrast, David forswears fellowship with any that worship other Gods
5 The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup:
thou maintainest my lot.
Although King David has all the riches His Kingdom at his command, David counts being an inheritor of God's bounty as more valuable, as well as the source of is sustenance (cup)
The word translated as 'lot' literally means the stakes in gambling. David takes comfort in the Lord holding his stake.
The word translated as 'lot' literally means the stakes in gambling. David takes comfort in the Lord holding his stake.
6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places;
yea, I have a goodly heritage.
Following the Lord leads to pleasant places, and is the assurance of the his inheritance
7 I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel:
my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.
David praises the Lord because He provides sound and holy advice in general, but especially when things are dark (dangerous).
8 I have set the Lord always before me:
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth:
my flesh also shall rest in hope.
A summary to the worship portion of this prayer, David resolves to always face toward the Lord, and because the Lord (his rock) is at his right hand, David can remain stable through the constancy of the Lord.
10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell;
neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
So now we get to the specifics of David's concerns.
It's not about anything in David's life. It's not for material riches. Its not for the food on His table. It's not to ease any of his Earthly concerns. Nothing that small.
It is for his salvation. That he will not remain in sheol, but be brought into God's Kingdom.
It's not about anything in David's life. It's not for material riches. Its not for the food on His table. It's not to ease any of his Earthly concerns. Nothing that small.
It is for his salvation. That he will not remain in sheol, but be brought into God's Kingdom.
11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life:
in thy presence is fulness of joy;
at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
David will trust in the Lord to set his path through life, knowing that being with Him is the greatest possible Joy, and that the joys of heaven is forever.