Read Psalm 86.
Once upon a time at my high school, I distinctly remember a “popular” girl giving me some unusual positive attention. She excitedly reminded me of a time in elementary where we sang a song together in front of the whole school and how fun that was. I soon came to discover she was really only interested in the bag of M&M’s in my back pack…
I would imagine we have all experienced (or at least witnessed) someone praising/flattering us only to discover their intent was manipulation. Can we all just agree that manipulative flattery has no place in healthy relationships? Now, as I read and re-read Psalm 86 this week, I found what on the surface appeared to be a man flattering God in hopes of getting something he wants. We find the psalmist largely making general pleas in vv. 1-7, followed largely by high praise of God in vv. 8-13, and only in v. 14 do we learn of his specific request: rescue from evil people who seek to kill him.
Perhaps some of you have had an experience like I’ve often had: I’ll begin to pray for things I want or even need – good things, godly things. And as I’m praying I’ll feel as though I’m either treating the Lord as a cosmic genie or praising him just to get something I want. For me, it’s felt difficult to offer praises to God in the context of my own pleas, because it can feel disingenuous to praise God in connection with my requests of him.
However, praising God in the context of pleas is something we discover all throughout the scriptures from genuine believers, and it is by no means manipulative. Actually, such prayer is expected and encouraged, as Psalm 86 clearly demonstrates. In fact, this psalm may just be one of the best examples of what godly prayer looks like, and invites us to identify with king David and ultimately, with Jesus.
Our psalm opens (vv. 1-7) with a multitude of pleas: that God would hear the psalmist’s prayer, save his life, be gracious, uplift his soul, hear his cries, etc. Intertwined with his pleas, the psalmist presents his grounds for why God should hear and answer: ultimately God’s own character and who He has promised to be to those who love Him. It is as though the psalmist is saying, “Because of who you are and who you have promised to be, Lord, you must hear me!” He moves from this posture into one of almost entirely praise (vv. 8-13), declaring the Lord’s supremacy over the earth, other gods, and all peoples. In this, the psalmist exclaims his fidelity to the Lord alone.
It is only after the psalmist has declared the grounds of his appeal (God’s own character, promises, and faithfulness) that he makes his specific request in v. 14. All in all, his goal is for the Lord to hear him, rescue him, and be glorified in doing so. And yet, most of his prayer is not focused on his immediate need, but rather who God is and who he can rightfully expect God to be in relationship to him.
I’m wondering how often we pray in this way. How often are your requests of God made with an acknowledgement of his goodness, mercy, faithfulness, etc.? How often do you plea with the Lord to hear your prayer because, through your faith in Christ, he has promised to be faithful to you?
Brothers and Sisters, our faithful Savior not only rescued us from hell, but has given us the very rights of sons and daughters of the King. It is a blessing, a privilege, and yes, a right that we have as children of God to ask him to hear us in light of this relationship. My hope is that as we pray this week, we will declare to the Lord his goodness and faithfulness towards us, and that it is because of that very faithfulness that we should be heard. May we praise and plea together this week for our own hearts and battles, our church family, our city, and for God’s kingdom to expand to the ends of the earth.
-- Travis Pry