Psalm 13 Prayer

Prayer (Psalm 13)

How long will you forget me, O Lord? How long? How long? How long? When David uttered these words in Psalm 13.1 he was a desperate man. Circumstances were getting to him. But then, by the end of the Psalm, he climbed to the heights of rejoicing. How? On that ladder called prayer.

What is prayer? It is communicating with God. How should people pray? Here are 5 types of prayer available to every person rightly related to Christ.

• Praise (Psalm 34:1). A king wrote, “I will bless the Lord at all times and His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” For what should we praise God? His presence and His power.

• Confession (Psalm 139:23-24). David wrote, “Search me O God and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts and see if there is any wickedness in me.” Since confession is agreeing with God that what we’ve done is wrong, then believers who keep the commandments of Jesus Christ will reap the blessings of answered prayer (1 John 3:22).

• Thanksgiving (Psalm 103:1-2). A grateful man wrote, “O give thanks and bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name . . . and do not forget His benefits.” Since every good and perfect gift comes from God (James 1:17), we who believe should be just as grateful for the Giver as we are for the gifts.

• Intercession (Romans 8:34). Paul wrote, “It is Christ [Who] died, yea rather Who is risen again, Who is even at the right hand of God, Who also makes intercession for us.” If the finished work of Christ was at the cross, then His unfinished work is His ministry of intercession for us as God talks to God presenting our case. I like what the Scottish preacher Robert Murray McCheyne once said when commenting on Christ’s high priestly work of prayer. He asked, “Would you be afraid if Jesus Christ were in the next room praying for you?” Then, he paused and added, “Fear not, He is praying for you.” Type #5 is,

• Petition or requests (Philippians 4:6-7). Paul wrote, “Be [anxious or worried about] nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known unto God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

John Fletcher was a man who was known for practicing the presence of Jesus Christ by keeping himself in a continual attitude of prayer. When he greeted his friends, he would say, “Do I meet you praying?” The same Jesus Who said in Luke 18:1 that “Men ought always to pray and not [give up]” wants to meet us praying. When was the last time that happened? Sometime soon (why not now?) carve out some time in your busy schedule and talk to God in prayer. Remember, He’s only a prayer away. Now, go and live a God-centered life.