“Let my plea come before you;
deliver me according to your word.” Psalm 119.170
The psalmist again calls on the Lord, switching from “cry” to “plea’ (ESV). This serves to enforce his earnestness. It’s a repeated appeal for the Lord to hear him, acknowledging that he remains at the mercy of God.
Having appealed again for understanding (169), he now appeals for deliverance. Notice again, that he calls on the Lord to act according to his Word. Don’t miss the significance of this point. Because God’s Word is his revelation of himself, it must serve as our basis for understanding him and his will. It also must be the basis of our assurance in prayer. We cannot expect that praying with sincerity is enough. We must not seek things from God that are contrary to his Word.
And, what do we find in his Word? We find the path to deliverance; we find God’s glorious plan of salvation. Praise the Lord! Let us take the time to thank the Lord for his plan of redemption and make sure we’re able to explain that to others.
How does Scripture inform your prayers? In what ways do your prayers demonstrate zeal and dependence upon the Lord? How would you explain God’s plan of salvation from Scripture?
Heavenly Father, you are abundantly gracious and merciful. Thank you, dear Lord, for hearing our pleas. We praise you for revealing the path to deliverance in your Word. May we never rely on anything else for deliverance. May we ever trust in you our rock and redeemer. Amen.