Persist in Prayer

 Psalm 28:1–9 (ESV):  

1  To you, O Lord, I call; 

my rock, be not deaf to me, 

lest, if you be silent to me, 

I become like those who go down to the pit. 

2  Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy, 

when I cry to you for help, 

when I lift up my hands 

toward your most holy sanctuary. 

3  Do not drag me off with the wicked, 

with the workers of evil, 

who speak peace with their neighbours 

while evil is in their hearts. 

4  Give to them according to their work 

and according to the evil of their deeds; 

give to them according to the work of their hands; 

render them their due reward. 

5  Because they do not regard the works of the Lord 

or the work of his hands, 

he will tear them down and build them up no more. 

6  Blessed be the Lord! 

For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy. 

7  The Lord is my strength and my shield; 

in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; 

my heart exults, 

and with my song I give thanks to him. 

8  The Lord is the strength of his people; 

he is the saving refuge of his anointed. 

9  Oh, save your people and bless your heritage! 

Be their shepherd and carry them forever. 

In this psalm David starts off quite frustrated as he is praying and has been praying repeatedly for some time, but it seems like God is deaf and silent. Have you ever felt like that? Unheard, or even ignored by God|? It is not uncommon to feel this way, and it is such a relief to read these words in David’s psalm - to know that others have a similar experience and have got through it. This psalm reminds me of the story of the persistent widow in the New Testament (Luke 18). She kept asking for the same thing until she got a different response. Jesus commended us through that parable to be incessant in prayer. David was, even when he was bored of asking the same thing, frustrated and felt unheard. Are you persistent in prayer? Continually praying and seeking God is hard work especially when God seems silent. David had to learn the hard lesson that God does certainly hear and is active, just not in his way or time frame. The same is true for you. Do you have the steadfastness to keep going?

It can feel frustrating and you can become desperate, despairing and despondent when prayers seem to go unanswered. Don’t forget to let God know that too - David does - he implores God not to be deaf or silent! That sounds a brazen way to speak to the Lord Almighty! Yet God doesn't tell him off for it, in fact David is known by God as, "a man after my own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14)! Clearly, God loves the honesty. It is a symbol of a great relationship when you can be truly open and honest with each other, keeping nothing hidden. That is how David is with God, and you can be too. 

Even when David is confused and annoyed, David still seeks relationship with God. Even when God is the one David is confused by and frustrated by! This is faith! David knew that God was worth talking to and pouring out his problems to even when God was not appearing to do anything or speak. David still knew God was the One who could change things and help. He did not give up, he persevered in prayer as he was more concerned about living a life without God which would enter into evil than God's apparent silence. I find it interesting that David is appealing to God to listen to and answer him as he is concerned that God’s continued silence will cause him to lose focus and go the way of the wicked. That is his concern, that God's lack of interaction with him will cause him to lose focus and sin. Have you ever thought of that for yourself? That when you pull away from God, put less time and effort into the relationship that you are more at risk of doing evil? David knows his weaknesses and is concerned that if God remains silent, it will become increasingly difficult to resist temptation. The further away God seems, the easier it is to do what you know is wrong. This is what David is concerned about. He knows himself pretty well and is aware of the triggers that could lead him into wickedness and the ‘pit’. Do you know your pitfalls? Are you aware of the things that tempt you to go wayward? Do you seek relationship with God even in the hard times because your desire is to maintain righteous and not stumble into sin?

Maybe the distance David feels is because of sin. He refers in verse 2 to lifting up his hands to God's sanctuary pleading for mercy and help. Maybe David had gone wrong and he realised that this distance between him and God was because of his own wrongdoing. How can a pure, holy God get near those who are sinful and guilty? David knew this was the case and so pleads for mercy, forgiveness and help. David wanted to be made right before God and knew he could not do it by himself, the same is true for you. Thankfully God knew this was a problem and so has sent Jesus as a sacrifice for all sin, so you can be made right before God, you still need to ask for forgiveness though. When you go wrong, do you? Or do you just assume you're forgiven? It is right to repent and to mourn your wayward tendencies. It is right for you to plead for forgiveness and mercy as David did. You will receive it because Jesus has already paid the price for it, all you need to do is admit it and ask. 

Next David reminds himself that the wicked don’t actually prosper, not long-term anyway. He knows that God will, ‘tear them down and build them up no more’. It is obvious that God’s way is the better way. Yet it is hard to live knowing that sometimes as other options seem inviting. The attraction of not going God's way can blind you sometimes to the truth that the way of the wicked always ends in a pit. This is true whether you're feeling close to God or not. You need to remind yourself, as David did, of the reality that living life like the wicked will lead you away from God, His blessings, salvation, sanctuary, safety and reward. However you choose to live, God will, ‘render them their due reward’. What reward are you living to receive? Are you looking forward to receiving your reward as someone who lives for God or will you be receiving the 'reward'  of the wicked? Evil ways, deception, wayward living, physical gratification all may seem pleasant and desirable in the immediate, but the long-term effects are the pit and a tearing down. What can you expect to receive? 

David concludes at the end of this psalm that the way of the Lord is the way to go. Although it is tough, lonely, sacrificial and painful at times, at least your reward is with God. He can give you salvation, strength and rescue, blessing, hope and refuge. Whereas the promise for those going in a different direction is that God, ‘will tear them down and build them up no more’. This means that perseverance is required. Relationship with God needs to be sought and worked at, prayer needs to be persistent and the direction of your life needs to be set. God will not always seem close and you may not always hear or see Him acting, what are you going to do then? Are you going to still be seeking, praying and walking in the way He has set for you? 

Keep choosing the way of the Lord, and the long-term benefits will follow. Praise God for the promises he has over your life, for your eternity and your salvation, and keep honouring and living for Him, persist in prayer and you will know His blessings!