Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer;
answer me, for I need your help. - Psalm 86:1
I think it is very important to study how David prayed. David prayed in a way that was considerably different than we pray today. It seems an obvious conclusion that he thought and felt differently since a prayer is a reflection of our thoughts and our heart’s intent. David was almost embarrassingly direct and confident in how he addressed our Lord. But in that direct manner and confidence, I find something that I need to gain.
Looking at
the first verse we see a very direct, yet humble, demand/request to his
Lord. David says “Bend down and hear my prayer”. Isn’t this, well, rude? I wouldn’t say such a thing to my wife. I would ask.
“Please bend down and hear my prayer” or even “Would you please”. I just can’t imagine speaking to the Lord
that way, yet this is very characteristic of the way David spoke to God.
If we
consider the whole verse, it starts to not seem so rude. “Bend down, O Lord”. David immediately indicates his position and
the authority of his God, “Lord”. You
are my Lord. “Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer; answer
me, for I need Your help.” David
seems to say in his demand/request, You are my Lord and I need Your help; You
are my only hope, I need You. It’s kind
of a “I need help and you are the only Helper; I need rescuing and You are the
only rescuer; hear my cry, my request, for Your help and answer it.
I don’t know anyone who hasn’t pleaded with God
before. Usually we cry out with lots of
pleases and hope that He hears us. Yet
David told God to listen to him and hear his prayer, then to answer it. He plainly says You are the authority, You
are the only one I count on, I need only You to hear me. But David goes further as he indicates, You
are dependable, You won’t forsake me, You are with me, because of who You are, answer
me. In a way, his insistence upon being
heard and answered has everything to do with God’s character. David simply understands his Lord. … I
wonder, do I?
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