Authentic Prayer: Asking
Psalm 86
In the book Robinson Crusoe the main character finds himself in a terrible situation. He’s all by himself on a desert island, with no human beings for hundreds of miles. In his despair, he rummages through his chest, and finds a Bible. He opens it, and his eyes land on Psalm 50:15 – which changed everything for him.
In Psalm 50:15 God says –
Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will rescue you, and you will honor me.
Robinson Crusoe is fiction. Psalm 50 is not.
Think about it: the God who created everything, the God who created you, the God who came to the earth in the person of Jesus, who died on the Cross so we could be forgiven, promises that whenever you have a day of trouble, if you will call upon Him, He will rescue you. We can see this throughout the Bible.
God’s people faced the Red Sea, with Egypt’s armies behind them. But they called upon God, and He rescued them, parting the Red Sea so they could cross.
Hannah was childless. But she called upon God, and God rescued her, enabling her to conceive.
Daniel needed to know what the king had dreamed, or he would be killed. So he called upon God, and God rescued him by revealing the king’s dream to him.
Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, needing strength to face the Cross, so he called upon God the Father, and God rescued Him, sending an angel to strengthen Him.
Paul had a thorn in the flesh. But he called upon God, and God rescued him by explaining that He would not take away the trial, but that He would pour His grace out upon Him, so Paul was strong and full of joy.
That’s Psalm 50:15 – Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will rescue, and you will honor me.
Picture it like this. God has a massive water tower above you which is full of wonderful rescues – ways He wants to work in your life and circumstances. And there’s a pipeline coming from that water tower right down to you. But there’s a faucet on that pipeline -- called “asking.” God has set things up so that to open the pipeline, to receive the rescues, we have to ask.
Some of you experience God working in your life on a regular basis because, when you have a need, you ask. But others of you don’t, because when you have a need, you don’t ask. But God is always ready to rescue us, God wants to rescue us, but He has set things up so that He works when we ask. What opens the pipeline is asking.
What I’m praying is that this morning God will work in all our hearts so we ask more. Because if you will ask more, you will experience more of God’s rescues in your life and circumstances.
And the passage I am praying God will use is Psalm 86. Let’s turn there together. If you need a Bible, go ahead and raise your hand and we’ll bring one to you. Psalm 86 is on page 494 in the Bibles we are passing out.
Here’s some background. In v.14 you can see that David is facing insolent men who want to kill him. It’s like Frodo facing the Dark Riders. David faced trouble. And what David did when he faced trouble was to ask God. And in this psalm we can learn how to ask God.
Now to get this down to the nitty-gritty, before we go through this psalm think of some trouble you face right now. Some need you have right now. Maybe you need employment, or money to pay your bills. Maybe you need strength to avoid some temptation. Maybe you need wisdom in a relationship, or for a family decision, or a work problem. Maybe God’s power to help you forgive someone.
Now get this: God wants you to ask Him to help you with this. So – how do we ask? How should I ask? We can learn from what David does in Psalm 86.
First, ask God to hear you. You can see that in v.1 --
Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.
Imagine that you were at Santana Row and saw President Obama walking towards you and you had a request for him. Feel how different it would be if you just asked him your request – versus if you asked him if he could hear your request. Asking if he could hear your request would show the appropriate respect for his position as President.
Now people are different. Some of us are probably too formal with God, and others are probably too casual. So this is for those who are too casual. You might find it helpful, instead of just barging into God’s presence and asking for this and that and the other, to first ask if He could incline his ear to you – to ask Him if He could listen to you.
And you know what’s amazing? Every time you come to God in Jesus’ name, and ask Him to incline his ear to you, ask him to hear you, he says “I’d love to.” The God who created the universe will listen, personally and individually, to you. But it’s good to ask. He will always say “I’d love to.”
Second, ask God for help. You can see that in v.2 --
Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you--you are my God.
Remember, David is facing men who want to kill him. So David asks God – preserve my life, save your servant. David asks God for help.
Why is it that so often we don’t ask God for help? When I don’t ask God for help, the main reason is because I think I can handle it myself. But how on earth could I think I can handle anything better than God – who wants to help me, who has infinite power, flawless wisdom, and who is abounding in steadfast love?
I remember when we were digging ditches for the sprinklers for this school’s vegetable garden. We had a need – to produce some ditches. And we could have all pulled out our shovels and started digging. But then Martin Grijalva pulled up with a ditch-witch. After watching that for 10 seconds we put away our shovels. Our shovels were no match for the ditch-witch. In the same way, our abilities are no match for God. We can rely on ourselves, or we can ask God. Ask God.
Third, ask God for His grace. You can see that in v.3 --
Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day.
When you bring your needs to God, use David’s words -- “be gracious to me.” That’s crucial, for two different reasons, depending on your temperament.
Some of us think God will help us because of how good we are. How many tend to be like that? But that’s wrong. We’ll never be good enough, and if we think we are, God will not hear us. But if we pray “be gracious to me” we will be reminded that we have sinned, we deserve nothing good from God, and we need God to be gracious to us.
Others of us think God won’t help us because of how bad we are. How many tend to be like that? But that’s wrong. We’ll never be so bad that we can’t turn to God and because of Jesus receive His mercy. So when we ask God to be gracious, we will be reminded that God is gracious, and loves to be gracious to sinful people like us.
So as you bring your needs to God, use words like “be gracious to me, O Lord.”
Fourth, ask God to gladden your heart. When we are in a day of trouble, when we are in need, we tend not to be glad. We don’t feel much joy. But look at what David prays in vv.4-5:
4 Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.
David asks God to gladden his soul. He pictures himself lifting his soul up to God so God can work on it. Then he reminds himself of three truths about God, found in v.5. First, God is good. That will give me hope for my situation. The God who is in sovereign control of everything is good. Second, God is forgiving. Even though I have remaining sin, God has forgiven me in Christ. I can come to him with assurance. And then third, God is abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon Him. If I will call upon Him, His steadfast love will abound, overflow, pour out abundantly to me and my situation.
So ask God to gladden your soul, then lift your soul up to God to work on, and pray over these truths about God. You will find the Holy Spirit making your soul glad.
Fifth, plead with God. You can see that in v.6 --
Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace.
Recently, as I have prayed, I have intentionally sought to plead with God: to express my requests to him with genuine longing and feeling. In fact, I have used that word “plead” a lot in praying. That’s what David does here. So don’t let prayer be stiff or formal. Get real; you desperately need God to work in your heart and circumstances. So plead with God. Get on your face. Cry out to Him.
Sixth, declare to God the truth of who He is. When you are facing a problem which seems really big, it helps to declare truth about God, because too often we can focus on the problem so much that we forget about who God is. Notice how David does this in vv.7-10 --
7 In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me.
8 There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours.
9 All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.
10 For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.
Think of how this would have comforted David. And let this comfort you. You have a need; you face a problem. Well, v.7, God will answer you. V.8 , the God who answers you is above everything else; no one does works like he does. V.9, God controls the nations, He is in control of your problem. V.10, God will do great and wondrous things for you. This would have comforted David. It will comfort you.
Seventh, ask God to teach you His ways and change your heart. David faces a gang of murderous men. But he knows that he’s facing something even more dangerous: his own remaining sin. So David prays in v.11 –
Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.
What will God do if you ask Him to teach you His way so you can walk in His truth? He will teach you more of His way so you can walk more in His truth than if you had not asked.
What will God do if you ask Him to unite your heart to fear His name? He will more unite your heart to fear His name – to fear Him and trust Him and love Him -- than if you had not asked.
Remember that water reservoir above you? In that water reservoir there’s God’s teaching and heart-uniting work. It’s there – for you. But to receive it – you must ask. So ask.
Eighth, thank God for His steadfast love to you. When you are in need, it’s easy to grumble and feel sorry for yourself. But notice what David does in vv.12-13 --
12 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
Stop and get the big picture. No matter what need you are facing, God has poured His steadfast love upon you through Jesus – saving you, forgiving you, adopting you, redeeming you, saving you from Sheol (Hell). So don’t just ask; also thank God for His steadfast love to you.
Ninth, compare the problem with God. If we just look at our problem, it seems huge; impossible. And David faced a huge problem – men trying to kill him. But it did not seem impossible, because in vv.14-15 he compares the problem with God.
14 O God, insolent men have risen up against me; a band of ruthless men seeks my life, and they do not set you before them.
15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
Pray this way every time you have a need or face a problem. V.14 -- men have risen against me, I need a job, our money is running low, I am being tempted, my business is not going well, I can’t figure out what do to do – but you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
Tenth, again ask God to hear, be gracious, strengthen, save. In v.16 David repeats requests he has already made --
Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your maidservant.
He says “save the son of your maidservant” probably as a metaphor: just as a slave woman’s child belongs to the owner, so David is saying that he knows he belongs to God.
But notice that here David repeats requests he’s already made. Why? Like Jesus taught in Luke 11 – persistence in prayer is crucial. Too many of us pray once, briefly, for something, and then move on. But perseverance in prayer is crucial. So ask – and keep asking.
Eleventh, ask God to display His favor so people may be saved. Look at v.17--
Show me a sign of your favor, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.
When David prays that they be put to shame, he’s not praying that they be embarrassed. He’s praying that they see the error of their ways and repent and be saved.
So see your request in the light of God’s purpose for the world – to display His glory by saving lost people. Ask God to work, to deliver you, to rescue you so people will be saved.
Questions
Let me challenge you to take one action step. At the beginning of every day, make a list of what needs you have – troubles you face – that day. And use Psalm 86 to help you ask God for help concerning each one. Come to God through Jesus, and ask Him to help you, rescue you, work on your behalf in each one.
As you do that, you will see Psalm 50:15 fulfilled –
Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will rescue you, and you will honor me.
Lab