PSALM 86

In the first seven verses of Psalm 86, David earnestly prays for God to listen to and answer his requests for protection, forgiveness, and a positive resolution of David’s problems. Then comes a section praising God for who He is and what He does. The last section (v. 14-17) is also requests to the mighty, merciful and gracious God to protect him from enemies. These verses remind me of my own prayers - full of petitions for myself along with gratitude and praise for God’s blessings to me. These are absolutely good, important aspects of a healthy prayer life as shown throughout the Bible. But is a personal relationship with God complete if it focuses only on what He has done and can do for us?

What specifically spoke to me was in verses 11- 13. They remind me of what I need to bolster to have a balanced prayer life. Instead of focusing solely on what God can do for me, my prayer life should include seeking God’s help in learning His ways with the intent to follow through obediently and reverencing Him. It is so easy for me to think of God serving me (as the loving Father) but neglect my serving Him out of gratitude for the greatest gift He has already given me – eternal life.