PSALM 119:145-152 KOPH

Prayer and study of the Word go together; the Word teaches us how to
pray and what to pray for. Prayer is not simply rhyming off a whole list
but the central focus of prayer is God and the core purpose of prayer is
that which brings Him glory.

The psalmist is very clear as to what prayer means. We could look at
these verses from a number of different angles, e.g.
The Cry of the Psalmist (145 I cried with my whole heart 146 I cried
unto thee ... 147 I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried)
The Physical Involvement of the Psalmist (145 I cried with my whole
heart 148 Mine eyes prevent the night watches ... 149 Hear my voice)
The Longing of the Psalmist (145 hear me, O Lord 146 save me
149 quicken me)
The Consistency of the Psalmist (before the dawn and into the night)

In The Treasury of David Spurgeon comments, He who has been with
God in the closet will find God with Him in the furnace. He goes on to
divide this passage under eight headings, - How he prayed (v.145); What
he prayed for (v.146); When he prayed (v.147); How long he prayed
(v.148); What he pleaded (v.149); What happened (v.150); How he was
rescued (v.151); What was his witness as to the whole matter (v.152).

Yes, there are many ways to consider this psalm. Here are seven simple
points to emphasise what the Word of God is saying to us here

PRAY WHOLEHEARTEDLY
The psalmist did not have his attention distracted from the task in
hand; he wasnt setting out to pray with two or three or four things on his
mind at the same time he came with a sole purpose before God and to
pray for the burden that was weighing heavily upon him.
He was not seeking God half-heartedly, but wholeheartedly.
God was not his last resort God was the first and the only One to
whom he came.
Experience teaches you, doesnt it? Experience teaches you that
the more you put in, the more you get out.
When you dont put much store on prayer, dont be surprised when
you become disillusioned with prayer.
When you pray, God can see into your heart as you pray, - He knows
what you are really saying and how you are really saying it!
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How do you think Hannah came when she knelt in the house of the
Lord at Shiloh weeping for she had no son? Consider J ob when he
came before the Lord, 16:20 My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out
tears unto God. Consider J esus on His knees weeping in spiritual agony
in the Garden of Gethsemane Is there any other prayers God takes
note of, other than those which are prayed wholeheartedly?!
I listened to a prayer just over a week ago from a woman on her
deathbed, - I think it was the most beautiful and the most powerful prayer
I have heard in a long time. Some of the words I had to listen closely to
make them out, - so feeble was J anets voice, - but one word she repeated
so clearly was Father she was speaking to God and even though
she is so ill she was praying wholeheartedly even when unsaved
members of her family were present in the room.
Those are the prayers God hears His people pray. Pray
wholeheartedly.

PRAY EARNESTLY
Surely one feeds off the other if you pray wholeheartedly you are
praying earnestly.
What do you need to pray earnestly for? What do you have to bring
before God that demands earnestness?
A new suite of furniture? A new car, maybe even a new home?
What about your husband who is not saved? What about your son, your
daughter? What about your wife, or your mother or father? What
about your brother or your sister?
Without Christ they are lost and heading out into an eternity without
God. The everlasting flames of eternal Hell are in front them and can
you see the picture clearly enough to pray wholeheartedly and earnestly
for their salvation before it is too late?!
If you cannot pray earnestly for the salvation of those whom you
know and love, I cannot see how you can pray!
Precious souls whom you love lost forever are you praying
earnestly for them?
Are you praying earnestly for the preaching and the proclamation of
the Word of God and for the advancement of His Kingdom? We live in a
dark world and the Word of God is the only light that outshines the
darkness!
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There are also many deluded souls who put their trust in a faith and
in a religion or in a philosophy that has no substance for they are not
trusting in the crosswork of Christ at Calvary.
Many people trust in dead religion do you pray earnestly for your
neighbour, for your work colleagues and for those whom you come into
contact? You might be the only Christian they know and God will
call you to account are you praying earnestly for them?
Indeed, the psalmist was praying so earnestly he was crying. The
tears were flowing down his face (Nehemiah wept, J ob wept, David wept,
J eremiah wept; but Ps. 30:5 weeping may endure for a night, but joy
cometh in the morning.) Yes, the Psalmist wept and notice too

PRAY CONSISTENTLY The psalmist was praying that the enemy
would not defeat his resolve for God. The enemy was out to bring
mischief (v.150) and the psalmist called upon God, - as it were, - to
quench all the fiery darts of the wicked (as Paul puts it, Eph. 6:16).
Yes, he prayed consistently. He didnt allow his mood to dictate how
he prayed, or he prayed. He prayed consistently.
You can usually tell if someone prays consistently; they have a
certain beautiful confidence for they have often been before the Throne.
They pray like the woman in the parable (Lk. 18:2-5) who
consistently returned to the judge until the judge listened to her or it is
like the night J acob wrestled with God until daybreak, I will not let thee go,
except thou bless me (Gen. 33:26).
How easy would we give up if there was something that took our
fancy but we just cant afford it at the minute? We wouldnt give up at
all, - not if we really wanted it; we would scrimp and scrape and save
until we had enough and then we would go and get it.
Rather than praying now and again, do you pray consistently? Do
you pray not letting go of God?
Pray wholeheartedly Pray earnestly Pray consistently

PRAY REGULARLY How can you become accomplished at anything
if you are not consistent and if you are not regular?
You will get nowhere stopping and starting. You wonder why
prayer is not working for you examine how you pray!
We read Daniel went into his house; and his windows being open in his
chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and
prayed, and gave thanks before his God (6:10)
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The psalmist also was consistent and regular for he too prayed
before the sun rose in the morning, he prayed long after it had gone down
in the evening, he prayed during the day and he prayed during the night.
He went to bed in the attitude of prayer and he got up the next
morning in the attitude of prayer he makes us ashamed, doesnt he?!
Prayer was a way of life for him not contained within some
monastery or abbey but in the ordinary day-to-day place. Someone has
said, Prayer that costs nothing is worth nothing; it is simply a by-product
of a cheap Christianity.
Before you judge anyone else regarding how regular or otherwise
their prayerlife is, just ask yourself, how much time and effort do I put
into real heartfelt praying?
Am I regular in the place of prayer in my own home? Am I regular in
the place of prayer in the fellowship into which God has called me?
Let Him hear your answer!
Pray wholeheartedly Pray earnestly Pray consistently
Pray regularly

PRAY EXPECTANTLY
When you were a child and you went to your mother or father and
you asked them for something, you asked expectantly you expected to
be heard and you expected to be satisfied. Is that how it is when you
pray? Do you expect God to answer?
If it is only a bunch of words strung together, it is a waste of time.
Martin Luther famously said, Prayer is the sweat of the soul does
your soul often sweat when you pray? You sweat when you over-
exercise yourself do you ever over-exercise yourself in prayer?
Surely our prayers must mean something to us if they are to mean
anything to God?! They need to come from the heart, - not from the lips
or what you think others would expect for you to pray.
Prayer is the conversation between you and God do you pray
expecting Him to answer?
Do you pray in accordance with His Word? Do you know how to
pray in such a way that you seek to ask for those things that He would
have you pray for?
Do you pray expectantly? and, do you also



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PRAY REGARDLESS
The psalmist had his enemies, v.150 They draw nigh that follow after
mischief: they are far from thy law. They were a bad bunch and the sense
of the word is that they never leave him alone.
There are two things you can do with that type of an enemy: you can
either give in and allow them to defeat you, or you can keep plodding on
with God by your side.
You have opponents in all walks of life its only natural that you
have them along the road of faith too.
And yes, they can affect your prayer life and wear you down but
take a look at J esus, - He had more enemies than anyone could ever
imagine and yet for whole nights He prayed regardless. Even as
they looked up at Him and spat at Him on the cross He prayed to His
Heavenly Father regardless.
Despite his many sorrows, J ob prayed. Despite the wilderness, Elijah
prayed. On the cross, J esus prayed. As he was being stoned, Stephen
prayed. When you have nothing else left to do keep on praying!
To do anything for God without prayer is absolutely futile but it is
the beautiful truth that when Christians pray they are certainly doing
more good than harm!
The psalmist is always aware of the enemy but he doesnt let the
enemy hinder his progress with God, indeed, as William Cowper said,
Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon their knees.
Pray on regardless! and finally

PRAY BELIEVING
There is no point praying any other way. If you simply pray to be
heard, then your prayer is a waste of time and air. But when you pray,
pray as God is listening.
You dont need to use fancy words and fancy terms, - there is nether
a fancy word or a fancy term in either of these eight verses but what
you find is a man who is praying believing.
He is praying to God and God is listening. He is not praying for God
to satisfy his greed or his selfish ambition he is praying all to Gods
glory and all to Gods beauty, wonder and majesty.
When you pray, remember that prayer can do anything God can do.
Who made the mountains? Who can move them? What did J esus
say? Mt. 17:20 If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this
mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall
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be impossible unto you. Why? for with God all things are possible (19:26),
Lk. 1:37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.
Some Christians seem to live as if prayer is an activity for others, or
maybe for a special type of Christian but really, if you are a Christian,
you cannot exist without prayer. You cannot continue in the Christian life
without prayer.
Prayer is an integral part of the relationship with God Pray
believing in the will of God.

CONCLUSION Can anyone pray? Yes, anyone can pray. Prayer is
not about fancy words, it is all to do with the burden in your heart.
You are not saved yet? God is a stranger to you? You might have
prayed to Him out of some difficulty or in the midst of a harrowing
experience but it was kind of a last resort thing, it didnt really mean
anything to you and it didnt mean anything to God either for you do not
know Christ as Saviour.
You need to pray You need to pray very simply for J esus to come
and take away your sin, to take over your life that you might live for Him.
Before you pray anything else, ask J esus to come into your heart.
The psalmist already had a relationship with God, - you need to come
to know Him too.
Believer, when you pray He is not a stranger but He is a Friend, a
Lord and a Master.
When you pray, pray wholeheartedly pray earnestly pray
consistently pray regularly pray expectantly pray regardless
of the opposition and pray believing. There is no point praying to
God unless you believe He can answer pray believing!
The psalmist concludes on a wonderful, personal note, 151 Thou art
near, O LORD; and all thy commandments are truth. 152 Concerning thy
testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever. This
is our God to Whom we pray.
How good is the God we adore, Our faithful unchangeable Friend!
His love is as great as His power, And knows neither measure nor end!
Tis J esus the First and the Last, Whose Spirit shall Guide us safe
home, Well praise Him for all that is past, And trust Him for all thats to
come.