Every now and then, I ponder how best to pray. I have read articles and even a few books about how to pray. One of the lessons that has stuck out is the wisdom of praying Scripture or praying based on Scripture. At times, I have scratched my head about how to do that. Then last night during our Central Prayer time we read Psalm 17. Verse 7 offers a great example of how to pray like that. The verse reads: Wondrously show your steadfast love, O Savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand.
In verse 7, David borrowed from the words of Moses’ song in Exodus 15:11-13. Moses was writing to express praise to God for the amazing rescue we call the Exodus. In that event, we see that God does show steadfast love and rescues those who seek Him. We do not know with precision the context David finds himself in as he writes Psalm 17. But in seeking to pray, David looks back at how God has been revealed. God is the God of steadfast love. He is the One who rescues people with the strength of His right hand. Knowing that about God, David was moved to pray verse 7. David prayed and asked God to act according to His character. Taking the truth of Scripture, David prayed according to what the Bible declares about God.
Since we walked through the Lord’s Prayer in January and early February, I have been convicted of how easily it is for me to ask God to rubber-stamp my desires or will. David’s example in verse 7 offers a very different way to pray. David has a desire in this unknown situation, but his focus is more on God acting aligned to God’s character than it is on David’s will. Verse 7 is offering us a master class on how to pray. I need to ponder and be shaped by verse 7.