‘Let the light of Your face shine on us…’ (Psalm 4:6)
Read Psalm 4
Psalm 4 appears to be the prayer of an individual pouring their heart out to God in the face of some conflict, or certainly that’s how it seems to begin and end. But even in the context of the Psalmist’s faith there seems to be some sense of conflict in his petition to God. He appears to be questioning why God doesn’t answer – but at the same time acknowledging how the Lord has indeed answered. Indeed even when he asks, ‘How long….’ there is a bold belief and conviction that the petition will be answered, ‘ …the Lord hears when I call to Him…’
Over the years some have suggested that the reason for this is that in the middle portion of this Psalm the Psalmist is actually addressing those who oppose him rather than God; that this is not simply just a private prayer but also a kind of communal prayer for the benefit of others. And certainly when we take a closer look at the Psalm this all seems to tie in.
However, whether it is personal or not, it seems to me that even as the individual was praying to God, pleading for help in His current situation, he remembered God’s goodness to him in the past – possibly in the form of other answered prayers. Even in the midst of the conflict he was now facing still the Psalmist was able to recall God’s grace and mercy in previous times of conflict and that gave him the confidence and belief to know that God would answer him now.
What about us today? When we come before God in prayerful petition are we able to do so with the same boldness, confidence and faith. Believing in our heart and soul that God will answer – because we know that He has answered in the past, that He has come to our side before when we have called on His name.
Whatever we might face and for whatever reason we might come before the Lord in prayer we can do so in the sure and certain knowledge that He will hear and He will answer. And if ever we doubt that we should just take a few moments to pause and to reflect on those occasions in the past where we have needed some kind of help – and how that help came to us from God, and then pray with renewed confidence and faith knowing that the Lord will indeed hear when we call on Him.
Lord, we give You thanks that You are always there when we call on Your name; that we can come to You at any time, day or night, and You will hear and answer our prayers. Amen.
Question Of The Day: For how many days did the waters flood the earth in the time of Noah?