The One Who Hears Prayer

Psalm 65

Our psalm this morning is another one written by King David, the sweet psalmist of Israel (II Samuel 23:1).  It is another psalm that sings the praises of God, from start to finish.  We read in the start of this psalm that David had made a vow, which he now wanted to fulfill.  The vow was possibly to give God all praise for answering prayer (vs. 1-2).   What one description of God does David give God here?  This is a most blessed one, I feel.  He calls God, “You who hear prayer”.  Our God is one who hears prayer.  Of this we can be confident.  He didn’t just create us and then walk away, letting our lives and the world just spin out of control, with Him just sitting back and watching, totally unconcerned and unresponsive to us.  He isn’t a stone idol that is completely deaf to our pleas for help.  He hears our prayers, and we, His blood-bought children, can turn to Him in complete trust.

One thing that we can turn to God in prayer for, confidently knowing that He will hear and answer, is the forgiveness of our sins (vs. 3).   We may look at the heroes of the Bible and think that they led perfect lives, especially one who was an illustrious ancestor of Jesus.  David, though, acknowledges that he has plenty of sin in his life.  Fortunately for us, Jesus has made atonement for our sins.  He alone paid the price for each of our sins, taking the punishment upon Himself so that we can have forgiveness.

Through Jesus, too, we know that we can approach God (vs. 4).  In the Old Testament times only those of the tribe of Levi could be priests in the Temple and enter the Holy of Holies.   Today, because of Jesus’s sacrifice, all believers have access to God’s presence at any time.  As David says, because of what God has done for us, we are truly blessed or favored.

In verse 5 David says that God has answered our prayers in awesome ways.  Because of that, he says that He is the confidence of all mankind, and of His children in particular.  This should be a great comfort to us.  I know that right now, when my trials and problems with health and financial concerns seem to be mounting up with no end in sight, I know that I can put my confidence in the Lord God.  He is the one who hears prayer, and the one who answers in awesome ways.  When we trust in Him, our confidence is not misplaced.

The remainder of this psalm recalls the wonders of God in creation.  David particularly dwells on the oceans, seas, and rivers in verses 7 - 10, and then on how, through His watering the earth, He brings forth an abundance of crops to feed all of mankind in verses 9 - 13.  God isn’t skimpy in the blessings He bestows upon us.  Our rivers are full of water, not just a dribble.  Our years are crowned with goodness.  He doesn’t give that in a limited amount, either.  How many blessings does God give us?  He pours them out upon us in such an abundance that we are just dripping to overflowing (vs. 10).  In David’s day most people lived in rural areas, with plenty of both farmers and ranchers.  His blessings are so abundant that the pastures are just covered with flocks and the fields with grain.

Remember at the beginning of the psalm, David wished to fulfill the vow he had made to praise God for answered prayer.  As we saw throughout this psalm, he praised God for all that He had done.  Though not specified as to what the prayer was, it could have been a prayer to God for enough rain and water for the crops and livestock, followed by a prayer for a good crop for the country and his people.  God answered his prayer by providing in abundance, so David responds with abundant praise.  Do we acknowledge God’s blessings to us, or are we too busy looking at our troubles?  I know that sometimes I will let my problems distract me from seeing how He has answered prayers in my life and poured out His blessings.  Let’s make a vow, like David did, to praise God for answering our prayers, and then like he did, keep that vow.