"O LORD, hear me..."

Prayerful thoughts from Psalm 86:1-7

“O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy” – O living God, Yahweh, ‘I AM’ who created all things! Uncreated Eternal, listen to me. My appeal to you who can do all things arises from my severe poverty, my painful awareness of deep need.

“Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee” – Save my life! My very soul is in danger – danger of fainting, danger of failing, danger of despairing. O LORD, I am yours and you are mine by faith. You have caused me to hope in you. I live to serve you. I am your servant and I am trusting in you every moment. You alone can deliver me! Only you can make me secure. As it is, I live each second in weakness and danger unless you come to my aid.

“Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily” – I am asking for your gentle mercy, not for anything I deserve. Do not my tears and my pleadings give evidence that I am looking to you with all my hope? Does not my constant praying come before you and in some weak way show that you alone are my hope? Have mercy! See my weakness and need; look upon my poor heart and be moved, O Lord, by my constant crying out to you!

“Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul” – Only you can make my heart glad. The world holds out to me only vain hopes of true joy, true gladness; you alone can make my being rejoice again! I do recall past victories and past delights, but they bring small comfort. They are like yesterday’s bread; they bring too small strength for today. I plead for new mercies for this day, for this season. Do for my soul what only you can do! To you and you only I lift up my very life with tears, for you to see and pity and bless. Surely, you will not despise one who, being broken, hopes in you. My appeal is to your goodness and to nothing in myself. For I know full well that I am sinful and undeserving of favor.

“For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee” – All that I know of you, of your being and nature, tells me that you will surely look with gentle grace upon the one who is crying to you and hoping in you. You do not break the bruised reed, though useless it may be. Although matchless in purity, you yet give mercy to the undeserving, forgiving sin and giving grace to the one who looks to you. You hear the sinner and forgive him because of your great love. When he offers you his broken heart, although guilty, he has good reason to expect kindness from you and not wrath, because you delight in mercy. “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” (Psa 34:18). I am sorry for my sins, in thoughts and acts! You know the very darkest trace of my heart, since nothing is hidden from your view!

“Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me” – Listen, O LORD! Listen to my voice when I plead out my prayers. Mine is not the voice of anger, neither the voice of demand; it is the quivering voice of hope for your love, your goodness. I feel trouble weighing heavy on my soul. To whom shall I go, if not to you? Turn me not away! You alone have power to command trouble to flee! You have power to relieve and to cheer the needy soul! I am asking with all my heart, Help me, O God! Answer in the affirmative! Answer in love and kindness. Amen. Amen! –TSA