Prayer to Praise
Daily Old Testament Reading: Psalm 28, 55; 2 Samuel 16-17
Daily Focus Passage: Psalm 28
Difficult times in life drive us to moments of prayer. We cry out to the Lord for help, mercy, and grace. Likewise, we must attach praise to our prayer because we trust in the Lord's work, presence, and goodness. As David navigated difficulty in his life, he cried out to the Lord to see his plight and to work in his life. At the same time, David approached the Lord with such confidence that he moved from prayer to praise even before experiencing the movement of God. When we pray for the Lord, we must prepare to praise him immediately because we trust in his goodness and work.
CRY OUT TO THE LORD
David opens the Psalm by crying out to the Lord, seeking relief from his distress and aid to overcome his enemies. He began with a declaration about his trust in the Lord by identifying the Lord as his Rock. This statement came as a declaration of David’s certainty in the foundational character of the Lord. He knew that the Lord alone must be his stronghold and his fortress. At the same time, David requested that the Lord hear his cry because he felt he remained silent during this distress. Thus, David spoke openly about his feelings and struggles while continuing to trust in the goodness and character of the Lord.
When we face difficult moments and feel as if the Lord remains silent, we must approach the Lord and cry out. This act of crying out includes declaring our belief and trust in the Lord. It means that we trust the Lord to hear our cry for help and mercy and believe that the Lord alone is the one that brings the needed strength and protection.
PRAISE THE LORD AHEAD OF TIME
David concluded this Psalm by praising the Lord. He praised the Lord because he knew he heard his cry and trusted that the Lord would respond following his will. Thus, he praised the Lord because he knew of God’s greatness and his care for David. David worships the Lord because his heart will not be silent. His authentic engagement with the Lord in his crying out led to the overflow of praise from the encounter.
When we approach the Lord, our hearts must be stirred. We must be moved by the promise of the Lord to hear us as his children and to work in our lives. As our hearts become stirred, we come to a place of joy and celebration because the engagement with the Lord in an authentic manner brings praise. We must strive to have our prayer drive us to moments of rejoicing.
TRUST IN THE LORD
David declares that his heart finds strength because he trusts in the Lord as his strength. He remains firm in the understanding that the Lord is the stronghold of his salvation and that he shepherds his own. David’s trust in the Lord reveals the importance of confidently leaning into the Lord and allowing the Lord to work in life. He declared that since the Lord is the shepherd, his people are his possession, and he carries them forever.
We must yearn to establish such a trust in the Lord. We must strive to rest in his strength and his goodness. We must develop the attitude of a sheep following and trusting their shepherd. We must come to the place of trusting the Lord to carry us through every dynamic forever. When we develop this approach to trust, our hearts will be overjoyed, and we will move from prayer to praise.
