Prayer.
"As for me, I will call," etc. In this verse—the crisis or turning-point of the whole psalm—you see the storm-tossed vessel making for the harbour, and casting anchor in safe shelter. A sorely wounded soul, vexed and out of heart with the tumult and strife of life, the wickedness of men, longs for
"A lodge in some vast wilderness,
Some boundless contiguity of shade;"
where, far from the sight of violence and fraud, the din of business, politics, or war, he might be alone with God. But he discerns that if he cannot flee from mankind, he can take refuge in God. He appeals from an unjust and cruel world to eternal righteousness, infinite love, Divine faithfulness. He pours out his heart to God, and lays hold on him; and light and peace begin to stream in (Psalms 55:18, Psalms 55:22, and closing words of psalm). The text suggests some very important views of prayer.
I. ITS PERSONAL CHARACTER; as expressing individual need and desire; the voluntary confidential converse of the heart with God. Custom, fashion, human sympathy, and opinion are all out of court. If in the whole world not another heart or voice were raised in prayer, the believer would yet say, "As for me, I will call upon God." There are other kinds of prayer: the united prayer of two or three, agreed touching what they shall ask; the public prayer of the assembled Church. In private prayer, too, all is not petition for one's self or others; there is confession, thanksgiving, consecration, submission, adoration. Worship may be wordless, silent. But the most wonderful, instructive, encouraging examples of prayer recorded in the Bible show us some strong earnest spirit face to face with God, in direct petition; alone with the Father of spirits, the Almighty Creator, even though a multitude were looking on. Abraham; Jacob; Moses; Joshua; Elijah; Hezekiah; Paul. This is what makes this Book of Psalms so precious a manual for the Church and for each Christian; a storehouse of liturgies, a magazine of prayers. This makes David's life, in spite of his faults and sins, so true and grand a type of real godliness; the clear, full sense and unhesitating utterance, of personal relationship to God; the reality, blessedness, duty, glorious privilege, of drawing nigh to God. Think of it. There is something more than sublime—appalling—in this view of prayer. That a child of dust, yesterday in the cradle, hanging on God's absolute power over the gulf of nothingness, whose voice can reach so few, even of his fellow-men, whose knowledge, thought, will, are bounded in such strait limits, should be able at will to speak with the Ruler and Author of the universe; to make his wish, weakness, misery, or his boldest hope and loftiest purpose, known beyond the stars, above the thrones of archangels, behind all the laws and causes and inmost springs of nature—to God himself; and that he should have a right to expect an answer! Is not this, I say, an amazing, sublime, appalling contemplation? How poor and low are all the heights of worldly dignity compared with the point to which these words lift our thoughts, to which you or I may soar if we make them our own! "As for me," etc.
II. THE CERTAINTY THAT GOD HEARS PRAYER; its sure warrant, reasonable assurance, joyful encouragement. "And the Lord shall save me." If this certainty were merely an inward persuasion, born of strong desire, it would be worthless. If based on any supposed claim of merit or special favouritism, it would be blind presumption. If on the experience of fact, that God does often answer prayer, it would rest on as sure foundation as the discoveries of science, and what we call "laws of nature" But the haunting uncertainty would paralyze faith—Will God hear my prayer? It rests:
1. On God's promises. If the Bible contains any Divine promises, they are promises to prayer.
2. On the mediation of the Lord Jesus. The Old Testament believer took his stand on the ground of God's covenant; and securely, because, though the priesthood and sacrifices were but shadows, they were shadows of the great Reality—Christ. How much more boldly may we draw near, to whom the reality stands unveiled (Hebrews 4:16; Romans 8:34)!
3. On the promised help of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 8:26, Romans 8:24.) Let us take up David's purpose (verse 17), and hold fast David's faith, "He shall hear my voice."
HOMILIES BY W. FORSYTH