Let Your Request Lead to Praise

We started in Psalm 86 yesterday and I shared with you that David teaches us to give a reason for the request…every time we ask God for something, think it through, and give a reason that you think it would be for His glory and for your good.

Now in the next section, we find a second lesson on prayer—first, we ask with reasons for our requests, but now we see that we need to let our reasons lead us to praise. We find this in verses 8-13. Look at how David moves from requests to adoration. David draws his attention, and our attention, to God and His attributes and characteristics.

First, look at God’s character in verse 8, “There is none like you among the gods, O Lord.” All other gods are either false things, dead men, or fallen angels…only God is God and therefore only God is worthy of our worship. He is singular in His greatness. There is none like Him.

Second, look at God’s works. “…nor are there any works like yours.”

· Look at what God has done! Who can compare to Him?

· Look at the Universe…God spoke it into being.

· Look at Humanity…God formed us in our mother’s womb.

· Look at His salvation…only God would do what He did in the work of Jesus on the cross to purchase back His creation and to redeem them.

Third, look at God’s authority in verse 9, “All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.” He is over all nations because He created all people and because He is King of kings and Lord of lords…He sets up rulers and He removes rulers and He uses the godly and the ungodly alike to accomplish His purposes. This is a foretaste of what Paul would say in Philippians about every knee bowing in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confessing that Jesus is Lord! This is further evidence of why we should have a heart for the nations because they belong to God and He desires their worship.

Fourth, look at His uniqueness in verse 10, “For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.” All other gods are spelled with a little g, only our God is God. He alone is God.

Those four things lead to David’s request in verse 11—teach me and unite my heart, but even those two requests come with a reason for God to grant the request. “Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth.” We saw this in Psalm 25. David is admitting he doesn’t know the way and that only God can teach the way.

Second, “Unite my heart to fear your name.” What a request…our hearts are so spread out in our affections, but they must be made singular in our affection…we want a united heart that is united in awe of Him. Why? Verse 12, “I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.” Unite my heart so that I can thank you with my whole heart and make much of you forever. It reminds me of Psalm 119:32, “I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart!” Do you think God will answer that request? He will slit seas, walk on water, and bring the dead to life to make sure you can do this!

One more thing—look at God’s love in verse 13, “For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.” I think David is doing two things here—as he looks at God’s great love he sees that God has delivered him from death in crisis after crisis, but I think Sheol here might be more than just death here—it’s hell. God’s steadfast love delivers us from an eternal hell…as we see this we should indeed glorify His name forever!