Joel M Bradshaw

16Answer me, O LORD, for your steadfast love is good;
according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.
17Hide not your face from your servant,
for I am in distress; make haste to answer me.
18Draw near to my soul, redeem me;
ransom me because of my enemies!–Psalm 69

Another great psalm left generic and unspecific by the Holy Spirit for our benefit, but certainly was in a specific time for David. He didn’t have an easy life. Let’s just walk through these seven prayer requests. These are imperatives in the Hebrew grammar, but in a prayer from man to God, they take on a sense of desperate pleading rather than commanding. From God to man, imperatives are commanding.

1. ANSWER ME. David trusted in God to answer his pleas for help because God has (c)hesed or steadfast love. And God’s (c)hesed is not only a part of His goodness, but results in good things for us.
2. TURN TO ME. David wanted God to turn towards him and his situation rather than turning away. He based his because of God’s mercy, which was asking God to give him something David didn’t deserve. A great position of humility.
3. HIDE NOT FROM ME. David sought God’s face, as it were. He wanted personal help from his personal Savior. Turning to David meant God could help, giving David his face meant that God would help. It was more personal.
4. MAKE HASTE. God doesn’t hurry up or slow down. There is only a Plan A and never a B. But most of us have prayed a prayer like this. We know God has made promises to care and provide, but in our distress we long for them sooner. We have to be careful here not to be dissatisfied sheep questioning the shepherding skills of our Shepherd. But otherwise, as long as this plea results in faith and trust rather than bitterness or doubt, we are good.
5. DRAW NEAR. David’s situation caused him to feel distant and he wanted God to draw near to his very soul. Such touching imagery. The bitter soul wants distance. The trusting soul wants closeness. What story do you maintain regarding God?
6. REDEEM ME. This Hebrew verb recalled David’s ancestor Boaz who redeemed Mahlon’s land and also his widow Ruth. That beautiful story hinged on the work of a family or kinsman redeemer. David longed to be bought back by God from his desperate and dire situation. In this case, he might have felt like his long-lost relative Naomi.
7. RANSOM ME. Though a different Hebrew verb, it essentially meant the same as number 6. The presence of enemies here probably meant that David prayed for deliverance.

In your distress, where do you turn? To whom do you call? Your choices are inward, as if the answer lies somewhere within yourself or upward as if God is your only hope. David exclusively relied upon God. David wanted God closer to his situation and not further away. David wanted intimacy with his God and not hiding. David longed for God’s deliverance and trusted in his care. Pray like David when times are tough.–JMB