In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy

"the desire of your heart"
Psalm 20:4

Oh, hi!  Wait, can you hang on a second?  I'm almost done.

(pause)

"Amen."

Thanks.  Sorry about that, but I wasn't quite done praying.  What was I praying for?  No, I don't mind telling you.

I was praying for you.

My "Read-the-Bible-in-something-close-to-a-year" Schedule had me in Psalms today.  I read a couple of them, which made for an interesting comparison.   Many of the Psalms are written by David, and they are obviously his innermost feelings.  He does not hold back, which benefits us greatly as we can find words to pray, when maybe we can't come up with any of our own.  Verses like "Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer" (Psalm 61);  and "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord my Rock and my Redeemer" (Psalm 19) can be felt by us as strongly as if we'd written them ourselves.

And then there are those Psalms that are just chock full of praise to God.  Psalm 150, for instance, is all praise, and how many of us have taken refuge in the truth: "The Lord is my Shepherd"?

Today, however, I read Psalm 20, and I never before realize what a beautiful intercessory prayer it is.  I don't know how many times I have struggled to come up with words to pray for someone because they are struggling, or going through a trial, or maybe just because I love them.  But you know how your words just sometimes sound so.... lame?  But listen (well, read, really) the eloquence of Psalm 20:

May the Lord answer you when you are in distress;

     may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.

May He send you help from the sanctuary

     and grant you support from Zion...

May He give you the desire of your heart

     and make all your plans succeed.

Isn't that beautiful?   What more could you pray for someone?  Heck, not just when praying for someone, I don't know why we don't end every phone conversation this way!


"Okay, so I'll see you then.... yup, me too.... and may God give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.... thanks!  Okay, bye!"

*click*

So while you're bringing Him your petitions, laying down your desires before Him, don't forget to also bring before Him those of someone you know.  If you can't think of the words, David has some you can borrow.

~ "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." ~

James 5:16