A Personal Prayer to God
- Baptist Daily Devotional
- Apr 10
- 3 min read
Rev. O. K. Nkrahene | April 10 2025 | Psalms 31:9–16
KEY VERSE: ”¹⁴But I trust in You, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.” ¹⁵My times are in Your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors! ¹⁶Make Your face shine on Your servant; save me in Your steadfast love!” Psalms 31:14-16 (ESV)
MESSAGE:
Over the past two days, we reflected on intercessory prayer. Today’s focus turns to something equally vital—a personal cry to God. Psalm 31 captures one such moment in the life of King David.
In verses 1-8, the psalmist recalls God’s past deliverances. But from verse 9 onward, we encounter a deep lament—a plea from a man weighed down by grief, sorrow, and opposition. Verses 9-10 speak of distress, both physical and emotional, while verses 11-13 reveal the pain of rejection, slander, and enemies plotting his downfall. There may also be hints in verse 10 that David is under divine chastening. Yet, amid the anguish, David makes a powerful declaration in verse 14: “I trust in You, O LORD; I say, ‘You are my God.’”
Here are three key insights from this section of the psalm:
David turns personally to God. He doesn’t outsource his prayer but approaches the Lord as his God.
He affirms his trust. Despite his struggles, he remains confident in God's steadfast love and care.
He submits his life to God's timing and asks for mercy. His request for God’s face to shine on him shows his yearning for divine favour and restoration.
This passage reminds us of what 2 Chronicles 6:29 teaches - that each person can best express their own sorrow and affliction before God. Sadly, in today’s world, many are tempted to hand over their personal spiritual battles to others. But God desires to hear from each of us personally.
FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:
Distress is part of life, but so is the opportunity to turn to God. He invites us to come to Him personally and pour out our hearts, just as Hannah and David did. Don’t delegate your cry - make it personal. God hears. PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, give me the grace and courage to pour out my heart to You. Hear me when I cry. Amen.
THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.
SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!
The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING Day 100: Deuteronomy 27-28 — Curses and Blessings of the Covenant
DAILY word study: SHINE The word “shine” in Psalm 31:16 comes from the Hebrew word אוֹר (’or), which means light, to give light, or to cause to shine. It conveys a sense of divine illumination or favor.
“Make Your face shine on Your servant” is a prayer for God’s presence and approval. It echoes the priestly blessing in Numbers 6:25 - “The LORD make His face shine upon you.” This phrase symbolized divine favour, peace, and protection. For David, asking God to shine His face is a way of pleading for mercy and rescue during a time of fear and betrayal.
This longing is not for comfort alone - it’s for relationship, for God to turn toward him and act.
Reflection:
In prayer, we’re not only asking for solutions - we’re seeking God Himself. When His face shines on us, we receive more than relief; we receive renewed hope.
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