Lying tongues were busy against the reputation of David, but he did not
defend himself; he moved the case into a higher court, and pleaded before
the great King Himself. Prayer is the safest method of replying to words of
hatred. The Psalmist prayed in no cold-hearted manner, he gave himself to
the exercise — threw his whole soul and heart into it — straining every
sinew and muscle, as Jacob did when wrestling with the angel. Thus, and
thus only, shall any of us speed at the throne of grace. As a shadow has no
power because there is no substance in it, even so that supplication, in
which a man’s proper self is not thoroughly present in agonizing
earnestness and vehement desire, is utterly ineffectual, for it lacks that
which would give it force. “Fervent prayer,” says an old divine, “like a
cannon planted at the gates of heaven, makes them fly open.” The common
fault with the most of us is our readiness to yield to distractions…

Our thoughts go roving hither and thither, and we make little progress towards our desired end. Like quicksilver our mind will not hold together, but rolls off this way and that. How great an evil this is! It injures us, and what is worse, it insults our God. What should we think of a petitioner, if, while having an audience with a prince, he should be playing with a feather or catching a fly?

Continuance and perseverance are intended in the expression of our text.
David did not cry once, and then relapse into silence; his holy clamour was
continued till it brought down the blessing. Prayer must not be our chance
work, but our daily business, our habit and vocation. As artists give
themselves to their models, and poets to their classical pursuits, so must
we addict ourselves to prayer. We must be immersed in prayer as in our
element, and so pray without ceasing. Lord, teach us so to pray that we
may be more and more prevalent in supplication.

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Producer: Todd Adkins
Voice Artist: Ian Cullen