Prayer of the Righteous – Psalm 55:16

As for me, I shall call upon God, and the Lord will save me.

The prayers of the righteous rise to the heavens and fill the golden bowls with incense poured out before the King in the throne room of the Most High God.[1]  Not a word from the prayers of the saints is lost or wasted, for they are a delight to the Lord,[2] and He takes joy in hearing and answering them.

Faithful is our God to respond to His people.  Therefore, as we go before Him to lift up our petitions, we can believe in the efficacy of our prayers.  For through our salvation in Jesus Christ, we have been reconciled to the Father, and though we have no righteousness of our own, by His kindness and provision, in Christ’s righteousness, our prayers cross the heavens to reach the ear of the One who has promised to receive them.

Recognizing our Lord’s holiness and desiring to receive His favor, we must pray to Him with undefiled hearts, hearts that shun sin and hold fast to integrity.  Knowing that God will not hear the prayers of those who participate in wickedness,[3] we must pray in truth.  As we kneel before the Lord, humbly seeking Him, we must pray as a child prays, realizing that we need not seek eloquence.  We should rather relinquish our hearts and tongues to the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to intercede for us in those times when we do not know how to pray for ourselves.[4]  We must go in faith, with trust, believing in our Father’s graciousness to bless our prayers, persevering when His response does not come according to our timing.[5]

Oh, the joy and benefit we receive by praying as righteous men and women before our Father, by humbling ourselves and praying in purity and holiness, for we can expect to see miraculous responses.  We can expect the Lord to take up our cause and fight for us, protecting us with a mantle of loving-kindness and helmet of strength.[6]  Just as He honored Elijah’s earnest prayers that He would withhold the rain,[7] so will the Lord honor the prayers offered from our upright hearts.

Pray with fervor, in love, while praising the Lord for the privilege of bringing your petitions to Him.  Lift up songs of thanksgiving as you go before the Lord in the righteousness of Christ, for He receives your prayers and answers them.[8]

[1] Revelation 5:8

[2] Proverbs 15:8

[3] Psalm 66:18

[4] Ephesians 6:18, Romans 8:26

[5] Luke 18:1

[6] Ezra 8:21-23

[7] James 5:16-17

[8] Psalm 28:6-7