“Hear My Prayer O Lord”
Psalm 102
We continue to look at the prayers within the Bible; not to memorize but to see how others prayed.
I don’t know about anybody else but this study is helping me to pray in a manner that is in line with the Bible.
I have to be honest and say that my prayers have been shallow and superficial but that is changing.
What a mighty God we serve.
We see the superscript “A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD.”
Psalm 102:13-14 show us that the psalm was written when Zion was in ruins and the time of her restoration at hand.
It could very well be during the time of Nehemiah as he rode around the walls and views the destruction.
My question is; does the timing really matter?
No, because there are times in our lives when the walls of our heart has been burned and destroyed.
I am not here to say that we need to bellyache before God every time we call upon His name, but that there are times that “HAPPY” is not in our vocabulary.
We will consider this Psalm in four (4) points.
1. The Opening Of Prayer
2. The Honest Complaints Of The Heart
3. The Joy Of Victory In Christ
4. But God
I. The Opening Of Prayer
Psalm 102:1-2
The opening of Psalm 102:1-2 are similarly found in other Psalms.
"Let my cry come unto Thee" recalls Psalm18:6.
"Hide not Thy face" in Psalm 27:9.
"In the day of my straits" of Psalm 59:16.
"Bend to me Thy ear" is in Psalm 31:2.
"In the day when I call " as in Psalm 56:9.
"Answer me speedily" is found in Psalm 69:17.
The point that needs to be understood; going to God with an honest broken heart and life is what God wants from His children.
We need not dwell every day or every moment with sorrow, but we do have times that we are sad, broken, distraught, in anguish, with no hope in sight.
Or at least that is our view.
Pain is not a happy time, but there are times when we simply admit that we are in pain we see the first steps toward God and the healing that only He can give.
II. The Honest Complaints Of The Heart
Psalms 102:3-11
Vs. 3 “For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth.”
Smoke - Suddenly rises up, is easily and quickly disappears; so sudden, short, and transient, are the days of man's life
James 4:14 “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”
Vs. 4 “My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread.”
Sometimes, through grief and trouble, persons refuse to eat, so consumed with grief or pain that they forget to care for their own needs.
Vs. 5 “By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.”
Under the burden of sin, and pressure of afflictions: reduced to a skeleton, became nothing but skin and bone.
That happens when you do not care for your personal needs.
Vs. 6 “I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.
Pelican - A bird of solitude, and therefore the psalmist compares himself to it.
Owl of the desert - It delights to be on old walls, and in ruined houses, and cares not to consort with other birds
Vs. 7 “I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.”
I watch - Night after night, and take no sleep; cannot get any by reason of thought or the brain just will not shut down.
As a sparrow alone upon the housetop – They are seen from afar and make their houses in the population yet are alone.
Vs. 8 “Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me.”
Godly people have their enemies, and always had; but then they are such who are also enemies to God, they continually throw out their heckling and mocking.
Vs. 9 “For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,”
Like job, it is not hard to imagine that grief can take us to a place where hope and comfort seem untouchable.
Vs. 10 “Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down.”
We all deserve the wrath of God.
When sin weighs heavy do to the Law Of God, we find our only help is God and His Mercy.
Vs. 11 “My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.”
I feel stretched out where moments seem like hours and days feel like forever.
I am withered like grass – We just had a mini-drought where the grass withered up and became so brittle that when you walked over it, it broke.
III. The Joy Of Victory In Christ
Psalm 102:12-22
A list of God showing up in the midst of our grief.
This address is made to Christ, as is clear from Vs.25, compared with Hebrews 1:10 “And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:”
Vs. 13 comment- His power is revealed to Zion and will or IS revealed to us.
Vs. 15 comment - There will come a time when the earth shall know who GOD is! And they will tremble.
IV. But God
Psalm 102:27-28
Vs. 27 “But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.”
John Gill said: “the everlasting I AM, the unchangeable Jehovah; immutable in his nature and perfections; in his love and affections to his people; in his power to protect and keep them; in his wisdom to guide and direct them; in his righteousness to clothe them, and render them acceptable to God; in his blood to cleanse them, and speak peace and pardon to them; in his fulness to supply them, and in his intercession for them,”
Vs. 28 “The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.”
God is not done!
Not done saving the lost
Not done transforming His children into His Image
Not done lifting up the fallen
Not done bringing down the proud
Not done showing us how much He loves us.
God is not DONE!
Conclusion:
Prayer is important, but the greater importance is having a relationship with Jesus; Do you know Him?
"Do You Know My Jesus?"
Music: William F. Lakey, 1956
Arranged by: V.B. Vep Ellis, 1957
Chorus: William F. Lakey, 1956
Have you a heart that's weary,
Tending a load of care;
Are you a soul that's seeking
Rest from the burden you bear?
Where is your heart, O, pilgrim,
What does your light reveal;
Who hears your call for comfort
When naught but sorrow you feel?
Who knows your disappointments,
Who hears each time you cry;
Who understands your heartaches,
Who dries the tears from your eyes?
Chorus:
Do you know my Jesus?
Do you know my friend,
Have you heard He loves you,
And that He will abide till the end?
