Posted by 90 Days of Prayer – Day One
Psalm 65:1-2
“Praise awaits you, our God, in Zion; to you, our vows will be fulfilled. You who answer prayer, to you all people will come.”
This Psalm of David is one of a group of three (with Psalms 66 and 67). In each Psalm, David writes of God’s providential care of His people. His covenantal favor which rests upon His people is a sign to the nations around them.
In our passage above David waits before God to praise Him. The word “waits” is the Hebrew word for “silence.” This is often an attitude before God which eventually gives way to praise. David says as much in Psalm 62:1, “Truly my soul waits silently on God alone; my salvation comes from him.”
Past experiences have taught David that there are times to be quiet when entering God’s presence and to wait for him to speak. Knowing God as he does, this waiting is always filled with hopeful anticipation! So, this first verse can be accurately rendered; “Praise waits silently before you, Oh God, in Zion.”
Psalm 65:2 says “You who answer prayer, to you all people will come.” This statement is all inclusive! Is it any wonder that people will come from all around once they’ve seen that God hears and answers prayer?
He’s already demonstrating His providential care for his people so that the nations can see his goodness to those who walk with him. The Church has always known that “the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer” (1 Peter 3:12).
Those who do not know God will learn of these facts, either by their own experience of crying out to him in times of need or hearing us tell our own stories of answered prayers. Those who know us will have witnessed it for themselves.
How much more inclined would those around us (family and friends) be to hear about Christ; after receiving benefits from God, who has blessed them in answer to the prayers they know we’ve been praying for them?
Let’s occasionally set aside some time to wait silently before God. Ask him to show you who and what he wants you to pray for, wait patiently on him, listening for his voice.
Continue praying through all that God places on your heart until his answers start coming in. You will not be able to keep from praising him. Like David, you too will come to understand why praise awaits our God! Wait on Him and Be Encouraged! – JSP