David calls out to God in Psalm 3, saying, “Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God!” The Hebrew word translated arise can mean “to accomplish or succeed.” It’s as if David is asking the Lord to take action. It’s not a command he gives to God, for who could command Him a thing? But when he prays like this, it’s a plea from his heart asking God to intervene on his behalf.
David uses the same language in Psalm 68. He references the war cry of the ages, dating back to Moses in Numbers chapter 10: “Arise, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you.”
We may not have armies chasing us down, but we certainly have an enemy. Peter tells us, “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Our hearts can take courage as we cry out, “Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God! Do not let me be devoured!”
We train our hearts to believe in who God really is by how we pray to Him. Praying the Word edifies our lives. We can call on our Heavenly Father in this way because we believe He acts according to His will and His character.
The psalmist continually models this type of prayer for us as he stirs the Lord to action. This is not because God needs to be reminded of anything, but this type of prayer builds and grows our faith in His ability to act.
I want to be bolder in my prayer life. I desire to pray according to who I know my King to be: All-powerful, Sovereign, Wise, and Loving. “Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God! Do not let me be devoured!”
Liked this post? Follow this blog to get more.