Psalm 56
Do you believe in the power of prayer? Do you believe that G-d hears your laments (complaints) and petitions? The inspired writers of the Scriptures believed so. We start our reflection today in the most obvious place, which is in the New Testament book of Revelation. In chapter 4, John, the writer of the text, describes himself as being whisked away through a door of earthly existence into the realm of Heaven. He describes an incredible scene of heavenly beings worshiping The Lamb Who Was Slain. The scene continues into chapter 5 where we read, “[The Lamb] took the scroll … and when He had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each had a harp, and they were holding golden bowls of incense, which are the prayers of the saints …” (Rev. 5: 7-8, excerpted) And then in Rev. 8: 3-4 we read, “Another angel … stood at the altar before the throne. He was given much incense to offer along with the prayers of the saints … The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God …”
From our text today, hear these words of the psalmist in verse 8 (from a very literal translation by Jewish scholar Robert Alter): “My [painful] fate You Yourself have counted out – put my tears [my prayers] in your flask. Are they not in your counting?” Just like in Revelation, there is the notion that G-d “collects” the prayers of His faithful ones. But to what end?
For sure, G-d is interested in His people lifting up petitions and praise to demonstrate obedience and trust that G-d can, and will, affect change in our current circumstances. But is there more to prayer? It would take a term paper to explain my thinking on this, but I believe a thorough study of Revelation and other texts like today’s psalm would reveal that G-d is banking up and collecting the prayers of His “saints” to help usher in His Kingdom. When the time comes, evil and chaos will be confronted with the totality of all the prayers and all the praise of the faithful community of believers who have fearlessly trusted G-d and prayed to Him throughout history. In the face of such “prayer power,” evil and chaos CANNOT stand.
Thus, two times the psalmist can triumphantly ask his audience, “What can man do to me?” (v. 4, 11). And two times the psalmist can proclaim, “In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid.” (v. 4, 11)
The older I get, the more important the questions about prayer that I posed at the beginning of this reflection have become to me. The answer to the questions HAS TO BE yes! YES, I believe in the power of prayer … and YES, G-d hears them (and is collecting them)! If you aren’t there yet on your journey with G-d, that’s okay. G-d is patient. But I urge you today to begin/continue your journey of prayer with the One who faithfully collects them for Eternity.
Shalom שָׁלוֹם
DWach
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