Hinge Verses:14-15
Within Book III, which spans Psalm 73-Psalm 89, Psalm 86 is the only one attributed to King David. Experts in scripture think the timing of the writing of this Psalm is during a time of crisis in King David's life. Possibly when he was running for his life from King Saul, who was jealous of the king-to-be. Or later, when he was running for his life from his own son, Absalom, who was trying to overthrow David's reign. Either way, David is in full lament and prayer mode.
When we did the Misery to Music series on lament, our working definition for lament was "Crying out, to God, with a list, and returning to praise." King David follows this formula to a T. He cries out "Listen!" "Protect!" "Be gracious!" "Teach me!" "Give me!" "Turn to me!" "Show me!" Definitely cries for help. But King David isn't just screaming into his pillow, his cries have a target--"Lord", "My God", "LORD", (notice the difference between the first Lord, which means "master"; and LORD, which is the personal name of God--"Yahweh") "Lord My God". God is not opposed to us organizing our lament and petitions into lists; the book of Lamentations itself is written in alphabetical order! King David isn't asking for much--protection, joy, an undivided mind, grace, strength, salvation, a sign of goodness, help, and comfort. As he cries out to God with his list, David promises in return to live according to faith, trust, prayer, truth, fear, praise, honor. He sums everything up in these pivotal verses:
"God, arrogant people have attacked me; a gang of ruthless men intends to kill me.
They do not let you guide them.
But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth."
These are King David's problems, and God is the solution.
`According to Psalm 86:9, "all nations You have made will come and bow down before You, Lord, and will honor Your name." America, with all of its problems and failures, has certainly tried at times to do this. National Days of prayer have been declared many times as the United States struggled to come to terms with various crises. They cried out to God with a list. I can't necessarily to speak to their returning in praise. Because the difference between American history and the History that is scripture is we know scripture is divinely breathed into the authors as truth, while all other history is subjective to human nature. I hope they were sincere in their return to praise.
Here are some notable examples of calls for prayer in America's History--
Early America--Pilgrims/Colonists regularly declared days of prayer and fasting to address droughts, threats from other nations, Indian attacks.
In 1668, the settlers proclaimed August 27th as a day of "Humiliation, fasting, and prayer, to implore God's mercy.
October 16, 1746, Massachusettes governor William Shirley called on the people to fast and pray for deliverance.
On May 24, 1774, Thomas Jefferson drew up a request to deem June 1, 1774 a day of fasting, Humiliation, and prayer because the Boston harbor was under the rule and blocked by the British. George Washington wrote in his journal on June 1, 1774--"Went to church, fasted all day."
November 16, 1814, James Madison called for a day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer to God for safety and welfare, confessing sins and requesting pardon.
President Zachary Taylor set aside the first Friday in August, 1849, to be observed as a day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer for America, who was suffering from a cholera epidemic.
April 1970, President Richard Nixon called for a National Day of Prayer for the Apollo 13 astronauts.
When President Ronald Reagan officially made the national day of prayer the first Thursday in May, he said "Americans in every generation have turned to their Maker in prayer. We have acknowledged our dependence on Almighty God."
It's easy to be discouraged as we see America seem to move farther and farther away from humiliation, fasting, and prayer to God. Ruthless people seek to lead our country astray; arrogance runs rampant.
Guidance from heaven seems a last resort. But God...these are America's problems. God alone is the solution.
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