Prayers and Weeping

(Note: St. Augustine is famous for writing a book called “The Confessions,” which he wrote completely as a prayer to God. In the same spirit, I plan to write these posts as a prayer to God.)

“Away from me, all you who do evil, for the LORD has heard my weeping. The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer. All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish; they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.” (Psalm 6:8–10, NIV)

Away from me, all you who do evil, for the LORD has heard my weeping.

Heavenly Father, it is incredible that you hear my weeping. You know the words that formed in my heart and mind before the tears ever pooled in my eyes. As the tears dripped down my face, each spoke another prayer into your ears. And you heard every one of them.

Father, I thank you for being a God who hears my prayers better than I can even pray them. You know what I’m praying for even when I don’t know what to pray for. You know understand my prayers when I don’t understand what I’m trying to say. 

Father, that’s why I have confidence to tell my enemies to retreat. I know you have heard my prayer and will act on my behalf. I no longer fear them now that I know you have heard my prayers. So, I tell them to retreat—to step back. They cannot do anything to me apart from your will. They might as well walk away. 

The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer.

Father, it’s only by your mercy that you hear my prayers. When I’m honest with myself, I know I don’t deserve this. I don’t deserve for you to hear my prayers and act on my behalf. It’s only because of your grace and mercy that you hear my prayers. That’s why I ask for your mercy when I come to you. 

Father, I also give you praise and thanks for my Savior Jesus Christ. It is only because of Him you accept my prayer. His life, death, and resurrection are your greatest acts of grace and mercy. He is the reason you show mercy to your people. Jesus is the reason my prayers are acceptable to you. 

Father, thank you for opening a way to enter your presence with my prayers through Jesus. Left on my own, I would be hopeless and helpless, but in Christ I have hope and confidence that you will hear my prayer, accept my prayer, and act. Thank you. 

All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish; they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.

Father, I’m also thankful that I can trust you to bring ultimate justice. One day you will make all things right. I don’t have to take things into my own hands. I don’t have to bring shame and anguish upon my enemies, but I can leave that into your hands. I can trust that my enemies will receive justice at your hands. 

Father, I also realize I may not see the justice you bring. You may fill my enemies with shame and anguish of the soul that I cannot see. I may not have any clue what you’ve done. Yet, it doesn’t matter, Father. I will continue trusting you to bring justice.

Yet, Father, I pray that the shame and anguish brought upon my enemies would push them to Jesus Christ. I pray that they would see Jesus as the only one who can remove their shame and comfort their anguish. I pray that the justice they receive would be filtered through the cross, so they would receive your forgiveness and mercy, so their hearts would be made new, and they can have the same confidence that you accept and hear their cries for mercy.