Praise For The God Who Listens

Come and listen, all you who fear God,

and I will tell you what he did for me.

For I cried out to him for help,

praising him as I spoke.

If I had not confessed the sin in my heart,

the Lord would not have listened.

But God did listen!

He paid attention to my prayer.

Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer

or withdraw his unfailing love from me.

Psalm 66:16-20

Like the psalmist, we often ask God for help. The prayer in Psalm 66, however, is a good model for us. First, the psalmist remembered to praise God for who he is. Of course, God is always worthy; our praise doesn’t change who God is. But we need to remind ourselves of the Lord’s greatness. Next, and more importantly, the psalmist confessed his sin. He went so far as to say that if he had not confessed his sin, God would not have responded to his prayer!

Confession is a fitting prelude to petition. It aligns our heart with God’s truth. It reminds us of our own unworthiness and the Lord’s holiness. Before you make any requests of God today, take time to humbly confess your sins. Then praise God for hearing your prayer.

• Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer . . .