Psalm 144 follows a prayer sequence that is common to many of the psalms. The context, as with many psalms, is that of battle and the prayer is for victory and deliverance. The psalmist begins, however, with praise. When we come to God it is important to remind ourselves who he is and what he has done for us in the past. Think about how far God has led you and the things he has given to you. This will create a fountain of faith that will lift you into God’s hands. Praise attunes our hearts to God and makes us more mindful of his commitment to us. It is clear from the desperation of the supplication that follows the praise in Psalm 144 that the psalmist’s situation is dire. It might have been natural to jump straight into the cry for help. That would have been okay of course. But, as is often the case in many supplicatory psalms, he begins with a recognition of God’s goodness and love for his people. This gives his prayer a wonderful sense of confidence. He envisages the outcome of God’s answer in a way that confidently anticipates God’s answer. At this point in time let two visions envelop your present circumstance, one of the past and one of the future. Let your vision of the past be dominated by the things God has done for you and let your vision for the future be dominated by the things God wants to do for you. As you gain this vision of your past it will crystallise a better vision for your future.
Praise God for what he has done for you and pray for your future.
Read Psalm 144
