When I introduced this series on the Psalms, one of the things I said was that the Psalms give us a prayer manual--the Psalms teach you how to pray--and Psalm 74 is one of those Psalms. You can learn a lot about how to pray from Psalm 74. In fact, in Psalm 74, there's one particular point that the Psalmist wants to make about prayer. And I would ask this question: when you come to God in prayer, what do you appeal to? Do you ask God to remember the good thing he's promised you? Do you ask him to remember what he has committed himself to?
In Asaph's prayer in Psalm 74, he appeals to God based on three things. Let me read you some verses from this Psalm.
Remember this, O Lord, how the enemy scoffs,
and a foolish people reviles your name.
Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild beasts;
do not forget the life of your poor forever.
Have regard for the covenant,
for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence.
Let not the downtrodden turn back in shame;
let the poor and needy praise your name.
Arise, O God, defend your cause;
remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day!
Do not forget the clamor of your foes,
the uproar of those who rise against you, which goes up continually!
Now you may hear these verses and say, "Paul, what in the world did you just read to us?" Well, what the Psalmist is doing is appealing to God in prayer based on three things. First, he appeals to God's concern for the honor of his own name: "Do this for your namesake." He appeals, secondly, to God's zeal for the covenant promises he has made. And third, he appeals to God's desire that his will would be done. His glory, his promises, his will.
When we come to God in prayer, we don't come based on what we deserve, it's not based on the track record of our obedience, but based on his zeal for his own glory, his faithfulness to his own promises, and his desire that his will will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Now, does Psalm 74 remind you of anything? I think that Psalm 74 is actually what was in Jesus' mind when he said, "Here's how you pray: Our Father, who art in heaven, (What's next?) hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." That's almost a quote from verses 18 through 21 of Psalm 74. It is God's call, "Come to me, remind me of my zeal for my name, remind me of my promises, remind me that I have joy when my will is done."
God has a zeal for his own glory. He finds joy in the fulfillment of his promises. And he sits on the throne of heaven so that his will, perfect holy will, would finally and ultimately be done right here, right now, on earth, as it is in heaven. You can go to God in prayer with confidence, not because of your righteousness, not because of your track record, not because you ever deserve anything he would give you, but because of his glory, his promises, and his will. You bring these things in front of him and say, "Wouldn't you want your glory to be seen, your promises to be fulfilled, your will to be done?" That's prayer!
Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion
1. When you approach God in prayer, how do you typically start? What do you appeal to? Do you ask him to remember the good he's promised you? Do you ask him to remember what he has committed himself to as he's communicated with us in the Scriptures? If not, what has stopped you from praying that way (forgetfulness, ignorance, anger, sadness, frustration, etc.)?
2. Why is coming to God in prayer so important for us to do with frequency each day? Why is approaching God in prayer not about how great we've been lately (and therefore worthy of coming to him), but really about how great and glorious he is?
3. How can you go to God right now, knowing that he says to you, "Remind me of my zeal for my name, remind me of my promises, remind me that I have joy when my will is done"? How would that biblical mindset change the way you pray? What kinds of specific things can you pray to God with the framework of this overarching thought: on earth as it is in heaven?
4. How does knowing that going to God is really about him (and his glory, will, and goodness) change the way you think about praying? Ask God that his glory would be seen in your life right now. Ask him for his promises to be fulfilled in your heart, your family, your job, and your relationships. Ask him for his will to be done in your life right this moment.
Conversation Prompts to Use with Children
For Younger Children:
• What do you think about God when praying to him? What do you pray about the most when we talk to God together? When you pray on your own?
• God has given us some ideas on how to pray when we approach him, and it's about who he is instead of who we are...why do you think that's the way the Bible calls us to process things when we think about prayer? If it's about him and not you and me, why do you think we're even called to pray in the first place? Does God need us to remind him of who he is and what he's promised to us in the Bible?
• What do you think glory is? Why does God have passion for his own glory? How can you and I be a part of celebrating God and his glory in our lives through something simple like praying? Let's make a list of all the wonderful things we love about God and praise him through prayer as we go through that list together, giving him the glory he deserves.
For Older Children:
• What do you think the point of prayer is? What do you pray for the most when you talk to God? Why is it so important to be a person of prayer?
• God has given us some tracks to run on when it comes to how we should pray...and it's all about him, not us. Why do you think that is?
• In Scripture, God asks us to remind him of his zeal for his own name. He asks us to remind him of his promises. He asks us to remind him that he has joy when his will is done. Does God really need us to remind him of those things? Why do you think he asks us to remind him of those things?
• What is glory and why do you think God seems to be focused on his own glory so much? How can you and I be a part of bringing God glory through our lives via something as simple as prayer? How can we make a habit (and keep each other accountable) to keep praying that God's glory would increase in our lives?
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