The Lord had taught the psalmist how to pray. Real prayer requires whole heart involvement. Sometimes it includes loud crying accompanied by intense longing for God’s answer. Why did he pray so strongly? Because he wanted to keep God’s requirements. Doing so was his passion (vv. 145-46).
His passion for divine answers was also seen in the times when he chose to pray. Before he rose from his bed in the morning, he called for divine aid (v. 147); before he slept, he thought on God’s promises (v. 148). His prayer was helped by his knowledge of God’s Word, its promises encouraged him to pray, and its accounts and exhortations showed him how to pray.
As he prayed, he also considered who the Lord is. He is the covenant God who loves his people, he is the God who can act justly in grace towards them because they have been reconciled to him. He has given them spiritual life; therefore, he can be asked to give ongoing life in their souls (v. 149).
In his prayer, he contrasted his opponents with his God. The opponents drew near with evil intent to harm him. Even as they did, the psalmist knew that his God was already near to him, and continually near to him. The opponents drew near with sinful intentions, but God was near with gracious designs to bless his servant with ongoing understanding of his commandments (vv. 150-51).
What had he learned from God’s testimonies? No doubt, many things. Together, they revealed to him that the Lord had provided ongoing insight, guidance and blessing through them, and would continue to do so and not depart from them (v. 152).
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