Why Do We Ask?

“Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name’s sake: for thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble. And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I [am] thy servant.” (Ps 143:11-12 AV)

This psalm is an incredible one!  It ranks right up there with Psalm 23.  Earlier in the psalm, the writer prays a prayer that is the perfect way to start a day.  Now, he ends the prayer with a wonderful request.  He seeks the LORD’s intervention on his enemies, not for the sole purpose of easing his trouble, but for the sake of God’s righteousness.  He desires the LORD to bring his soul out of trouble so the righteousness of God can have free rein.  This phrase could have several applications.  He could be asking for intervention so that God’s righteousness in the matter is evident to all.  Or, he could be asking the LORD to intervene so that the righteousness of God is the psalmist’s focus rather than the enemies that trouble him.  Regardless, I wish to think of these enemies for a moment.  The enemies of the psalmist could be political ones.  Or, it could be others who make his life miserable.  What we do know is the context is service.  Whatever those enemies were, it kept the writer from serving God as he desired.  From these obstructions, he is seeking deliverance.  Again, not that he might feel better, but because the righteousness of God in the context of service is hindered.

I particularly like the attitude of the writer in verse twelve.  He doesn’t want relief.  He wants destruction!  He isn’t looking for a breather.  He is looking for complete eradication.  He isn’t looking for a brief time-out.  He is looking for the contest to end in his favor.  We have three enemies.  We have the devil, the world, and the flesh.  Life will never be easy.  So, it is best we accept that and bear under the weight of it.  But the world, the devil, and the flesh can add to that burden of weights that makes it near to impossible to function.  The weight that doth so easily beset us can be more than unbearable.  It can be crippling.  Our writer wants destruction!  He is seeking the LORD to remove all mercy from that which troubles him.  He seeks God’s intervention against all those obstacles that hinder his service.  His soul is deep in trouble, frustration, pain, and fear.  He wants an end to it all.  Not a temporary fix.  Not a quick out, only to have them return.  No!  He wants the old man to completely eradication.  He doesn’t want him lingering around.  He doesn’t want that creature of wickedness to torment his heart and soul any longer!  Christlikeness or nothing!  That old Serpent needs to be corralled.  He needs to be put in his place.  The LORD needs to tie a noose around his neck and drag him around like the enemy that he is.  The world needs to be silenced.  One cannot go anywhere without being confronted with the evil that mankind has become.  The influences are so many and so often that it is like being in a severe hailstorm in the middle of the prairie.  It pounds on the soul and robs the saint of the joy of righteousness.  Complete victory over the secular and antagonistic world system is what we need, and only Jesus Christ can bring it.  The attacks on his joy and service are many and relentless.

I particularly like the premise on which he bases his plea.  He is God’s servant.  He has no other basis upon which he can plea for intervention.  Or, perhaps he has no other premise that has as much weight as servanthood.  You see, we often want relief, but we want it for the wrong reason.  We may want it because it our troubles are uncomfortable.  We may want deliverance because it interrupts expectations or desires.  We may seek the mercy of God because of the shame or guilt we feel or the demeanor our troubles project toward others.  The fact is, the writer pleads because he is serving God.  This implies he wishes to continue to do so.  The request, therefore, is not a selfish one.  It is a request with God’s best interest in mind.  He wants relief so the LORD can continue to use him.  How refreshing!  Someone who actually wants God intervention because it would benefit Him and not Self.  This is, perhaps, the reason God honors this request.  Perhaps, before we ask the LORD for intervention, we should ask ourselves why.  Why do we want the LORD to do something?  What do we want the LORD to conquer the hindrance that lay before us?  Why?  Are we asking as a servant?  Or are we asking as someone who is suffering and simply wants relief?