PRAYER DAY

Prayer day 1985: what a great privilege, when the Lord, in spite of all our transgressions, allows us to bring the needs of our people, church, families, society, and our daily work, before His countenance to ask for an undeserved blessing; also for us in a new country, with different circumstances and customs, wherein the Lord has given this comforting experience: “But Thou art the same” (Ps. 102:27). He is the unchangeable God of the covenant. “For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed” (Mal. 3:6). Sometimes, however, they seem to be consumed by their enemies in the many dangers, and in all their griefs and sorrows. Then there are the days of trouble, but they are days wherein they may call upon the Lord. He shall deliver them and they shall glorify Him. The Lord promised this in Psalm 50.

There are days that the enemy seems to obtain the victory, and that the Lord seems to have forsaken them, days when the enemy has been allowed to come with axe and hammer and destroy the carver’s work, as mentioned in this psalm; days when in your life every good thing which the Spirit has wrought seems destroyed; when the garden which the Lord has planted is laid waste; when the hedges are broken down; when the vine is spoiled; when inwardly it is a wilderness; when you can only see guilt and mountains of sins; when you are heavy-laden with the burden of your iniquities and when you are afraid everything is wrong with you. The church here is then called a turtledove, which is a helpless, weak and dependent bird, having no weapons to protect herself and exposed to many dangers. Yet this dove is precious in God’s eyes and is loved of God. That is now the pleading found in this prayer in spite of all sorrowful circumstances.

The beggar in this psalm flees to God and hopes on His faithfulness, for He is the God of the covenant. The author of this psalm speaks about the destruction of Jerusalem, or according to other expositors about the desecration of the temple by the Epiphanes in the days of the Maccabees. In our times we see the destruction of the church by false doctrine, by worldly influences and by the works of instructors who are enemies of the doctrine of free grace. Modern opinions, a social gospel and the message of revolution are proclaimed, but not the glad tidings for a poor sinner. Sinful life is protected and there is an accommodation of the truth to the desires of men. Where are the true admonishing watchmen upon the walls of Jerusalem? Oh, how far away from a tender, humble and praying life is the church of God: Shame has to cover us. Oh, that we may be allowed to bow down to the dust with an upright confession of guilt! The most disquieting thing is that we see the guilt and errors of others, but not of ourselves. We do not see that “we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly” (Ps. 106:6).

This psalm is a prayer for the welfare of the church. It is a blessing when we love the church for the Lord’s sake and are allowed to pray for her with the knowledge that we are guilty. We read in Psalm 122:6, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love Thee.” Oh how favored we would be if there were more praying beggars for the welfare of Jerusalem, that is, of the church. Oh, how terrible are the circumstances of this church, but yet it is God’s people. There is no worthiness in them, for they are a guilty people. Yet the psalmist says: “Remember Thy congregation.” This is an earnest prayer, the supplication of a humbled beggar who knows the Lord would be righteous if He should cast him away. Oh, that we on prayer day might become such unworthy sinners before God’s countenance as was the publican in the temple, yet pleading upon God’s own work and His faithfulness.

These people are called “Thy congregation,” gathered by Him as the work of His mighty hands, shown unto them in former days.

That congregation was purchased by Him of old. So there is still a purchased people, bought, not with the price of silver and gold, but by the precious blood of the Lamb of God. Oh, what a great price had to be paid for that lost people, for enemies! Isaiah testified: “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities.” Did you through God’s righteousness learn to know the necessity of that price, and of the willing Savior, the Lamb of God Who said: “Lo, I come, I delight to do Thy will: yea, Thy law is within my heart?”

This congregation is also called “the rod of Thine inheritance, which Thou hast redeemed.” An inheritance is valuable, is precious, and the possessor has a lawful right to it. Although loathsome in their deep fall in Adam, the congregation is dear in God’s eyes and is the reward of the labors of Jesus. “When Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed.” It is a congregation redeemed by the Mighty One, by the greater David, Who conquered all His enemies and delivers them from the power of the devil, as once He brought His people Israel out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

There is still another pleading ground, namely, “this mount Zion wherein Thou hast dwelt.” It has been the pleasure of the Lord in His free grace to choose this insignificant mountain as His dwelling place. Bashan’s hill was much more distinguished, was higher and was a fruitful bill, but “this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the Lord will dwell in it forever,” as the poet of Psalm 68 testified. No, there were no reasons in Zion; it was not such a beautiful hill, but was barren, yet “the Lord hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation” (Psalm 132:13).

Did you ever admire the incomprehensible mercy and grace of God? “Why hath Thou looked upon such a dead dog as I am?” It is as if the praying suppliant says: “O Lord, remember what Thou hast done in the days of old, for there is no worthiness in us. It was only Thy electing love, Thy good pleasure. And now it seems Thou hast forsaken us, which would be righteous because of our iniquities. But have respect unto Thy covenant. Let not the foolish men reproach Thee. We are unworthy that Thou should show us Thy goodness, we have deserved Thy punishments, but shall Thy enemies then be gladdened and mock with Thee? What wilt Thou do unto Thy great Name?”

How blessed we should be if we would come as congregations, as families, and as office-bearers to that place! Thou art righteous and cannot deliver us on account of our righteousnesses, which are as filthy rags. Remember Thine own cause. “Arise, O God, plead Thine own cause.”. Then we have to lose all our worthiness, and be brought to that place, where we as guilty sinners, ashamed, humbled and mourning, confess: “Thou are righteousness in all Thy works. Thou canst never show us Thy grace and goodness because of any reason in us. We have deserved to be cast away forever, but O Lord wilt Thou remember Thy congregation because of Thy Name.” We then become hell-worthy sinners and bow deeply under Him, saying with the centurion, “Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldest come under my roof,” but only a word of Thine is enough to heal us.

That is how the turtledove of God is precious in His eyes. They are the oppressed, who fear to return; are ashamed, and are poor and needy. They are oppressed as Israel was in Egypt, are like the widow of the son of the prophet, to whom the creditor came to take unto him her two sons to be bondmen. The poor and needy, as a helpless people, cannot give satisfaction unto a righteous judge. But, the Mediator of the covenant, the eternal Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ can give such satisfaction, for “though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich” (2 Cor. 8:9).

Thus a needy people, lying as Lazarus did, outside the gate of the rich man, full of sores, shall become rich and receive their desire. What is their desire? Is it to see their enemies destroyed, their cities ruined, to receive rest, freedom and victory? Their desire is, “Let the poor and needy praise Thy Name.” Then it becomes thanksgiving day after prayer day.

What is your desire on prayer day? Is it to receive earthly riches, prosperity, more benefits here in the world and temporary privileges? Oh, how poor that is! Soon we shall have to leave all these riches and treasures, for our days are like a shadow that declineth. Or do we desire a place in heaven, to be delivered from punishment in hell and there to receive gladness? But what gladness would it be if we have never learned to mourn because of our sins, if we have never had a true prayer day in the dust, ashamed and humbled? It would then be impossible to praise the Lord for His mercy.

Many shall expect to enter into heaven and shall stand without and begin to knock at the door, saying, “Lord, Lord, open unto us,” and He shall answer and say unto them, “I know not whence you are.” Oh, bow your knees and ask the Lord for His conquering grace to cause you to give up your weapons of resistance, and for His discovering light. Ask to see your misery, your great guilt, and ask for instruction to direct you in His way. It is necessary to learn to know by His revelations the only precious Saviour, the way wherein lost sinners can be reconciled with God, and that faith whereby we may accept the righteous sentence of death, but also may learn to know a merciful God in Christ, His own gift for the salvation of enemies.

There shall come a time when the oppressed congregation, because of His eternal love and goodness, shall enter in through the gate of the heavenly Jerusalem. They shall see the true and faithful witness, their Savior. When the former things are passed away, God shall dwell with them and they shall be His people. Then they will worship and sing to His glory and honor.

Then what prayer or what supplication soever shall be made of any man,

Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, (2 Chron 6:29A/3oA)

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