Remember God In 4 Ways When Needing Urgent Prayer

When we are in trouble, and there is no way out, what should we do? Pray! In fact, before we get into trouble, we should talk to the LORD. What should we say? Psalms is an excellent book to use as a guide for prayer and praise. Its poetry touches our deepest emotional needs. From today’s Bible reading, we learn to Remember God in 4 ways when needing urgent prayer. [This is one of my favorite Bible stories] Go to today’s Bible reading (use your browser arrow to return): Psalms 75, 77, 80; Isaiah 37:9-38; 2Kings 19:29-37; 2Chronicles 32:21-23; Psalm 76

Remember God is the source of our strength

Since 701 bc, Assyria’s King Sennacherib had been threatening Judah. After leading the nation in revival, Judah’s King Hezekiah later forgot God, became prideful and faltered in his faith. He failed to trust God to save him from their enemy, making alliances with other countries against Assyria. Hezekiah was then plagued with boils that would have ended his life, except for God’s mercy. After King Hezekiah is healed, he leads his people to turn to God from their sin and pride. Once more, they worship God in his temple. However, the mettle of their faith will not be tested by worship but by trials. Hezekiah urges the people to call upon God for help against the King of Assyria. The tune of Psalm 75 gives a clue to the theme of the song. According to the superscription, it was to be sung to the tune of “Do Not Destroy” (75:1). The people of Judah did not want to be destroyed by Assyrian armies. Here is part of the song with commentary in brackets:

We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds. [God’s presence is near us in our trials.] You [God] say, “I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge uprightly. When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm. ” [God will judge when the time is right. Even when our world is being shaken, he can give us strength] To the arrogant I say, “Boast no more,” and to the wicked, “Do not lift up your horns [horns were a symbol of military strength]….I will cut off the horns of all the wicked, but the horns of the righteous will be lifted up” (Psalm 75:1-4,10, NIV).

Remember God is ready to help if we ask

When the people of Judah face the armies of Assyria, they call out to God. They remember his mercy in previous generations for people who feared him. It is good to do the same if we have been away from God for a while; it will give us the courage to pray for his help. Judah’s sister nation, Israel, had been destroyed. “Your vine is cut down, it is burned with fire; at your rebuke your people perish” (Psalm 80:16, NIV). Because of this, Judah now desires God to restore her relationship with him so Jerusalem can be saved (verse 19). Do we need to restore our relationship with God? If we do not know him, we can call on Jesus to save us from our sins. He will give us forgiveness, peace, and spiritual life (John 3:16; Romans 10:9,10:13; John 1:12). Suppose we already did that but need a restoration of our relationship. In that case, we need to humbly confess our sins to God with repentance, and he will restore us (1John 1:9).

Remember God acts to defend his people who rely on him

God gave this answer to Sennacherib’s threats:

“Who is it you have insulted and blasphemed? Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel!” (2Kings 19:22, NIV) “Have you not heard? Long ago I [the LORD] ordained it. In days of old I planned it; now I have brought it to pass, that you have turned fortified cities into piles of stone,” [I, allowed you to conquer nations] (2Kings 19:25, NIV). “‘But I know where you stay and when you come and go and how you rage against me. Because you rage against me and your insolence has reached my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will make you return by the way you came” (2Kings 19:27-28, NIV).

God then gives Hezekiah a sign that the people will again live in the land and be prosperous. That very night, the LORD annihilates 185,000 men in the Assyrian camp—all the fighting men, leaders, and officers. Sennacherib withdraws to his own country, and in 681 bc, he is assassinated by his sons.

Remember God deserves praise for giving victory

Psalm 76 speaks of a battle that exalts the name (reputation) of God. He alone won the battle for Jerusalem. This is a hymn of praise which the people of Judah might have sung following the defeat of Sennacherib.

You are resplendent with light, more majestic than mountains rich with game. Valiant men lie plundered, they sleep their last sleep; not one of the warriors can lift his hands. At your rebuke, O God of Jacob, both horse and chariot lie still. You alone are to be feared. Who can stand before you when you are angry? (Psalm 76:4-7, NIV)

God answered their prayers because the king, leaders, priests, and the people of Judah humbled themselves before him, cried out to him, and desired to be restored. They stopped looking to other nations and their gods to help. They relied only on the God of Israel to save them. The LORD is often pleased to save those who rely totally on him.Praise God for his deliverance. Lessons to Live By

• God’s presence is near us in our trials.
• The LORD is Sovereign and controls the events of the world; therefore, he will judge when the time is right.
• Even when our world is being shaken, the LORD can give us strength.
• If we have been away from the LORD for a while, it is good for us to remember the goodness of God to previous generations; it will give us the courage to pray for his help.
• Do we need to restore our relationship with God? Call upon the LORD. (more)
• God is often pleased to save those who rely totally on him. Praise the LORD for His deliverance.

(The Bible Knowledge Commentary of the Old Testament, edited by Walvoord and Zuck, ©1985, p.578) Focus Verse Psalm 62:7 (NIV) “My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.” Write a private prayer response to today’s Bible study:Enter your prayer here:;