Part your heavens, Lord, and come down;
touch the mountains, so that they smoke.
Send forth lightning and scatter the enemy;
shoot your arrows and rout them.
Psalm 144:5-6
David doesn’t want small favors from God. He begs the Lord to rip open heaven. He urges God to stretch out his hand and make mountains smoke. He wants bolts of lightning to send his enemies running. And those are just a few of the items on his list of prayer requests.
David needs an unusual brand of divine assistance to help him rule Israel. His enemies pursue him with deadly swords (verse 10). He fends off foreigners spewing lies (verse 8). He worries about enemies breaking through city walls, and he hopes he never hears cries of distress rise from the streets (verse 14). So he asks the Lord for military victory. He praises God for training him to win at war. He counts on God to make entire peoples submit to him (verses 1–2).
As David watches over the nation, he looks for God’s blessings not just for him but for every person under his care. He wants young women and men to grow up like well-fed plants (verse 12). He prays for barns full of crops and fields covered with flocks (verse 13).
David’s requests for military triumph might not resemble what you need from God. But you can make your own bold requests of the Lord, asking him to meet your real needs. He knows you’re a mere mortal. Your life is but a breath. But because he is your God, you can count on his care.
Takeaway
Be bold in your requests and trust God actions and timing. We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).
Drawn from the NIV Bible for Teen Guys.
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