O you who hear prayer, to You all flesh will come. Iniquities prevail against me; as for our transgressions, You will provide for them. . . . By awesome deeds in righteousness You will answer us, O God of our salvation, You who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth” (Psalm 65:2-4a).
In all his psalms, and indeed in the entire Psalter, David and other writers assume that God is the one who answers prayer. Omniscient, he knows everything; omnipresent, he hears us even from the ends of the earth; omnipotent, he can work wonders for his people; all-loving, hears and answers our prayers.
David knows that he, and we, are unworthy to approach the throne of grace. Our iniquities are too many and too serious (See Psalm 51). But God has provided atonement for them in the person and work of Jesus his Son (see Ephesians 1:7; 1 John 1:9; 2:1), and God himself calls his chosen ones to approach him, enter his temple courts, and “be satisfied with the goodness of [his] house” (Psalm 65:4).
Throughout the ages, God’s people have found the he is, indeed, the one who hears – and answers – prayer. My own experience bears this out. Right after I was born again in 1965, I started keeping a prayer journal in which I wrote the date and my request, and then checked it off when God had answered. Analyzing the first year, I found that God had granted no fewer than 95% of my petitions.
Disclaimer: Over the years, the other five percent have tended to be the things that I want the most! For various reasons, the Lord has seen fit to delay his response or even (apparently) to deny my requests. These “unanswered” prayers have driven me deeper into his Word, caused me to search my heart, and thrown me upon his sovereignty in faith.
“We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, of Your holy temple” (Psalm 65:4).
Yours in his abundant goodness,
Wright