The Seer's Prayer For Us

2009-12-26 21:25

At the time, it was written, "Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power." (Acts 19:18-20). But now we cannot see such work of the gospel. Only this lamentation is being sung: "for Mount Zion, which lies desolate, with jackals prowling over it." (Lamentations 5:18).

It is the same as this testimony: "You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes." (2 Timothy 1:15).

Therefore, the Bible said, "I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob. I will put my trust in him. Here am I, and the children the LORD has given me. We are signs and symbols in Israel from the LORD Almighty, who dwells on Mount Zion." (Isaiah 8:17-18). And also, "It is time for you to act, O LORD; your law is being broken." (Psalms 119:126).

At this dawn, in this day called Today, I felt uneasy and couldn't sleep. While I was meditating on the words written by the prophets and apostles, the Spirit of truth made the testimony of Asaph the seer, the psalm set to the tune of 'The Lilies of the Covenant,' for the director of music, rise in my heart.

It was Asaph the seer that led the praise of Israel when David praised God. Praise to God is prayer with a tune to God. It is written, "He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive." (Luke 20:38). Asaph the seer's prayer with a tune is also still alive.

Therefore, the Bible said, "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'You who now hear these words spoken by the prophets who were there when the foundation was laid for the house of the LORD Almighty, let your hands be strong so that the temple may be built.'" (Zechariah 8:9).

Today, as the gosple that once grew mightily has been impoverished, my heart has been impoverished and I have felt uneasy. But the Lord made me stand on the foundation of the apostles and prophets and hear the song of Zion, that is, Asaph the seer's prayer with a tune to God.

"For the director of music. To the tune of 'The Lilies of the Covenant.' Of Asaph. A psalm. Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock; you who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh. Awaken your might; come and save us. Restore us, O God; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved. O LORD God Almighty, how long will your anger smolder against the prayers of your people? You have fed them with the bread of tears; you have made them drink tears by the bowlful. You have made us a source of contention to our neighbors, and our enemies mock us. Restore us, O God Almighty; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved. You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land. The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches. It sent out its boughs to the Sea, its shoots as far as the River. Why have you broken down its walls so that all who pass by pick its grapes? Boars from the forest ravage it and the creatures of the field feed on it. Return to us, O God Almighty! Look down from heaven and see! Watch over this vine, the root your right hand has planted, the son you have raised up for yourself. Your vine is cut down, it is burned with fire; at your rebuke your people perish. Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand, the son of man you have raised up for yourself. Then we will not turn away from you; revive us, and we will call on your name. Restore us, O LORD God Almighty; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved." (Psalms 80:1-19). Amen, Amen!

This is the key point of the prayer: "Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand, the son of man you have raised up for yourself. Then we will not turn away from you; revive us, and we will call on your name." (Psalms 80:17-18).

What do we have to do with the man at God's right hand, the son of man God have raised up for Himself? How is this possible: if God lets His hand rest on the son of man, we will not turn away from Him? It is a very profound prayer. It is like this profundity: if a farmer lets his hand on the root, the branches will revive of itself.

When he was in the world as a man, the Lord, who is now at God's right hand, said, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5). And also, Asaph the seer prayed, "You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it." (Psalms 80:8).

Although God is angry against the prayers of His people, that is, our prayers, He will not reject the prayer of His seer, whom He appointed.

However, we also pray, "A psalm of David. A petition. O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. For your arrows have pierced me, and your hand has come down upon me. Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; my bones have no soundness because of my sin. My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear. My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my sinful folly. I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I go about mourning. My back is filled with searing pain; there is no health in my body. I am feeble and utterly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart. All my longings lie open before you, O Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you. My heart pounds, my strength fails me; even the light has gone from my eyes. My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds; my neighbors stay far away. Those who seek my life set their traps, those who would harm me talk of my ruin; all day long they plot deception. I am like a deaf man, who cannot hear, like a mute, who cannot open his mouth; I have become like a man who does not hear, whose mouth can offer no reply. I wait for you, O LORD; you will answer, O Lord my God. For I said, 'Do not let them gloat or exalt themselves over me when my foot slips.' For I am about to fall, and my pain is ever with me. I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin. Many are those who are my vigorous enemies; those who hate me without reason are numerous. Those who repay my good with evil slander me when I pursue what is good. O LORD, do not forsake me; be not far from me, O my God. Come quickly to help me, O Lord my Savior." (Psalms 38:1-22). Amen, Amen. Thank you, Lord.