Psalm 119:132 – Be Gracious

Turn to me and be gracious to me,
as is your judgment for all who love your name.

I get the sense here that “judgment” is used to establish that God’s established choice is to be gracious to those who love his name. It’s settled law.

So if this is already what God does, why is it that the Psalmist makes a request for it?

I see here a prime example of prayer in action. We often think of prayer as a request list. Then if we remember example prayers, we add some thanksgiving. A little worship, which can be a variety of things. But these are all adjuncts to the body of the prayer, the list of things we want. Usually when somebody says “prayer works,” this is what they mean. “I asked, and God did what I asked.” It sounds like “working”!

But so many of the prayers of scripture are really like this one. They are about praying for what God has already made established practice. “Be gracious, as you always are.”

I think it’s a good prayer. I’d like to attain to that prayer. I don’t mean the ability to repeat the words, but the ability to pray with the confidence that comes from knowing that I’m praying in accordance to a judgment God has already made.

Lord be gracious to each one of us today, as you have promised!

(Featured image generated by Jetpack AI.)