February 12: Never let me be humiliated

In you, O Lord, I have taken shelter! Never let me be humiliated! Vindicate me by rescuing me! Listen to me! Deliver me! Be my protector and refuge, a stronghold where I can be safe! For you are my high ridge and my stronghold. My God, rescue me from the power of the wicked, from the hand of the cruel oppressor! For you give me confidence, O Lord; O Lord, I have trusted in you since I was young.  (Psalm 71:1-5 — NET)

This is a piece of one of King David’s prayers, and every idea is based on the word of God. Everything he asks for in this prayer is plainly promised in the Bible. Can you pray like this? Have you ever prayed like this in a time of trouble and danger? If not, you need to pray this prayer, or one very much like it. We are surrounded by enemies, by people and spirits that hate us, but the Lord is our refuge and He has promised that no one who trusts in Him will ever be put to shame. He is a “high ridge” and a “stronghold” where we can find safety. He will deliver us from wicked people and keep us safe.

When we’re in trouble, a common reaction is to beg for God to help us, or to pray with the “lotto” attitude of “I hope I’m the lucky one today.” But this type of prayer is unbiblical and demonic, besides being totally ineffective. When we’re in trouble we need to cry out to God with all our hearts, reminding Him of His promises, and applying them to our situations. Verses like today’s passage should be used in our prayers, either word-for-word or as a guideline, and most of all, we can’t stop praying for what we want until He answers us. God has an obligation to help us when we belong to Him. His word promises help and deliverance to His children, and neither God nor His Word can ever fail. God cannot lie and His promises cannot fail to be fulfilled. So we should pray with determination, faith, and boldness. If we want to take our prayers to the next level we can combine them with fasting.

If you read other psalms that King David wrote and if you read the story of his life, you will see that God did deliver and rescue him—not once, but every time he was in trouble. This is a characteristic of God's people throughout the ages—what He has always done for those who love Him. May this be your experience too.