This psalm written by David again is a testament to his faith in God’s providential care for him. “Though I am surrounded by troubles, You will protect me from the anger of my enemies. You reach out Your hand, and the power of Your right hand saves me.” (Verse 7)
Life is tough for all but 0.1% of the earth’s population. God made it that way when Adam and Eve sinned; “since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it.” (Genesis 3:17)
In verses 4-5 of this psalm, David wrote a very prophetic word. “Every king in all the earth will thank You, Lord, for all of them will hear Your words. Yes, they will sing about the Lord’s ways, for the glory of the Lord is very great.”
How does this relate to prophecy? In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told His followers to pray, “Our Father in heaven, may Your name be kept holy. May Your Kingdom come soon. May Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” Prayer is the answer.
The early church understood that prayer was the chief means of evangelism. We are told in Acts 1:14, “They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.”
That is why Jesus told His disciples to return to Jerusalem and wait for the power of the Holy Spirit to come upon them. In Acts 2:1-4, we see the promise fulfilled, “And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.” That day 2,000 people trusted Christ because the power of the Holy Spirit was allowing them to hear the gospel in their own languages.
We may think we can win others to Christ by our reasoning with them. But people will only come to Christ as the Holy Spirit moves them, touches their heart, and convinces them that God deeply loves them and that is why Jesus died for them. People, kings, and rulers of the nations will only come to Christ as the church consistently prays for them while we praise God for His unfailing love.
Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 2:1-6, “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, Who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity – the man Christ Jesus. He gave His life to purchase freedom for everyone.”