Prayer is one of the most beautiful and incredible gifts we have, but so often I feel paralyzed and overwhelmed about the details. How exactly should I pray? Do I have to pray the same as others pray? How should I structure my prayer? I love how much freedom God allows us with prayer; there is not one pattern we must follow, but we can joyfully and reverently interact with our Father. His Word gives us so many beautiful examples of prayer, so today let’s look at some of the details of David’s prayer laid out before us in Psalm 143. 

1. David is honest. He’s not shy in crying out for God’s quick response and deliverance. He doesn’t try to sugar-coat the situation, or to not focus on the needs of the moment. This reminds me of Christ’s words in John 14:13, “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” The point is God’s glory and name’s sake (see Psalm 143:11). David doesn’t ask God to help him from a place of pride, but rather from a place of identifying himself as God’s “servant” (verse 12). When we ask with the purpose of God’s glory and His Name being magnified, we can ask with boldness and confidence. I’ve recently been reading through Ezekiel, and the repeated phrases “for my name’s sake” and “know that I am the LORD” in chapter 20 have stood out to me as a reminder that everything is for God’s glory, not our own. By grace, we come to God honestly and boldly, seeking His glory in all our prayers (1 Cor. 10:31). 

2. David’s trust in God is unconditional. Notice in verse 9, David asks for God’s deliverance and states he has (already) “fled to [God] for refuge.” David takes shelter in the cover of God’s protection (see ESV study notes) even before God has delivered him, and David claims God as “my God” (verse 10) before God answers all his prayers. How often are we tempted to tell God we’ll take shelter in Him once He proves Himself by delivering us, or to maybe come to God but also take shelter in ourselves/our own strength? We must instead follow David’s example and run to our Father, asking for His help from a place of full dependence and trust solely in Him. 

3. David seeks to know God and be led by God. David asks God to teach him to do God’s will and to let God’s “good Spirit lead [him] on level ground” (verse 10). Sometimes when I pray, I get so zoomed in on a situation that I forget to focus on the bigger picture and be Kingdom minded. David is not just seeking immediate rescue, but is seeking to further his relationship with his Heavenly Father and be attentive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. As believers under the New Covenant with the Holy Spirit indwelling us, how much more can we be aware of the Spirit’s guidance in our day-to-day lives! I wonder how our lives and perspectives would change if we asked God for His help as we listen to His Spirit throughout the day. 

Let’s allow David’s pattern of petition to guide our prayers, as we come to our Father with boldness, honestly, trust, and a desire for His glory and Kingdom purposes (see Heb. 4:16).