Today's Verse: Psalm 4:1

Thursday, April 1, 2004

Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.
— Psalm 4:1
Now you can listen to Today's Verse on iTunes, Spotify, Echo devices, and more!

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

At first, this cry for help seems very demanding of us on God. Closer inspection shows that this is really a cry of desperation. Have you been there? I surely have, and I regularly hear from folks who are there now. But, dear friend in Jesus, read how this Psalm ends! What is the secret to surviving a long agony? I believe three things are important:
  1. Honesty in our prayer life with God.
  2. Confidence that God hears and cares even when our prayers sizzle with pain and frustration.
  3. Genuine praise for God that is included in our prayers even when things seem bleak and God feels distant.
Such an approach to prayer is not a magical formula but a Spirit-inspired one - check it out in Psalm 4!

My Prayer...

O God, please hear my cry for relief and the relief of those I love who are in agony from their burdens and suffering. Please answer in amazing and miraculous ways so that we may not only be relieved, but you may be glorified by those who see you working in the lives of ordinary but desperate people. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

2 Related Resources by Heartlight

Hear My Prayer
Illustration of Psalm 4:1
Inspirational illustration of Psalm 4:1 -- Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.
Calm Down
Article by Alan Smith
Feeling a little stressed? Try this... Sometimes we need a little admonition to calm our souls, even if it is self-administered.

Illustration

Illustration of Psalm 4:1 — Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Thursday, April 1, 2004

Praying with Paul
Features the apostle Paul's writings turned into daily, powerful prayers.
'Christ, Our Yes' (2 Co. 1:12-20)
"Amen! Yes! Abba, Dear Father, Let me find pride in this - that my conscience testifies that I live my life in this world with holiness and godly..."
Daily Wisdom
A daily devotional featuring wise counsel found in Scripture.
Proverbs 15:2
"The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly. "
A Year with Jesus
A devotional to help reclaim Jesus as the daily Lord of our lives.
'The Hebrew Scriptures'
"Dear Disciple, In today's verses, I AM in the final preparation stages of leaving My disciples and ascending back to the Father. Although the..."
What Jesus Did!
A daily guide from the gospels that challenges readers to live for Jesus.
'Treachery Lurks Below the Surface' (Jn. 6:70-71)
"Then Jesus said, "I chose the twelve of you, but one is a devil." He was speaking of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, one of the Twelve, who would later...."

About This Devotional

Today's Verse is a free daily devotional that includes a Bible verse, thought and prayer.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.

More Today's Verse