Bold, Petitionary Prayer

July 22nd, 2025
by Lance Waldie

Psalm 13:3-4 Consider, answer me, O Lord my God; enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep death, 4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken.

The first two verses of Psalm 13 express David’s anguish and the recognition that God is in control of his painful circumstances. Now in vv. 3-4 David begins his prayer of petition. He has come to the throne of grace, and he is making a bold petition to God for deliverance. This is how a man of God approaches the Almighty. Some would never dare speak to God this way, while others might arrogantly curse God. But those with a true bond to God respectfully approach Him with boldness to help them in their times of need (Heb. 4:16). David did this regularly.

David’s first request is written as a command: “Consider!” The Hebrew word means “to look at.” Given that David lamented that God had turned His face from him in v. 1, it is as if David is now in God’s face challenging God to turn His head toward him so as to bless him. David was not being disrespectful but was showing his bold faith in God. After all, David had nothing to lose since he was already as low as he could be from his prolonged agony. He was weary of God’s silence and in need of His comfort. So he resolved to boldly and respectfully petition the only One who could bring his soul out of the depths of despair, the Almighty God.

David’s second request to God was, “Answer me!” Sometimes God’s answers to the prayers of His saints come slowly, and sometimes they do not come at all, at least not the answers we seek. God can answer in the affirmative or in the negative. Oftentimes God just says “wait!” while He tests our faith. It does not seem as if David was seeking logical answers to his questions about feeling abandoned; rather, he just appears to need the reassurance from God that God was with him during his darkest times. Sometimes difficult situations require that the right person, or any person for that matter, be present. And who better to have than the Lord? David called God “my God,” and he called Him by name: “Yahweh” (Lord). It is as if he was crying out to his closest Friend and Companion. Now that is a model for petitionary prayer!

When a prisoner has been confined to a dark room in solitary confinement for a time they do not come out looking refreshed and confident. Their eyes are not accustomed to light after languishing in darkness. This seems to be how David felt, and it prompted his third request to God: “Enlighten my eyes!” He was blinded by the prison of darkness, as it were, that his life had become. So like anyone in the depths of despair, David cried out for restoration and light. God had taken him to the lowest of lows, but David knew that his God was the “Father of lights” (James 1:17). And His God would later send His Son, Jesus Christ, as the “light of the world” (John 8:12; 9:5) who would defeat death itself. David thus knew that his fear of “sleeping the sleep of death” could only be rectified through the One who could “enlighten” his eyes.

David’s fear as he prayed was not so much that he would die but what his enemies would say about him and his God if he died. He was zealous for God’s glory, and being God’s servant he feared that if he died in humiliation, God would be chastised and mocked. After all, he was David—the slayer of Goliath! So his prayer was not only for himself; it also contained a righteous zeal for God and His glory. It was not a selfish demand but a righteous petition.

Food For Thought
David’s words are comforting in one sense because Christians are taught to live the victorious abundant life even when times of darkness and disappointment overwhelm us. I think this is why so many are afraid to tell their problems to other Christians—for fear of exploitation. But it’s okay to pour your heart out to God, even expressing your anger to Him. He already knows how you feel, so be true to God, and be open with Him. He will restore your soul.