WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.699 --> 00:00:04.330 What happens when God answers the prayer you've been praying? 2 00:00:05.140 --> 00:00:10.720 When we're facing a difficult situation, we usually know what to do. We pray. 3 00:00:11.420 --> 00:00:16.739 We ask God for help. We ask Him for wisdom, direction, healing, 4 00:00:17.130 --> 00:00:19.020 provision, or deliverance. 5 00:00:19.380 --> 00:00:22.800 And sometimes we wait a long time for an answer. 6 00:00:23.850 --> 00:00:30.550 But what happens when the answer finally comes? Do we stop and recognize what God has done? 7 00:00:31.370 --> 00:00:38.510 Do we take time to thank Him? Or do we simply breathe a sigh of relief and move 8 00:00:38.510 --> 00:00:40.479 on to whatever comes next? 9 00:00:41.510 --> 00:00:47.310 Psalm 28 gives us a powerful picture of David moving from desperate prayer to confident praise. 10 00:00:47.830 --> 00:00:51.610 He begins by crying out to God and asking him to hear his supplications. 11 00:00:52.010 --> 00:00:54.620 But later, David makes this declaration. 12 00:00:55.210 --> 00:00:59.580 Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. 13 00:01:00.210 --> 00:01:03.370 David doesn't simply celebrate that his circumstances have changed. 14 00:01:03.730 --> 00:01:06.400 He recognizes that God has heard him. 15 00:01:07.060 --> 00:01:08.750 And that's an important lesson for us. 16 00:01:09.620 --> 00:01:12.980 Answered prayers should do more than give us relief. 17 00:01:13.670 --> 00:01:17.260 It should give us another reason to remember the faithfulness of God. 18 00:01:17.910 --> 00:01:23.360 So, what should we do when God answers our prayers? And how can recognizing 19 00:01:23.360 --> 00:01:27.900 His faithfulness strengthen our faith for the prayers we're still waiting to see answered? 20 00:01:28.550 --> 00:01:29.790 Today, we'll walk through Psalm 21 00:01:29.790 --> 00:01:34.640 28 and discover what happens when we recognize that God has heard us. 22 00:01:35.360 --> 00:01:41.240 This is when God answers prayers, today on Bible Bytes. 23 00:01:59.260 --> 00:02:00.030 And shine. 24 00:02:02.040 --> 00:02:07.490 Welcome to Bible Bytes, the podcast where we work to inspire faith one byte at a time. 25 00:02:08.070 --> 00:02:11.240 I'm your host, Randy Black. I'm an educator, technology specialist, 26 00:02:11.240 --> 00:02:14.280 and podcaster, and I've been a Christian for over three decades. 27 00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:18.720 And I'm glad you have joined me today here on Bible Bytes as we continue our 28 00:02:18.720 --> 00:02:21.000 journey again through the Psalms together. 29 00:02:22.060 --> 00:02:26.419 In our previous episode, we looked at Psalm 27 and considered what it means 30 00:02:26.419 --> 00:02:30.050 to have faith that triumphs when fear and uncertainty surround us. 31 00:02:30.820 --> 00:02:35.410 We saw David face genuine opposition while keeping his confidence anchored in 32 00:02:35.410 --> 00:02:40.180 the Lord, and we ended with his encouragement to wait on the Lord to be of good 33 00:02:40.180 --> 00:02:42.949 courage and allow God to strengthen his heart. 34 00:02:44.230 --> 00:02:48.680 Today, we move into Psalm 28, where we see another part of that journey of faith. 35 00:02:49.360 --> 00:02:54.240 David begins by crying out to God. He asks the Lord to hear his prayer and to show him mercy. 36 00:02:55.030 --> 00:03:00.360 But as the psalm progresses, David reaches a point where he recognizes that God has heard him. 37 00:03:01.000 --> 00:03:05.199 His response is not simply relief, it is gratitude and praise. 38 00:03:05.940 --> 00:03:09.860 David says, Blessed be the Lord because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. 39 00:03:10.530 --> 00:03:15.700 That gives us an important question to consider today. What do we do when God answers our prayers? 40 00:03:16.530 --> 00:03:20.300 Sometimes we can be so focused on bringing our needs before God that we fail 41 00:03:20.300 --> 00:03:23.410 to stop and recognize His faithfulness when He responds. 42 00:03:24.050 --> 00:03:28.630 Psalm 28 reminds us that answered prayer should lead us to gratitude, 43 00:03:29.130 --> 00:03:32.560 worship, and a greater confidence in the God who hears us. 44 00:03:33.370 --> 00:03:36.940 As we work our way through this psalm, we'll consider what it means to bring 45 00:03:36.940 --> 00:03:41.010 our needs honestly before God, how we can learn to recognize His answers, 46 00:03:41.230 --> 00:03:45.980 and why remembering His faithfulness can strengthen our faith for whatever we face next. 47 00:03:46.820 --> 00:03:49.980 We'll begin by reading Psalm 28 together, than we'll consider what this powerful 48 00:03:49.980 --> 00:03:54.360 psalm teaches us about recognizing and responding to God's faithfulness. 49 00:03:55.680 --> 00:03:59.040 Before we open up God's Word together, let's begin with a word of prayer. 50 00:04:00.160 --> 00:04:02.800 Heavenly Father, we come before you today thankful for your goodness, 51 00:04:02.800 --> 00:04:06.450 your faithfulness, and the privilege of bringing our prayers before you. 52 00:04:07.370 --> 00:04:11.620 Lord, as we open Psalm 28, help us understand what it means to cry out to you, 53 00:04:11.930 --> 00:04:15.520 to trust you, and recognize when you have heard and answered our prayers. 54 00:04:16.270 --> 00:04:19.920 Give us wisdom to see your hand at work in our lives, even when your answers 55 00:04:19.920 --> 00:04:23.270 don't come in the way or the timing that we expected. 56 00:04:24.080 --> 00:04:28.279 Father, forgive us for the times we've received your blessings or seen your 57 00:04:28.279 --> 00:04:31.420 faithfulness and simply moved on without stopping to thank you. 58 00:04:32.120 --> 00:04:34.279 Teach us to have hearts that remember 59 00:04:34.279 --> 00:04:38.550 what you have done and respond with genuine gratitude and worship. 60 00:04:39.220 --> 00:04:43.770 For those who are still waiting for an answer today, give them patience and 61 00:04:43.770 --> 00:04:45.300 confidence in your faithfulness. 62 00:04:45.649 --> 00:04:50.370 Help them continue to pray and trust while they wait. 63 00:04:51.570 --> 00:04:55.510 And as we study your word strengthen our faith by reminding us that you hear 64 00:04:55.510 --> 00:05:00.339 the voice of our supplications Help us recognize your faithfulness Give you 65 00:05:00.339 --> 00:05:04.450 thanks for your answers and trust you with whatever comes next, 66 00:05:05.080 --> 00:05:09.120 We ask these things the name of your son jesus christ. Amen. 67 00:05:10.310 --> 00:05:13.710 Our primary scripture today is Psalm 28, a psalm of David. 68 00:05:14.300 --> 00:05:17.770 As we read through it, listen for the movement in David's prayer. 69 00:05:18.339 --> 00:05:21.529 He begins by asking God to hear him and to show him mercy. 70 00:05:22.220 --> 00:05:26.350 David is facing opposition and he is deeply dependent upon the Lord. 71 00:05:27.060 --> 00:05:28.360 But then something changes. 72 00:05:29.089 --> 00:05:34.730 In verse 6, David moves from pleading with God to praising God because he recognizes 73 00:05:34.730 --> 00:05:35.760 that the Lord has heard him. 74 00:05:36.370 --> 00:05:40.550 His circumstances have led him to prayer and God's response leads him to worship. 75 00:05:41.190 --> 00:05:45.670 Pay particular attention to that transition, because it gives us the central 76 00:05:45.670 --> 00:05:47.170 movement of this entire psalm. 77 00:05:47.640 --> 00:05:52.920 David cries out to God, he recognizes God's response, and then he responds with 78 00:05:52.920 --> 00:05:54.899 gratitude and with praise. 79 00:05:55.740 --> 00:06:01.240 Psalm 28. Thee will I cry, O Lord my rock, be not silent to me, 80 00:06:01.240 --> 00:06:06.830 lest if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit. 81 00:06:07.670 --> 00:06:13.640 Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle. 82 00:06:14.500 --> 00:06:18.130 Draw me not away with the wicked and with the workers of iniquity, 83 00:06:18.420 --> 00:06:21.880 which speak peace to their neighbors, but mischief is in their hearts. 84 00:06:23.050 --> 00:06:28.150 Give them according to their deeds and according to the wickedness of their endeavors. 85 00:06:28.830 --> 00:06:32.390 Give them after the work of their hands, render to them their desert. 86 00:06:33.530 --> 00:06:38.990 Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of His hands, 87 00:06:39.380 --> 00:06:42.060 He shall destroy them and not build them up. 88 00:06:43.020 --> 00:06:47.150 Blessed be the Lord, because He hath heard the voice of my supplications. 89 00:06:47.770 --> 00:06:52.630 The Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped. 90 00:06:53.140 --> 00:06:58.090 Therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth, and with my song I will praise him. 91 00:06:58.680 --> 00:07:03.570 The Lord is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed. 92 00:07:04.210 --> 00:07:08.800 Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance. Feed them also, 93 00:07:09.070 --> 00:07:10.640 and lift them up forever. 94 00:07:11.860 --> 00:07:16.150 What a remarkable progression. David begins this psalm crying out, 95 00:07:16.150 --> 00:07:18.190 hear the voice of my supplications. 96 00:07:18.900 --> 00:07:23.000 But by verse 6, he can say, blessed be the Lord because he hath heard. 97 00:07:24.090 --> 00:07:28.740 And notice what follows. David doesn't simply acknowledge that his prayer has 98 00:07:28.740 --> 00:07:30.880 been heard. He rejoices. 99 00:07:31.380 --> 00:07:36.290 He praises God. He declares that the Lord is his strength and his shield. 100 00:07:37.100 --> 00:07:41.230 The answer to prayer has become another reason for David to trust God. 101 00:07:42.020 --> 00:07:46.850 That movement from crying out to God to recognizing his response to responding 102 00:07:46.850 --> 00:07:52.280 with gratitude and worship is what we want to explore as we study Psalm 28 together today. 103 00:07:53.230 --> 00:07:57.610 So let's begin by looking more closely at David's situation and the biblical 104 00:07:57.610 --> 00:08:02.230 setting that helps us understand this powerful transition from prayer to praise. 105 00:08:03.720 --> 00:08:06.980 Psalm 28 is identified simply as a psalm of David. 106 00:08:07.600 --> 00:08:11.570 Unlike some of the other psalms, the heading does not identify a specific event 107 00:08:11.570 --> 00:08:14.080 in David's life that prompted him to write this prayer. 108 00:08:14.880 --> 00:08:18.420 So, while David experienced many seasons of opposition, danger, 109 00:08:18.420 --> 00:08:23.090 and uncertainty throughout his life, we should be careful not to connect Psalm 110 00:08:23.090 --> 00:08:28.880 28 to a particular event that Scripture does not identify, just like we did with Psalm 27. 111 00:08:29.840 --> 00:08:31.940 What the psalm does make clear is 112 00:08:31.940 --> 00:08:35.650 that David is in a situation where he desperately needs God to hear him. 113 00:08:36.290 --> 00:08:40.540 He begins by calling the Lord his rock and pleading with him not to remain silent. 114 00:08:41.130 --> 00:08:44.540 Thee will I cry, O Lord, my rock, be not silent to me. 115 00:08:45.480 --> 00:08:49.660 David is not approaching God casually. He is dependent upon him. 116 00:08:50.070 --> 00:08:54.260 He asks God to hear the voice of his supplications, and he describes lifting 117 00:08:54.260 --> 00:08:56.510 his hands toward the Lord's holy oracle. 118 00:08:57.370 --> 00:09:03.010 The language of the psalm also shows that David is concerned about the people around him. 119 00:09:03.600 --> 00:09:07.809 He describes the wicked and those who will work iniquity as people who speak 120 00:09:07.809 --> 00:09:11.280 peace to their neighbors while having mischief in their hearts. 121 00:09:12.309 --> 00:09:15.929 David asks God to deal with them according to their deeds. 122 00:09:16.610 --> 00:09:21.570 This gives us an important picture of the setting. David is dealing with opposition 123 00:09:21.570 --> 00:09:25.350 and wickedness, but his response is to bring the situation before God. 124 00:09:26.309 --> 00:09:29.790 There's also an important biblical distinction in the way david approaches the lord, 125 00:09:30.470 --> 00:09:34.660 He isn't simply asking god to make his circumstances easier He is appealing 126 00:09:34.660 --> 00:09:39.750 to the character and the justice of god David trusts the let the lord sees what 127 00:09:39.750 --> 00:09:41.960 is happening And that god will 128 00:09:41.960 --> 00:09:45.350 ultimately deal with the wickedness according to what people have done, 129 00:09:46.220 --> 00:09:49.170 Then in verse 6, we reach the turning point. 130 00:09:49.990 --> 00:09:54.250 Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. 131 00:09:55.110 --> 00:10:00.330 The change is striking. At the beginning of the psalm, David is asking God to hear him. 132 00:10:01.010 --> 00:10:05.240 By verse 6, David is praising God because he knows that God has heard him. 133 00:10:06.010 --> 00:10:11.170 The psalm moves from petition to confidence. And David's response is significant here. 134 00:10:11.429 --> 00:10:14.549 He doesn't simply say that his request has been answered and move on. 135 00:10:15.120 --> 00:10:17.350 He immediately turns his attention toward the Lord. 136 00:10:18.010 --> 00:10:22.730 The Lord is my strength and my shield, my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped. 137 00:10:23.570 --> 00:10:28.640 David recognizes that whatever help he has received ultimately comes from God. 138 00:10:29.270 --> 00:10:35.360 His trust in the Lord has led him to help, and that recognition produces rejoicing and praise. 139 00:10:36.080 --> 00:10:40.549 Therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth, and with my song will I praise him. 140 00:10:41.210 --> 00:10:45.030 The final verses broaden the focus beyond David himself. 141 00:10:45.770 --> 00:10:50.140 He declares that the Lord is the strength and saving strength of his anointed, 142 00:10:50.640 --> 00:10:55.030 and he asks God to save his people, bless his inheritance, feed them, 143 00:10:55.260 --> 00:10:56.820 and lift them up forever. 144 00:10:57.559 --> 00:11:01.940 So the psalm ends with David's personal experience of God's faithfulness becoming 145 00:11:01.940 --> 00:11:04.970 an expression of confidence in God's care for his people. 146 00:11:05.700 --> 00:11:09.540 That gives us the biblical setting we need as we move into the study today. 147 00:11:10.309 --> 00:11:14.660 David begins with a need. He brings the need honestly before God. 148 00:11:15.130 --> 00:11:16.950 He waits for God's response. 149 00:11:17.490 --> 00:11:22.190 Then, when he recognizes that God has heard him, his response is gratitude, 150 00:11:22.450 --> 00:11:24.160 rejoicing, and worship. 151 00:11:24.980 --> 00:11:29.770 Psalm 28, therefore, gives us more than an example of someone asking God for help. 152 00:11:30.330 --> 00:11:35.210 It gives us a picture of what we should do when we recognize God's response. 153 00:11:35.860 --> 00:11:41.700 We pray, we trust, we recognize, and we give thanks. 154 00:11:42.460 --> 00:11:46.750 With that context in mind, let's take a closer look at what Psalm 28 teaches 155 00:11:46.750 --> 00:11:50.030 us about bringing our needs honestly before God. 156 00:11:51.150 --> 00:11:56.290 The first lesson that we can take from Psalm 28 is this. We should bring our 157 00:11:56.290 --> 00:11:58.260 needs honestly before God. 158 00:11:59.210 --> 00:12:03.770 David begins this psalm with a direct and urgent prayer. Thee will I cry, 159 00:12:03.770 --> 00:12:07.559 O Lord my rock, be not silent to me, lest if thou be silent to me, 160 00:12:07.850 --> 00:12:10.520 I become like them that go down into the pit. 161 00:12:11.510 --> 00:12:16.130 David isn't hiding his concern. He isn't trying to make his situation sound better than it is. 162 00:12:16.370 --> 00:12:20.440 He's crying out to God because he needs God. 163 00:12:21.380 --> 00:12:24.360 That's an important place to begin when we think about prayer. 164 00:12:25.059 --> 00:12:28.860 Sometimes we can approach prayer as though we need to have everything figured 165 00:12:28.860 --> 00:12:30.160 out before we come to the Lord. 166 00:12:30.580 --> 00:12:34.549 We may think that we need to sound confident, we need to use the right words, 167 00:12:34.850 --> 00:12:37.950 or somehow we need to demonstrate that we have enough faith. 168 00:12:38.770 --> 00:12:42.460 But David's prayer doesn't sound like someone who has everything under control. 169 00:12:43.210 --> 00:12:46.610 It sounds like someone who knows exactly where to turn when he doesn't have 170 00:12:46.610 --> 00:12:49.780 control. Thee will I cry, O Lord, my rock. 171 00:12:50.770 --> 00:12:54.870 David knows that the Lord is his rock, and that knowledge gives him somewhere 172 00:12:54.870 --> 00:12:56.640 to take his fear and his uncertainty. 173 00:12:57.490 --> 00:13:01.450 And then he continues in verse 2, Hear the voice of my supplications when I 174 00:13:01.450 --> 00:13:05.130 cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle. 175 00:13:06.110 --> 00:13:10.420 David wants God to hear him. He's asking God for his attention. 176 00:13:11.180 --> 00:13:14.040 He's bringing his need directly before the Lord. 177 00:13:14.770 --> 00:13:19.100 And this is important because prayer is not merely an exercise in saying religious 178 00:13:19.100 --> 00:13:22.180 words. Prayer is an expression of dependence. 179 00:13:22.790 --> 00:13:25.850 When we pray, we're acknowledging that we need God. 180 00:13:26.770 --> 00:13:30.490 And there are times when we may be tempted to handle everything ourselves first 181 00:13:30.820 --> 00:13:34.190 and then turn to God only after our own solutions have failed. 182 00:13:35.060 --> 00:13:38.670 But David gives us a different pattern. He cries out to the Lord. 183 00:13:39.220 --> 00:13:44.460 He brings his need to God. He asks God to hear him. And that gives us a practical question. 184 00:13:45.390 --> 00:13:49.120 What are you carrying today that you need to bring honestly before God? 185 00:13:50.090 --> 00:13:54.900 Maybe there's a decision you don't know how to make. Maybe there's a relationship 186 00:13:54.900 --> 00:13:56.160 that needs God's intervention. 187 00:13:57.130 --> 00:14:03.080 Maybe you're concerned about your family or you're facing circumstances you simply cannot control. 188 00:14:03.510 --> 00:14:09.310 Maybe you've been praying about something for a long time and you're beginning 189 00:14:09.310 --> 00:14:11.500 to wonder whether God's listening to you or not. 190 00:14:12.430 --> 00:14:16.000 Psalm 28 reminds us that we don't have to hide those things from God. 191 00:14:16.790 --> 00:14:22.270 We can bring them to Him. Apostle Peter gives us a similar invitation in 1 Peter 192 00:14:22.270 --> 00:14:26.940 5-7, Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you. 193 00:14:27.820 --> 00:14:34.650 Notice the reason Peter gives us for bringing our care to God. For he careth for you. 194 00:14:35.610 --> 00:14:39.340 We don't bring our burdens to a distant God who's indifferent to what we're 195 00:14:39.340 --> 00:14:42.890 experiencing. We bring them to the God who cares for us. 196 00:14:43.710 --> 00:14:48.030 That doesn't mean that every prayer will be answered exactly according to our preferred outcome. 197 00:14:48.890 --> 00:14:51.420 Scripture doesn't give us that promise in any way. 198 00:14:52.310 --> 00:14:57.550 But it does teach us that God hears His people and that He cares about us and 199 00:14:57.550 --> 00:14:59.470 that we can depend upon Him. 200 00:15:00.340 --> 00:15:04.650 And that distinction matters because sometimes our understanding of prayer becomes 201 00:15:04.900 --> 00:15:07.160 too focused on getting the outcome that we want. 202 00:15:07.850 --> 00:15:11.040 We may think of prayer primarily as asking God to fix something. 203 00:15:11.720 --> 00:15:15.490 But prayer is about a relationship. When David cries out to God, 204 00:15:15.490 --> 00:15:19.210 he isn't simply submitting a request to a divine problem-solving service. 205 00:15:19.700 --> 00:15:21.580 He is turning toward the Lord. 206 00:15:22.300 --> 00:15:24.940 Thee will I cry, O Lord, my rock. 207 00:15:25.830 --> 00:15:30.010 David knows who it is he's addressing. He knows God's character. 208 00:15:30.560 --> 00:15:34.420 He knows God is his rock, and that becomes the foundation for his prayer. 209 00:15:35.160 --> 00:15:39.080 It's also where we need to distinguish between honest prayer and unbelief, 210 00:15:39.720 --> 00:15:41.290 because David is clearly distressed. 211 00:15:41.680 --> 00:15:45.100 He's concerned about what's happening around him, and he asks God to hear him. 212 00:15:45.690 --> 00:15:50.050 But his willingness to cry out to God is itself an expression of faith. 213 00:15:50.900 --> 00:15:52.340 He doesn't allow his distress to 214 00:15:52.340 --> 00:15:57.160 drive him away from God. He allows his distress to drive him toward God. 215 00:15:57.780 --> 00:15:59.700 That's a really important lesson for us. 216 00:16:00.350 --> 00:16:03.510 Faith doesn't mean we never have moments when we are afraid, 217 00:16:03.510 --> 00:16:06.550 confused, frustrated, or discouraged. 218 00:16:07.050 --> 00:16:09.810 Faith means that we know where to take those things. 219 00:16:10.740 --> 00:16:13.010 We can tell God what we're experiencing. 220 00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:19.510 We can ask Him for wisdom. We can ask Him for help, for mercy. 221 00:16:19.820 --> 00:16:24.330 We can ask Him to intervene, and we can trust Him with the answer. 222 00:16:25.670 --> 00:16:29.600 There's another important detail in David's prayer. He isn't simply asking God 223 00:16:29.600 --> 00:16:30.750 to give him what he wants. 224 00:16:31.070 --> 00:16:34.090 He's asking God to act according to his righteousness. 225 00:16:35.250 --> 00:16:39.350 David recognizes here that God sees what he cannot fully see. 226 00:16:39.820 --> 00:16:43.170 He sees people who speak peace while having mischief in their hearts. 227 00:16:43.400 --> 00:16:46.100 He asks God to deal with them according to their deeds. 228 00:16:46.710 --> 00:16:50.610 In other words, David is willing to place the situation in God's hand. 229 00:16:51.470 --> 00:16:54.590 That is part of what makes prayer an act of faith. 230 00:16:55.240 --> 00:16:59.380 We bring the need. We bring the burden. We bring the request. 231 00:16:59.880 --> 00:17:04.170 But ultimately, we entrust the situation to God. And that brings us back to 232 00:17:04.170 --> 00:17:06.530 the central theme of this entire episode. 233 00:17:07.400 --> 00:17:11.710 If we want to recognize God's answers, we first need to become people who are 234 00:17:11.710 --> 00:17:14.180 willing to bring our needs honestly before Him. 235 00:17:15.080 --> 00:17:19.650 We cannot recognize an answer to a prayer we never consciously brought to God. 236 00:17:20.340 --> 00:17:25.270 We cannot look back and remember God's faithfulness if we never stop to acknowledge 237 00:17:25.270 --> 00:17:27.840 our dependence upon Him. So pray. 238 00:17:28.710 --> 00:17:36.220 Pray specifically. Pray honestly. Bring your concerns before the Lord and then pay attention. 239 00:17:36.820 --> 00:17:42.750 Because the God who invites us to bring our needs before Him is also the God who hears. 240 00:17:43.980 --> 00:17:48.970 And that leads us to the next lesson from Psalm 28. We need to learn how to 241 00:17:48.970 --> 00:17:50.599 recognize when God answers. 242 00:17:52.080 --> 00:17:56.290 We've seen that David begins Psalm 28 by bringing his needs honestly before God. 243 00:17:56.800 --> 00:18:00.160 He cries out to the Lord, asks Him to hear his supplications, 244 00:18:00.440 --> 00:18:03.040 and places his circumstances in God's hands. 245 00:18:04.020 --> 00:18:08.460 But then we come to the turning point of the psalm. Verse 6 says, 246 00:18:08.460 --> 00:18:12.580 Blessed be the Lord, because He hath heard the voice of my supplications. 247 00:18:13.520 --> 00:18:17.690 There's a significant change between the beginning of the psalm and this statement. 248 00:18:18.490 --> 00:18:21.060 At the beginning, David is asking God to hear him. 249 00:18:21.990 --> 00:18:26.570 Now, David is praising God because he recognizes that God has heard him. 250 00:18:27.310 --> 00:18:32.200 David has moved from petition to recognition, and that gives us an important lesson. 251 00:18:32.780 --> 00:18:35.869 We need to learn to recognize when God answers our prayers. 252 00:18:36.490 --> 00:18:41.300 Now, I know that may sound obvious, but it's something we can easily overlook. 253 00:18:42.040 --> 00:18:45.520 When we're facing a difficult situation, we can become focused on the thing 254 00:18:45.520 --> 00:18:46.970 we're asking God to change. 255 00:18:47.690 --> 00:18:51.599 We pray about it. We think about it. We wait for something to happen. 256 00:18:52.430 --> 00:18:54.810 And then sometimes, something changes. 257 00:18:55.720 --> 00:18:59.820 Situation improves. The opportunity we've been praying for about opens. 258 00:19:00.300 --> 00:19:04.760 The decision becomes clear. The provision arrives. The relationship begins to heal. 259 00:19:04.980 --> 00:19:08.830 The problem is resolved. And what do we do? 260 00:19:09.940 --> 00:19:14.380 Sometimes, we just simply move on. We experience the relief, 261 00:19:14.380 --> 00:19:17.480 but we don't stop to recognize the God who provided it. 262 00:19:18.250 --> 00:19:23.570 Psalm 28 gives us a better pattern. David doesn't simply recognize that his 263 00:19:23.570 --> 00:19:25.070 circumstances have changed. 264 00:19:25.550 --> 00:19:28.460 He recognized that God had heard him. 265 00:19:29.430 --> 00:19:32.520 Blessed be the Lord because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. 266 00:19:33.490 --> 00:19:38.130 David's attention is directed toward God, and that distinction is extremely important. 267 00:19:38.830 --> 00:19:42.580 An answered prayer is not merely an event that happened after we prayed. 268 00:19:43.070 --> 00:19:45.950 It's an opportunity to recognize God's faithfulness. 269 00:19:47.410 --> 00:19:52.270 We need to be careful here. Recognizing God's answer doesn't mean that every 270 00:19:52.270 --> 00:19:55.640 prayer receives the exact outcome that we requested. 271 00:19:56.359 --> 00:20:00.480 Sometimes we pray for one thing and God answers in a completely different way. 272 00:20:01.430 --> 00:20:05.710 Sometimes the answer comes through circumstances that we have never anticipated. 273 00:20:06.460 --> 00:20:11.320 Sometimes God gives us wisdom rather than removing us from the difficult situation. 274 00:20:12.310 --> 00:20:18.630 Sometimes he provides strength to endure rather than immediately changing what it is that we're facing. 275 00:20:19.690 --> 00:20:23.750 And sometimes we may not fully understand his answer at all. 276 00:20:24.790 --> 00:20:30.310 The Bible doesn't teach that prayer is a way of getting God to conform his will to ours. 277 00:20:30.910 --> 00:20:36.720 Instead, prayer brings us into dependence upon God and it teaches us to trust 278 00:20:36.720 --> 00:20:38.650 his wisdom and his purposes. 279 00:20:39.650 --> 00:20:44.770 John gives us this important reminder in 1 John 5, verse 14. 280 00:20:45.770 --> 00:20:50.609 And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according 281 00:20:50.609 --> 00:20:52.640 to His will, He heareth us. 282 00:20:53.810 --> 00:20:56.790 Notice that confidence in prayer is connected to God's will. 283 00:20:57.670 --> 00:21:00.660 We can pray confidently because we know that God hears us. 284 00:21:01.270 --> 00:21:05.859 That means the answer isn't ultimately about getting God to do what we want. 285 00:21:06.550 --> 00:21:08.940 It's about trusting the God who hears us. 286 00:21:09.760 --> 00:21:13.210 And when we recognize his response, we should acknowledge it. 287 00:21:13.750 --> 00:21:15.590 That requires us to pay attention. 288 00:21:16.150 --> 00:21:21.099 Sometimes we need to look back. Think about the prayers you've prayed over the past year. 289 00:21:21.890 --> 00:21:23.420 What were you asking God to do? 290 00:21:24.460 --> 00:21:30.300 Where did you need his wisdom? Where did you need his provision or his protection or his intervention? 291 00:21:31.440 --> 00:21:36.010 Now ask yourself another question. What did God do? 292 00:21:37.500 --> 00:21:42.430 Maybe you can identify an obvious answer. Maybe the answer wasn't what you expected, 293 00:21:42.430 --> 00:21:47.050 but you can now see God's hand more clearly in what happened. 294 00:21:48.070 --> 00:21:53.490 Maybe the circumstances didn't change, but God gave you strength that you didn't have before. 295 00:21:55.040 --> 00:22:00.900 Maybe he closed a door that you desperately wanted open, only for you to recognize 296 00:22:00.900 --> 00:22:04.550 later that the closed door was actually his protection. 297 00:22:05.510 --> 00:22:08.940 Maybe he provided through another person for you. 298 00:22:09.880 --> 00:22:15.220 Maybe he gave you direction through his word. Maybe he answered through circumstances 299 00:22:15.220 --> 00:22:17.390 that only became clear with time. 300 00:22:18.630 --> 00:22:22.340 If we're not intentional about remembering, we can easily forget. 301 00:22:23.170 --> 00:22:27.450 That's why scripture repeatedly calls God's people to remember his works. 302 00:22:28.200 --> 00:22:34.859 Psalm 103 verse 2 says, bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. 303 00:22:35.859 --> 00:22:40.950 Don't forget. That's an important command for us because forgetfulness can weaken our faith. 304 00:22:41.550 --> 00:22:46.180 When we forget what God has already done, the next difficulty can make us wonder 305 00:22:46.180 --> 00:22:47.890 whether he'll be faithful again. 306 00:22:48.520 --> 00:22:54.530 But when we remember his faithfulness, our past becomes a testimony that strengthens our present trust. 307 00:22:55.730 --> 00:23:00.180 This is the one reason keeping a record of prayers can be so valuable. 308 00:23:00.940 --> 00:23:05.270 You might keep a prayer journal. You might write down specific requests and revisit them later. 309 00:23:05.849 --> 00:23:09.160 You might simply keep a list of ways you've seen God work. 310 00:23:09.980 --> 00:23:14.599 The method isn't what's the important part. The important part is remembering. 311 00:23:15.760 --> 00:23:19.630 When we write down what we're praying about, we're creating an opportunity to 312 00:23:19.630 --> 00:23:22.869 look back later and to recognize God's faithfulness. 313 00:23:23.359 --> 00:23:27.550 And when we recognize an answer, we should thank him specifically. 314 00:23:28.349 --> 00:23:31.369 Instead of simply saying God has been good, take time to say, 315 00:23:31.369 --> 00:23:33.390 Lord, you answered this prayer. 316 00:23:33.910 --> 00:23:39.520 You provided this. You gave me wisdom here. You protected me in this situation. You opened this door. 317 00:23:40.170 --> 00:23:42.240 You gave me strength when I needed it. 318 00:23:43.200 --> 00:23:47.450 Specific gratitude helps us recognize specific faithfulness. 319 00:23:48.330 --> 00:23:52.230 And there's another reason that this matters. Recognizing God's answers changes 320 00:23:52.230 --> 00:23:53.420 our understanding of prayer. 321 00:23:54.270 --> 00:23:59.030 Prayer is not just about what we need right now. It becomes part of an ongoing 322 00:23:59.030 --> 00:24:00.609 relationship we have with God. 323 00:24:01.220 --> 00:24:03.750 We bring something to Him. We wait. 324 00:24:04.560 --> 00:24:09.810 We see what He does. We then recognize His faithfulness, and we give thanks. 325 00:24:10.849 --> 00:24:15.849 And then the next time that we face a need, we have another testimony of God's 326 00:24:15.849 --> 00:24:17.020 faithfulness to remember. 327 00:24:17.619 --> 00:24:20.540 That's exactly what we see beginning to happen in Psalm 28. 328 00:24:21.349 --> 00:24:25.599 David says, Blessed be the Lord because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. 329 00:24:26.400 --> 00:24:29.970 And then he immediately continues, The Lord is my strength and my shield. 330 00:24:30.390 --> 00:24:33.109 My heart trusted in him and I am helped. 331 00:24:34.160 --> 00:24:38.080 David isn't simply saying my prayer worked. He's saying, in effect, 332 00:24:38.080 --> 00:24:42.150 the Lord has helped me. His attention remains on God. 333 00:24:42.890 --> 00:24:46.619 That's the difference between being grateful for an outcome and being grateful 334 00:24:46.619 --> 00:24:48.280 to the God who gave the answer. 335 00:24:48.990 --> 00:24:51.670 And that raises an extremely important question for us. 336 00:24:52.460 --> 00:24:58.680 When God answers my prayers, do I recognize Him or do I simply enjoy the answer and move on? 337 00:25:00.710 --> 00:25:04.840 When something we've been praying about finally changes, do we pause long enough 338 00:25:04.840 --> 00:25:06.250 to say, blessed be the Lord? 339 00:25:07.080 --> 00:25:09.820 Do we tell someone else what God has done? 340 00:25:10.730 --> 00:25:14.940 Do we remember it the next time that we're afraid? Do we allow God's faithfulness 341 00:25:14.940 --> 00:25:16.619 to strengthen our confidence in Him? 342 00:25:17.710 --> 00:25:21.630 Those are important questions because gratitude doesn't happen automatically. 343 00:25:22.450 --> 00:25:26.850 We have to choose to remember. We have to choose to recognize. 344 00:25:27.850 --> 00:25:34.140 We have to choose to give thanks. David could have simply enjoyed the fact that he had received help. 345 00:25:34.850 --> 00:25:37.230 Instead, he chose to worship. 346 00:25:38.240 --> 00:25:43.240 And that leads us to the next lesson from Psalm 28. Recognizing God's answer 347 00:25:43.240 --> 00:25:45.030 should not simply produce relief. 348 00:25:45.420 --> 00:25:48.850 It should produce gratitude, rejoicing, and worship. 349 00:25:50.310 --> 00:25:53.970 We've seen that David brings his needs honestly before God, and we've seen that 350 00:25:53.970 --> 00:25:56.430 he recognizes when God answers his prayer. 351 00:25:57.120 --> 00:26:01.220 But Psalm 28 doesn't end with David simply acknowledging that God has helped him. 352 00:26:02.280 --> 00:26:08.850 His recognition of God's faithfulness produces a clear response. He worships. 353 00:26:09.570 --> 00:26:14.760 Verse 7 says, The Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped. 354 00:26:14.980 --> 00:26:20.060 Therefore, my heart greatly rejoiceth, and with my song will I praise Him. 355 00:26:20.890 --> 00:26:25.480 Look at the progression in that verse. The Lord is my strength and my shield. 356 00:26:26.770 --> 00:26:28.680 My heart trusted in him. 357 00:26:30.220 --> 00:26:34.930 I am helped. Therefore, my heart greatly rejoiceth. 358 00:26:35.880 --> 00:26:38.330 And with my song will I praise him. 359 00:26:39.540 --> 00:26:43.840 David recognizes what God has done, and that recognition changes his response. 360 00:26:44.210 --> 00:26:47.270 He rejoices. He praises. He worships. 361 00:26:47.880 --> 00:26:51.840 That's an important part of gratitude. Gratitude isn't simply acknowledging 362 00:26:51.840 --> 00:26:53.210 that something good happened. 363 00:26:53.670 --> 00:26:58.100 Biblical gratitude turns our attention toward the one who is responsible for 364 00:26:58.100 --> 00:26:59.460 the goodness that we've received. 365 00:27:00.400 --> 00:27:04.140 David doesn't say, I was in trouble, but now I'm okay. He says, 366 00:27:04.140 --> 00:27:06.460 the Lord is my strength and my shield. 367 00:27:07.340 --> 00:27:10.450 His focus remains on God. 368 00:27:11.350 --> 00:27:15.080 And that gives us an important distinction. We could be grateful for an answer 369 00:27:15.420 --> 00:27:18.710 without truly being grateful to God for that answer. 370 00:27:19.470 --> 00:27:23.870 We can celebrate the outcome while we forget the one who provided it. 371 00:27:24.770 --> 00:27:29.950 But David doesn't make that mistake. The Lord is my strength and my shield. 372 00:27:30.710 --> 00:27:38.110 My heart trusted in him, and I am helped. Therefore, my heart greatly rejoiceth. 373 00:27:38.890 --> 00:27:43.160 His rejoicing flows directly out of his recognition of God's faithfulness. 374 00:27:43.750 --> 00:27:48.900 And then it becomes worship. With my song will I praise him. 375 00:27:49.860 --> 00:27:55.110 This is where answered prayer becomes more than simply a pleasant conclusion 376 00:27:55.350 --> 00:27:56.970 to a difficult situation. 377 00:27:57.700 --> 00:28:00.290 It becomes an opportunity to know God more deeply. 378 00:28:01.020 --> 00:28:06.180 When we recognize that God has heard us and helped us, we have another reason to trust Him. 379 00:28:07.030 --> 00:28:12.610 And we have another reason to worship Him. We have another reason to remember His character. 380 00:28:13.130 --> 00:28:17.570 And we have another testimony to carry with us into whatever comes next. 381 00:28:18.350 --> 00:28:22.160 This is particularly important because life doesn't stop presenting new challenges 382 00:28:22.160 --> 00:28:24.220 simply because God has answered one prayer. 383 00:28:25.040 --> 00:28:29.780 There will be another decision, another uncertainty, another burden, 384 00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:34.290 another situation we don't understand, another prayer we need to bring before God. 385 00:28:35.050 --> 00:28:39.220 What do we do when that happens? We remember. 386 00:28:40.330 --> 00:28:44.160 We remember what God's already done. We remember that He has been faithful. 387 00:28:44.690 --> 00:28:48.990 We remember that He has heard us before. And that memory can strengthen our 388 00:28:48.990 --> 00:28:50.880 confidence when we have to pray again. 389 00:28:51.600 --> 00:28:53.830 We see this principle all throughout Scripture. 390 00:28:54.770 --> 00:29:01.110 Psalm 40 verses 1 through 3 gives us a beautiful picture of remembering God's deliverance. 391 00:29:01.960 --> 00:29:06.780 I waited patiently for the Lord, and He inclined unto me and heard my cry. 392 00:29:07.440 --> 00:29:12.340 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, 393 00:29:12.700 --> 00:29:16.190 and set my feet upon a rock and established my goings. 394 00:29:16.830 --> 00:29:21.710 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God. 395 00:29:22.620 --> 00:29:28.790 Notice the similarity. There's waiting. There's crying out. There's God's response. 396 00:29:29.470 --> 00:29:30.910 And then there's a new song. 397 00:29:31.700 --> 00:29:34.980 The experience of God's faithfulness becomes a reason to praise him. 398 00:29:35.530 --> 00:29:38.150 That's what we see happening in Psalm 28. 399 00:29:39.470 --> 00:29:42.520 And there's another important dimension to David's response here. 400 00:29:43.050 --> 00:29:46.070 His praise doesn't remain entirely focused on himself. 401 00:29:46.960 --> 00:29:52.520 The final verses here say, the Lord is their strength and he is the saving strength of his anointed. 402 00:29:52.910 --> 00:29:59.210 Save thy people and bless thine inheritance. Feed them also and lift them up forever. 403 00:30:00.150 --> 00:30:04.450 David moves from his personal experience to concern for God's people. 404 00:30:05.270 --> 00:30:10.470 He has experienced God's help, and now he asks God to strengthen and save others. 405 00:30:11.330 --> 00:30:16.080 That gives us another picture of what gratitude can do. When we recognize God's 406 00:30:16.080 --> 00:30:20.360 faithfulness in our own lives, we can use that experience to encourage someone else. 407 00:30:21.190 --> 00:30:24.700 Think about what happens when someone shares a testimony about God's faithfulness. 408 00:30:25.770 --> 00:30:28.960 Maybe you've been praying about something yourself and someone tells you how 409 00:30:28.960 --> 00:30:30.390 God answered their prayer. 410 00:30:31.250 --> 00:30:36.260 Their story doesn't solve your problem, but it can remind you that God is faithful. 411 00:30:36.870 --> 00:30:40.810 It can encourage you to keep praying, and it can strengthen your confidence. 412 00:30:40.810 --> 00:30:44.600 It can turn your attention away from the size of your own circumstances and 413 00:30:44.600 --> 00:30:46.910 back toward the character of God. 414 00:30:47.660 --> 00:30:51.330 That's one reason why our testimonies matter. We shouldn't be ashamed to tell 415 00:30:51.330 --> 00:30:52.820 others about God's faithfulness. 416 00:30:53.390 --> 00:30:56.050 If God has answered a prayer, give him thanks. 417 00:30:56.800 --> 00:31:00.450 If he's provided, acknowledge him. If he's given you wisdom, 418 00:31:00.550 --> 00:31:02.550 recognize where that wisdom came from. 419 00:31:02.880 --> 00:31:06.670 If he's protected you, thank him. If he's strengthened you through something 420 00:31:06.670 --> 00:31:10.320 you hoped he would remove, recognize his grace. 421 00:31:10.850 --> 00:31:14.580 And if he's answered differently than you expected, continue looking for what 422 00:31:14.580 --> 00:31:16.710 his faithfulness teaches you about him. 423 00:31:17.480 --> 00:31:21.010 Because the goal here isn't simply to collect answered prayers. 424 00:31:21.680 --> 00:31:24.550 The goal is to grow in our relationship with God. 425 00:31:25.130 --> 00:31:31.130 That's why we need to be careful about making answered prayers primarily about getting what we want. 426 00:31:31.940 --> 00:31:35.890 God is not merely a means to an outcome. He's our strength. 427 00:31:36.710 --> 00:31:41.290 He is our shield. He is our helper. He is worthy of our trust, 428 00:31:41.520 --> 00:31:44.680 whether His answer come in the way that we expected it to were not. 429 00:31:45.320 --> 00:31:49.660 And when we recognize His faithfulness, gratitude should move us toward worship. 430 00:31:50.420 --> 00:31:55.930 It should also move us toward greater confidence. Think about David's journey through this psalm. 431 00:31:56.580 --> 00:32:00.610 He began by crying out, Thee will I cry, O Lord, my rock. 432 00:32:01.370 --> 00:32:04.900 Then he pleaded, Hear the voice of my supplications. 433 00:32:06.050 --> 00:32:10.300 Later, he declared, blessed be the Lord because he hath heard. 434 00:32:11.110 --> 00:32:14.460 And finally, with my song will I praise him. 435 00:32:15.330 --> 00:32:19.380 That's a remarkable progression. David's circumstances brought him to prayer. 436 00:32:20.070 --> 00:32:24.170 God's response brought him to praise. And his experience of God's faithfulness 437 00:32:24.170 --> 00:32:26.140 strengthened his confidence in God. 438 00:32:27.000 --> 00:32:30.990 That gives us something important to remember the next time that we face a difficult situation. 439 00:32:31.870 --> 00:32:34.960 You may be praying about something right now that has no answer yet. 440 00:32:35.480 --> 00:32:41.170 You may not know what God is going to do, but perhaps you can look backward 441 00:32:41.470 --> 00:32:42.610 before you look forward. 442 00:32:43.450 --> 00:32:45.210 Remember the prayers that God has answered. 443 00:32:46.170 --> 00:32:50.030 Remember the times that he provided, the times that he gave you wisdom, 444 00:32:50.030 --> 00:32:54.500 he strengthened you, that he opened a door or closed one. 445 00:32:55.360 --> 00:32:59.080 Remember the times you didn't understand what God was doing until later. 446 00:33:00.220 --> 00:33:04.390 Those memories they don't guarantee that god will answer the your next prayer 447 00:33:04.390 --> 00:33:10.630 in exactly the same way but they do give you evidence of his faithfulness and 448 00:33:10.630 --> 00:33:14.850 remembering his faithfulness can change the way that you approach the next prayer, 449 00:33:15.940 --> 00:33:20.240 instead of praying as though you're approaching a god whose character is unknown 450 00:33:20.590 --> 00:33:24.710 you can pray knowing that he's already demonstrated his faithfulness in your life. 451 00:33:25.490 --> 00:33:27.320 That's one of the great benefits of gratitude. 452 00:33:28.380 --> 00:33:34.020 Gratitude looks backward and remembers. Worship looks upward and responds. 453 00:33:34.980 --> 00:33:37.570 And faith looks forward and trusts. 454 00:33:38.730 --> 00:33:42.920 Psalm 28 gives us all three. Remember what God's done. 455 00:33:43.540 --> 00:33:47.600 Praise Him for who He is and trust Him with what comes next. 456 00:33:48.250 --> 00:33:52.150 So when God answers your prayer, don't rush past the moment. Stop. 457 00:33:52.760 --> 00:33:56.290 Recognize it. Thank Him. Tell someone. 458 00:33:56.560 --> 00:34:00.870 Write it down. Let it become part of your testimony and then carry that memory 459 00:34:00.870 --> 00:34:04.090 with you the next time you find yourself crying out to God. 460 00:34:04.900 --> 00:34:08.739 Because the God who's been faithful before is still faithful now. 461 00:34:09.380 --> 00:34:13.730 And the God who heard David's supplication is still worthy of our trust today. 462 00:34:14.449 --> 00:34:17.949 Answered prayer should never be the end of our dependence upon God. 463 00:34:18.620 --> 00:34:23.290 It should become another reason to depend upon Him, another reason to worship 464 00:34:23.290 --> 00:34:27.790 Him, and another reminder that our confidence is not ultimately in the answer. 465 00:34:28.310 --> 00:34:31.760 Our confidence is in the God who answers. 466 00:34:33.640 --> 00:34:37.510 So what does Psalm 28 mean for us in our everyday Christian lives? 467 00:34:38.540 --> 00:34:42.390 We've seen David cry out to God, recognize that God has heard him, 468 00:34:42.570 --> 00:34:44.590 and respond with rejoicing and with praise. 469 00:34:45.130 --> 00:34:48.940 But those aren't just events in David's life. They give us a pattern that we 470 00:34:48.940 --> 00:34:51.160 can follow in our own relationship with God. 471 00:34:52.090 --> 00:34:56.190 First, pray honestly and specifically. When something's weighing on you, 472 00:34:56.190 --> 00:34:59.540 bring it before the Lord. Don't simply carry the burden around in your mind. 473 00:35:00.000 --> 00:35:01.960 Tell God what you're facing. 474 00:35:02.530 --> 00:35:08.260 Ask Him for His wisdom, help, direction, strength, or whatever it is that you need. 475 00:35:09.160 --> 00:35:12.699 David said, Thee will I cry, O Lord, my rock. 476 00:35:13.510 --> 00:35:18.800 Make prayer your first response rather than your last resort. 477 00:35:20.250 --> 00:35:24.060 Second, pay attention to what God is doing. It's easy to pray about something 478 00:35:24.060 --> 00:35:28.510 and then become so focused on the problem that we fail to notice how God's working. 479 00:35:29.260 --> 00:35:32.840 That doesn't mean that we should assume every positive change is automatically, 480 00:35:33.460 --> 00:35:35.690 the specific answer that we've requested. 481 00:35:36.350 --> 00:35:38.800 It means that we should remain attentive to God's providence, 482 00:35:38.800 --> 00:35:43.920 His Word, His wisdom, and the ways He provides and leads and strengthens and 483 00:35:43.920 --> 00:35:45.370 works in our circumstances. 484 00:35:46.040 --> 00:35:51.140 When something changes, stop and ask, Lord, what are you teaching me through this? 485 00:35:52.300 --> 00:35:53.600 How have you been faithful? 486 00:35:55.100 --> 00:35:59.680 Third, keep a record of God's faithfulness. One of the simplest ways to become 487 00:35:59.680 --> 00:36:03.880 better at recognizing God's answers is to remember what you've already seen Him do. 488 00:36:04.610 --> 00:36:07.850 Consider keeping a prayer journal. Write down specific requests. 489 00:36:07.850 --> 00:36:11.670 Then, as circumstances unfold, record what happens. 490 00:36:12.430 --> 00:36:14.840 You might write down the date you began praying about something, 491 00:36:15.330 --> 00:36:16.870 what you were asking God to do, 492 00:36:16.910 --> 00:36:21.270 and eventually how He answered or what you learned through the process. 493 00:36:22.030 --> 00:36:23.850 Then go back and read those entries. 494 00:36:24.710 --> 00:36:28.140 There may be times when you look at an old prayer and realize, 495 00:36:28.560 --> 00:36:31.040 God answered this and I almost forgot. 496 00:36:32.020 --> 00:36:38.910 Psalm 103 verse 2 says, Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. 497 00:36:39.680 --> 00:36:44.630 Don't forget. Remembering God's faithfulness gives us something to draw upon 498 00:36:44.860 --> 00:36:46.910 when we face our next difficulty. 499 00:36:48.310 --> 00:36:52.930 Fourth, thank God specifically. When you recognize an answer, 500 00:36:52.930 --> 00:36:55.420 don't simply move on. Stop and thank him. 501 00:36:55.850 --> 00:36:58.840 Tell him specifically what you're grateful for. 502 00:36:59.380 --> 00:37:02.290 Lord, thank you for providing what I needed. 503 00:37:03.310 --> 00:37:07.340 Thank you for giving you wisdom. Thank you for opening that door. 504 00:37:08.219 --> 00:37:13.790 Thank you for protecting me. Thank you for giving me strength when the circumstances didn't change. 505 00:37:14.810 --> 00:37:20.260 Specific gratitude helps us to see God's faithfulness more clearly. 506 00:37:21.410 --> 00:37:25.410 And don't keep the gratitude entirely to yourself. If God has done something 507 00:37:25.410 --> 00:37:28.670 in your life that could encourage someone else, consider sharing your testimony. 508 00:37:29.620 --> 00:37:35.520 David's response in Psalm 28 wasn't silent. He said, with my song will I praise him. 509 00:37:36.280 --> 00:37:39.340 His experience of God's faithfulness became an opportunity to praise God, 510 00:37:39.830 --> 00:37:43.980 and your testimony may be an encouragement to someone who's currently praying 511 00:37:43.980 --> 00:37:46.110 about something that you once prayed about. 512 00:37:47.820 --> 00:37:51.960 Finally, let God's past faithfulness strengthen your future. 513 00:37:52.699 --> 00:37:55.890 This may be one of the most important applications from Psalm 28. 514 00:37:56.449 --> 00:38:00.910 The next time you face a difficult situation, you won't be starting from nothing. 515 00:38:01.719 --> 00:38:05.440 You have a history with God. You can remember the prayers that you've prayed. 516 00:38:05.710 --> 00:38:07.510 You can remember the ways that He's provided. 517 00:38:07.830 --> 00:38:11.900 You can look back and remember the times He's given you wisdom and the times He's strengthened you. 518 00:38:12.270 --> 00:38:15.790 And you can remember the times his answer wasn't what you expected, 519 00:38:16.100 --> 00:38:18.570 but his faithfulness became clear with time. 520 00:38:19.270 --> 00:38:23.070 Those memories, they don't tell us exactly what God will do next, 521 00:38:23.670 --> 00:38:25.320 but they remind us of who God is. 522 00:38:27.130 --> 00:38:31.949 So here's a practical challenge for this week. Take some time to make a list 523 00:38:31.949 --> 00:38:33.670 of prayers you've prayed in the past year. 524 00:38:34.699 --> 00:38:40.430 Write down several specific requests. Then beside each one, consider what happened. 525 00:38:41.360 --> 00:38:43.540 Was there an answer you can clearly recognize? 526 00:38:44.560 --> 00:38:46.540 Did God provide in an unexpected way? 527 00:38:47.560 --> 00:38:49.340 Did he give you strength or wisdom? 528 00:38:50.469 --> 00:38:53.660 Or did he close the door that you now realize needed to be closed? 529 00:38:55.070 --> 00:38:56.469 Are you still waiting? 530 00:38:57.980 --> 00:39:02.730 And for every prayer where you recognize God's faithfulness, stop and thank Him. 531 00:39:03.730 --> 00:39:07.800 Don't simply remember what you asked for. Remember what God did. 532 00:39:08.610 --> 00:39:12.370 Then take that list and use it as a reminder the next time that you pray. 533 00:39:13.020 --> 00:39:17.910 Because Psalm 28 teaches us a simple but powerful pattern. Pray honestly. 534 00:39:18.719 --> 00:39:22.350 Watch for God's work. Recognize His faithfulness. 535 00:39:23.110 --> 00:39:27.530 Thank Him for what He has done. and let what God has done in the past strengthen 536 00:39:27.530 --> 00:39:30.080 your trust in Him for what comes next. 537 00:39:31.570 --> 00:39:37.440 There are six truths from Psalm 28 that I want us to remember from today's study. 538 00:39:38.650 --> 00:39:41.940 First, we should bring our needs honestly before God. 539 00:39:42.699 --> 00:39:45.699 David didn't hide his concern or pretend that he didn't need help. 540 00:39:46.160 --> 00:39:49.989 He cried out to the Lord and trusted Him with his situation. 541 00:39:51.310 --> 00:39:56.620 Second, prayer is an expression of dependence upon God When we pray, 542 00:39:56.870 --> 00:40:01.100 we're acknowledging that we need God's wisdom His strength, His direction, 543 00:40:01.440 --> 00:40:05.989 and His help We don't have to carry our burdens alone through life, 544 00:40:07.210 --> 00:40:11.920 Third, we need to learn to recognize God's answers, 545 00:40:12.980 --> 00:40:17.540 David moved from asking God to hear him to declaring Blessed be the Lord because 546 00:40:17.540 --> 00:40:22.500 he hath heard the voice of my supplications We should pay attention to how God 547 00:40:22.500 --> 00:40:26.180 works and intentionally recognize his faithfulness, 548 00:40:27.530 --> 00:40:33.650 Fourth, answered prayer should produce gratitude and worship David didn't simply 549 00:40:33.650 --> 00:40:35.900 enjoy the help he received and move on, 550 00:40:37.090 --> 00:40:41.690 He rejoiced He praised God When we recognize God's faithfulness, 551 00:40:41.690 --> 00:40:43.489 our response should be thanksgiving. 552 00:40:45.310 --> 00:40:48.560 Fifth, remembering God's faithfulness strengthens our future faith. 553 00:40:49.430 --> 00:40:53.270 The answers God has given in the past become reminders of His character and 554 00:40:53.270 --> 00:40:55.500 His faithfulness when we face new challenges. 555 00:40:56.460 --> 00:41:01.630 We may not know how God will answer in the next prayer, but we can remember what He's already done. 556 00:41:02.820 --> 00:41:06.489 And finally, our confidence should be in the God who answers, 557 00:41:06.760 --> 00:41:08.670 not merely in the answer we want. 558 00:41:09.510 --> 00:41:12.570 God's response may not always look exactly like what we expected, 559 00:41:13.060 --> 00:41:17.989 but He remains faithful to us, and recognizing His faithfulness gives us another 560 00:41:17.989 --> 00:41:19.680 reason for us to trust Him. 561 00:41:20.750 --> 00:41:23.890 So remember the progression that we've seen in Psalm 28. 562 00:41:24.750 --> 00:41:27.770 Pray honestly. Watch for God's work. 563 00:41:28.440 --> 00:41:34.350 Recognize His faithfulness. Thank Him for what He has done, and let His faithfulness 564 00:41:34.350 --> 00:41:37.510 strengthen your trust for what comes next. 565 00:41:39.469 --> 00:41:47.010 Psalm 28 gives us an opportunity to slow down and consider how we respond to God in our own lives. 566 00:41:48.330 --> 00:41:53.600 David begins by crying out to the Lord. Later, he recognizes that God has heard 567 00:41:53.600 --> 00:41:59.370 him and that his response to that is gratitude, rejoicing, and praise. 568 00:42:00.239 --> 00:42:02.940 So, take a moment to consider your own prayer life. 569 00:42:04.070 --> 00:42:08.969 What are you asking God for right now? Have you brought that need honestly and 570 00:42:08.969 --> 00:42:12.790 specifically before Him, or have you been trying to carry it all on your own? 571 00:42:14.020 --> 00:42:18.550 Now think about the prayers God's already answered. Can you identify specific 572 00:42:18.550 --> 00:42:25.580 times when God provided, guided, protected, strengthened, or intervened in your life? 573 00:42:26.640 --> 00:42:32.820 Have you stopped to thank Him for those answers, or have you simply enjoyed the relief and moved on? 574 00:42:33.680 --> 00:42:36.330 Is there an answered prayer that you've almost forgotten? 575 00:42:37.260 --> 00:42:41.650 Take some time to remember it, and then consider how you respond when God's 576 00:42:41.650 --> 00:42:43.320 answer isn't what you expected. 577 00:42:44.199 --> 00:42:48.290 Are you willing to trust God's wisdom even when His response looks different 578 00:42:48.290 --> 00:42:49.320 from what you requested? 579 00:42:50.739 --> 00:42:57.250 Finally, ask yourself this. When I pray, am I primarily focused on getting the 580 00:42:57.250 --> 00:43:02.390 answer I want, or am I seeking to know and trust the God who hears me? 581 00:43:03.400 --> 00:43:06.930 Psalm 28 reminds us that God's faithfulness deserves our attention. 582 00:43:07.870 --> 00:43:12.130 Don't simply remember what you prayed for. Remember what God has done. 583 00:43:12.719 --> 00:43:17.050 And when you recognize his faithfulness, stop and give him thanks. 584 00:43:17.750 --> 00:43:22.969 Let his past faithfulness become part of your confidence as you bring your next prayer before him. 585 00:43:24.660 --> 00:43:29.830 There is something powerful about looking back and remembering what God has done. 586 00:43:30.770 --> 00:43:35.670 David began Psalm 28 crying out to God. He was asking the Lord to hear his prayer, 587 00:43:35.670 --> 00:43:39.239 to respond to his need, and to show himself faithful. 588 00:43:40.020 --> 00:43:43.340 But then David reached a point where he could say, Blessed be the Lord, 589 00:43:43.340 --> 00:43:46.100 because he hath heard thy voice of my supplications. 590 00:43:47.020 --> 00:43:52.790 David recognized the faithfulness of God. Perhaps that's something you may need to remember this week. 591 00:43:53.930 --> 00:43:57.790 Maybe you're praying about something right now and you haven't seen the answer 592 00:43:57.790 --> 00:44:03.960 yet You may be wondering how god is going to work or or when he's going to respond, 593 00:44:04.840 --> 00:44:09.410 Psalm 28 reminds us that we can continue to bring our needs before him and and 594 00:44:09.410 --> 00:44:11.300 to trust his character while we wait, 595 00:44:12.469 --> 00:44:15.760 But perhaps god's already answered prayers in your life that you've forgotten 596 00:44:15.760 --> 00:44:18.840 about Take some time this week to remember. 597 00:44:20.100 --> 00:44:24.170 Remember the time God provided when you didn't know how your need would be met. 598 00:44:24.860 --> 00:44:29.060 Remember the time He gave you wisdom when you didn't know which direction to take. 599 00:44:29.920 --> 00:44:33.920 Remember the time He strengthened you when you felt like you couldn't keep going. 600 00:44:34.969 --> 00:44:41.030 Those moments are reminders of who God is. The answers may look different from what we expected. 601 00:44:41.690 --> 00:44:44.410 The timing may not have been what we wanted. 602 00:44:45.270 --> 00:44:49.880 But God's faithfulness remains. And that's why David could say, 603 00:44:50.219 --> 00:44:51.940 the Lord is my strength and my shield. 604 00:44:52.380 --> 00:44:55.100 My heart trusted in him and I am helped. 605 00:44:55.840 --> 00:44:59.400 The same God who's been faithful before is faithful today. 606 00:45:00.170 --> 00:45:06.860 So whatever you're praying about this week, keep praying, keep trusting, and keep remembering. 607 00:45:07.770 --> 00:45:12.230 Don't let the next unanswered prayer cause you to forget the prayers that God has already answered. 608 00:45:13.330 --> 00:45:19.680 Remember his faithfulness Give him thanks And let what God has done in the past 609 00:45:20.010 --> 00:45:22.290 Strengthen your confidence in him today, 610 00:45:23.820 --> 00:45:27.860 As we finish up this study of Psalm 28, let's close out with a word of prayer. 611 00:45:29.540 --> 00:45:33.870 Heavenly Father, thank you for the privilege of bringing our needs and our concerns before you. 612 00:45:34.880 --> 00:45:39.500 Thank you for reminding us through Psalm 28 that you hear the voice of our supplications. 613 00:45:40.520 --> 00:45:44.210 Help us not to overlook your faithfulness when you answer our prayers. 614 00:45:45.020 --> 00:45:49.920 Give us eyes to recognize your hand at work, even when your answers come differently 615 00:45:49.920 --> 00:45:51.960 or at a different time than what we expected. 616 00:45:52.860 --> 00:45:56.500 Father, forgive us for the times we've received your answers and simply moved 617 00:45:56.500 --> 00:45:57.920 on without stopping to thank you. 618 00:45:58.610 --> 00:46:02.280 Teach us to remember what you've done and to respond with gratitude, 619 00:46:02.550 --> 00:46:04.160 rejoicing, and worship. 620 00:46:05.350 --> 00:46:08.969 For those who are waiting for an answer today, give them patience and confidence. 621 00:46:09.310 --> 00:46:14.520 Help them continue to pray, to continue to trust, and to continue to remember that you were faithful. 622 00:46:15.199 --> 00:46:19.780 Let the answers you have already given strengthen our faith for whatever we face next. 623 00:46:20.370 --> 00:46:23.699 Remind us that our confidence is not ultimately in getting the answer we want, 624 00:46:24.160 --> 00:46:26.160 But in knowing and trusting you, 625 00:46:26.890 --> 00:46:32.960 You are our strength and our shield Help us to trust you to recognize your faithfulness 626 00:46:33.350 --> 00:46:39.390 and to give you the praise that you deserve We ask these things in the name of your son, jesus. Amen. 627 00:46:41.530 --> 00:46:45.480 Before we close out today's episode, I once again want to thank you for being 628 00:46:45.480 --> 00:46:46.969 a part of the Bible Bytes community. 629 00:46:47.800 --> 00:46:51.290 Today's study in Psalm 28 has reminded us that when we bring our needs honestly 630 00:46:51.290 --> 00:46:53.530 before God, we can trust that He hears us. 631 00:46:54.120 --> 00:46:57.239 When we recognize His faithfulness and see His answers to our prayers, 632 00:46:57.489 --> 00:47:01.090 our response should be gratitude, rejoicing, and worship. 633 00:47:01.910 --> 00:47:05.170 If this episode encouraged you, I encourage you to share it with someone who 634 00:47:05.170 --> 00:47:08.390 may be waiting on an answer to a prayer, or carrying a burden, 635 00:47:08.730 --> 00:47:11.590 or are simply needing a reminder that God is faithful. 636 00:47:12.480 --> 00:47:16.680 And as always, if you have a prayer request, a testimony of God's faithfulness, 637 00:47:17.010 --> 00:47:20.420 a question about scripture, or something you'd like to share with the Bible 638 00:47:20.420 --> 00:47:22.460 Bytes community, I'd love to hear from you. 639 00:47:22.790 --> 00:47:28.890 You can reach out through the contact form on our website at bible-bites.com slash contact. 640 00:47:29.270 --> 00:47:36.190 That's bible-bites with a Y, B-Y-T-E-S.com slash contact. 641 00:47:37.020 --> 00:47:39.750 I also want to take a moment to thank those of you who continue to support Bible 642 00:47:39.750 --> 00:47:43.380 Bytes through your prayers, your encouragement, and your financial support. 643 00:47:43.760 --> 00:47:47.219 Every message, every prayer, every share, every contribution helps continue 644 00:47:47.219 --> 00:47:51.070 producing these episodes and reaching more people with God's Word. 645 00:47:51.900 --> 00:47:54.870 If you'd like to support Bible Bytes, you can find information about supporting 646 00:47:54.870 --> 00:48:00.090 the podcast through the Bible Bytes website at bible-bites.com support. 647 00:48:00.449 --> 00:48:06.500 That's bible-bites, with a Y-B-Y-T-E-S dot com slash support. 648 00:48:07.770 --> 00:48:10.739 Bible Bytes is made possible through the value-for-value model. 649 00:48:10.739 --> 00:48:14.540 So if these studies have encouraged your faith or have helped you grow in your 650 00:48:14.540 --> 00:48:18.320 understanding of God's Word, please consider supporting the ministry in whatever 651 00:48:18.320 --> 00:48:20.010 way you believe it has blessed you. 652 00:48:20.620 --> 00:48:25.090 And if financial support is not something you can provide, that is absolutely fine. 653 00:48:26.030 --> 00:48:30.520 One of the best ways that you can support the podcast is simply by sharing an 654 00:48:30.520 --> 00:48:34.460 episode with a family member or a friend, a co-worker, or someone from your 655 00:48:34.460 --> 00:48:37.430 church who might be encouraged by hearing God's Word. 656 00:48:38.330 --> 00:48:41.460 If you'd like another way to stay connected with Bible Bytes between episodes, 657 00:48:41.460 --> 00:48:43.719 we also offer a Bible Bytes newsletter. 658 00:48:44.050 --> 00:48:46.870 It's a simple way for us to share biblical encouragement, updates about the 659 00:48:46.870 --> 00:48:49.650 podcast, and occasional resources and announcements. 660 00:48:50.130 --> 00:48:56.199 If you'd like to receive these updates, you can subscribe by visiting Bible-Bytes.com slash newsletter. 661 00:48:56.610 --> 00:49:02.489 That's Bible-Bytes with a Y, B-Y-T-E-S dot com slash newsletter. 662 00:49:02.810 --> 00:49:06.770 We'd love to have you join us, and we're grateful for the opportunity to continue 663 00:49:06.770 --> 00:49:08.940 encouraging you through God's Word. 664 00:49:09.550 --> 00:49:13.460 Thank you for listening, thank you for praying, and thank you for being a part 665 00:49:13.460 --> 00:49:14.910 of the Bible Bytes community. 666 00:49:16.530 --> 00:49:20.440 Today, we walked through Psalm 28 and considered what it means to recognize 667 00:49:20.440 --> 00:49:21.910 when God answers our prayers. 668 00:49:22.469 --> 00:49:25.400 We've seen that we should bring our needs honestly before God. 669 00:49:25.850 --> 00:49:29.510 We've considered why we need to pay attention to His work in our lives and learn 670 00:49:29.510 --> 00:49:34.640 to recognize His answers, even when His response doesn't look exactly the way we expected. 671 00:49:35.280 --> 00:49:38.810 And we've seen that recognizing God's faithfulness should lead us to gratitude, 672 00:49:39.100 --> 00:49:40.719 rejoicing, and worship. 673 00:49:41.469 --> 00:49:44.420 So as you go through this coming week, remember what God has already done. 674 00:49:45.040 --> 00:49:49.670 Don't allow the next unanswered prayer to make you forget the prayers He's already answered. 675 00:49:50.170 --> 00:49:54.360 Keep praying, keep trusting, keep watching for His work in your life. 676 00:49:54.699 --> 00:49:58.830 And when you recognize His faithfulness, stop and give Him thanks. 677 00:49:59.290 --> 00:50:03.810 The Lord is my strength and my shield, my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped. 678 00:50:05.230 --> 00:50:09.989 Next week, we're going to continue our journey through Psalms by going up to Psalm 42. 679 00:50:10.380 --> 00:50:15.460 In episode 112, A Soul That Thirsts for God, we'll consider what it means to 680 00:50:15.460 --> 00:50:18.469 long for God in a season of spiritual discouragement. 681 00:50:18.920 --> 00:50:23.610 We'll look at the honest struggle of a soul that feels spiritually dry and discover 682 00:50:23.610 --> 00:50:26.520 where we can find hope when we don't feel close to God. 683 00:50:27.560 --> 00:50:31.900 So this week, remember the faithfulness of God. Remember what He's done. 684 00:50:32.210 --> 00:50:35.630 Give Him thanks for His answers and continue trusting Him with the prayers you're 685 00:50:35.630 --> 00:50:37.030 still waiting to see answered. 686 00:50:37.690 --> 00:50:41.810 Until then, keep studying God's Word, keep growing in your faith, 687 00:50:41.930 --> 00:50:44.710 and keep trusting the Lord with whatever comes next. 688 00:50:45.390 --> 00:50:50.950 Join us next time on Bible Bytes, the podcast where we work to inspire faith one byte at a time.