We were made for relationship. Are we doing our part?
Discover how Psalm 139 reshaped one man’s prayer life—from begging for bailouts to building a brotherhood with the Father.
We were created for relationship—both with God and with one another. Consider that Jesus tells us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourself (Matthew 22:37-39).
I was 32 when I finally began to respond to God’s call to friendship with Him. Early on, I realized prayer would have to be the foundation of that relationship—and I wasn’t very good at it. Thankfully, I discovered that the Psalms are beautiful prayers, and they also taught me how to speak to God in my own words.
Our problems always precede prayer of petition. We go to God share our problem and pray He fixes it. That’s certainly where I started. But I learned that while God always answers prayer, He doesn’t always answer the way we hope. So, what happens to our relationship with God if our connection is based only on petition—always asking to bail us out?
That’s why Psalm 139 has been so powerful for me. The author, King David, departs from the usual format of petition and instead centers on adoration. In it, David affirms and praises God as sovereign and all-knowing. Consider just a few of David’s words:
“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise” (v. 1–2)
“Even before a word is on my tongue, you, Lord, know it completely” (v. 4)
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful” (v. 14)
Amazingly, 18 of the 24 verses in Psalm 139 are expressions of adoration—David’s heart is focused first and foremost on who God is, long before he makes any requests.
So let me ask: Do our prayers reflect a growing relationship with God? What motives do our prayers reveal? If, like David, we believe God is all-knowing, then our prayers aren’t informing Him of anything. He already knows our circumstances—and their outcomes.
Prayer, then, becomes not just a request for help, but an invitation into deeper intimacy. Men, I encourage you to read Psalm 139 slowly and prayerfully. If it speaks to you as it did me, let it reshape your approach to prayer and deepen your resilience as Catholic men.
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