Confident
but not presumptuous
Scripture Reading: Psalm 138
This Psalm is an expression of gratitude for God’s deliverance from trouble. It concludes with a confession of confidence - faith that “The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me…” This surety of David, the author, is grounded in his belief that “your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever.”
The last line, though, seems to contradict this confident assertion David had just made. “Do not forsake the work of your hands,” seems to suggest that David isn’t so sure that “The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me,” after all. That is a misreading of what David is saying.
There is a fine line between bold, confident faith and presumptuous arrogance. The act that keeps us from crossing that line is prayer. Jesus was very clear that we do not need to be anxious about our needs being met (Matthew 6:19-34). “Your heavenly Father knows you need them all,” was Jesus’ exhortation. But he also taught us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). We are promised that Jesus “will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11), and yet we pray, “even so come Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20).
Our faith informs our prayer. It does not keep us from praying. Prayer delivers us from presumption. Presumption breeds inaction. It is a misreading of faith to think faith means, “God will deliver me so I can sit in the middle of the tracks while the train bears down on me.” Faith is seen in its works. “By faith, Abel offered…by faith Abraham obeyed…by faith Isaac invoked…by faith, Jacob blessed…by faith, Moses refused…by faith, the people crossed the Red Sea…” (Hebrews 11). Confident prayer produces the fruit of good works. When we rise from our knees, having prayed in faith, we take action and do something and live out an obedient faith.
David was right and wise to both express his confidence that “the LORD will fulfill his purpose for me,” and then pray “Do not forsake the work of your hands.” These things don’t contradict but complement each other.