I Am Prayer

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 20-21; Psalm 109

Psalm 109 is one of the imprecatory psalms, where David cries out to God against those who wrongfully accuse and attack him. In verse 4, there's a striking phrase that English translations struggle to fully capture. The ESV and KJV render it, “But I give myself to prayer.” The NIV and NASB say, “I am a man of prayer,” while other translations emphasize the ongoing nature: “I continue to pray.”

Interestingly, in Hebrew, the phrase is literally: “וַאֲנִ֥י תְפִלָּֽה” (va’ani tefillah) — “But I am prayer.” This is more intense than simply saying, “I pray.” David is saying, “I am prayer.” It’s a poetic way of expressing that his whole being is wrapped up in prayer. He is entirely committed to seeking God, especially in distress. He doesn’t strike back but entrusts his cause to the Lord. He becomes a living embodiment of intercession and dependence.

This moment models what it means to respond to enemies with spiritual, not fleshly, weapons. David isn't passive—he is actively doing the most powerful thing he can do: pray. He’s not indifferent to injustice, but he resists the urge to fight back on their terms. His “weapon” is surrender to God in prayer.

In New Testament terms, David is practicing what Paul describes in Romans 12:21: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

There is also a foreshadowing of Jesus here. While this verse reflects David’s personal experience, it ultimately points us beyond David to Christ and the cross. The highest and purest example of what it means to say, “I am prayer,” is seen in Jesus. As He hung on the cross, He prayed: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,” “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” and “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”

When we feel attacked or under assault, the best thing we can do is follow the example of Christ. Let us “give ourselves to prayer,” until it becomes true of us as well: “I am prayer”—a living embodiment of intercession and dependence on God.

When falsely accused or under pressure, we are most Christlike not when we defend ourselves, but when we become prayer—entrusting everything to God.

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash