The Desire of the Humble

Psalms 10:17, “LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear.”


You will notice that it is the desire that is heard and not just the words. The words of prayer should express the desire and if they do not then the words are not heard. As Thomas Watson said, “God heareth not words, but desires.” Prayer should above all else be sincere. David could say, “give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips” (Psalm 17:1). “The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth” (Psalm 145:18).


Shorter Catechism 98, What is prayer? Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God, for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgment of his mercies.


Notice, it is an offering of our desires.


Psalm 37:4, “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”


Psalm 145:19, “He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.”


Proverbs 10:24, “The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.”


“Desires are the soul and life of prayer; words are but the body; now as the body without the soul is dead, so are prayers unless they are animated with our desires” (Thomas Watson)


Our greatest desire should be for more and more of Christ and His grace. “Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee” (Psalm 73:23).