“When they are diminished and brought low through oppression, evil and sorrow, He pours contempt on princes and makes them wander in trackless wastes. But He raises up the needy out of affliction and makes their families like flocks. The upright see it and are glad and all wickedness shuts its mouth.”
– Psalm 107:39–42
These verses come at the end of a long psalm just recounting the history of God’s people. And specifically when you get to Verse 39 you see, read about effects of oppression, evil, and sorrow upon people. But then you get to verse 41 and it says, “But God raises up the needy out of affliction.” And by the end of Verse 42, “All wickedness is shutting its mouth.”
So here’s why I read these verses as we are praying for specific things during this pandemic that people are sending in through radical.net/prayerrequest. I encourage you to continue to send in just specific prayer requests. For you, your family, your community, church, city, or country as we pray for each other specifically in light of this pandemic. And I want to read today what Jonathan wrote. He said, “Please pray for children that are stuck right now in abusive homes, that they would be safe and that their parents or abusers would awaken to the evil that they are doing and find their answer in God in His grace.”
The God Who Cares for the Needy
Lord, we ask that you bring an end to this evil. You are the One who raises the needy out of affliction. Cause all wickedness to shut its mouth.
And as I read this I thought about being sheltered in place with my family. I think about my family. I think about how much I love my wife and my kids. Even some of the unexpected blessings of having extra time with each other. But then I think about what Jonathan is writing here and I think about homes that are not safe.
I think about unexpected horrors that are happening during this time as children with abusive parents are now alone and they don’t have any escape from the evil that surrounds them. And so I do want to lead us to intercede right now on behalf of children. And yes, on behalf of their parents or abusers in these situations. God, we pray, we plead right now for children. We may not even know their names, but God, You know all their names who are brought low right now through oppression and evil and sorrow.
Psalm 107:39–42 Prays for God to Protect These Children
So God, we pray for Your mercy, for them. God, we believe that You are hearing us as we cry on their behalf and we plead right now for Your deliverance of them, for the abuse that is happening to them to stop. Oh God, we pray that You would shut the mouth of all wickedness.
So God, we pray that You would bring it to an end. God, that You would bring conviction, that You would work in whatever way is needed to bring an end to such evil and bring protection to those children, mercy to them in ways that they know You as the one who raises up the needy out of affliction. God, we pray for this right now. We pray that You would answer this today in homes, homes that we can’t even see as we take walks in our neighborhoods or… and see different apartment complexes or wherever we are.
Psalm 107:39–42 Hopes for the Gospel to Penetrate into These Homes
So God, we pray, we pray, we pray that in these homes where You see this happening, that You would raise up the needy out of affliction. That You would shut the mouth of wickedness. Please, oh God, we pray. We pray most of all for Your gospel to penetrate those homes. God, that You would use us in whatever way we can during these days.
Even remotely, technologically, or just visiting as best as we possibly can, even from a distance God, to reach out to the people around us that we might share the good news of Your grace. That people’s lives might be changed. That abusers’ lives might be changed. Above all, that children might be saved and they might know Your love. God, please. We pray based on Psalm 107:39–42. That You would raise up the needy out of affliction and shut the mouth of wickedness. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
