David addresses God as the hearer of prayer, as though that were a distinguishing trait in his character. He says, also, "He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer." Solomon says, "The prayer of the upright is his delight;" and, "He hears the prayer of the righteous." The apostle James declares that "the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." Peter says, "The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers." And Christ himself has assured us, in the strongest possible terms, of the disposition of God to give spiritual blessings to those that ask for them. He says, "Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."
And then, anticipating the difficulty of our believing a truth so wonderful and glorious, he appeals to the tenderest sympathies of our natures, and asks if any father would insult the hungry cries of his beloved son, when fainting for a morsel of bread, by giving him a stone; or, if he asks an egg, to gratify his appetite, will he give him a venomous scorpion, to sting him to death? He then argues that, if sinful men exercise tender compassion towards their children, how much more shall our heavenly Father, whose very nature is love, regard the wants of his children who cry unto him!
[Harvey Newcomb]
1 Samuel 1:27 ... For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him:
Psalm 66:18-19 ... If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
1 John 5:14-15 ... And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.❤
