Psalm 65:2
O thou that hearest prayer.
DAVID CLARKSON (1622-1686): This is one of His titles of honour, that He is a God that hears prayer; and it is as truly ascribed to Him as mercy or justice.
JOHN CALVIN (1509-1564): God hears the prayers of His people. The title here given to God, carries with it a truth of great importance: That the answer of our prayers is secured by the fact, that in rejecting them He would in a certain sense deny His own nature. The Psalmist does not say, that God has heard prayer in this or that instance, but gives Him the name of the hearer of prayer, as what constitutes an abiding part of His glory, so that He might as soon deny Himself as shut His ear to our petitions. Could we only impress this upon our minds, that it is something peculiar to God, and inseparable from Him, to hear prayer, it would inspire us with unfailing confidence.
C. H. SPURGEON (1834-1892): People hold up their hands and say, “Dear, dear, what a wonder!” A wonder that God hears prayer? It would be a greater wonder if He did not hear it.
WILLIAM JAY (1769-1853): Many stand in need of encouragement, and under a sense of their unworthiness and guilt are ready to conclude that the Lord will not hear them.
THOMAS BOSTON (1676-1732): That God is the hearer of prayer, and will hear the prayers of his people, is evident from these considerations: First, the supernatural instinct of praying that is found in all that are born of God, Galatians 4:6. It is as natural for them to fall a praying when the grace of God has touched their hearts, as for children when they are born into the world to cry, or to desire the breasts.
C. H. SPURGEON: He that gave parents a love to their children, will He not listen to the cries of His own sons and daughters?
THOMAS BOSTON: Secondly, the intercession of Christ, Romans 8:34. It is a great part of the work of Christ’s intercession to present the prayers of his people before his Father, Revelation 8:4; to take their causes in hand [which are] contained in their supplications, 1 John 2:1.
JOHN BUNYAN (1628-1688): Let this doctrine give thee boldness to come to God. Shall Jesus Christ be interceding in heaven? Oh, then, be thou a praying man on earth; yea, take courage to pray. Think thus with thyself—I go to God—to God, before whose throne the Lord Jesus is ready to hand my petitions to Him; yea, “He ever lives to make intercession for me.” This is a great encouragement to come to God by prayers and supplications for ourselves, and by intercessions for our families, our neighbours, and enemies.
THOMAS BOSTON: Thirdly, the promises of the covenant, whereby God’s faithfulness is impawned for the hearing of prayer, as Matthew 7:7: see also Isaiah 65:24. Fourthly, the many encouragements given in the Word to the people of God, to come with their cases unto the Lord by prayer. He invites them to his throne of grace with their petitions for supply of their needs, Song of Solomon 2:14; [I Peter 5:7]. He sends afflictions to press them to come, Hosea 5:15. He gives them ground of hope of success, Psalm 50:15, whatever extremity their case is brought to, Isaiah 41:17. He shows them that however long he may delay their trial, yet praying and not fainting shall be successful at length, Luke 18:1-8.
WILLIAM GURNALL (1617-1679): “From the first day,” saith the angel, Daniel 10:12, “that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words;” that is, for thy prayer, Daniel.
JOHN GILL (1697-1771): His prayers were heard, and an answer ordered to be given, the very first day he began to pray.
BROWNLOW NORTH (1810-1875): When you pray, remember that God is present, and that He hears your prayers.
C. H. SPURGEON: Because God is the living God, He can hear; because He is a loving God, He will hear; because He is our covenant God, He has bound Himself to hear.
GEORGE MÜLLER (1805-1898): Prove the faithfulness of God by carrying your every want to Him.
THOMAS GOUGE (1605-1681): Indeed, the very soul of prayer lieth in the pouring out of the soul before the Lord.
ROBERT MURRAY M’CHEYNE (1813-1843): Put your finger on the promise [of] Isaiah 41:17, and plead, When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, I the Lord will hear them. Tell him you are poor and needy. Spread out your wants before Him. Take your emptiness to His fullness. There is an infinite supply with Him for everything you need, at the very moment you need it.
C. H. SPURGEON: Every right and sincere prayer is as surely heard as it is offered.
RICHARD SIBBES (1577-1635): God can pick sense [even] out of a confused prayer.
JOHN TRAPP (1601-1699): O happy we, that have to deal with such a prayer-hearing, sin-pardoning God! Basil compareth prayer to a chain, the other end whereof is linked to God’s ear, and the other to man’s tongue.
THOMAS BOSTON: What avails prayer, if it be not heard?
C. H. SPURGEON: But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer, Psalm 66:19. See how sure the psalmist is that he has been heard; it is with him no hope, surmise, or fancy, but he seals it with a verily…God not only has heard, but is now hearing prayer, and always must hear prayer, since He is an immutable being, and never changes in His attributes. What a delightful title for the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ―Oh Thou that hearest prayer.
HULDRYCH ZWINGLI (1484-1531): He has promised that if we pray He will hear us: and that which He has promised He will surely perform.
MATTHEW HENRY (1662-1714): It is much for the glory of God’s goodness, and the encouragement of ours, that He is a God hearing prayer, and has taken it among the titles of His honour to be so; and we are much wanting to ourselves if we do not take all occasions to give Him His title.
C. H. SPURGEON: Let us call upon Him again, and admit no doubt upon the question of His hearing us and answering us. He that made the ear, shall He not hear?
