For me, this verse, by itself, reminds me that, when I pray, many times I find myself praying only for me, or for something I want only for me. This often happens when I have some kind of sadness, worry or pain in mind, or when I want something to go my way. And, of course, when I pray like that, my head usually wants an answer to my prayer on the spot! But when I read this verse with the rest of this psalm, from its opening tale of the speaker’s personal despair and sickness, to its hopeful passages about how God will rebuild Zion and never die, I am reminded that, when I pray beyond myself -- for my spouse, my family, my friends and my community -- without any of my own reservations, conditions or expectations, my head seems to draw closer to what my heart seems to be seeking instinctively -- the everlasting life, love and peace that God has for all, including me.
—Bruce Redman
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