LORD, hear my prayer. In your faithfulness listen to my plea, and in your righteousness answer me. Do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one alive is righteous in your sight.
PSALM 143:1-2 (CSB)

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King David says something quite interesting in this verse. He says, “for no one alive is righteous in your sight.” He says pretty much the same thing in Psalm 14:1-3 and Psalm 53:1-3. Why, then, could he expect God to hear his prayer? If he was a sinner by nature and by choice like us, why would God not judge him immediately? Why would God respond favorably to such a sinner?

Why does he allow us to go on when we also sin? Why would God hear our prayers with the clear record of all our rebellion against his will and his ways? 

Two reasons God hears our prayers are evident here in this verse. God is faithful. God is righteous. 

God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He does not change. He is who he is. As he has always been, so shall he always be. He who is patient with sinners not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9) is patiently awaiting the moment we realize we are lost without him, helpless in the face of danger, disease, or disaster.

He faithfully awaits our turning to him. 

He is also righteous. He always does what is right, just, fair, and compassionate. He defines right and wrong. He chooses to rescue sinners like you and like me. He chooses to renew us, to revive us, to restore us. He leads with love in all he does. Whatever his hand brings into our lives, it has been sent with love. His redeeming work in our lives is shaped by love. It is impossible for you to be more loved by God than you are at this moment. 

He righteously awaits our turning to him. 

John the Apostle understood this well. In 1 John 1:9 he writes, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 

Faithful means this is how he always operates. Righteous means he is the only one who can make such a declaration and also bring it to pass. God always forgives sinners who repent and return. God is always just in doing so because he is the one our sins ultimately offend. 

David also says things in this psalm like, “My spirit is weak within me; my heart is overcome with dismay,” (verse 4). “I spread out my hands to you; I am like parched land before you,” (verse 6). “Answer me quickly, LORD; my spirit fails,” (verse 7). “Rescue me from my enemies, LORD; I come to you for protection,” (Verse 9). “For your name’s sake, LORD, let me live. In your righteousness deliver me from trouble,” (verse 11). 

This is a pretty good prayer for people facing adversaries or serious illness. 

My favorite part of the prayer is verse 8. 

Let me experience your faithful love in the morning, 
for I trust in you.
Reveal to me the way I should go
because I appeal to you.

David trusted God’s loving heart to always be what it had always been. He trusted God’s loving hand to always do what he had always done. He trusted God to lead him in the way he should go as he always leads those who seek his direction. 

You can trust God with whatever you face today. He is perfectly faithful and righteous. He is compassionate and loving. He wants you to know him and experience him in the midst of all your struggles. He wants to redeem all he allows.

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I will commit my life to my faithful, righteous, loving Father in heaven.

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Our Father, thank you for these words of truth and life. Thank you for demonstrating your faithfulness, righteousness, and compassion in our lives. We bring you all of our fears, worries, and pains. Show us the way we should go. We receive your love and mercy for this day. We will live confidently in your love and mercy for every day to come. Amen.