In today’s daily devotional of “When the Righteous Cry Out”, the focus is on the theme of righteousness and the assurance that God hears the prayers of those who seek to live in accordance with His will. Yes, when the righteous cry out to the Lord, the heavens come down.

Through today’s devotional, we will come to a deeper understanding of the power of righteousness and the unending love and grace of God.

Let us get started!

» Monday, 6th March 2023 | I Stand In The Gap Daily Devotional | When the Righteous Cry Out

Yesterday, we shared “The Unsearchable Riches of Christ“, and today’s is “When the Righteous Cry Out.”

Anchor verse of the day

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles.

Psalms 34:17 (NKJV)

The righteous can have faith that God will deliver them from their problems and that He is with them. The Psalmist emphasizes the effectiveness of prayer for the righteous in Psalm 34:17 and exhorts believers to put their faith in God’s trustworthiness.

Themes in Psalm 34:17

  • Righteousness: The psalmist mentions how the Lord hears the prayer of the virtuous.
  • God’s hearing: God answers the prayers of the virtuous and rescues them from their problems.
  • Protection: The psalmist mentions God’s protection of the virtuous, making sure that they are safe from harm.
  • Fear of the Lord: There is value in having a virtuous attitude toward the Lord and how it results in a life of righteousness.
  • Salvation: According to the psalmist, the Lord delivers the righteous from all of their fears and saves them from their problems.
  • Faith: We are exhorted to put our faith in the Lord, to have confidence in His benevolence, and to seek the Lord in all things.

Background to Psalm 34:17

David is the author of Psalm 34. The psalm was composed during the time David was fleeing from King Saul and pretended to be insane in front of Abimelech, the king of Gath.

David exalts God for His faithfulness, protection, and deliverance in this psalm and exhorts the people to put their trust in Him.

The promise that the Lord hears the cries of the righteous and saves them from their problems is especially addressed in verse 17. This assurance of deliverance is based on the just nature of God, who keeps His word and is devoted to His people.

The text offers consolation and encouragement to those who are grieving, urging them to seek the Lord’s face and put their faith in His goodness even while they are going through hardships.

Similar verses to Psalm 34:17

The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth.

Psalm 145:18 (NKJV)

Similar to Psalm 34:17, this passage emphasizes the Lord’s nearness and readiness to listen to those who call on Him in prayer. It underlines the significance of sincerity and truth in prayer, implying that the Lord is attentive to the sincere cries of people who seek Him rather than merely the appropriate words or formulae.

14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

1 John 5:14-15(NKJV)

Although this verse adds the crucial qualification that our requests must be in accordance with His will, it also speaks of the assurance that God hears our petitions.

As a result, we should view prayer as a tool to align ourselves with God’s plans and purposes rather than as a strategy to control God or gain what we desire. Because our requests are in line with what God wants for us, when we pray in this way, we may be sure they will be granted.

What should the Christian do then?

A Christian should make an effort to lead a moral life and depend on God when things are tough.

Knowing that God listens and responds to the prayers of the righteous, we shouldn’t be scared to cry out to Him in prayer. We should have faith that God would deliver us from our problems and trust in His goodness.

See, the verse exhorts the believer to pursue righteousness, put their faith in God’s provision, and have confidence in His power to deliver them.

Reflection on when the righteous cry out

The anchor verse emphasizes the bond between God and the righteous.

The righteous are people who live according to God’s will and make an effort to act in a way that pleases Him. These are people who have admitted their sins, repented, and are making an effort to live a holy life.

According to the passage, God hears the cries of the virtuous. This proves that God hears the prayers of individuals who are attempting to carry out His will.

He is actively involved in the lives of His people rather than being distant or uninterested. The righteous’ cries are also heard by God, who also delivers them from all of their problems.

This demonstrates that God is able to intervene on our behalf and bring about positive change in our lives in addition to being interested in hearing our petitions.

As Christians, we ought to make an effort to live moral lives, aiming to fulfill God’s purposes and obey His directives. We should be aware of the value of prayer and that God listens and responds to our petitions. We should not be afraid to cry out to God and ask for His assistance when we are going through challenges or troubles. We can have faith that He is paying attention and that He will deliver us from our problems.

Ultimately, Psalm 34:17 serves as a reminder to us of the close bond between God and the faithful. It is a motivation to lead a decent life and to ask God for assistance when you need it.

Let us pray

Our Heavenly Father,

We come to you today in thanks for your steadfastness in hearing and responding to our cries. We understand that even though we are your virtuous children, we nevertheless face difficulties and hardships in this life. Yet, we find solace in the promise of your Word that you will hear us when we call out to you and deliver us from all of our problems.

Lord, we ask that you provide us the ability to continually increase our confidence and trust in you while striving to live a life of virtue.

We pray that we may be quick to turn to you in times of need, knowing that you are a God who hears and answers the cries of your people.

We beseech you to give us the fortitude to endure any hardship we may encounter, knowing that you are with us and working everything out for our good. May we never forget that only you are the source of our righteousness and that without you we are powerless.

We appreciate your unwavering devotion to and affection for your people. You get all the credit and admiration from us.

We pray in the name of Jesus.

Amen.