Let my prayer be set forth before Thee as incense

Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
(Psa 141:2)

We have to be reminded that prayer is more than a duty, it bespeaks of our relationship with God as we pray ‘Our Father …..’ (Matt 6:9). David knew how to cry out to God (Psa 141:1), whereas many will cry out to men for whatever reason. Learning to cry out to God in relationship is so important, Esau cried out for lost blessing (Gen 27:38) but David cried out to God to restore intimacy with the Almighty (Psa 51)… ‘cast me not away from Thy Presence…’. David’s crying to God was so deep that it was an offering up of his soul and affections to God. What or who are we offering ourselves up to these days?

Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
(Mat 27:50)

Jesus cried out to the Father and gave up His Spirit on the cross, no coincidence that it was about the time of the evening sacrifice. Crying out to God involves something dying inside that God’s divine plan takes over because these kind of prayer goes against everything that is in us and to culminate in the Father’s higher purpose (Mat 26:42). Jesus went through the cross despite human pity (Luke 23:27, 28) and pain, for God’s purpose fulfilled in us does not concern our personal comfort nor well being. God’s final interest is that we conform to the image of His Son (Rom 8:28, 29) and consider that this is that ‘all things work together for good’ to those who love God.

Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.
(Psa 141:5)

Our pain is God’s good for us, which is the predestination plan of God for us to bring us to glory (Rom 8:30). Welcome righteousness to smite us, it shall not break our heads but it may break our hearts. Chastisement of God is the proof of our son-ship (Heb 12:6) which brings us to spiritual maturity where we are persuaded that nothing shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:37, 38).