LIFT UP YOUR SOUL TO GOD

(Psalm 25:1)

 Mike Johnson

Psalm 25:1 says, “To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.”  The author of this Psalm, regarded as David, starts his prayer respectfully, humbly appealing to God’s mercy and desiring His pardon.

This verse teaches a lot about the nature of prayer.  First, we learn His prayer was to the Lord and the Lord only: it would do David no good to pray to another human being or an idol.  Next, it was voluntary­: no one was forcing him to pray.  Also, it was emphatic: he spoke forcibly and clearly.

Please consider another salient point from this verse.  David says he would lift up his soul to God.  Today, when we pray, we must have the right state of mind and must lift our “souls” to God.  Prayer involves the human will and fellowship with God.  When we pray, we are to turn our minds away from things of the earth and turn them toward God.  Sadly, many who pray merely say words instead of lifting their souls to God.  All worship must come from the heart.  Jesus condemns those who “… draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me” (Mt. 15:8).  Even non-Christians recognize the folly of praying without leaving worldly cares below: i.e., Shakespeare has Claudius admit, “My words fly up, my thoughts remain below / words without thoughts never go to heaven” (Hamlet Act 3).

When you pray, do you lift your soul to God?  Do you direct your thoughts to the Lord above?  Do your prayers come from within?  We must lift up our souls to the Lord!