Are Your Prayers “Prepared as Incense”?

“May my prayer be prepared as incense before you.”​—PSALM 141:2.

1, 2. The burning of incense symbolized what?

JEHOVAH GOD commanded his prophet Moses to have sacred incense prepared for use at Israel’s tabernacle of worship. The divine formula called for a fourfold aromatic mixture. (Exodus 30:34-38) It proved to be sweet-smelling indeed.

² The Law covenant into which the nation of Israel was taken provided for the burning of incense daily. (Exodus 30:7, 8) Did the use of incense have special significance? Yes, for the psalmist sang: “May my prayer be prepared as incense before you [Jehovah God], the raising up of my palms as the evening grain offering.” (Psalm 141:2) In the book of Revelation, the apostle John describes those around God’s heavenly throne as having golden bowls full of incense. “And,” says the inspired account, “the incense means the prayers of the holy ones.” (Revelation 5:8) So, then, the burning of sweet-smelling incense symbolized acceptable prayers offered up by Jehovah’s servants both day and night.​—1 Thessalonians 3:10; Hebrews 5:7.

3. What should help us to ‘prepare our prayers as incense before God’?

³ If our prayers are to be acceptable to God, we must pray to him in the name of Jesus Christ. (John 16:23, 24) But how can we improve the quality of our prayers? Well, giving consideration to some Scriptural examples should help us to prepare our prayers as incense before Jehovah.​—Proverbs 15:8.

Offer Prayers in Faith

4. How is faith related to acceptable prayer?

⁴ If our prayers are to ascend to God as sweet-smelling incense, we must pray in faith. (Hebrews 11:6) When Christian elders find a spiritually sick person receptive to their Scriptural help, their “prayer of faith will make the indisposed one well.” (James 5:15) Prayers offered in faith are pleasing to our heavenly Father, and so is prayerful study of God’s Word. The psalmist manifested a fine attitude when he sang: “I shall raise my palms to your commandments that I have loved, and I will concern myself with your regulations. Teach me goodness, sensibleness and knowledge themselves, for in your commandments I have exercised faith.” (Psalm 119:48, 66) Let us ‘spread out our palms’ in humble prayer and exercise faith by complying with God’s commandments.

5. What should we do if we lack wisdom?

⁵ Suppose we lack the wisdom needed to deal with a trial. Perhaps we are not sure that a particular Bible prophecy is now being fulfilled. Instead of allowing this to destabilize us spiritually, let us pray for wisdom. (Galatians 5:7, 8; James 1:5-8) Of course, we cannot expect God to answer us in a spectacular way. We need to show the sincerity of our prayers by doing what he expects all of his people to do. It is necessary for us to engage in faith-building study of the Scriptures with the aid of publications provided through “the faithful and discreet slave.” (Matthew 24:45-47; Joshua 1:7, 8) We also need to advance in knowledge by participating in meetings of God’s people on a regular basis.​—Hebrews 10:24, 25.

6. (a) All of us should realize what about our day and the fulfillment of Bible prophecies? (b) In addition to praying for the sanctification of Jehovah’s name, what should we do?

⁶ Today, some Christians are pursuing interests and careers suggesting that they have lost awareness that we are now deep in “the time of the end.” (Daniel 12:4) Fellow believers can well pray that such ones rekindle or bolster their faith in the Scriptural evidence that Christ’s presence began in 1914 when Jehovah installed him as heavenly King and that he is ruling in the midst of his enemies. (Psalm 110:1, 2; Matthew 24:3) All of us should realize that such foretold events as the destruction of false religion​—“Babylon the Great”—​the satanic attack of Gog of Magog upon Jehovah’s people, and the rescue of them by God the Almighty at the war of Armageddon can strike with startling suddenness and can all occur within a comparatively short period of time. (Revelation 16:14, 16; 18:1-5; Ezekiel 38:18-23) So let us pray for God’s help to stay awake spiritually. May all of us pray earnestly for the sanctification of Jehovah’s name, for his Kingdom to come, and for his will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Yes, may we continue to exercise faith and give evidence that our prayers are sincere. (Matthew 6:9, 10) Indeed, may all who love Jehovah seek first the Kingdom and his righteousness and have the greatest possible share in preaching the good news before the end comes.​—Matthew 6:33; 24:14.

Praise and Thank Jehovah

7. What impresses you about David’s prayer recorded in part at 1 Chronicles 29:10-13?

⁷ An important way to ‘prepare our prayers as incense’ is by expressing heartfelt praise and gratitude to God. King David offered such a prayer when he and the people of Israel contributed toward the construction of Jehovah’s temple. David prayed: “Blessed may you be, O Jehovah the God of Israel our father, from time indefinite even to time indefinite. Yours, O Jehovah, are the greatness and the mightiness and the beauty and the excellency and the dignity; for everything in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Jehovah, the One also lifting yourself up as head over all. The riches and the glory are on account of you, and you are dominating everything; and in your hand there are power and mightiness, and in your hand is ability to make great and to give strength to all. And now, O our God, we are thanking you and praising your beauteous name.”​—1 Chronicles 29:10-13.

8. (a) What words of praise in Psalms 148 to 150 especially touch your heart? (b) If we share the sentiments expressed at Psalm 27:4, what will we do?

⁸ What beautiful expressions of praise and thankfulness! Our prayers may not be as eloquent, but they can be just as heartfelt. The book of Psalms is filled with prayers of thanks and praise. Choice words of praise are found in Psalms 148 to 150. Gratitude to God is expressed in many psalms. “One thing I have asked from Jehovah,” sang David. “It is what I shall look for, that I may dwell in the house of Jehovah all the days of my life, to behold the pleasantness of Jehovah and to look with appreciation upon his temple.” (Psalm 27:4) Let us act in harmony with such prayers by participating zealously in all the activities of Jehovah’s congregated throngs. (Psalm 26:12) Doing this and meditating on God’s Word daily will give us many reasons to approach Jehovah with heartfelt praise and gratitude.

Humbly Seek Jehovah’s Help

9. How did King Asa pray, and with what result?

⁹ If we are serving Jehovah wholeheartedly as his Witnesses, we can be sure that he hears our prayers for help. (Isaiah 43:10-12) Consider King Asa of Judah. The first 10 years of his 41-year reign (977-937 B.C.E.) were marked by peace. Then Judah was invaded by a million-man army under Zerah the Ethiopian. Though greatly outnumbered, Asa and his men went out to meet the invaders. Before the battle, however, Asa prayed fervently. He acknowledged Jehovah’s power to deliver. Pleading for help, the king said: “Upon you we do lean, and in your name we have come against this crowd. O Jehovah, you are our God. Do not let mortal man retain strength against you.” Total victory resulted as Jehovah saved Judah for the sake of his great name. (2 Chronicles 14:1-15) Whether God delivers us from a trial or strengthens us to endure it, there is no question that he hears our pleas for his assistance.

10. When we do not know how to deal with a certain crisis, how can the prayer of King Jehoshaphat prove helpful?

¹⁰ If we do not know how to deal with a certain crisis, we can be confident that Jehovah will hear our petitions for help. This was illustrated in the days of Judean King Jehoshaphat, whose 25-year reign began in 936 B.C.E. When Judah was threatened by the combined forces of Moab, Ammon, and the mountainous region of Seir, Jehoshaphat pleaded: “O our God, will you not execute judgment upon them? For in us there is no power before this large crowd that is coming against us; and we ourselves do not know what we ought to do, but our eyes are toward you.” Jehovah answered that humble prayer, fighting for Judah by striking the enemy ranks with confusion so that they slaughtered one another. As a result, the surrounding nations became fearful, and peace prevailed in Judah. (2 Chronicles 20:1-30) When we lack the wisdom needed to meet a crisis, like Jehoshaphat we can pray: ‘We do not know what we ought to do, but our eyes are toward you, Jehovah.’ The holy spirit may cause us to recall Scriptural points needed to solve the problem, or God may help us in a way that surpasses human reasoning.​—Romans 8:26, 27.

11. What can we learn about prayer from Nehemiah’s actions in connection with Jerusalem’s wall?

¹¹ We may have to persevere in prayer for God’s help. Nehemiah mourned, wept, fasted, and prayed for days about Jerusalem’s ruined wall and the desperate plight of Judah’s inhabitants. (Nehemiah 1:1-11) His prayers evidently ascended to God like sweet-smelling incense. One day Persian King Artaxerxes asked dejected Nehemiah: “What is this that you are seeking to secure?” “At once,” reports Nehemiah, “I prayed to the God of the heavens.” That short and silent prayer was answered, for Nehemiah was permitted to fulfill his heart’s desire by going to Jerusalem to rebuild its ruined wall.​—Nehemiah 2:1-8.

Let Jesus Teach You How to Pray

12. In your own words, how would you summarize the main points of Jesus’ model prayer?

¹² Of all the prayers recorded in the Scriptures, especially instructive is the model prayer presented as sweet-smelling incense by Jesus Christ. Says Luke’s Gospel: “A certain one of [Jesus’] disciples said to him: ‘Lord, teach us how to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.’ Then he said to them: ‘Whenever you pray, say, “Father, let your name be sanctified. Let your kingdom come. Give us our bread for the day according to the day’s requirement. And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone that is in debt to us; and do not bring us into temptation.”’” (Luke 11:1-4; Matthew 6:9-13) Let us consider this prayer, not meant to be recited but intended to serve as a guide.

13. How would you explain the significance of the words, “Father, let your name be sanctified”?

¹³ “Father, let your name be sanctified.” Addressing Jehovah as Father is a special privilege of his dedicated servants. As children readily approach a merciful father with any concern, we should spend time in regular dignified and reverential prayer to God. (Psalm 103:13, 14) Our prayers should reflect our concern about the sanctification of Jehovah’s name because we long to see it cleared of all the reproach that has been heaped upon it. Yes, we want Jehovah’s name to be set apart and held as holy, or sacred.​—Psalm 5:11; 63:3, 4; 148:12, 13; Ezekiel 38:23.

14. What does it mean to pray, “Let your kingdom come”?

¹⁴ “Let your kingdom come.” The Kingdom is the rulership of Jehovah expressed through the heavenly Messianic government in the hands of his Son and Jesus’ associated “holy ones.” (Daniel 7:13, 14, 18, 27; Revelation 20:6) It will soon “come” against all earthly opposers of God’s sovereignty, removing them from the scene. (Daniel 2:44) Then the will of Jehovah will be done on earth, even as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10) What joy that will bring to all creatures loyally serving the Universal Sovereign!

15. Asking Jehovah for “our bread for the day” indicates what?

¹⁵ “Give us our bread for the day according to the day’s requirement.” Asking Jehovah for food “for the day” indicates that we do not request provisions in great abundance but only our daily needs. Though we trust in God to provide, we also work and use whatever proper means are available to us in order to obtain food and other necessities. (2 Thessalonians 3:7-10) Of course, we should thank our heavenly Provider because his love, wisdom, and power are behind these provisions.​—Acts 14:15-17.

16. How can we receive God’s forgiveness?

¹⁶ “Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone that is in debt to us.” Since we are imperfect and sinful, we cannot fully measure up to Jehovah’s perfect standards. Hence, we need to pray for his forgiveness on the basis of Jesus’ ransom sacrifice. But if we want the “Hearer of prayer” to apply the merit of that sacrifice to our sins, we must be repentant and willing to receive whatever discipline he gives us. (Psalm 65:2; Romans 5:8; 6:23; Hebrews 12:4-11) Moreover, we can expect to be forgiven by God only if we “have forgiven our debtors,” those sinning against us.​—Matthew 6:12, 14, 15.

17. What is meant by the words, “Do not bring us into temptation”?

¹⁷ “Do not bring us into temptation.” The Bible sometimes says that Jehovah does things when he is merely permitting them. (Ruth 1:20, 21) God does not tempt us to commit sin. (James 1:13) Temptations to do evil originate with the Devil, our sinful flesh, and this world. Satan is the Tempter who tries to maneuver us into sinning against God. (Matthew 4:3; 1 Thessalonians 3:5) When we make the request, “Do not bring us into temptation,” we are asking God not to allow us to fail when we are tempted to disobey him. He can guide us so that we do not succumb and are not overreached by Satan, “the wicked one.”​—Matthew 6:13; 1 Corinthians 10:13.

Work in Harmony With Your Prayers

18. How can we work in harmony with our prayers for a happy marriage and family life?

¹⁸ Jesus’ model prayer covered principal points, but we can pray about any matter. For example, we may pray about our desire for a happy marriage. To maintain chastity until wedlock, we may pray for self-control. But then let us work in harmony with our prayers by avoiding immoral literature and entertainment. Let us also be determined to ‘marry only in the Lord.’ (1 Corinthians 7:39; Deuteronomy 7:3, 4) Once married, we will need to work in harmony with our prayers for happiness by applying God’s counsel. And if we have children, it is not enough to pray that they will be faithful servants of Jehovah. We must do all we can to inculcate God’s truths in their minds through Bible study and by regularly attending Christian meetings with them.​—Deuteronomy 6:5-9; 31:12; Proverbs 22:6.

19. What should we do if we are praying about our ministry?

¹⁹ Are we praying for blessings in the ministry? Then let us act in harmony with such prayers by having a meaningful share in the Kingdom-preaching work. If we pray for opportunities to help others to get on the path to everlasting life, we need to keep good records of interested ones and be willing to fit the conducting of home Bible studies into our schedule. What if we desire to take up the full-time preaching work as a pioneer? Then let us take steps in harmony with our prayers by increasing our preaching activity and by sharing in the ministry with pioneers. Taking such steps will show that we are working in harmony with our prayers.

20. The next article will give consideration to what?

²⁰ If we are serving Jehovah faithfully, we can be confident that he will answer our prayers that are in harmony with his will. (1 John 5:14, 15) Surely, beneficial points have been gleaned from an examination of some of the prayers recorded in the Bible. Our next article will consider other Scriptural guidelines for those desiring to ‘prepare their prayers as incense before Jehovah.’

Lift Up Loyal Hands in Prayer

“I desire that in every place the men carry on prayer, lifting up loyal hands, apart from wrath and debates.”​—1 TIMOTHY 2:8.

1, 2. (a) How does 1 Timothy 2:8 apply to prayer involving Jehovah’s people? (b) What will we now consider?

JEHOVAH expects his people to be loyal to him and to one another. The apostle Paul linked loyalty with prayer when he wrote: “I desire that in every place the men carry on prayer, lifting up loyal hands, apart from wrath and debates.” (1 Timothy 2:8) Apparently, Paul was referring to public prayer “in every place” where Christians met together. Who were to represent God’s people in prayer at congregation meetings? Only holy, righteous, reverent men who carefully observed all Scriptural duties toward God. (Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14) They had to be spiritually and morally clean and unquestionably devoted to Jehovah God.

² Especially should congregation elders ‘lift up loyal hands in prayer.’ Their heartfelt prayers through Jesus Christ display loyalty to God and help them to avoid debates and outbursts of wrath. Actually, any man privileged to represent the Christian congregation in public prayer should be free from wrath, ill will, and disloyalty to Jehovah and his organization. (James 1:19, 20) What further Biblical guidelines are there for those who are privileged to represent others in public prayer? And what are some Scriptural principles that we should apply in our private and family prayers?

Give Prayer Advance Thought

3, 4. (a) Why is it beneficial to give public prayer advance thought? (b) What do the Scriptures indicate regarding the length of prayers?

³ If we have been asked to pray publicly, likely we will be able to give our prayer at least some advance thought. Doing this may enable us to cover appropriate important matters without saying a lengthy, rambling prayer. Of course, our private prayers can also be vocalized. They may be of any length. Jesus spent an entire night praying before he chose his 12 apostles. When he instituted the Memorial of his death, however, his prayers over the bread and wine were apparently rather brief. (Mark 14:22-24; Luke 6:12-16) And we know that even Jesus’ short prayers were completely acceptable to God.

⁴ Suppose we are privileged to represent a family in prayer before a meal. Such a prayer could be fairly short​—but whatever is said should include an expression of gratitude for the food. If we are praying publicly before or after a Christian meeting, we do not need to offer a long prayer covering many points. Jesus criticized the scribes who ‘made long prayers for a pretext.’ (Luke 20:46, 47) Never would a godly person want to do that. At times, though, a somewhat longer public prayer may be appropriate. For instance, an elder chosen to say the final prayer at an assembly should give it advance thought and may desire to mention several points. Yet, even such a prayer should not be of excessive length.

Approach God With Reverence

5. (a) What should we bear in mind when praying publicly? (b) Why pray in a dignified and respectful manner?

⁵ When praying publicly we should remember that we are not addressing humans. Rather, we are sinful creatures petitioning the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. (Psalm 8:3-5, 9; 73:28) We should therefore manifest reverential fear of displeasing him by what we say and how we express it. (Proverbs 1:7) The psalmist David sang: “As for me, in the abundance of your loving-kindness I shall come into your house, I shall bow down toward your holy temple in fear of you.” (Psalm 5:7) If we have that attitude, how will we express ourselves when asked to pray publicly at a meeting of Jehovah’s Witnesses? Well, if we were speaking to a human king, we would do so respectfully and with dignity. Should not our prayers be even more dignified and respectful, since we are praying to Jehovah, the “King of eternity”? (Revelation 15:3) So when praying we would avoid such statements as, “Good morning, Jehovah,” “We send you our love,” or, “Have a nice day.” The Scriptures show that God’s only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, never addressed his heavenly Father in that way.

6. What should we bear in mind when we ‘approach the throne of undeserved kindness’?

⁶ Paul said: “Let us . . . approach with freeness of speech to the throne of undeserved kindness.” (Hebrews 4:16) We can approach Jehovah with “freeness of speech” in spite of our sinful state because of our faith in the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ. (Acts 10:42, 43; 20:20, 21) Yet, such “freeness of speech” does not mean that we are chatting with God; nor should we say disrespectful things to him. If our public prayers are to please Jehovah, they must be offered with proper respect and dignity, and it would be inappropriate to use them to make announcements, counsel individuals, or lecture an audience.

Pray With a Humble Spirit

7. How did Solomon manifest humility when praying at the dedication of Jehovah’s temple?

⁷ Whether we are praying publicly or privately, an important Scriptural principle to keep in mind is that we should display a humble attitude in our prayers. (2 Chronicles 7:13, 14) King Solomon manifested humility in his public prayer at the dedication of Jehovah’s temple in Jerusalem. Solomon had just completed one of the most magnificent buildings ever constructed on the earth. Yet, he humbly prayed: “Will God truly dwell upon the earth? Look! The heavens, yes, the heaven of the heavens, themselves cannot contain you; how much less, then, this house that I have built!”​—1 Kings 8:27.

8. What are some ways that humility is shown in public prayer?

⁸ Like Solomon, we should be humble when representing others in public prayer. Although we should avoid sounding sanctimonious, humility can be shown by our tone of voice. Humble prayers are not bombastic or melodramatic. They draw attention, not to the person praying, but to the One addressed. (Matthew 6:5) Humility is also shown by what we say in prayer. If we pray humbly, we will not sound as though we are demanding that God do certain things our way. Rather, we will petition Jehovah to act in a manner that harmonizes with his sacred will. The psalmist exemplified the proper attitude when he pleaded: “Ah, now, Jehovah, do save, please! Ah, now, Jehovah, do grant success, please!”​—Psalm 118:25; Luke 18:9-14.

Pray From the Heart

9. What fine counsel given by Jesus is found at Matthew 6:7, and how can it be applied?

⁹ If our public or private prayers are to please Jehovah, they must come from the heart. Thus, we will not merely repeat a prayer formula over and over again without thinking about what we are saying. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus counseled: “When praying, do not say the same things over and over again, just as the people of the nations do, for they [mistakenly] imagine they will get a hearing for their use of many words.” Put another way, Jesus said: “Do not babble words; do not utter empty repetitions.”​—Matthew 6:7; footnote.

10. Why would it be proper to pray about the same matter more than once?

¹⁰ Of course, we may need to pray about the same matter time and again. That would not be wrong because Jesus urged: “Keep on asking, and it will be given you; keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on knocking, and it will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7) Perhaps there is a need for a new Kingdom Hall because Jehovah is prospering the local preaching work. (Isaiah 60:22) It would be proper to keep on mentioning this need when praying privately or when offering public prayers at meetings of Jehovah’s people. Doing so would not mean that we were ‘uttering empty repetitions.’

Remember Gratitude and Praise

11. How does Philippians 4:6, 7 apply to private and public prayer?

¹¹ Many people pray only to ask for something, but our love for Jehovah God should move us to give him thanks and praise in both private and public prayer. “Do not be anxious over anything,” wrote Paul, “but in everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving let your petitions be made known to God; and the peace of God that excels all thought will guard your hearts and your mental powers by means of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6, 7) Yes, in addition to supplications and petitions, we should express thankfulness to Jehovah for spiritual and material blessings. (Proverbs 10:22) The psalmist sang: “Offer thanksgiving as your sacrifice to God, and pay to the Most High your vows.” (Psalm 50:14) And a prayerful melody of David included these touching words: “I will praise the name of God with song, and I will magnify him with thanksgiving.” (Psalm 69:30) Should we not do the same in public and private prayer?

12. How is Psalm 100:4, 5 being fulfilled today, and for what can we therefore thank and praise God?

¹² Regarding God, the psalmist sang: “Come into his gates with thanksgiving, into his courtyards with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name. For Jehovah is good; his loving-kindness is to time indefinite, and his faithfulness to generation after generation.” (Psalm 100:4, 5) Today, people of all nations are entering the courtyards of Jehovah’s sanctuary, and for this we can give him praise and thanks. Do you express gratitude to God for the local Kingdom Hall and demonstrate your appreciation by regularly assembling there with those who love him? While there, do you heartily raise your voice in songs of praise and thankfulness to our loving heavenly Father?

Never Feel Ashamed to Pray

13. What Scriptural example shows that we should supplicate Jehovah even if we feel unworthy because of guilt?

¹³ Even if we feel unworthy because of guilt, we should turn to God in earnest supplication. When the Jews sinned by taking foreign wives, Ezra knelt, spread out his loyal palms to God, and humbly prayed: “O my God, I do feel ashamed and embarrassed to raise my face to you, O my God, for our errors themselves have multiplied over our head and our guiltiness has grown great even to the heavens. From the days of our forefathers we have been in great guiltiness until this day . . . And after all that has come upon us for our bad deeds and our great guiltiness​—for you yourself, O our God, have underestimated our error, and you have given us those who have escaped such as these—​shall we go breaking your commandments again and forming marriage alliances with the peoples of these detestable things? Will you not get incensed at us to the limit so that there will be none remaining and none escaping? O Jehovah the God of Israel, you are righteous, because we have been left over as an escaped people as at this day. Here we are before you in our guiltiness, for it is impossible to stand before you on account of this.”​—Ezra 9:1-15; Deuteronomy 7:3, 4.

14. As demonstrated in Ezra’s day, what is required in order to receive God’s forgiveness?

¹⁴ To receive God’s forgiveness, confession to him must be coupled with contrition and “fruits that befit repentance.” (Luke 3:8; Job 42:1-6; Isaiah 66:2) In Ezra’s day, a repentant attitude was accompanied by an effort to right the wrong by dismissing the foreign wives. (Ezra 10:44; compare 2 Corinthians 7:8-13.) If we are seeking God’s forgiveness for serious wrongdoing, let us make confession in humble prayer and produce fruits befitting repentance. A repentant spirit and a desire to right the wrong would also move us to seek the spiritual help of Christian elders.​—James 5:13-15.

Draw Comfort From Prayer

15. How does Hannah’s experience show that we can find comfort in prayer?

¹⁵ When our heart is in pain for some reason, we can find comfort in prayer. (Psalm 51:17; Proverbs 15:13) Loyal Hannah did. She lived when large families were common in Israel, but she had borne no children. Her husband, Elkanah, had sons and daughters by his other wife, Peninnah, who taunted Hannah for being barren. Hannah prayed earnestly and promised that if she was blessed with a son, ‘she would give him to Jehovah all the days of his life.’ Comforted by her prayer and by the words of High Priest Eli, Hannah “became self-concerned no more.” She gave birth to a boy whom she named Samuel. Later, she turned him over for service at Jehovah’s sanctuary. (1 Samuel 1:9-28) Grateful for God’s kindness toward her, she offered a prayer of thanksgiving​—one that lauded Jehovah as the one without equal. (1 Samuel 2:1-10) Like Hannah, we can draw comfort from prayer, confident that God answers all requests that harmonize with his will. When we pour out our heart to him, let us be “self-concerned no more,” for he will remove our burden or will enable us to bear it.​—Psalm 55:22.

16. As illustrated in Jacob’s case, why should we pray when we are fearful or anxious?

¹⁶ If a situation causes fear, pain of heart, or anxiety, let us not fail to turn to God for comfort in prayer. (Psalm 55:1-4) Jacob was fearful when about to meet his estranged brother, Esau. Yet, Jacob prayed: “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Jehovah, you who are saying to me, ‘Return to your land and to your relatives and I will deal well with you,’ I am unworthy of all the loving-kindnesses and of all the faithfulness that you have exercised toward your servant, for with but my staff I crossed this Jordan and now I have become two camps. Deliver me, I pray you, from my brother’s hand, from Esau’s hand, because I am afraid of him that he may come and certainly assault me, mother together with children. And you, you have said, ‘Unquestionably I shall deal well with you and I will constitute your seed like the grains of sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’” (Genesis 32:9-12) Esau did not assault Jacob and his entourage. Thus Jehovah did “deal well” with Jacob on that occasion.

17. In keeping with Psalm 119:52, how may prayer bring us comfort when we are sorely tried?

¹⁷ During our supplications, we may be comforted by recalling things said in God’s Word. In the longest psalm​—a beautiful prayer set to music—​it may have been Prince Hezekiah who sang: “I have remembered your judicial decisions from time indefinite, O Jehovah, and I find comfort for myself.” (Psalm 119:52) In humble prayer when we are sorely tried, we may recall a Bible principle or law that can help us to pursue a course resulting in the comforting assurance that we are pleasing our heavenly Father.

Loyal Ones Persevere in Prayer

18. Why can it be said that ‘every loyal one will pray to God’?

¹⁸ All who are loyal to Jehovah God will “persevere in prayer.” (Romans 12:12) In the 32nd Psalm 32, possibly composed after David sinned with Bath-sheba, he described his agony for failing to seek forgiveness and the relief that repentance and confession to God brought him. Then David sang: “On this account [because Jehovah’s pardon is available to truly repentant ones] every loyal one will pray to you at such a time only as you may be found.”​—Psalm 32:6.

19. Why should we lift up loyal hands in prayer?

¹⁹ If we cherish our relationship with Jehovah God, we will pray for his mercy on the basis of Jesus’ ransom sacrifice. In faith, we can approach the throne of undeserved kindness with freeness of speech to obtain mercy and timely help. (Hebrews 4:16) But there are so many reasons for prayer! Let us therefore “pray incessantly”​—often with words of heartfelt praise and gratitude to God. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) Day and night, let us lift up loyal hands in prayer.