This is one of the most blessed aspects of genuine prayer . Often we ask for things that God has not specifically promised. Therefore we are not sure if our petitions are in line with His purpose, until we have persevered for some time in prayer . Yet on some occasions, and this was one in the life of David, we are fully persuaded that what we are asking is in accordance with God’s will. We feel led to select and plead a promise from the pages of Scripture, having been specially impressed that it contains a message for us.

At these times, we may say with confident faith, “Do as you promised.” Hardly any stance could be more completely beautiful, strong, or safe than that of putting your finger on a promise of God’s divine Word and then claiming it. Doing so requires no anguish, struggle, or wrestling but simply presenting the check and asking for cash. It is as simple as producing the promise and claiming its fulfillment. Nor will there be any doubt or cloudiness about the request. If all requests were this definitive, there would be much more interest in prayer . It is much better to claim a few specific things than to make twenty vague requests. F. B. MEYER

Every promise of Scripture is a letter from God, which we may plead before Him with this reasonable request: “Do as you promised.” Our Creator will never cheat those of us of His creation who depend upon His truth. And even more, our heavenly Father will never break His word to His own child.

“Remember your word to your servant, for you have given me hope” (Psalm 119:49). This is a very common plea and is a double argument, for it is “your word.” Will You not keep it? Why have You spoken it, if You will not make it good? “You have given me hope.” Will You now disappoint the hope that You Yourself have brought forth within me? CHARLES H. SPURGEON

“Being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised” (Romans 4:21).

It is the everlasting faithfulness of God that makes a Bible promise “very great and precious” (2 Peter 1:4). Human promises are often worthless, and many broken promises have left broken hearts. But since the creation of the world, God has never broken a single promise to one of His trusting children.

Oh, how sad it is for a poor Christian to stand at the very door of a promise during a dark night of affliction, being afraid to turn the knob and thereby come boldly into the shelter as a child entering his Father’s house! GURNAL

Every promise of God’s is built on four pillars. The first two are His justice and holiness, which will never allow Him to deceive us. The third is His grace or goodness, which will not allow Him to forget. And the fourth is His truth, which will not allow Him to change, which enables Him to accomplish what He has promised. SELECTED

Strengthen thou me according unto thy word.

Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou has caused me to hope.—O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me.

Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.—Ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.

Fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.—Be strong, . . . and work: for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts.—Not by might nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.

Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear. So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word.

Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.

Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.

The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.

For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.

Thy faithfulness is unto all generations.

God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath; that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus.

Exceeding great and precious promises.