MR.THOMAS’s next example for consideration under the above book title is the fervent prayer of a righteous woman which is known to have availed much. Namely, The Silent Prayer of Hannah. There would be many opportunities, in family and festival, for Hannah to join in prayer ; but in sorrow of a godly sort, the individual heart must cry out to the living God. There are depths of sorrow into which not even a husband’s love can enter. Years of waiting, wondering, hoping, sickening deferment, despair and grief. Impelled by trouble, she goes to the sanctuary—to Him Who, in just such a time, is a refuge for the oppressed. Hannah’s heart was heavy with lonely grief. The sympathy and counsel of others sound far away in such a case, and formal prayers not near enough. The soul wants God, and as never before, carries its load straight to Him. This example reveals the proper issue of all sanctified trial ; and just as the devout Hebrew woman went where the ark of the covenant and the mercy-seat resided, so ought we in all our adversities, knowing that prayer is our best resource, to take our trials and troubles to God, by the new and living way ; the true ark and mercy-seat ; casting our burden upon the Lord, knowing He will sustain us and comfort us, for He careth for us. Private, unspeakable sorrows of life can render us sullen and bitter ; or, draw us nearer to God.
This is the first recorded instance of the silent lifting up of the mind to God in mental prayer. Such prayer is utterly sincere ; it cannot spring from a desire to be seen and heard of men. Hannah was in direct personal contact with her Invisible God. And, “Even when such mental prayer does not shape itself in words within the mind, but consists of aspirations and ‘groanings which cannot be uttered,’ ‘He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the spirit’ therein.”
We are told, “And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.” The record reveals the root of her bitterness : “Her rival used to taunt her bitterly, to irritate her . . . and this went on year after year whenever she went up to the house of the Eternal, she taunted Hannah.” 2 So that in addition to the humiliation which attached to the being childless in those days ; from the one who might have ministered a little milk of human kindness, she suffered sore provocation, designed by her adversary to augment sadness by a continual fret !
The writer well emphasises that no prayer of set form and phrase can meet such a need as this. A living piety partaking of our own individuality must find expression. Hannah’s prayer became true worship by reason of the features which we know characterised it—for though it was silently offered, the Spirit has caused one portion, no doubt the most vital part of her soul’s outpouring, to be preserved : “written for our learning.” There was a profound belief in God, and in His ability to perform her request ; intense fervour of spirit ; deep longing of heart for a definite object ; perfect humility (three times styling herself in her prime plea, “Thine handmaid”) ; and true regard for the Divine glory, in what she sought from the Source of all power. But there is still more ! The depths to which this affliction had brought her, caused her to reach such heights of devotion as are rare indeed. Should her fervent desire be granted, then it should be no selfish, triumphant gratification ; but, in entire self-surrender, she would render back to God His gift, devotedly to serve Him for life, in the place where she “vowed a vow.” Such was the mother-to-be of the great Samuel. Yet the severest trial of all, of this righteous woman’s golden faith, was applied, whilst the incense was still from her soul ascending, by the dim-eyed priest Eli. (It may have been a few years yet before his natural eyes began to wax dim, but he was already purblind to the gross abuses of his own sons : honouring them above God). His sight was keen enough to note that “only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard.” And as this most devout and holy woman, “out of the abundance of her complaint and her provocation, poured out her soul before the Lord,” he most grievously misjudged her as a common, drunken wastrel, and he upbraidingly admonished her accordingly.
To many, this would have been “the last straw”; but foreshowing the gracious, Christian spirit (which we also must manifest when our actions or motives are misunderstood and we are falsely accused), Hannah suppresses all anger, recrimination or passion, and preserving calm self-possession under the cruel wrong, she contents herself with a quiet, plain, but firm and fearless, statement of her case and denial of the accusation. It was the noblest possible self-vindication ; and it was much to Eli’s credit that he immediately accepted her protest. Pain and suffering are but deepened when that reaction is not encountered by the sincere, but “The comfort of the misjudged lies much in the conviction that God knows all.”
Peace and blessing were pronounced upon her, her petition was granted—and she performed her vow. The further prayer of praise and thanksgiving, rejoicing and triumph, breaks into inspired prophecy : in devotional poetry, which in form and Messianic content invites comparison with that other inspired song, over a thousand years later, exultingly poured forth by the virgin, Mary, on being greeted by Elizabeth, herself “filled with holy Spirit.” Happy shall we be if our requests are such that should our Father grant them, we may with like alacrity devote them unto Him.
The Penitential Prayer of David 3 is next considered by the author, as revealing, more than any other of the Great Prayers, the sense of penitence as seen in this unburdening of a conscience-stricken soul in a sincere confession of sin, and which led David, as it were like a leper, to cry out, “Unclean, unclean !” Apt and timely is the comment that “Some psychologists have, in their otherwise useful contributions to the understanding of human nature, truly done the world a grievous disservice in their plausible attempts to explain away sin in its varying phases.”
Chrysostom’s saying is quoted, “He carried in his bosom a painful picture of adultery and murder.” But here is a cry for mercy and the blotting out of past transgressions. There is an admission of congenital depravity, a plea for restoration and a renewal of spiritual life ; as also a return to God’s favour and to the spiritual joy involved in it. Thus we have contrition, confession and amendment of life.
“It is like a page of autobiography written in the author’s blood.” It is, indeed, the utterance of what itself describes as “a broken and a contrite heart.” “Nowhere else in the Old Testament Scriptures do we find such profound depth and tenderness of penitence, joined with such childlike faith in God’s pardoning mercy.” Unless the holy Spirit had recorded with impartiality this dark deed of David’s, this psalm would have been without comprehensible connection. “Who could have thought that from the same harp which uttered the sweet strain of Psalm 23, could proceed so deep a wail of grief and self-abasement ? Yet it is just because David’s joy in God and love to Him were so real, that his repentance was so bitter. No hypocrite could have penned this psalm.”
In this penitent’s plea for pardon there is nothing pleaded in self-defence or palliation. He knows his sins are indeed heinous, and his guilt enormously aggravated by the fact that he was the divinely chosen king of the chosen people, an inspired prophet, and the object of signal and unrivalled blessings from God. Ritual offerings would seem presumptive. God’s mercy and pity are his sole hope. Mr. Thomas observes truly, with regard to this incident which many would wish had remained unwritten : “There it stands, to teach us that no sinner need despair of God’s mercy. The door at which David entered is wide enough for every true penitent. So, Paul points to his own case as an encouragement to all . . . By one sin, James teaches us, God’s law is as completely broken as by many. Therefore only the blood which cleanses from all sin can cleanse from any . . . In respect to the ground of pardon and salvation, all stand on one level ; all join in one song. The folly and guilt of impenitence appear most of all in this—that it despises God’s mercy and compassion.”
The writer makes us appreciate the yearning after lost joy which is expressed, by considering fully who it is who breathes this desolate sense of loss. “This is not the sentimental moan of a recluse morbidly poring over his inward experience, or the visionary craving of a heart ignorant of life and the world, or the reactionary disgust of a worn-out worldling. If any man ever knew the world and enjoyed it, David did.” There was a wide experience, personal grace and beauty, genius, skill in poetry and music ; this hero in war, who had fought his way from the sheepfold to the throne, was in the heyday of prosperity and power. His armies and generals won victories for him while he enjoyed the luxury of his palace. His servants devotedly obeyed, even when he required them to commit crimes. And when the prophet Nathan told his touching parable, David had no suspicion that it was aimed at himself.4 But he lacked peace of conscience and the sense of Divine favour ; and when Nathan’s rebuke, “Thou art the man !”, struck him like lightning, his world was shattered and he was left alone with conscious guilt and Divine displeasure. Hence the cry, “Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation.” “David’s self-abasement is measured by the height from which he has fallen,” and the fact that it was possible for a godly man, whom the holy Spirit inspired to compose psalms which are still among the most treasured spiritual aids of Christ’s Ecclesia, to fall as David fell, “is a tremendous warning that neither grace nor gifts are any security to one who neglects to watch and pray.”
In this prayer there is “not mere feeling, but faith, as enlightened as simple, equally convinced of God’s willingness to forgive and of His power to restore. David asks for, and expects, both. Nowhere can one find more clearly discriminated, or so inseparably united, these two great gifts of God which together make up salvation—forgiveness and renewal ; righteousness and holiness ; deliverance from the guilt of sin and cleansing from its defilements . . . “Here lies, incidentally, the contrast between remorse and repentance ; the former akin to pride and despair ; the second to humility and hope.”
We may add that in like measure as God’s righteousness exceeded David’s, so did His compassion ; for whereas David’s ruling respecting the “rich man” in Nathan’s parable was, “The man that hath done this is a son of death,” Nathan assured him, “The Lord also hath put away thy sin ; thou shalt not die.” Nevertheless, because David had in this matter, (1) “despised the word of the Lord,” and (2) “given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme,” in justifying Himself there would be providential retribution recognisably appropriate, divinely designed and displayed before Israel, in threefold form : (1) “The sword shall never depart from thine house ;” (2) “I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives. .” (3) “The child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.”
David yearned to be rid of the “guiltiness”—consequent on his having produced fruits of his flesh which had been born “in sin” ; and he cried, “Make me a clean heart, 0 God, and put a new, steadfast spirit in me ; banish me not from Thy presence, deprive me not of Thy sacred Spirit ; gladden me with Thy saving aid again, and give me a willing spirit as my strength, that I may teach offenders how Thou dealest, till sinful men turn back to Thee.” We give these verses 10 to 13 in Moffatt’s translation because they help smooth away the misconception we heard expressed long years ago, arising from the Authorised Version, and remove, also, the difficulty confessed by the present author, due really to his Trinitarian viewpoint.
The A.V. refers to (1) “a right spirit” ; (2) “Thy holy spirit” ; and (3) “Thy free spirit.” The view we encountered when “learning the Truth” was that the first, referred to David’s own “spirit” or mental disposition ; the second, to God’s “holy spirit,” with which David was endowed ; and the third, to “the spirit of God” in the general sense, by which He sustains all, and works His will. That these three senses or meanings of “spirit” are found in Scripture, everyone must agree, of course. But that this triad of truth was to be found so neatly exhibited in three successive verses, seemed suspect, when one reflected that, with respect to the third sense alleged to apply in the above passage (“and uphold me with Thy free spirit”), David was sustained by God’s spirit equally after he sinned, as he was before ; and equally before he made this petition, as he was after ! Therefore, as we may be certain he would include no superfluity in his supplication, we were moved to check more carefully as to whether what David really said has been conveyed correctly and undamaged in translation. When the reader notes that the words “with Thy,” in verse 12, are italicised (so that we may know there are no words in the original text corresponding to them—the translators thus honestly admitting they were in difficulty with the text, and added the words to represent what they thought he meant), and when the reader notes also that the Revised Version supersedes the word “Thy” by “a”, and still further notices that the R.V. margin indicates that we may read “willing” instead of “free” (if we find it fits better the pattern of truth as we know it), he will dig on patiently for truth which lies buried here ! For these sincere impartialities of the translators we are always deeply grateful, for they often (as in this instance), lead away from the sense which would, much better, fit the pattern of their own theology.
Prior to the R.V., if one accepted the italics, the question was, the meaning of the word “free” : or, rather, the one so translated. But by removing the word “Thy”, the R.V. reveals that it may not be God’s “spirit” in any sense, that is indicated, but David’s ; and that “willing” is another aspect of the “right” (or steadfast) “spirit”—a mind stayed on God—which he first mentioned. What we suspected, receives full confirmation, also, by the very helpful comments and corrections in the Speaker’s Commentary ; moreover, we then see that the two “lines” of verse 12 are in “parallel.”
“Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation:] The holy joy inseparable from the realisation of God’s saving grace.
and uphold me with Thy free spirit.”] Or, let a free spirit sustain me. The word rendered “free” means willing, generous, spontaneously seeking and urging to goodness. Compare Psalm 54 : 6. In Job 30: 15 the word is used absolutely for the soul of a good man. The Psalmist prays that his own spirit may become such under divine influence, and sustain him in later trials and temptations.
In the Job reference, the R.V. substitutes, “mine honour,” and adds the marginal note, “my nobility”; and the “parallel” in that verse is “my welfare.” Thus were this reviewer’s difficulties cleared up. Those of Mr. Thomas arise through his belief in “the Holy Ghost,” whose function he thinks David is invoking, and having enlarged on this matter, confesses, “Our reason is incompetent fully to reconcile these opposite views as of Divine grace and human will.” But his reason breaks away from the importation of error, and he soberly affirms, “God does not deal with men as machines or statues. He speaks to men, beseeches, warns and invites. Our Saviour did so, even to the very persons he described as closing their eyes.” (The subject was “understanding with their hearts and being converted”). He continues, “It is by the reception of Divine truth that the heart is purified and spiritual life conveyed.” In proof of this truly Scriptural affirmation he cites 1 Peter 1 : 22; James 1; 18 ; and John 6: 63; all of which can speak for themselves, save that readers who may be using only the A.V. should be interested to note that the first one mentioned should be shortened by the excision of the three words, “through the Spirit,” as they are omitted from the Vatican Manuscript, Moffatt, R.V., Diaglott, etc.
David was quite clear as to the necessary instrument of his cleansing in heart and spirit. It is embodied in his prayer : “Behold, Thou desirest truth in the inward parts : and in the hidden part (my secret heart—Moff.) thou shalt make me to know wisdom.”
There is one very important observation to be made. Paul’s query in connection with possession of personal salvation may be repeated in this connection, with opposite bearing ; “For what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?” We are not yet saved, but we hope to be. David already possessed the holy Spirit, so why should he hope or pray for it ? this prayer-psalm is itself inspired by the holy Spirit, which would never infuse such confusion. David knew very well that he had it. (He knew also that, as a free agent, he was not, by its possession, kept from sin). And he feared that because of his sin, what he had he might lose. His prayer, therefore, was for its retention, “Take not Thy holy Spirit from me.”
The Speaker’s Commentary, here also, has a penetrating observation respecting what would be in David’s mind as he prayed. It defines “Thy holy Spirit” as, “The Spirit whereby David was consecrated to his kingly office, and endued with the gifts and graces requisite for discharging its duties. See 1 Samuel 16 : 13, where it is said that after he was anointed by Samuel, “the Spirit of the Lord came (mightily, R.V.) upon David from that day forward.” The Psalmist must also have remembered that at the same time the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and have felt that he had incurred the most imminent danger of a similar abandonment!
The sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart is always acceptable to God. “It implies the full surrender of ourselves to God, that He may make us wholly His own.” We must “engage steadfastly and continuously in God’s service.” David certainly kept his devotional undertaking, should his wonderful prayer be heard :—
“Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, Thou God of my salvation; and my tongue shall sing aloud of Thy righteousness. 0 Lord, open Thou my lips ; and my mouth shall show forth Thy praise.”
1 1 Sam. 1 : 10.
2 Verses 6, 7, Moffatt.
3 Psa. 51.
4 2 Sam. 12 : 5.
Review of “The Early Earth” by John Whitcomb (1972)