What does "He inclined to me" reveal about God's response to our prayers? Setting the Scene Psalm 40:1: “I waited patiently for the LORD; He inclined to me and heard my cry.” David looks back on a season of desperate waiting, then celebrates God’s decisive, personal response. Unpacking the Phrase “He inclined to me” pictures the Sovereign God bending down toward His child. In Hebrew, the verb conveys deliberate stooping, as a parent leaning close to catch a whisper. What It Tells Us About God’s Posture • Intimate attention — God is not distant; He leans in. • Personal concern — “to me” underscores individual care, not generic goodwill. • Active listening — He does more than register sound; He actively “heard my cry.” • Voluntary condescension — the Almighty chooses to stoop, highlighting grace, not obligation. • Prompt engagement — the verb tense shows God’s immediate action once the appointed time arrived. Scriptural Echoes • Psalm 116:2: “Because He has inclined His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live.” • 1 Kings 8:28: Solomon asks God to “listen to the cry and the prayer that Your servant prays.” • Isaiah 64:4: God “acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.” • 1 Peter 3:12: “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are inclined to their prayer.” How This Shapes Our Prayer Life • Pray with confidence — He is already leaning in. • Persist in waiting — David “waited patiently,” trusting God’s timing. • Speak honestly — cries, not polished speeches, are what God heard. • Expect personal answers — the same God who stooped to David bends toward us in Christ. Living It Out Today 1. Set aside unhurried moments to picture the Lord leaning near. 2. Replace vague prayers with specific cries; He delights in detailed dependence. 3. Rehearse past instances of God’s “inclining” to you; gratitude fuels new faith. 4. Encourage others: remind them the Father is not merely able but already attentive. He inclined to David, He inclined to the psalmist, and—because His character never changes—He inclines to you. |
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