Psalms 141:5 - Homilies By S. Conway

Praying for others.

The psalmist here says he will do this. We need not trouble about the right rendering of this difficult verse, but may take it as it stands. It says that the calamities of the righteous shall stir the psalmist's soul to pray for them. He loved them much, even though they severely rebuked him, indeed, because they did so.

I. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE . We pray for ourselves, and it is right we should, for unless we ourselves are right with God we shall care but little for the highest good of others, and we shall be disqualified for interceding for them. How ungodly parents who, nevertheless, love their children very dearly, should remember this! They cannot render their children the highest service of all until they themselves are reconciled to God. But we ought not to pray only for ourselves. We can be selfish even in prayer; it is to be feared we very often are. But selfishness is as wrong there as elsewhere.

II. IT HAS THE HIGHEST SANCTION . Our Lord Jesus Christ now at the right hand of God "ever liveth to make intercession for us." Moreover, he has taught us to pray, "Our Father, which art," etc. It is not "my:" our Lord would have us be intercessors for others when we pray for ourselves.

III. THERE ARE INNUMERABLE REASONS FOR IT .

1. It is part of our obedience to Christ . We are to love our neighbor as ourselves. Surely this includes prayer for him.

2. It unites us with Christ . We cannot "redeem our brother or give to God a ransom for him;" but we can pray for him.

3. It does such good .

4. It is a work we can all engage in , though we may not be able to do much else. What do not the ministers of God owe to poor bed-ridden people who pray for them as they minister!—S.C.