HC 117

Q117. What belongs to a prayer which pleases God and is heard by Him?

First, we must from the heart call upon the one true God only, who has revealed Himself in His Word, for all that He has commanded us to pray. Second, we must thoroughly know our need and misery, so that we may humble ourselves before God. Third, we must rest on this firm foundation that, although we do not deserve it, God will certainly hear our prayer for the sake of Christ our Lord, as He has promised us in His Word.

Proof texts

• Ps. 145:18-20 — [18] The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. [19] He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them. [20] The LORD preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.
• John 4:22-24 — [22] You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. [23] But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. [24] God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
• Rom. 8:26-27 — [26] Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. [27] And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
• Jas. 1:5 — [5] If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
• 1 John 5:14-15 — [14] And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. [15] And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
• Rev. 19:10 — [10] Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
• 2 Chr. 7:14 — [14] if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
• 2 Chr. 20:12 — [12] O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”
• Ps. 2:11 — [11] Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
• Ps. 34:18 — [18] The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
• Ps. 62:8 — [8] Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. <i>Selah</i>
• Isa. 66:2 — [2] All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.
• Rev. 4 — [1] After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” [2] At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. [3] And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. [4] Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. [5] From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, [6] and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: [7] the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. [8] And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” [9] And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, [10] the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, [11] “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
• Dan. 9:17-19 — [17] Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord, make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate. [18] O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. [19] O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.”
• Matt. 7:8 — [8] For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.
• John 14:13-14 — [13] Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. [14] If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
• John 16:23 — [23] In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.
• Rom. 10:13 — [13] For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
• Jas. 1:6 — [6] But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited Ps. 145:18-20 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 19 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
3. WSC Q98 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
4. WLC Q178 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

WSC Q98 · WLC Q178