Sirach 36:1-16: a reflection

1Have mercy upon us, O Lord the God of all, and look at us with favor; 2and send your fear upon all the nations. 3Lift up your hand against the foreign nations and let them see your mighty power. 4As you showed your holiness in us before them, so be magnified in them before us. 5Let them know you, as we also have known you, that there is no God but only you, O God. 6Show new signs, and work various wonders. Glorify your hand and your right arm. 7Raise up indignation and pour out wrath. Take away the adversary and destroy the enemy. 8Hasten the time and remember your oath. Let them declare your mighty works. 9Let him who escapes be devoured by raging fire. May those who harm your people find destruction. 10Crush the heads of the rulers of the enemies who say, “There is no one but ourselves.” 11Gather all the tribes of Jacob together, and take them for your inheritance, as from the beginning. 12O Lord, have mercy upon the people that is called by your name, and upon Israel, whom you likened to a firstborn. 13Have compassion upon the city of your sanctuary, Jerusalem, the place of your rest. 14Fill Zion. Exalt your oracles and fill your people with your glory. 15Give testimony to those who were your creatures in the beginning, and fulfill the prophecies that have been spoken in your name. 16Reward those who wait for you, and men will put their trust in your prophets.

This prayer asks God to have mercy on his people, to gather them, to fill Zion with his glory, and to fulfill the promises he has spoken, longing for God to complete his promised work. Have mercy upon us, O Lord the God of all, the prayer begins; and it asks God to have mercy on the people called by his name, to gather the tribes together, to fill his people with his glory, to fulfill the prophecies spoken in his name, and to reward those who wait for him. The prayer is a longing for God to complete what he has promised: to show mercy, to gather and restore his people, to fill them with his glory, to fulfill his word, to reward those who have waited for him. It is a prayer for God to finish his promised work. This shows praying for God to fulfill his promises and complete his promised work. Pray for God to fulfill his promises and complete his promised work. Long for God to finish what he has spoken, to show mercy and fulfill his word. It is right to ask God to complete the work he has promised. Wait for God, and pray that he would reward those who wait for him.

Notice the longing at the heart of this prayer. It is a prayer for God to act, to complete what he has promised. It asks him to have mercy on his people, to gather his scattered people together, to fill Zion, the place of his presence, with his glory, to fulfill the prophecies and promises spoken in his name, and to reward those who have waited for him. Running through it all is a deep longing for God to finish his promised work, to bring to completion the mercy, restoration, and glory he has promised, and not to leave his promises unfulfilled. This is a fitting prayer for God's people in every age. God has made great promises: to show mercy, to gather and restore his people, to fill them with his glory, to reward those who wait for him, to fulfill all he has spoken. And while much of this awaits its full completion, we are invited, like this prayer, to long and pray for it: to ask God to have mercy, to complete his promised work, to fulfill his word, to reward those who wait for him. It is right to pray this way, longing for God to finish what he has begun and promised, and trusting that he will. Such prayer keeps our hope alive and aligns our hearts with God's promised purposes. We do well to pray, as this prayer does, for God to fulfill his promises and complete his promised work, longing for him to finish what he has spoken. Pray for God to fulfill his promises and complete his promised work. Long for God to finish the mercy, restoration, and glory he has promised. It is right to ask God to complete what he has begun and spoken. Let your prayer align with God's promised purposes, longing for their fulfillment.

That is worth taking to heart, for it is right to pray for God to fulfill his promises and complete his promised work, longing for him to finish what he has spoken, as this prayer asks. We can leave God's promises to the future without longing or prayer; but this prayer asks God to have mercy, gather his people, fill them with glory, and fulfill his word. Pray for it. Do not leave God's promises unlonged for; pray, as this prayer does, for God to fulfill his promises and complete his promised work, longing for him to finish what he has spoken. Pray, as this prayer does, for God to fulfill his promises and complete his promised work, longing for him to finish the mercy, restoration, and glory he has spoken, as this prayer asks God to have mercy on his people, to gather them, to fill Zion with his glory, to fulfill the promises he has spoken, and to reward those who wait for him; for the prayer is a longing for God to complete what he has promised, to show mercy, gather and restore his people, fill them with his glory, fulfill his word, and reward those who have waited for him, a prayer for God to finish his promised work, which is fitting for God's people in every age, since God has made great promises to show mercy, gather and restore his people, fill them with glory, reward those who wait for him, and fulfill all he has spoken, and while much awaits its full completion we are invited like this prayer to long and pray for it, to ask God to have mercy and complete his promised work and fulfill his word, which is right to pray, longing for God to finish what he has begun and promised and trusting that he will, such prayer keeping our hope alive and aligning our hearts with God's promised purposes, so that we do well to pray for God to fulfill his promises and complete his promised work.

Lord, this prayer asks you to have mercy on your people, to gather them, to fill Zion with your glory, and to fulfill the promises you have spoken, longing for you to complete your promised work. Have mercy upon us, O Lord the God of all, the prayer begins; and it asks you to have mercy on the people called by your name, to gather the tribes together, to fill your people with your glory, to fulfill the prophecies spoken in your name, and to reward those who wait for you. The prayer is a longing for you to complete what you have promised: to show mercy, to gather and restore your people, to fill them with your glory, to fulfill your word, to reward those who have waited for you. It is a prayer for you to finish your promised work. Show me the longing at the heart of this prayer. It is a prayer for you to act, to complete what you have promised. It asks you to have mercy on your people, to gather your scattered people together, to fill Zion with your glory, to fulfill the promises spoken in your name, and to reward those who have waited for you. Running through it all is a deep longing for you to finish your promised work, and not to leave your promises unfulfilled. This is a fitting prayer for me. You have made great promises: to show mercy, to gather and restore your people, to fill them with your glory, to reward those who wait for you, to fulfill all you have spoken. And while much of this awaits its full completion, I am invited, like this prayer, to long and pray for it: to ask you to have mercy, to complete your promised work, to fulfill your word, to reward those who wait for you. It is right to pray this way, longing for you to finish what you have begun and promised, and trusting that you will. Take that to my heart. Help me pray, Lord, as this prayer does, for you to fulfill your promises and complete your promised work, longing for you to finish the mercy, restoration, and glory you have spoken, that my prayer may align with your promised purposes and my hope be kept alive as I wait for you.